Hey there!
I know it's been a while since I've posted anything, but things are continuing to be pretty crazy around here. I was having problems with my laptop and Steven worked a few miracles since he got here.
Steven arrived last Saturday. On Sunday the poor thing woke up with a fever and some sort of stomach virus. He spent 3 days in bed miserable. He's feeling much better now and even went out with myself and my coworkers last night. Today was a relaxing day together: laundry, naps, tv, etc. Tomorrow we're going to Luxembourg and Trier and on Sunday we're going to Rothemberg and Heidelberg. We're going to check out the Christmas markets. I'm really excited to possibly get some Christmas shopping out of the way.
Well, I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm still alive and well!
Love you all lots!
Cristina
Friday, December 5, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Hey, there, this is just a quickie post.
Above is just a taste of what's to come from my latest trip. Don't expect much, because I really didn't take that many pictures.
Happy 16th Birthday to my favorite sister!!!!! I'm still in shock that you've been around for 16 years already. It seems like yesterday you were born and I gave you your first bath. I miss you and I love you!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Hey, everyone! I'm updating again! I wanted to update yesterday but the internet was going too slow for me to upload any pictures.
It's been a kind of hectic week. Worked Monday and Tuesday then on Wednesday and Thursday I went to Prague with a few people from work. Then I worked yesterday and I'm working today and tomorrow. I love working this schedule. It allows for so much for flexibility and freedom than the average Monday through Friday job. It's going to be difficult to go back to that kind of schedule.
So, Prague was interesting. The Czech Republic is definitely very interesting and different. As soon as we crossed the border we could tell they aren't as neat and orderly as the Germans. In fact, by the time we found a parking spot near our hostel, the three of us in the car were ready to come back to Germany. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to their streets or parking. Every parking spot has a reserved sign on it and we pretty much just decided that if it didn't say Policie on the sign we were good to go. The car didn't get towed or anything bad so we were happy. Anyways, Prague is a large city and we only saw a small portion of it. We walked for hours and hours. It rained the whole first day and the second day was just cold. We learned that in Prague if you go eat at a restaurant and they bring you a basket of bread, expect to pay for that basket of bread per person! The money there is interesting. They have their own currency, the Czech Krone, but most places accept Euro. The exchange rate is about 24 Krone to the Euro. So, if a restaurant says that Goulash is 300 Krone, it's only about 12.46 Euro or 15.88 US dollars.
Our hostel was pretty nice. We had an apartment with a kitchen and bathroom. Three of us girls shared the one apartment and everyone else shared a second one. It wasn't a 5 star hotel by any means, but it was clean and we felt safe. Pretty cheap too.
Well, we stayed in Prague until about 4 PM Thursday and we would have made it home in about 4 hours except we got caught in a huge traffic jam in a construction zone so it took us about 6 hours to get back. It was an exhausting trip, but I think it was worth it. I can say I've been to Prague now!
Well, I must go back to work now!
Hope everyone enjoys the pictures!
It's been a kind of hectic week. Worked Monday and Tuesday then on Wednesday and Thursday I went to Prague with a few people from work. Then I worked yesterday and I'm working today and tomorrow. I love working this schedule. It allows for so much for flexibility and freedom than the average Monday through Friday job. It's going to be difficult to go back to that kind of schedule.
So, Prague was interesting. The Czech Republic is definitely very interesting and different. As soon as we crossed the border we could tell they aren't as neat and orderly as the Germans. In fact, by the time we found a parking spot near our hostel, the three of us in the car were ready to come back to Germany. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to their streets or parking. Every parking spot has a reserved sign on it and we pretty much just decided that if it didn't say Policie on the sign we were good to go. The car didn't get towed or anything bad so we were happy. Anyways, Prague is a large city and we only saw a small portion of it. We walked for hours and hours. It rained the whole first day and the second day was just cold. We learned that in Prague if you go eat at a restaurant and they bring you a basket of bread, expect to pay for that basket of bread per person! The money there is interesting. They have their own currency, the Czech Krone, but most places accept Euro. The exchange rate is about 24 Krone to the Euro. So, if a restaurant says that Goulash is 300 Krone, it's only about 12.46 Euro or 15.88 US dollars.
Our hostel was pretty nice. We had an apartment with a kitchen and bathroom. Three of us girls shared the one apartment and everyone else shared a second one. It wasn't a 5 star hotel by any means, but it was clean and we felt safe. Pretty cheap too.
