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Another great vacation

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 21:31:02 +0100

Our trip to Germany was a smashing success. Honestly, it was better than expected.

It’s exciting going to a place we’ve never been before, but I think it’s even more enjoyable when it’s a place we don’t know that much about, because I don’t build up the grand expectations.

All we knew about the Black Forest is that it was rustic, restful, and should provide some good hiking and access to other interesting area.

We began our trip on a Saturday, with about a 3 hour drive to Bergen am Rhein, Germany. The first stop was Bergen am Rhein, a small town in one of the winemaking regions along the Rhein river. We knew we wanted to drive along the north bank of the river where the vineyards slope from the river up to castles along the mountaintops, so we followed the road to what we thought was a bridge. Following a line of cars down a narrow road, we soon realized we were queuing onto a ferry, that the gate went up and we were sailing across the Rhein.

After a lunch stop in Rheingau, we continued along the Rhine to the charming town of Wiesbaden. Funny story about Wiesbaden. When Jana and I were married (14 years ago next week,.. how time flies), we spent our honeymoon in Greece. En route, we had an 8hr layover in Frankfurt, Germany. Never having been to Germany, we had the grand idea to catch a train to Wiesbaden for the day, then train back to the airport in time for our flight to Greece. After 2.5 hours just trying to figure out how to get out of the airport, then failing to figure out the train system, we bagged the idea and napped in the airport. So now we can say that 14 years later, we’ve finally made it to Wiesbaden.

The drive from Wiesbaden to the south German town of Gengenbach went pretty quickly thanks to the Autobahn. We covered much of it at about 220km/h (about 135mph). Upon arriving at our destination, we quickly discovered that the Eisenmann family gasthaus was ideal for us. Situated on a working farm tucked away in a Black Forest valley at the end of a country road, the property was lined with apple trees and backed up to the hiking trails that traverse the forest. At the farm they raise dairy cows and sheep, but they also had a few goats and pot-bellied pigs for good measure. The kids enjoyed feeding the cows and helping out in the barn. And yes,... we did all get a turn at milking cows. The Eisenmann family makes and sells their own milk, butter, black forest ham, salami and other good stuff. As you might imagine, our breakfasts were quite enjoyable.

Our first hike was a real treasure. Not really having an agenda, we set out along the trail, following the trail marker to a point 3km away that seemed to serve food. Sure enough, seeming in the middle of nowhere we came upon the beautiful Martinsteinhiesil gasthaus traditional German country home with window planter boxes and a huge patio serving traditional food and tall glasses of pilsner. The patio held a dozen or so picnic tables in the sunshine, all occupied by happy trekkers enjoying bratwurst, schnitzel and REALLY big beers. When in Rome,..... It was a really happy hike back to the house. The gem was when we came out on a ridge that opened up to a hillside vineyard with a breathtaking view of the valley below. Our timing was just right, because they were harvesting the Rieslings, Gewurztraminers, and Pinot Noir so we enjoyed some perfectly ripe fruit in addition to the fresh from the tree apples we enjoyed at the trailhead.

We spent the week with a mix of sight seeing and hiking. One of the days we spent at Europa Park in the nearby town of Rust. Again, the timing was just right, as there were no crowds at Europa Park so we rode all the rides we wanted without any lines. The kids were elated to ride their first roller coasters, and the little daredevils were hooked from the first one.

The only day when we had bad weather unfortunately happened to be the day we spent at some amazing castles. The Burg Hohenzollern castle is situated on a solitary mountain top 850m up with a stunning view of the plateau of the Swabian Alb. The Hohenzollern ruled much of Germany and the Prussian empire preceding WWI. On a clear day, the approach to the castle is impressive as it can be seen from miles away, but unfortunately we had thick fog which only made for an ominous setting. From Hohenzollern we traveled to Sigmaringen, which even today is used in part as a palace for the Hohenzollern family. Both places were a fascinating look back in time, and well worth the drive.

The waterfalls at Triberg were another highlight. As the tallest waterfalls in Germany, the setting was simply perfect. The family enjoyed the hike to the top of the waterfalls while I kept working at capturing that PERFECT waterfall picture. I think I got it,... tell me what you think. Like many parts of our trip, the journey to Triberg was just as enjoyable as the destination. We drove a twisty Black Forest road through logging towns clinging to the hillsides. This is cuckoo clock country, so not only did these villages specialize in the craft, but many of them also had life-sized cuckoo clocks at the center of town.

