As July 2008 drew to a close, Stars and Stripes closed its doors on its former home on a small base in Griesheim, a village outside of Darmstadt and about a half-hour’s drive to Frankfurt, and relocated to Kleber Kaserne in Kaiserslautern. With that move, the world outside my window has changed completely, and distracted me from my blogging duties. But we’re settling in, and I’m regaining the chance to let thoughts of travel carry me away.
From a big-picture travel perspective, life won’t change so much. Frankfurt’s international airport and Frankfurt-Hahn will continue to serve as the hubs for getting in and out of Germany, and a drive to the Benelux will take more or less the same time as previously. Paris becomes more accessible, while an additional hour’s drive is tacked onto a Prague trip.
But it’s those shorter, weekend-day-out types of trips that I envision changing completely. While before, , a bike trip to Frankfurt or a drive along the Bergstrasse might have occupied a Sunday, perhaps now I’ll be popping over to Trier or Homburg, or checking out a fest along the Weinstrasse.
I will miss the accumulated knowledge that comes with having settled into one’s community. No more easy commute to the sand quarry that served as my swimming hole, the secret apricot tree, or stream where the big fish congregate. Goodbye Italian waiters who know me by name down at the cafe in the marketplace square. Now I have to relearn the answers to such puzzles as to where to find a field where I can cut my own flowers, or where to buy a pumpkin come Halloween.
Most military types would probably argue that four years in the same spot is a long tour of duty, and I’d have to say, I did enjoy the run. So rather than lament what has ceased to be, it’s time to plunge two feet first into life in the Pfalz. Those of you who now call the Kaiserslautern and Ramstein areas home, or have passed through this area, what are your favorite places for a day out of hiking or a bike ride? Where are the better flea markets? What villages rank high on the quaintness scale? A new journey of discovery begins, and I would love to hear the advice of those who have passed through here before.
Goodbye Darmstadt, Hello Pfalz!
During my assignment to Kleber Kaserne from 1982 through 1986, my wife and I did a lot of Saturday morning touring around the region. Granted, that was a long time ago and the area has changed a lot, but our method will probably still apply if you like day trips.
Instead of doing the tourist book things, we invested in very detailed area and regional maps. During the week we would study the maps and pick out a small town or village out in the middle of nowhere as our destination. On Friday I would buy a pocket full of then Deutche Marks, and early Saturday morning we took off. A very early departure was necessary back then because Germany rolled up the sidewalks at noon on Saturdays. We saw miles of beautifully groomed countrysides, and had some of the best eating, sightseeing, and shopping we ever experienced during my three assignments to Germany. Some of the places were so isolated that several local residents told us we were the first Americans they had seen in many months. It doesn't get much better than that.
Gas is expensive and day tripping isn't for everyone, but there is so much to see and do within a couple hours drive from Kaiserslautern that it may be worth the investment. It was for us.
I hope you enjoy "K-Town" as much as we did.
Rick Williamson
Hephzibah, Georgia
PS: I don't know if it's still there, but the French Army had a garrison a few miles from Kleber Kaserne. They maintained a small commisary for their soldiers that was restocked daily from their homeland. If you had a DOD ID card of any sort, you were allowed to shop there. We spent a lot of money in that place.