I was first introduced to Tchibo by my German aunt.  She loves their coffees and has two or three of their really cool coffee makers.  They are sleek and functional…and just cool.  But that’s not what I’m blogging about.  I’m gonna blog about the deals at Tchibo.

When you first walk in, you think, okay…cool..they have pastries, even waffles (ala Belgium) and muffins (hey, like the US) and hot chocolates, coffees, coffee drinks and all that yummy stuff.  Then in the rest of the store there are all kinds of household items, gardening items, electronics and the odd random item.  If it’s close to ski season, they’ll do ski stuff.  I got my really cool ski helmet and googles there for supercheap.  They even sometimes have specialty items.  Recently they had everything you needed for scrapbooking and paper crafts and at prices I couldn’t believe (that scrapbooking stuff is EXPENSIVE in Germany).  I love their clothing and amazingly, they even carry Plus sizes for many clothing items.

In the back, they’ll have the items that have been there awhile and they want to move out, anywhere from 10-40% off usually.  You’ll see a notation on some of them talking about “TreueBohnen” (literally, “loyal beans”).  What is that you say?  Those are loyalty points.  Yes, Tchibo has a customer rewards/loyalty program.  It does cost 8€ to join BUT you do get 10€ worth of coupons or “TreueBohnen” that you can use for their coffee, food, drink or the other things they sell.  Just fill out the form at the register, and in a few weeks, you’ll get your number and card in the mail.

Great way to keep your herbs fresh.

Every time you make a purchase online at Tchibo.de or in one of their stores, you collect more TreueBohnen.  Then you can exchange those for things in the store.  For example, a cup of fresh coffee costs 5 TreuBohne.  Any of their coffee utensils and canisters from 20 TreuBohne, coffee to take and make at home from 15 TreueBohnen.  Plus you’ll see in their online shop and in their stores what each item will cost in TreueBohnen, should you choose to use those points instead of money.

I know there are some German grocery stores that have a Tchibo aisle.  I used to LOVE getting items at the Real in Sindelfingen  when we lived up there, to give away as hostess and volunteer gifts.  The items on sale were typically only a few Euros, and it was either useful or pretty stuff.  I still use my folding shopping basket with cover from Tchibo, and it is almost 10 years old now…love that thing!  Many of their kitchen gadgets remind me of Pampered Chef fare, and if you’re looking for a gift, you’ll most likely find something suitable there too.

Once you get their PrivatCard, you’ll get weekly emails highlighting new products and sales.  A few times now, the prices have been so low on an item that it was sold out online…but luckily, both times this happened to me, within a few weeks, they were able to restock, and I could purchase the items without too much delay.  When I shop online, I just make sure to send it to my German mailing address.  Even if you are living on post, you will have a German mailing address.  Be sure to ask a neighbor or at the housing office to find out your address.

You probably already know that I like to shop at Amazon.de.  Now as far as getting the VAT tax back at Tchibo…to be honest, I’ve never spent more than 30€ at a time, and my own rule…is if the purchase isn’t over 40€, it’s not worth it to me.  You’ll figure out what your own threshold is.

Last thing, Tchibo does have inexpensive cell phones or handys…even one or two Android models.  You’ll find they are priced lower than at your local German electronics store and Tchibo minutes and prepaid data are also very inexpensive.  I believe Tchibo phones run on the O2 network, so if that is a network that works great in your area, and you’re interested in it, you’d better compare the O2 advertised price to the Tchibo one.  I bet you’ll be surprised!  I’ve blogged before how the third party resellers are many times cheaper than what the deals the majors (O2, T-mobile & Vodafone) are offering….AND these third party resellers run their phones on those major networks anyway.  I noticed now some stateside third party prepaid providers are doing this now too (yeah!).

I’m sidetracking.  Bottom line, it’s a great little store I’m sure you would enjoy looking around in!  I’ll talk about their travel deals at a later date, but yes, they have travel deals as well!  To find a Tchibo store near you, see here.

I am finally up out of the bed!  It seems that this stomach flu thing is going around our community…well it hit me HARD.  I still have had nothing but jello to eat in three days…but you don’t want to hear about that.  You probably want to hear about something productive.  Well, before the  movers come next week, I thought I would at least see what the latest blogposts were to keep me thinking positively!