True to form, most of our plans were built around food. Don’t believe everything you hear about German food. You can (and will) find great food there. We ate very local every chance we could, enjoyed the suspense of ordering unknown stuff on the menu just to see what comes out. In retrospect, we most enjoyed the veal, schnitzel, the wines and the fresh beers.

As much as we enjoyed the foods in Germany, nothing tops eating in France. France is a place we find ourselves completely drawn to, and fortunately the French border was only 20km away. Surprisingly we only spent one day in Alsace, and much of that was spent at another castle, Chateau Haute Koeningsburg, near St. Hippolyte, France. After the castle, we enjoyed the best food of the trip in a little Inn within the town of St. Hippoloyte. We got there 15 minutes after they stopped serving lunch, but the chef was kind enough to serve us nevertheless. That was fortunate, because the meal was exquisite, the service impeccable, and the wine perfect (a local Gewurztraminer, 2007). The Alsace region of France is indescribably beautiful. I’ve always been a sucker for wine country, but Alsace is particularly special with quaint medeival towns like Riquewiihr, Colma, and Ribeauville nestled among the vines, surrounded by castle-topped mountains. We only spent enough in Alsace to heighten our desire to come back for an extended stay, but we did manage to load up on local wine before rolling out,... some Hugel & Fils and more from Dopff et Irion.

Our jaunt into France was such a delight, we decided to extend our trip by an extra night, routing ourselves back through the Champagne region of France. After saying goodbye to our German base mid morning, we headed west arriving in the Lorraine area around lunchtime just in time for,... what else,... quiche lorraine. In the afternoon we visited the beautiful town of Troyes, which is one of the more unique medieval towns I’ve seen. Troyes was a step back in time to the 1400’s, with narrow streets and half-timbered homes fanning out from the central cathedrals. To the north you have the grand Champagne village of Reims, and to the south is Langres, Dijon and the legendary Burgundy region. In Troyes several cafes spill out from sidewak to street, perfect for enjoying a champagne, espresso, or just watching the people go by. We did all the above. Our home for the last night was in the town of Langres, a hilltop walled city dating back to the Roman era. Our inn was quaint, and (surprise here) had an excellent kitchen that we will remember for a long, long time.

The following day, Sunday, meant the vacation was over and it was time to drive back to Holland. The drive took us from breakfast in France, to lunch in Luxembourg, to a fuel up in Belgium and finally home to the Netherlands in time for dinner. In 6 hours we crossed four countries and vast cultures. In Texas 6 hours only gets you from Dallas to Houston as long as you’re able to miss the traffic jams.

These kind of trips are what makes this Europe experience such a rewarding, enriching adventure. As we’ve said many times, living here is rarely easy. But, we learn and experience so much during our travels here that it makes all the struggles worthwhile. I find myself wishing I had paid more attention during world history. I wish I had read more books on the kingdoms of the middle ages. I wish I better understood the politics and history of the World Wars, where the battles were fought, and the treaties signed. I wish I had listened better to WWII veterans who tell their stories about their campaigns in Europe, fighting an enemy they knew to be ancestors. All the conversations I’ve missed, stories I’ve forgotten, history I’ve lost is living all around me, and we are so blessed that we are able to experience it.

This is what makes living in Europe special.

For more photos, visit our album at www.flickr.com/5kuehlers

Another Road Trip

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:15:55 +0200

I’m hanging on for the weekend!

Next week is when most of Holland has their fall break. I know,.. “another one?” Yes! What else are Europeans supposed to do with their 5-7 weeks of vacation?

While many families head south for the week, we are headed to Germany. Jana found us a cottage on the southwestern edge of the Black Forest between Strasbourg, France and Offenburg, Germany.

We’ve got French and German wine country, the Dijon and Alsace regions of france nearby, castles, hiking and sausage. Lots and lots of sausage.

Mason and I are looking forward to another opportunity to drive fast on the Autobahn. You just can’t get tired of that.

The Expat W-curve

Sun, 5 Oct 2008 16:57:14 +0200

I’m back. Yes, it’s been a while. Ok,.. 72 days is more than a while, true.

Fact is, life’s been coming at us pretty fast.

We had a great visit from my mother and grandmother at the end of July and through mid August. For Mom and Grandma’s first trip to Europe, we took them all around Holland, to Belgium (Bruges), to Paris, and then they went to Rome together. As a parent I appreciate what a fantastic feeling it is to give your kids a new experience, but introducing Europe to my mother and grandmother,.. as MasterCard would say,.. priceless.