Well, we stayed in Prague until about 4 PM Thursday and we would have made it home in about 4 hours except we got caught in a huge traffic jam in a construction zone so it took us about 6 hours to get back. It was an exhausting trip, but I think it was worth it. I can say I've been to Prague now!
Well, I must go back to work now!
Hope everyone enjoys the pictures!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Last Week or So
Well, I know it's been a while since I've updated. It's hard to get online sometimes, but I'm on now!
Last week a few of us went to Karlsruhe. We were going to a museum, but they closed 30 minutes before we got there. So we just walked around the town, through the botanicle gardens and around the castle there. We ate dinner at a Greek restaurant owned by Germans. It was soooo yummy. All of the food here is amazing.
Friday night, one of the people on my shift that is here permanently had a bunch of people over to his house for dinner. The moms of two of the people deployed here came to visit and they cooked dinner for us. It was incredible food. It's amazing how so many people can come together and hang out so quickly after meeting each other for the first time. It truly is like having a second family here. (I'll upload those pictures another day, the others took forever.)
So, I went to Rudesheim am Rhein yesterday. It was so very pretty. There's a huge statue in the mountain there. You can walk, drive or take a cable car up the mountain. Guess what I did? The person afraid of heights took the cable car. It was so beautiful. It was a very foggy, but sunny day. We rode over some vineyards and it was really cool.
Wikepedia has this description of the statue: The Niederwalddenkmal is in the Niederwald Landscape park. High up above town, the Niederwalddenkmal is a statue of Germania, built to commemorate the unification of Germany in 1871 under the leadership of Kaiser Wilhelm I and the first German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, both of whom are depicted on the monument. The monument was constructed in order to remember the foundation of the Second Reich after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. The first stone was laid on September 16, 1877 by Wilhelm I. The sculptors selected for the creation of the monument were Johannes Schilling and Karl Weisbach. The monument was inaugurated on September 28, 1883, six years after the start of the construction.
Underneath the monument makes reference to "Die Wacht am Rhein", a patriotic German song with roots as early as the Franco-Prussian war. The central figure is the 12,5 m tall Germania.
This immense monument can be reached either by an hour's walk from the town or by means of a gondola over the vineyards. It is also possible to walk a little way further to reach the chairlift down to Assmannshausen. Whichever route is used, the monument provides a wonderful view of both Ruedesheim and Bingen across the river, as well as the junction of the Rhine and the Nahe.
Afterwards, we went to this really, really yummy restaurant. The baked chicken and pommes frites are to die for! I couldn't eat the whole thing, but I stuffed myself full. When Steven comes to visit, we'll be going back for sure!
Well, I'm signing off since it's getting late and I have to work in the morning! Love you all!
Last week a few of us went to Karlsruhe. We were going to a museum, but they closed 30 minutes before we got there. So we just walked around the town, through the botanicle gardens and around the castle there. We ate dinner at a Greek restaurant owned by Germans. It was soooo yummy. All of the food here is amazing.
Friday night, one of the people on my shift that is here permanently had a bunch of people over to his house for dinner. The moms of two of the people deployed here came to visit and they cooked dinner for us. It was incredible food. It's amazing how so many people can come together and hang out so quickly after meeting each other for the first time. It truly is like having a second family here. (I'll upload those pictures another day, the others took forever.)
So, I went to Rudesheim am Rhein yesterday. It was so very pretty. There's a huge statue in the mountain there. You can walk, drive or take a cable car up the mountain. Guess what I did? The person afraid of heights took the cable car. It was so beautiful. It was a very foggy, but sunny day. We rode over some vineyards and it was really cool.
Wikepedia has this description of the statue: The Niederwalddenkmal is in the Niederwald Landscape park. High up above town, the Niederwalddenkmal is a statue of Germania, built to commemorate the unification of Germany in 1871 under the leadership of Kaiser Wilhelm I and the first German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, both of whom are depicted on the monument. The monument was constructed in order to remember the foundation of the Second Reich after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. The first stone was laid on September 16, 1877 by Wilhelm I. The sculptors selected for the creation of the monument were Johannes Schilling and Karl Weisbach. The monument was inaugurated on September 28, 1883, six years after the start of the construction.
Underneath the monument makes reference to "Die Wacht am Rhein", a patriotic German song with roots as early as the Franco-Prussian war. The central figure is the 12,5 m tall Germania.