A Broad in Pinstripes – This is a blogger I’ve actually met before.  I still remember our first meeting.  She was in our community in Belgium, and I was looking for a simple nightstand to tide us over…nothing fancy.  She graciously offered me one for free.  I couldn’t come empty handed, so I brought over a nice tin of Belgian cookies.  She never forgot that…and I didn’t either:-)  She really does live on a farm in the shadows of a stately estate and blogs about her life while living in Belgium.  She has an interesting story in how she first came overseas and met her husband.  I hope she shares it!

Passion for Travel – A new milspouse blogger is on the scene in Europe:-)  Read about the Fosters and their trips to London and Dublin.  I hope she continues to blog!

Paris:  7 Buses that are Cheapo for Sightseeing – You’ve probably heard about the bus in Berlin that follows the route of some of the top tourist sites.  I’ve never seen any buses listed for Paris…here you go!

Wrong Train:  How not to ride the DB – Oh how we love train stories.  You know the ones…getting on the wrong train, or going the wrong direction or perhaps missing the last train of the night.  Here’s a lesson learned for all of us who like to ride the Deutsche Bahn in our travels.

How to watch your favorite US shows from Europe – This is a topic I have covered already (Slingbox and Roku/StrongVPN), but it’s nice to see someone else’s take on what they are doing for their TV viewing.  There really are quite a few different possibilities.

12 Misused English Words in German – You know, I never really thought of the English words that are used in the German language…and not how we would use them either…funny.

A-Ha Germany and the Internet – Trying to figure out those German websites and navigating the internet from over here?  Check out this helpful guide.

How to plan your own European vacation – I’ve covered before how I plan our travel adventures.  See how Casey, an AF milspouse plans her family’s travel.  Great ideas!

International Driver’s License – If you want to get a leg up and get an international driver’s license to drive outside the country you are stationed in…or will be in, you can get this done at AAA in the US.  You do not have to be a member…you’ll just pay a little more than members.  Yes, I know you can get one here at your local Rathaus and that the driver’s testing office on your post has the information and documents you will need, but hey, you are going to be SO busy after your arrival…it could be one less thing to worry about.  I believe the AAA one is only good for a few years whereas the one you get in Germany is valid for longer…but still, it’s nice to cross it off your list.

Top 10 Tips for Flea Market Shopping – Ashley, who is an interior designer and a milspouse near Stuttgart recently started up her own business online with great flea market finds.  Now she is sharing how she gets those finds!  Thanks Ashley:-)

Q&A Illesheim – Anyone stationed here?  You have a new Facebook support group.

Not so funny money tricks the travel industry likes to play – Uh huh…I’ve heard of some of these.  Of course…watch out for them and don’t let them pull your leg!

Military dependents are a suck on society? – Are they?  Are we?

German Medical Tips – Toto, we are definitely not in Kansas anymore.  For any of us who are about to wade the Tricare and German healthcare pool…and it’s a big one, read this.  You can also read what I wrote about an American in a German hospital.

Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) for OCONUS Moves – How many times have you heard already that you can’t do this…or that…because of the German SOFA agreement?  Here’s a quick guide.

After Wedding Paperwork – Just married a servicemember?  Here’s an insightful post on what needs to happen next.  You may also want to read what I wrote, Just Married a Soldier and Now What?

SHAPE Maison a Louer – Moving to the SHAPE, Belgium community?  This Facebook support page has been put together by a fellow Shapian who wants to prepare you for the housing search there.  It’s a little different.  Lots of tips and also which landlords and homes to stay away from.

The Local IT Guy – You know how many military communities overseas have “that guy” who knows his iphones and computers and such?  Here’s the guy for the Stuttgart community.  Trying to connect to the internet, fix an iphone or have a computer that died, he’s the guy to ask!

Well, DH is yelling at me to get off the computer.  I’ve already packed the van for a yardsale at the Garmisch school tomorrow, so if you are in the neighborhood, it’s at the elementary school tomorrow morning!  I guess I should go back and rest a bit.

How was your week?

