Christmas may still be a month away but as Michael Bublé slowly defrosts across the pond, it’s time to start planning one of the best parts about Christmas: Advent Calendars. They’re the perfect opportunity to get creative and make someone very happy in the process. Whether you’re planning on makingContinue Reading
Oppenheim is a place of wine and water, a small town on the banks of the Rhine where the circle of life is very much present. It is a place where you can get back to basics. Travelers can stroll past gorgeous buildings, wander sprawling vineyards, and emerge from aContinue Reading
by Kat Nickola You know you’ve seen them. The Hahn Airport signs. They are everywhere; on the way north to Koln, on the way west to Trier, in dinky hamlets, on freeways, and even at intersections in the middle of the woods. It seems that Hahn is both everywhere and nowhereContinue Reading
Klagenfurt, Austria – experience gorgeous lakes, spectacular views of forest covered hills and soaring mountains which tower over the cityscape.Continue Reading
The American love affair with pumpkins is well documented. On the other side of the Atlantic, autumn is the season in which decorative gourds pop to life all across the country. Coffee shops fill with pumpkin spice lattés. Kitchens everywhere give off the delicious aroma of pumpkin pie or pumpkinContinue Reading
Something about Idar-Oberstein feels almost mythical. During the journey there, shadows and light dance through trees while two-lane roads wind through valleys and forests. When you arrive in the large town along the banks of the Nahe River, the mythic theme continues. Why? Because Idar-Oberstein made its name in muchContinue Reading
by Kat Nickola One warm summer day I found myself in Wales sitting in the dirt by a stone ruin, listening to the sounds of sheep baying and trowels scraping the dry ground. Hunched over a piece of crumbly deteriorated glass, I carefully brushed away the hard compacted soil surrounding it.Continue Reading
by Kat Nickola “Wait, how many steps is it to the top?” my daughter asks. “The boat captain said it’s 418,” I reply. “What’s up there?” “I’m not sure. Let’s go see.” And we did. It took less time than expected to climb the stairway in Ålesund, Norway. We were inContinue Reading
Click here for part 1 Celle: Returning to the Timber-Frame Road, to the west of Quedlinburg and south of Stade, is the village of Celle. Celle has the largest collection of timber-framed houses in all of Europe (around 400). The town is located on the Aller River, and is known forContinue Reading
For many a road-tripper, traveling through Germany evokes images of storybook villages surrounded by lush forests, castles perched high on mountaintops, or mysterious Roman or Celtic artifacts in unsuspecting locations. Aside from having some of the best road conditions throughout Europe, Germany has taken a lot of the guess-work outContinue Reading
by Kat Nickola “I see it!” my son yells. He adjusts his backpack. It is full, with his sleeping bag, mat, and clothes for the night. “Where?” I ask, hustling along the trail to join him at a bench. “Over there!” He points through a break in the trees. Below us,Continue Reading
by Kat Nickola I’m standing outside a Celtic longhouse watching the Celtic way to make and hold fire. Herr Klaus Zahneisen is a docent at the Keltenpark Otzenhausen. He shows us the special tree fungus ancient Celts smoldered into charcoal to use as a base fire material. He strikes a spark on itContinue Reading
by Kat Nickola My family earned some solid Tågskryt over spring break by traveling overland, via train, all the way to Stockholm. Tågskryt is the Swedish word for “train cred” or “train brag” – the very Swedish idea that I can now brag about my trip because I chose the environmentalContinue Reading
by Kat Nickola Roughly an hour south of Kaiserslautern is a fascinating remnant of the Cold War era. What had been a special weapons depot is now a site preserved in time. “Area 1” as it is now called was a 42 acre secure internally-fenced area within the former Fischbach OrdnanceContinue Reading
“Time to get up,” was the soft but forceful sound my tent mate and I heard at 11:30 p.m. That’s right, 11:30 p.m. That was just six hours after being asked to go to our tents and rest. Now, at 15,200 feet above the Africa’s Great Rift Valley, it wasContinue Reading
by Kat Nickola “Mom, is that a real body?” My daughter is looking through a long glass window into the side of a coffin-like space. Inside there is a very human-looking shape under a white burial shroud. “Well, I don’t know,” I reply. “This is really a Celtic burial mound. ArchaeologistsContinue Reading
by Kat Nickola “You got a letter from the school!” I yell. “Wow, mom.” Eyes rolling. My fourteen-year old daughter is less excited than I am. I open it. “Cool. It’s a code to log in to the Rheinland-Pfalz website and see your school book list.” “That’s fancy.” “Looks like weContinue Reading
by Kat Nickola As we walked into the school for the first time last summer, I was more nervous than my daughter. She had taken a year of German language and was excited to start at the local high school. Me? Not so much. “I hope I’m not missing anything,”Continue Reading
by Kat Nickola This is our first year in Germany and our children are attending a local German high school. I thought I’d write about our experience as the year progresses, so this is the first in a series of German High School Primer articles. Before coming to Germany, myContinue Reading
