This is a continuation from my "PCS Choices...help me out!" thread. I wanted anyone who has been stationed in Germany, especially Ramstein area, to share any experiences (good/bad) you had while there. Nice places to live, eat, tour, etc. Sort of a lessons learned for my family as we will be going there in another year and a half. Thanks.

Let me know if you find the town of "Austfarht!"

Don't know if it's still there--I left the Ramstein area in 1983--but there was a gasthaus near Semback called The Idyl. Elsie and her husband, Roman, ran the place. They seemed to specialize in dinners with wild game, or pig roasts. Great food, great atmosphere, great hosts.

Just outside Landstuhl, there was Pizzaria Ristorante Dali (or, simply, Dali's). Great pizza and all other Italian foods.

There is a winter sports area between Ramstein and Trier--great place for "rough" cross-country skiing.

Volksmarching is a great way to acquaint yourself with villages in the area, and get some good outside exercise. Kids love it if you sign up to get medals.

Highway B-40 between Vogelweh and Landstuhl used to be a hang-out for hookers, and they trawled using live bait. If you have kids, they'll pick up on "the ladies" pretty quickly.

Never found a "bad" place to eat, some were just better than others. You'll probably need to adjust your activity level (up!) to accommodate for the great foods. In the early fall, look for a place that serves neuewein (new wine--not completely fermented--tastes like Kool-Aid, and kicks like a mule) and zweibelkuche (onion cake--much like a quiche). Not sold at any other time of the year.

Take a trip down to Rothenburg, and plan to spend a couple of days in the area. My wife and I spent a weekend at a castle near Rothenburg--drove directly to Rothenburg, took a more circuitous route home, driving the Romantische Strasse--a beautiful drive.

We had some good friends at Landstuhl, and we'd swap weekends taking care of each other's kids. There are places you'll want to go, but the kids would be bored stiff.

2010 will be a year when the Passion Play will be presented at Oberammergau. This presentation of the life of Christ is presented only in the summer, every 10 years. It's been presented there since the Middle Ages.

Don't be deterred by rain. It rains in Germany. It rains a LOT. Invest in some good foul weather gear and carry on with what you want to do. If you wait for a warm, dry day to do something, you won't do much.

I spent just under four years at Ramstein, and loved the area. Don't be afraid to get away from the military community. By all means, learn enough of the language to go out; get yourself fed and watered; get lost; ask for directions; and find your way back. Most of the Germans are happy to try to help you; but, they'll be that much more willing to help if you speak their own language.

2010 is the 100th anniversary of Oktoberfest. What else do I need to say?

I was at Hahn Germany back in the day. Ramstein was about an hour give or take from Hahn.The only bad thing I remember about Germany was the culture shock of about the 1st 6 months of being there. I was married and had to live off base where none of my electrical appliances worked without a transformer, German houses were much smaller than what I was used to, driving over there, etc. After I got settled in, I loved Germany. Winefest's on the Mosel and Rhein rivers all summer long, The AFRC ( Armed forces rec centers) resorts in the Bavarian alps, all the things to see and do there. I was there for 4 years and I didn't do everything I wanted to do. Very easy to travel to other countries ( France, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Austria, etc). I'm planning on going back. This time as a tourist. Germany was awesome !!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by wgraham969:

Never found a "bad" place to eat, some were just better than others. You'll probably need to adjust your activity level (up!) to accommodate for the great foods. In the early fall, look for a place that serves neuewein (new wine--not completely fermented--tastes like Kool-Aid, and kicks like a mule) and zweibelkuche (onion cake--much like a quiche). Not sold at any other time of the year.

Best advice yet! Loves me some neuwien und zweibelkuchen! And you will see the ladies of the afternoon and evening parked in their campers across from Vogelweh AAFES...

wgraham969, sums it up nicely.

That Ristorante resturant is still their as of
late 08!

It Was a weekly place to order from while working 12hr shifts for our shop.
Great food!

Ramstein is great as long as your not single and stuck in the dorms.

Single living off base = Best time ever.

Also flying or driving all over europe every 1 or 2 weeks was fun.

Another place that I loved was a conditorei in Landstuhl village, just off the town square (I was trying to think of the name of the place last night when I was making my original reply, but came up goose eggs. THAT is one of the occupational dangers of gettin' older). Name of the place was Goldinger's. They had great snack dishes, ice cream, candies, bakery items, wine-based drinks, and a full-service bar. Number one great place for neuewein and zweibelkuchen.

I'm pretty sure Dali's is probably under new management--hard to believe that I've been gone from there more than 25 years. I think my mother would have loved the food there--we're not Italian, but we all just loved good food--as long as I could have gotten her seated where she couldn't see into the kitchen.

This is good stuff guys. I thought of another question: I own a handgun: can I take that with me? If so, what is entailed in bringing it? Are there shooting ranges in the area?

Regarding your handgun, yes, just check with TMO. I would say depending on your financial situation I would leave it with family and buy MORE at Rod & Gun Club.

I was VP of Effiel Combat Pistol Team and we had shoots on Saturdays. Unless they got rid of it, Ramstein had a pistol team and range.

I always had heard about German beer and how great it was. Knowing that 4 or 5 cans of Budweiser made me feel good, I used this as a guide when I arrived to Hahn. I didn't realize the difference in alcohol content and woke up the next morning in a park.

Some of the ones I brought back with me.

quote:

Originally posted by Bmtking:
Some of the ones I brought back with me.

Come to papa! Aaah yes, the beer wagon would come to the house every other week picking up the empties and dropping off a fresh supply.

Nothing like the German beer in a German beer glass. Never drink from the bottle!

Ill be there at the end of January!

quote:

Originally posted by Reach6:
Never drink from the bottle!

Jah genau!