Do you have parents or friends who know nothing about the military?  I always have to laugh when my husband tries to explain military things to my MIL.  She’ll either nod her head (if in person) or occasionally interject with an “uh huh” on the phone and then 5 minutes later, she is calling me and asking me what in the world her son was trying to tell her!  She says I am so patient with her and that I explain things so she can understand them.  When you’ve been around the military as long as we have, we tend to forget that civilians don’t have a clue.  It’s not because they don’t want to.  It’s mostly because it’s too much to take in at once and typically we give them no background when we are explaining something!  Did you know someone has done something about this phenomenon?

Enter, Yvonne Jones.  Yvonne is a sister military spouse of 13 years who has moved over 10 times and decided once and for all, she needed to write a concise little handbook that explains the gist of military life and some of the things we face, both inside and outside the gates.  She wrote a book that you can easily hand to your relative or friend and say, “here’s what you need to read to understand me the next time I talk to you”.  Or, it’ll give civilian friends and family a little taste of what your life is like.  No, it’s not like “Army Wives” like my MIL sometimes thinks (it’s her new favorite show…I don’t know yet if that’s a good or bad thing, but she has shown more interest in coming to visit, especially when I have an FRG event or spouses coffee in the works…she loves that stuff!).  It covers the basics…well, very basically!

The book can be read in one sitting.  Let the book do the teaching instead of you trying to figure out where to start when those civilians start asking questions:-)  The best part of the book I think is the back with the added resources…books and websites where the reader can read more in depth…if they want!  Needless to say, this book will be going in tomorrow’s mail to my MIL.

Honestly, I don’t know of any other books geared towards civilians and understanding those in the military.  Do you know of any similar books?

Note:  I was given the book “Closing the Gap:  Understanding Your Service(wo)man” by Yvonne Jones to review.  I often review books and like to spread the word on new authors.  Let me know if you have a book, you’d like me to review!

Yikes!

I was recently asked to try the detoxifying Ultimate Body Applicator Works from It Works.  I knew nothing about the company or the product.  My only experience was from independent consultants who occasionally would post these mind-blowing photos of peoples’ shrinking middles on some of the Facebook pages I frequent.  Well, obviously, I had to give it a try?  Here’s how I fared.

The consultant was extremely nice and sent me some literature showing how the wraps work.  In a nutshell, the wrap promotes lipolysis which means “breaking up of fat”.  Toxins that are stored in our fat cells get broken down.  In the meantime, you are supposed to drink lots and lots of water over the next 72 hours to flush out these toxins (reminds me of what my massage therapist said to do after a massage).  This will in turn tighten your skin and have you losing some inches.  They are also supposed to work on stretch marks, cellulite and varicose veins.

Well, how can you not get excited about that?

I had one wrap to try out.  Since I have the most fat on my tummy (shhhh, don’t tell anyone), I thought I would put the thing there.  As recommended, I put the thing face down on my skin and then wrapped myself around the middle a few times with plastic wrap to keep it in place.  The wrap was almost greasy (more lotiony) and smelled a lot like tea tree oil or some other kind of menthol oil.  Once I put my clothes back on, I could still smell it.  My tummy had that cool as ice kind of feel.  If I did it over again, I would wear the wrap starting overnight rather than starting during the day.  I found myself adjusting my little set-up more than a few times as I went about my business.  I knew I had to keep it in place 72 hours for maximum effect.  It didn’t help that I was moving furniture around, doing laundry and hauling things up and down the stairs!  I would say I should’ve picked a few days where I sit around and do nothing….uhh, I can’t think of the last time I had one of those days!

At the 72 hour mark, I unwrapped myself.  I had very nice and soft skin.  My skin was a little red but then again, I had some kind of menthol touching it the last few days, so that is expected I would think?

Funny, as much as I am a critic of things, my skin WAS somewhat tighter in the belly area.  I still had the same amount of inches, which concluded me to think you would have to go through quite a few wraps AND drinking many gallons of water for a while to get results.  I see that is why the consultants offer this “loyal customer” thing where they autoship you the product for 3 months (1 product a month) at a discount.  It sure does save a lot, sometimes up to 50% in many cases.  And maybe then you could see the results better.

Obviously, one wrap is not gonna cut it.

Does it work?  Hmmm…this is a difficult one.  I don’t think it is supposed to work, as in tons of inches and fat lost with just one use.  I’d have to try using the wraps for a longer period to see if they truly worked.