Since then, we’ve been pulled in a lot of directions. School got started again, so that means another Baseball season. I spent most of September traveling for work: Munich, Berlin, China, S.Holland. With all that time away from work, I also transitioned into a new position (again!), so I’m learning a whole new discipline on top of everything else.

The W-Curve: or, “No, you are not going insane”
Many people told us about the W-curve, in some way or another. Supposedly everyone goes through it at some point. It may be 4 months in, it may be 6 months in, but everyone goes through it within the first 7 months.

I wrote it off.
“ Nah,.. I’ve moved a lot, and I’ve traveled even more. If I didn’t experience culture shock moving from Chicago to Arkansas, then I surely won’t now. “

SLAP! (the sound of reality hitting you in the face)

The W-curve, a nice term for culture shock, is a well documented phenomenon that plots the emotional movement from Honeymoon, Culture Shock, Initial Adjustment, Mental Isolation, and finally Acceptance/Integration. I can’t tell you for sure which phase we are in, but we are definitely beyond the honeymoon phase. Yes, we still do enjoy very much living here, but we are now much more aware of the challenges, and find ourselves yearning for the simplicity of the familiar.

Yeah, we’ve been to Paris. We’ve done the Tuscany thing. We’ve driven really fast on the autobahn. We’ve seen most of Holland and a fair amount of Belgium. We’re headed to Germany’s Black Forest in a couple of weeks. Going snowboarding in the French Alps in February. I’ve been fortunate to make some trips to China and other less exotic places. But at some point the novelty wears off, challenges are viewed more as nuisances rather than adventures. Yes, life here is very rewarding, but the tough part of the W-curve is that the emotional ups and downs of such a life change makes it easy to lose perspective.

What does it feel like?
Language
I’ve been doing my best to learn Dutch, but at some point I really don’t want to hear the language any more. It grates on my ears, and rather than listening to learn I find myself trying to tune it out.

Interaction
The novelty of me to my colleagues is also wearing off, so they now expect me to now understand, comprehend and contribute. Still, while we speak English in the office, the communication is different enough that I have to spend more energy interpreting, so I get frustrated with myself because it harder for me to process and analyze information. The differences in body language and the directness of the Dutch compounds the matter.

Energy
I’m tired. My daily commute takes 3 hours out of my day. I’m accustomed to 10-20 minutes each way. Travel is tough. Living on one car makes dividing and conquering hard to do on the weekends.

Criticism
When the shiny gloss of the new place rubs off, it’s easy to become critical. Is there anything besides Euro Techno and Dutch Ballads (holy smokes, Dutch is totally not the right language for a sappy love song!) on the radio? Does table water really have cost that much in a restaurant? If I hear “that’s not possible” again, I think I’m going to freak.

So,.. yes,.. I’m in the W-curve. Jana is too. The kids are, but they don’t know it. Well, Mason isn’t (that kid’s a rock!), but the girls sure are. It’s inevitable. The question becomes not whether it will happen, but what will we do in response? In our case, we remain faithful, we remember our purpose, and we agree as a family to be honest with ourselves about what we are feeling. I think just by going through this emotional roller coaster lately, our family is a bit stronger because we have to rely on one another a little more.

We press on. Cluelessly, clumsily, tiredly (is that a word?), and hyper-critically we press on. We are thankful to be surrounded by great expat friends here, wonderful family and friends back home, and a warm church environment that keeps us grounded.

,...... but I really will FREAK if I hear “that’s not possible” one more time!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoying the Easy Access

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:29:54 +0200

Friday will be a significant moment in our move overseas, as we receive our first house guests. My mother and grandmother arrive from the States for their first visit to Europe.

Naturally we are anxious to see them, and we have a pretty full agenda planned for their stay.

We’ll take advantage of our proximity to explore Europe a little more. In about a week we will drive 2.5 hours to Brugge, Belgium for one night. The next day we will drive another 2.5 hours for Paris, where we will stay for 4 days. After Paris, our family will drive back home, while Mom and Grandma fly to Rome for a few days.

That’s by far the most exciting thing about living here: the access. In a couple of pleasant hours by car, train or plane you can be in so many different places, all with their unique languages, customs and cultures.