This immense monument can be reached either by an hour's walk from the town or by means of a gondola over the vineyards. It is also possible to walk a little way further to reach the chairlift down to Assmannshausen. Whichever route is used, the monument provides a wonderful view of both Ruedesheim and Bingen across the river, as well as the junction of the Rhine and the Nahe.
Afterwards, we went to this really, really yummy restaurant. The baked chicken and pommes frites are to die for! I couldn't eat the whole thing, but I stuffed myself full. When Steven comes to visit, we'll be going back for sure!
Well, I'm signing off since it's getting late and I have to work in the morning! Love you all!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
France
So, I went to France today. Specifically, Bitche, France. (Click for the pictures.) It's only about a 30 minute drive from here. We toured through the fort there. Apparently it's the only fort the Germans didn't take during a war I can't remember the name of. The tour was really cool. They had a movie that we watched throughout the whole place (thus the headphones, it's wasn't cold outside).
Afterwards, we went to eat at a really yummy place in K-town. I had a hefeweizen beer and it was pretty good.
It's early to bed tonight, since I have to be up at 4:30 tomorrow morning for work. Take care!
Love you all!
Afterwards, we went to eat at a really yummy place in K-town. I had a hefeweizen beer and it was pretty good.
It's early to bed tonight, since I have to be up at 4:30 tomorrow morning for work. Take care!
Love you all!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
My first long weekend
Well, I took some pictures for everyone. Actually, some is more of an understatement. I took so many that I'm having to link to them instead of having them here.
I finally got off the base Friday night! First a bunch of us from shift went to the Belgian Bar and I finally drank more than a sip of beer. They have this cherry beer that's really good. It's sweet, but it's still good. Better than the regular flavored stuff. I had some of the regular stuff too. After that we went into K-town and went to a bar called Havana. It was salsa night so we just danced for about 3 hours. Soooo much fun.
We weren't out too late thankfully. We got back to base around 1:30 am. I really like the people I work with. It's going to be hard leaving everyone in February.
Yesterday I went with a couple of people to a little town called Speyer. They have a cathedral there where a bunch of kings and emperors buried in the crypt below. It was a gorgeous cathedral. I didn't take too many pictures, but there are a bunch from the crypts and a few of the cathedral itself. After that we walked around the town. It was a beautiful place. I still get a kick out of how many flowers are in bloom. I've forgotten that flowers will thrive in the cold. I can't even keep my begonias alive when the temperature drops below 70 degrees! Anyways, we saw a couple more churches and we walked along the Rhine River for a while too. It was all so beautiful!!!!
Last night it was good to just hang out with some people from my unit and a few others too. We just ate and drank wine for a couple of hours.
Here are some pictures of my room. For some reason I didn't take a picture of my bed. Oh well, it's not that interesting.
Well I guess that's it for now. I have to go hunt down food.
Love you all!
Cristina
I finally got off the base Friday night! First a bunch of us from shift went to the Belgian Bar and I finally drank more than a sip of beer. They have this cherry beer that's really good. It's sweet, but it's still good. Better than the regular flavored stuff. I had some of the regular stuff too. After that we went into K-town and went to a bar called Havana. It was salsa night so we just danced for about 3 hours. Soooo much fun.
We weren't out too late thankfully. We got back to base around 1:30 am. I really like the people I work with. It's going to be hard leaving everyone in February.
Yesterday I went with a couple of people to a little town called Speyer. They have a cathedral there where a bunch of kings and emperors buried in the crypt below. It was a gorgeous cathedral. I didn't take too many pictures, but there are a bunch from the crypts and a few of the cathedral itself. After that we walked around the town. It was a beautiful place. I still get a kick out of how many flowers are in bloom. I've forgotten that flowers will thrive in the cold. I can't even keep my begonias alive when the temperature drops below 70 degrees! Anyways, we saw a couple more churches and we walked along the Rhine River for a while too. It was all so beautiful!!!!
Last night it was good to just hang out with some people from my unit and a few others too. We just ate and drank wine for a couple of hours.
Here are some pictures of my room. For some reason I didn't take a picture of my bed. Oh well, it's not that interesting.
Well I guess that's it for now. I have to go hunt down food.
Love you all!
Cristina
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Finally!
I finally have internet on my laptop!!! We don't have internet in our rooms but we can plug in at the USO at work. A few buildings have wireless, but I've been having issues with connecting wirelessly here on base. Ah, well.