It also makes me wonder…okay, you still have to take in less calories than you take out (as in EXERCISE and MOVEMENT), right?  You still have to drink lots of water with or without wraps (cause the flushing out toxins thing is true in all cases).  And really, should a person be expected to pay many hundreds of dollars to continue to use these wraps OR are they only temporary when someone gets started on their weight loss or firming up journey?

For me, after using the wrap, it motivated me to start doing my sit-ups again (I used to have serious abs before kids) and to think twice before eating yet another German pastry.  If the wrap is what it took, then I guess mission accomplished!

I’d love to hear your experience with these wraps.  I never did get a chance to talk to anyone else who has used one.

Note:  I was provided with a wrap to try out by It Works Wraps with Courtney.  If you’d like to try the wraps, please go visit her Facebook page and find out more about these things!  She is very patient and nice, so go check her out!

antonychammond / Flowers Photos / CC BY-NC-SA

Oh you guys are good!  About a month ago, I asked you all what you typically forget or almost forget before you move or PCS.  Of course you had a lot of good answers.  I’m reminded of the lady who posted on a Facebook page I followed, asking about a friend who packed her families’ passports with their household goods.  Repeat after me….NIGHTMARE!  Here are some things that sometimes are “out of sight and out of mind” and shouldn’t be!

• Important documents such as official documents (birth, marriage, taxes) and passports and such.  I have scanned many of our papers except for the official ones.  Those get hand carried.
• Serial #s of high dollar value items (such as your electronics) and photos of each.  You can put these on a thumb drive or portable drive or back up online.
• Kids’ shot records.  You will need these to even get your foot in the door at your new Child Development Center or to register them for school.
• Check the expiration dates on your passports.  I note those dates six months before expiration in my calendar.  Cruise lines and some countries you visit won’t let you in if you don’t have at least 6 months left on that thing.  It’s just something you need to track….moving or not!
• If your children are born overseas, keep their German birth records and their State Department Birth Abroad Certificate with raised seal on you. Don’t pack them!
• Remember that your pet’s rabies vaccine has to be at least 30 days old (or is it 21?) before they fly back stateside!  And of course make sure they have the micro-chip BEFORE the vaccine.  And you’ll go back to the vet one more time at the 10 day health check before getting on the plane.  There’s an international document for that going back stateside.
• Especially if you have lots of junk, do take the time to separate that professional, ie military gear!  It will count against your total weight and if you’re like us with almost 20 years of married stuff we cart around, the weight can add up quickly!

Other things to think about:

• Rental car at outgoing and incoming duty station.  Rental cars are cheaper stateside that in Europe, so keep that in mind as you plan to ship your vehicle.
• Detailing your car before shipping.  It needs to be clean enough to eat off the floor and inside the engine compartment…I kid you not.  Your transportation office should have a list of local auto detailing places.  The cost is WORTH it!
• You only get a few days in the hotel when you leave as opposed to the weeks you were allowed when you arrived in Germany.  Don’t overplan and try to visit every tourist place nearby.  It would be too stressful and disappointing, as I can almost guarantee you won’t get to everything on your list!  If possible, stay at a hotel near the airport and not near your duty station.  We are driving our rental up to Munich and staying there for a few days and then turning in the vehicle at the airport.  We rented through ADAC, and it was only 20€ more to drop off the car at a different location than pick up.  That’s worth it to us!
• Think about your transportation to your hotel at your duty station and how big that vehicle needs to be.  I recommend not more than two suitcases per person plus a carry on.  I am going to be extra stingy with my family and allow them only one big roller per person and a back pack…except for military DH.  If we need anything else short notice, it’ll go in either unaccompanied baggage or I’ll mail it and claim it to get the money back.  You can mail items with CONUS to OCONUS moves and vice versa but not authorized this reimbursement OCONUS to OCONUS moves.
• Sealed school records for your kids and make contact with the school at the other end.  Especially kids in high school with state class requirements (Texas history anyone?).  45 states have now signed an act where they will do away with this nonsense of forcing kids from out of state to take these classes to graduate.  You can read more about it here.
• If you are going to be an FRG advisor or leader, bring your stuff in your unaccompanied baggage.
• If your husband is taking command, you need to think about a reception afterwards.  Lately, they’ve gotten out of hand.  I had a general’s wife tell me this week that one division was SO bad, they went back to just cake and punch.  Try to remember the traditions and don’t go overboard.  If you don’t have the ceremony at a mealtime, then people won’t expect a meal either.  Check with the outgoing command team and see what they had for their changes of command and responsibility.