Kirchheimbolanden is a medieval town between Kaiserslautern and Mainz with some charming features and an interesting history.Continue Reading
Story by Ronnie Juhans Photo by Jens Ottoson / Shutterstock.com Who is crazy enough to go camping in Germany during the winter? Especially when the night time temps have already dipped to freezing in early November this year. I am that person with a few others that have learned how toContinue Reading
Located in the heart of the Bavarian State, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is one of the must-see destinations whilst based in Germany. Continue Reading
by Kat Nickola “It’s hard to tell there was a runway here,” my husband says over the chilly winter wind. “True. But they left a few bunkers and pavement,” I respond. “And the tower.” He points beyond the field where there is a tall green airport control tower attached toContinue Reading
While many Germans resort to classic dishes like potato salad and sausages or Schnitzel, most take advantage of the spare time that comes with the holidays and create extravagant meals for the whole family. The basic concept is the same as American feasts: a combination of meat, seasonal vegetables andContinue Reading
Story and Photos by Kat Nickola With winter settling in, it’s tempting to stay inside. But, part of staying healthy means getting fresh air and exercise, and Germany is a great place to take walks in the woods. There is a German saying: Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechteContinue Reading
If you find you’ll be spending the holidays a little closer to home than you might have liked, don’t worry! Holiday beauty can be found in plenty of places in Kaiserslautern – both expected and unexpected. Here are five ideas to help you make the most of the holiday seasonContinue Reading
Story and photos by Kat Nickola Take advantage of the bike trails while you are in Germany! There is no need to find a specific trail, or do a special route. Those are fun, but one of the most rewarding experiences is finding out where you can go from yourContinue Reading
Germany is arguably one of the best countries for a road trip. Discover the four most famous routes in the country. Most start or end on your doorstep.Continue Reading
Take a day trip to the medieval town Ottweiler. Take a stroll down the winding streets, marvel the half-timbered buildings, visit museums, enjoy a nice meal and more. Continue Reading
Located on the Wine Road, St. Martin is nested in the hills and surrounded by vineyards. It is the ideal paradise to visit for its beauty, wine, food, shopping and more. Continue Reading
Witness the eruption of a water geyser in Wallenborn. In the area you can also enjoy a picnic or purchase items made from honey at a shop and bee aviary.Continue Reading
Featured image courtesy of SPD Kaiserslautern Ongoing lockdown measures to contain the corona pandemic have affected most local attractions, many of which are now struggling and in need of help. Kaiserslautern Zoo has been hit hard by the restrictions and lack of visitors. While the zoo’s great reputation became clearContinue Reading
If you are new to the KMC and have your dog(s) with you, depending on where you live you may not have a chance to let your dog run loose, or know great places in the surrounding area to do so. Living in an apartment downtown or on-base/post housing sometimesContinue Reading
Story by Azure Hall, featured image (“Devil’s Table”) by rphstock / Shutterstock.com Hiking is an excellent way to enjoy the spring sunshine and get in some physical activity. Germany offers a plethora of hiking and walking trails for beginners and experienced hikers alike. A trail guide with Outdoor Recreation, located inContinue Reading
Featured image by Jose Carlos Cerdeno Remember last February, when COVID-19 was a little flu in other parts of the world? Ah yes, good old times. Remember making plans for the summer, writing bucket lists, booking holidays? The Netherlands for tulip blossom, Côte d’Azur in the summer, visiting family inContinue Reading
At the beginning of lockdown last March, the world seemed to burst into excitement at the prospect of wearing sweatpants to work, baking banana bread and whipping coffee. Those days are long behind us now and the past year has gradually wrapped us all in a grey veil of pandemicContinue Reading
Wolfstein is a small town near Kaiserslautern that’s great for a day trip. The popular hiking village also has some unique attractions.Continue Reading
A trip to Niederhausen is good for your body and your soul. This small wine village on the banks of the Nahe River is off the beaten path, and yet is filled with brilliant paths. And, during an era in which travel to quiet, rural places has never been moreContinue Reading
Mainz is easy to enjoy. It is filled with classic architecture, including towering stone spires and half-timbered buildings. The Rhine River chugs past, acting as a beating heart for a thriving university city. Restaurants, shops, wineries and an abundant amount of green space can be found downtown. Mainz is alsoContinue Reading
Story and photos by Jaqueline Samad No matter the weather, this outing in the Pfälzer Wald (Palatinate Forest) is ideal whether you are with your partner, children, a dog or alone. This trip to the Humbergturm (Humberg Tower) is the ideal place to recharge your batteries and relax in theContinue Reading