So, today the high was 57 degrees and it was soooo cold and windy on the flight line. Especially when you have to stand outside for 25 minutes waiting for people to get their butts moving. But, that's ok because it's all for the benefit of our wounded warriors.
Today I got to help load and unload litters from aircraft. That was really cool. Everyone is really nice and it wasn't as stressful as it seemed when I was at Andrews for annual tour. Don't get me wrong, carrying people on a piece of mesh with two poles is pretty stressful. The good thing is that if we feel as if we can't carry the person, there is always someone there to help.
The people on my shift aren't high strung and everyone works hard and works together. I'm told that some of the other shifts aren't like that. I'm glad I'm on the shift I'm on.
I work day shift 6-6. Right now my schedule is kind of messed up because I'm still training, but it will settle down next week.
I'm having an interesting time with the time change. Being 6 hours ahead from home is a really big difference. Most people take about 1-2 weeks to adjust fully. I've had a total of 11 hours of sleep since I got here on Friday afternoon.
Well, I'm starting to space out which means my mind and body will not stay awake for much longer. I'll try to take some pictures and put them up later this week.
Hope all is well at home!
Tschüs!
So, today the high was 57 degrees and it was soooo cold and windy on the flight line. Especially when you have to stand outside for 25 minutes waiting for people to get their butts moving. But, that's ok because it's all for the benefit of our wounded warriors.
Today I got to help load and unload litters from aircraft. That was really cool. Everyone is really nice and it wasn't as stressful as it seemed when I was at Andrews for annual tour. Don't get me wrong, carrying people on a piece of mesh with two poles is pretty stressful. The good thing is that if we feel as if we can't carry the person, there is always someone there to help.
The people on my shift aren't high strung and everyone works hard and works together. I'm told that some of the other shifts aren't like that. I'm glad I'm on the shift I'm on.
I work day shift 6-6. Right now my schedule is kind of messed up because I'm still training, but it will settle down next week.
I'm having an interesting time with the time change. Being 6 hours ahead from home is a really big difference. Most people take about 1-2 weeks to adjust fully. I've had a total of 11 hours of sleep since I got here on Friday afternoon.
Well, I'm starting to space out which means my mind and body will not stay awake for much longer. I'll try to take some pictures and put them up later this week.
Hope all is well at home!
Tschüs!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Housewarming/Going Away Party
Well, the party is over and I'm so glad that everyone who made it was able to come. I really truly will miss every single one of you. I already do. I've said goodbye to so many people already. Mom and Warren were here this afternoon and I miss them so much. Tomorrow I say bye to Rosario and Dad.
Anyways, Everything pulled together really well for tonight. Tomorrow we're having the family over for a spaghetti dinner and that will be goodbye for the rest of the family. Monday I have to finish packing for Germany and then that's it until February. Three more nights in our new house and I'll be sleeping in strange beds for at least 120 more days.
Well, I was going to put up a really cute picture, but I'm having issues getting it to work, so here's the link.
Peace to all!
Anyways, Everything pulled together really well for tonight. Tomorrow we're having the family over for a spaghetti dinner and that will be goodbye for the rest of the family. Monday I have to finish packing for Germany and then that's it until February. Three more nights in our new house and I'll be sleeping in strange beds for at least 120 more days.
Well, I was going to put up a really cute picture, but I'm having issues getting it to work, so here's the link.
Peace to all!
Friday, September 26, 2008
It's gone!!!!
The pool is finally gone!!!! It wasn't supposed to happen so soon, but the insurance company called and said take it down or fill it up. Our question still stands: How much safer is an above ground pool filled up than it is empty?? It seems to me that a bagillion gallons of water in an oversized bathtub would be more of a liability than an oversized bathtub without a liner. I don't know. Whatever, it's gone now! If you are interested in buying a dismantled above ground pool without the liner, please let me know. If not, I won't be offended.
Chao
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Update on the house
Well, we're in the new house and we love it, even with all of the little things that have gone wrong. We hate the ant problem that we're having, however. We're going to take some pictures soon and once I get them on the computer I'll put them up. I've got to get back to helping Steven get some stuff done. Bye!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Two Weeks Left
Well, two weeks to the day until I go to Germany. Tomorrow we are closing on the house (see picture above). We're really excited about both things. I'm hoping that I'll be more faithful to this blog than I have been to others in the past. I am going to try to post pictures from Germany as I travel and experience new things. I hope you all enjoy!
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