Okay, gotta run!  I’m back at home now from my commander’s spouse course at Ft. Leavenworth and am faced with mountains of laundry!  I got lots of great information and ideas, so of course I need to share all that with my readers!  If you have any topics you think would be great for a blogpost, let me know!

Don’t forget to check out all my other moving resources as well!

The centerpiece of the Kurpark

Free is good.  Cheap but excellent food that comes out on plates as big as flying saucers is even better.  And how about some free music from a band playing oldies or jazz or volksmusik or whatever depending on the day of the week.  And all in the heart of Garmisch.  Most tourists walk by and don’t even notice the entrance to this other little world with music pavilions, a restaurant with comfortable outdoor seating, an outdoor chess set, flowers galore and places for the kids to play and run around.  That’s the beauty of the Kurpark!

Here you’ll find the schedule of fun and FREE events!  The first event for 2013 is on the 1st of May at 1600.  There will be a variety of music that day to include a band playing big band music and also performances of the bands of Garmisch and Partenkirchen.  There is a different kind of music every week. It can be a fun outing!

The restaurant, overlooking the pavilion has some GREAT food.  Many also come for the desserts and ice cream.  There is a very nice outdoor seating area overlooking the pavilion and beautiful grounds too if you’d rather not eat or drink.

The restaurant inside the Kurpark

Huge plates of food. I like the square plates:-)

Dancing anyone?

You’d be surprised what you can find in our little provincial town:-)  Do you have any Garmisch favorites?

A LLMW reader recently got a letter in the mail from a German lawyer, saying she illegally downloaded a movie and owed 800€ for the pleasure.  Even with a VPN on their computer, the reader was surprised that the lawyer had correctly identified a movie they had indeed downloaded.  Here’s what happened next.

Of course after the initial shock wore off, as the letter can sound pretty scary, her husband got some legal advice, and this is what our reader said:

“There are these offices of attorneys sending out thousands of letters at a time. While our letter stated the fee was 800 euro for the one illegal download, the amount set by the courts is actually 100 euro. Furthermore, they typically don’t take people to court for not paying unless they have pages of illegal downloads (vs one like us). While legal advice couldn’t flat out tell us to ignore this letter, that’s what they hinted to (according to my husband). He was told he could either ignore the letter or pay 100 euros. He was also told that it’s not necessarily the “download” part that is illegal, but rather the ‘sharing” while the file is downloading that is illegal.”

So there you have it.  Do know that you should not be using torrents and other sites where you can download electronic content over here.  I believe the laws in Germany are much more strict than stateside.  It is easy for your provider to track what you do on your computer through your IP address.  I personally do not know the laws on what authorities or even attorneys are allowed to access but I’ve seen multiple times now where they DO know exactly when and what you downloaded!  As noted above, even if you have a VPN, they can still track what you are doing:-(  It does make me wonder HOW these lawyers get the stuff FROM the providers!

I recommend using your computer to stream legitimate sites such as Hulu, Huluplus, Netflix and all the others out there where you pay a small subscription fee per month.  If you are a cable user from stateside, there are apps and websites where you can watch that stuff online from your stateside account if you keep it open.  Or you could get a device such as the Slingbox and watch stateside cable from a willing family member or friend’s service back stateside.  We have a Roku streaming device hooked up to our TV.  It’s instant on, just turn the TV on, and you’re watching your shows.  In order to watch blocked content from Huluplus and Netflix overseas we have a VPN on our personal router attached to the Telekom’s router.  This is NOT illegal (although some advocates say it is a grey area).  I show you how to do this here.  Or you can watch AFN which is free on post…just plug your TV coaxial cable into the wall or get a dish/set top box for off post.  You can buy them outright second hand or from the PX or I believe you can rent one from the PX as well.

Have any of my other readers had an experience like this above?

Her words.  13 hours of hell.  Twice.  Listen in as I interview a friend who just recently took an overnight train from Munich to Paris and back.  Would she do it again?  Not the way she had planned it but possibly in a different way.  Read her story and her tips for next time!

