I can't believe my time here is going so fast. Work is going fine and traveling is a lot of fun but I am realizing that it will take several more trips to do all I would like to do in Europe. I went to Paris on Saturday and spent the day...not nearly enough time. I hung out with a young Airman who just returned from Iraq: Walter from Alexandria, VA. We went to Louvre but it was the last stop of the day and just didn't have time to wander around. I needed another full day, at least. We did go to the top of the Eifel Tower, cruise the Seine River and visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, and of course get lost and spend time roaming the maze of the Metro. Using most the the French I knew (sil vous plez and excusemoi) I managed to get unlost with the help of non-English speaking people. Today I went to the small castles of Manderscheid in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. Nobody understood English so instead of lunch I had apple struedel which in German is apfelstruedel. I understood that much. Waitress even couldn't understand i wanted coffee, so I let it go. Back to work tomorrow and the next weekend I have to decide between Auschwitz, Dachau or Heidelberg. Remember to pray for our Marines, Sailors, Airmen and Soldiers, and the civilians who support them who are in harm's way tonight.

One more thought this Memorial Day weekend. I went to the Luxembourg American Cemetery & Memorial near Luxembourg (City) and as you can see the Luxembourgish people do a great job of handling it. Gen. George Patton is buried there. There were actually a lot of American roaming the grounds. Then lunch in Luxembourg (City) and a short walk-around, where I learned that most people don’t speak English…only French, so ordering lunch was a lot of fun. Fortunately a French girl finally sat next to me and was fluent in perfect English and came to my rescue. Now back to work and next weekend to Paris, where I, once again, get to try and speak French.

I feel like Clark W. Griswold blowing through Europe, hitting highlights. I think I will slow down and try to actually enjoy things after I have taken advantage of some opportunities to get to places that you can't drive to from Pensacola. To really enjoy and do a lot would, of course, require much more time than I have. Yesterday I got back from a 2 day trip to Koln (Cologne) Germany and Amsterdam. I swung through Belgium on the way back, but it was because it was the shortest route. Today, Memorial Day, I am going to Luxembourg to the Lux-American Cemetery where General Patton is buried. I am keeping in mind that today is not just a third day of a long weekend. Here are pics of the Koln Cathedral and Amsterdam but I took 114 pictures. So this I hope captures it in a small way.

Germany

Well I arrived on the 14th at 7 a,m, and spent Thursday, Friday getting a handle on the new assignment, turf, people, etc. All that seems pretty good-to-go. Today I drove with my escort who I am replacing here, to Cochem, Trier and Trittenheim, all of which are along the Mosel River, best known for the superior wines that comes from here. You can look it up but the Reichsburg Cochem (Castle) is a thousand years old, pretty awesome and well restored. Trier is Germany's oldest city dating back to 2000 BC and with a Roman Gate that is still standing after 2000 years (the Porta Nigra). Some pix are attached, but I am sure I will have more to come. And I am practicing some German language skills. Trittenheim is a tiny town with huge vinyards and only one af the many little villages along the Mosel. It is all very much like you expect Germany to be. The people are great and of course driving is fun too from one lane roads to the autobahns. Stand by...more will come.