It all sounds kind of romantic doesn’t it?  An overnight train to Paris like it’s some kind of Orient Express thing.  Now I used to regularly take the overnight train from Heidelberg to Paris to visit a friend of mine who was studying in Paris.  That was years ago and when I was much younger and let just about anything roll off of me (no stress).  I never did the overnight sleeper or berth thing….just regular seats that kind of scootched back.  I’ve had drunk French soldiers in my compartment, as well as leery old men and friendly old ladies.  Obviously there was no sleep going on for me in those bright compartments where I kept an eye on me and my stuff.  My modus operandi was to get to Paris and crash for a few hours in my friend’s apartment.  I later had a boyfriend in Paris and did the exact same thing there.  An overnight train for me did NOT equal sleep!

Fast forward to today’s trains and my friend’s journey.  Let me preface this by saying she traveled with three young children and a husband, so that’s five in total.

Here’s what she learned:

• The train was older than dirt.  These are not the nice and new ICE models but the older regional German trains that stop…and often.
• No need to get to the train station too early.  It’s not like a flight where you need time to “check in”.  No one checks your passport the entire trip, and you just get on the train when it pulls into the station.  Do leave extra time for parking and getting yourself to the platform.  And don’t even think of traveling without your passport.  It is a bad thing when you are asked for it, and you don’t have one…even with the EU open borders.
• 13 hours one way can be a LONG time when traveling with little ones.  She did not sleep a wink!
• She booked sleeping berths for her family.  Little did she know that some stranger would be occupying that 6th berth both coming and going.  The young Asian man was polite going to Paris but the young French guy who immediately took off his pants and shoved his underwear claden butt in their faces….well, that was an eye-opener for her and her little ones.  For an extra 20€ she could’ve bought that extra berth herself and had the entire compartment to herself and her family.
• Due to all berths in their compartment being occupied, there was no place to sit.  You either had to lie flat on your thin mattress and worn sheets or stand out in the narrow hall.  Your choice.
• There was no restaurant car to hang out in.  There was a little coffee trolley you could go find and grab a cup of java but food choices were slim.  Bring your own goodies.
• The bathroom in their car did not work from the get-go.  You know how little ones always have to go.  She spent a lot of time going to the other compartment that did have a working bathroom resulting in lots of tag teaming with her husband.
• Never leave anything in your compartment unattended and LOCK the door when you are inside.  Thieves are pretty good at opening doors while folks sleep and just reaching in to grab your stuff.  Sleep with your items at the opposite end of the door.  I put important papers, passport and money and things INSIDE my clothing.
• You will hear lots of clanking and banging.  Old trains make more noise.  Good luck trying to sleep.
• The conductor will knock on your door if anyone in that compartment is due to get off at the next stop.  You’ll hear him knock next door and on the other side too.  Good luck trying to sleep.
• Headlamps are awesome!  Yes, there are reading lights but some will be broken and the light isn’t the greatest.

Here’s a very good description of what all the choices are on an overnight train from deluxe sleeping compartments, to berths to regular seats.  I would either splurge for the deluxe (which is more what you dream about) or the regular seats rather than the berths.  Remember the earliest you can book these tickets is 90 days out, just like regular train tickets.  Get on the Deutsche Bahn’s mailing list, because once in a blue moon, they may have overnight specials.

Another point I’d like to throw out, especially if you are staying in a small boutique hotel for more than one night, NEGOTIATE your rate!  My friend was pleasantly surprised when she emailed the small hotel, said the rate was just not in their budget and offered them about 25-30% less.  They took it.  I’ve used this method a few times myself, and it DOES work.  Always be cordial and act nonchalant about it.  It is NOT an insult to offer less, especially when not in high tourist season.  Look, they’d rather have you stay with them than not stay at all!

Do you have an overnight train story to share?

Germany must not like it that I’m leaving!  Yes, that’s how I am making myself feel better today after three days of dreariness and rain!  More excuse to stay inside and dig thru our junk.  Today I am shredding old paperwork and scanning anything important that isn’t an official document, so we have less papers.  Can you tell I’m trying to get rid of some weight and bulk?  While I’m taking a break, I realized I haven’t shared any of my favorite blogposts and links in a few weeks…evidenced by the HUGE slew of bookmarks on my computer of things I have found interesting.  Here it all is so I can start collecting new bookmarks again.  I am so predictable….

Vacation in Munich Tips – Since I live so close to Munich, I get asked a lot about what there is to do there.  I love the pedestrian zone, the shopping and of course all the museums, but here is a nice list of things to visit there.

Vier Nortons in Cairo – This nice and informative blogpost was written by the husband of a milcontractor in Stuttgart.  He writes such nice stuff on his travels.  If you are military, make sure your servicemember checks in at work thru DOD to see if he is allowed to travel there.  As I write this, no American military personnel are allowed leisure travel in Egypt. The State Department website puts in a caution for the rest of us.

Is the London Pass Worth it? – Many of you ask, but I don’t think there is ONE answer for everyone.  It all depends on what you will see that is on the list!  This blogpost will help you figure out the math.  I suggest the same in figuring out if the Roma Pass in Rome is worth it for you.

Strikes in Greece – At the moment, all is quiet.  Bookmark this site if you plan to ever hit Greece on any of your vacations.  You know how I always harp on you to check the strike situation, especially when it comes to transportation BEFORE you go on vacation!  95% of European strikes are announced ahead of time.  I’ve been caught up in two myself while on vacation, but because I had checked ahead of time the second time around, I was able to thwart a major vacation disaster.  Read about why you should keep up on strikes.

Doodad offers international prepaid SIMs – For shorter trips, I use the roaming on my smartphone with Fonic.  As a sidenote, they ask you to change your APN settings on your smartphone to “pinternet.interkom.de” for internet to work on Fonic.de.  Check with your provider if you plan to roam outside of the country to see if there’s anything special you need to do with your smartphone.  The prices for prepaid roaming are not too bad.  I’d NEVER do it though with a contract phone!  For longer international stays, I’ve purchased local SIM cards where you can get the local rate.  Just remember to tell your family and friends your new cell phone #.  As an alternative, I thought I’d throw this Doodad company out there.  I’m thinking as our global economy grows smaller, we’ll see more of this.

OCONUS to CONUS:  Waiting on Orders – We read and hear so much about moving to Germany but not much about moving stateside.  This was us a few weeks ago!

Pros and Cons of living in Germany – What a good list!  And here’s a good part 2!

How to avoid getting jipped on Ryanair – Some love it, some hate it for the bare bones approach and the charging for every little thing.  Here’s how to avoid overpaying when using this discount air carrier!

5 Cooking mistakes we all make and how to fix them – Oh, this is a good list too.  I think I’ve done almost everything on the list!

8 Tips to prepare for your first PCS - Sometimes we forget that there are plenty of us who have NEVER PCSed or moved before!  Here’s a list that explains more in depth of what you need to do.

7 Dumbest cruise mistakes ever – Gotta love cruise critic and how their readers love to share! Here they are sharing their must dunderhead mistakes!

KMC Green Thumb Enthusiasts – Here’s another Facebook support group for us over here.  Spring is here and what a great place for support and help in getting those German flowerboxes and your yard all pretty for Spring!

10 Most Disturbing Travel Products Ever – Uh….I think I may have one of these.

Holiday Inn Leiden – I can’t tell you the number of friends and readers who have stayed at this hotel….a lot.  Here’s an American expat who did a review.  I believe she also talks about Keukenhof on her blog.  In checking in with Keukenhof’s Facebook page, it looks like most of the flowers are now in bloom!

Neuschwanstein:  The most overrated castle in Germany – It is…but you know you want to go there.  Be sure to follow my tips and podcast before you go though!

Venice, Italy – How about reading this nice little review of a milspouse’s recent trip to Venice?

Dachau Concentration Camp – Here’s an expat’s detailed account of his recent trip to Dachau.  It is obviously a depressing place to go visit, but I urge you to plan one…it’s important and very informative as well.

The Schmarrn Incident – I LOVE Kaiser Schmarrn, but I rarely get it, because my grandmom who is no longer with us used to make it taste divine.  This is a typical German and even Austrian dish that is almost like a cut up pancake but more eggy. Sometimes it also has raisins in it and powdered sugar on top.  You can use a prepared mix or you can make it from scratch.  I bet next time it’s better Andrew!

5 Things you should know about budget airlines in Europe – Hear ye, hear ye…this is something you should read and keep in mind before using any of the budget air carriers out there.

The most expensive places to buy anything – Don’t ever complain again about how much something costs!  Loved this article that detailed what that same cup of Starbucks coffee, Mcdonald’s burger or whatever cost in different places worldwide….makes you think.

Soufflenheim, France – It’s a beautiful area in the Alsace and so close to us stationed in Germany.  The area makes for a nice day trip or overnight.  There is beautiful pottery, but it is much more expensive than the famous Polish kind we all love.  But, it’s something nice to do and visit.

Grocery shopping in Germany – Everyone always tells you to bring your own bags.  You’ve read my article on how to beat the cashier too.

Ice cream drama – I have heard of this before but never an ice cream shop enforcing it in Germany…interesting.

Berlin Half Marathon Race Report – My DH LOVES to run marathons, and we’ve been all over Europe watching him race!  We love it as a family trip.  Here’s a recent report from an expat living in Berlin who ran the Berlin half marathon this year.  My DH has done the Berlin full marathon in years past, and he says it is a nice flat course that is fun to run…yeah, right.

Albania – Wow!  This American expat living in Germany was off on a trip to Albania and here’s what she experienced…waaay cool….

A Teufelsberg Tale – If you don’t know what this is, this use to be the spy listening and watching station up on a hill in West Berlin.  It was of course abandoned by the US military after the Cold War, along with many other sites, and the guy who runs this blog likes to visit old abandoned sites and give reports.  This time, he made contact with a milguy who used to be stationed there in the thick of things, and I thought it was an interesting read about the soldier’s time stationed  here.

London – A fellow milspouse family, the Snyders does an EXCELLENT job of detailing their recent trip to London, enough so that you can make up your own trip using their advice!

Getting a German Driver’s License – Actually, I think she means getting a USAREUR driving license that all us milfolks get.  Thank God we don’t have to get the REAL German driver’s license which is not such an easy process and can get expensive.  Anyway, you can study ahead of time online all the rules and signs, which I highly recommend and you can study here before ever getting to Germany.

Your European travel bucket list – Oh here comes that ubiquitous bucket list again!  I’ve said before I don’t have one…I travel where the deals are period…BUT, if you want to know what’s “worth it” to go see and all those “once in a lifetime” travel spots, this list is it!

25 single serving desserts just for you – Oh good…single serving desserts, just what I need…or maybe I really do.  This blogpost gets an A+ because it includes links to recipes…not just pretty pictures!

Monkey Madness – There are actually two parks not far from each other…one in France and one in Germany where monkeys run all over, and you can feed them.  Here’s a cute account of a milspouse visiting one of them….and feeding the monkeys.

Italy with the family:  Aschau & Verona – Follow along as this American expat has her family visit her in Germany and then continue along as she takes them by train to Verona and beautiful Cinque Terra.  It was a whirlwind trip but not one her family will forget I think!

Keep your fork because the best is yet to come – Love, love this idea and country bumpkin me had never heard of it…keeping a fork because the best is yet to come!  Did you know you can turn forks into bracelets and what a great sentiment to go with the fork?!

Table for One – I wanted to introduce a new blogger up in Belgium here.  I’m not quite sure if she is a fellow milspouse (I’ve forgotten already) or an American expat overseas….sorry if I forgot…but she shares an interesting story of a quick getaway for just her…not her kids, not her husband..just her in Brussels.  I’m guessing she really needed to recharge her batteries!

And have you come across any interesting bloggers, blogposts, new Facebook pages or whatever this week?

Start putting away your garden furniture, your cars, pets and anything else you normally keep outside!  Spring is coming and Germans (mostly kids and young adults) go a little crazy with the pranks and such on the night of 30 April.  Then if you and yours survive the night, be ready for the Mayday activities and the raising of the Maypole in your town…party time!!!

Read more about Hexennacht and what it’s all about.  This article was written for the Ramstein milcommunity.  Hexen are witches and many times, they can be just plain mean!

Then see if your town is putting up a Maypole, usually in the town center.  It’s fun to watch the different methods of raising this very tall evergreen with the branches removed.  Watch the folks in their folk costumes dance around. The fire department usually comes out in full force as their ladder vehicles are typically used in the raising and of course the beer and fun is flowing!  It’s one of my favorite times in Germany!

Here’s where you can read more about the Maypole tradition!

Oh and note on your calendar that 1 May is a German holiday, so stores and businesses will be CLOSED.