I hope to surprise my grandmother with a visit to Gonzerath, Germany (in Rhineland), where her ancestors originally lived. It’s only about 3.5 hours from here (maybe 2.5 the way I drive the autobahn!), but a pleasant day trip because it is near Koblenz and many quaint medieval towns in the wine country along the Rhine.

Come visit. We’ll promise a great time!

Eating in Holland

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:20:55 +0200

This week's episode- my favorite topic: Food!

Unfortunately the Dutch are not particularly known for their cuisine. Ask someone about recommendations for "Dutch Cuisine" they'll probably make a face,.. a bad face. Sure, there are individual foods the Dutch are known for like cheese (kas), salty licorice candy (dropje), herring (haring), the mysterious croquette (kroket), it’s little cousin the bitterbal and stroopwaffe (a tasty caramel filled cookie),… but if you're talking about a cuisine, a genre, a "hey do you remember that great Dutch restaurant where we ate" experience you are going to come up short. Dutch food, not surprisingly, is both practical and quirky.

Real Dutch food is comfort food typical of what you would find on a farm, but you won’t often find the word “Dutch” followed by "cuisine." A true Dutch Restaurant serves up hardy stews of slow cooked meat, potatoes cooked with green vegetables, and a big pitcher of whole milk (yes, really). If you need a reference point, Dutch food's closest US relative is Soul Food. Like Soul Food, Dutch grub is at its best at your friend's aunt's sister’s house, not in a restaurant. Dutch restaurants are not abundant, and I can only assume that it is because locals think it odd to pay someone else for home cooking. When it's good Dutch food is really good, but when it's not, well, it’s nothing to blog about.

With their open borders, welcoming ports and aggressive colonization dating back to the 1400's Amsterdam became a melting pot of cultures, styles and identities. Today’s "Dutch Food" is mostly made up of offerings from their colonies in Indonesia and Surinam. If not for a really bad trade in 1664, you might see an abundance of North American restaurant choices in Amsterdam instead of Surinam food, but I digress. I really enjoy Indonesian food, which is best enjoyed as a Rijsttafel (rice table). Think of it as a buffet line on your table. Indonesian food seems to borrow from Thai, and a little bit from Indian. There's lots of Satays, rice and spicy sauses. Suriname food is quite similar, but seems to include some influences from China and Mexico. Like Morroccan food it's sometimes eaten with your fingers or with a big tortilla type thing.

A couple of things you need to know about dining in Holland.

Service
First, do yourself a favor and expect a bit less service than what you are accustomed, especially if you're visiting from France or the US. Many people- residents and visitors alike- hammer the Dutch for bad or rude service, but I tend to disagree. I've not encountered any more rude waiters in Holland than I would have in a similar number of experiences in the States, it’s just that the definition of good service is a bit different here than other places. For example, in Holland your server will not linger at your table chatting you up. They will not come take your plate away as soon as it is empty. They will not bring your bill unless you ask for it. Often, your server will not make eye contact with you after your meal is served. Why? Because they value your privacy, and consider it rude to interrupt your meal. You know that guy in the Mexican restaurant whose job it is to top off your ½ gallon water glass after every 2.74 sips? Yeah,…you won't find him here.

Speed
My Americans expat friends especially complain about slow service in Holland. Yes, it’s very true that your meal will be slower here, but that’s largely due to a fundamental difference between the US and European restaurant model. In the States, a skilled restauranteur might turn the same table 4-5 times in a night. So, the server is motivated by an efficient balance of speed and friendliness to extract as much tip as possible from the maximum number of tables. Here, there's no intention of turnover a single table. People don’t dine out here as frequently as in other places, so the restaurant expects that you will want to take your time and linger with your company. Remember that, and you'll understand why your server isn't making eye contact after dropping off your food- they're not trying to kick you out. This also helps understand the importance of my next point, Reservations.

Reservations
Beware Anthony Bourdain fans, the term “no reservations” is nothing more than a foreign TV show here. Even if a restaurant looks completely empty, you can't expect to just walk in and get a table in Holland. If you understand the service and the speed dynamic, then it makes sense that reservations are very important to a restaurant in Holland. If you try to walk in and there's no table, there's not going to be a table, so there’s no point in asking to put your name on the list- you’ll only get funny looks. Press it, and you'll at some point be asked very bluntly why you didn't make a reservation.

If it's any comfort, I frequently call for a reservation 30 – 60 minutes beforehand with no problems. You don't have to book a week out, the restaurant just likes to know up front how many tables they can expect.

Tipping
They're not working for your tips here. The price of service is already factored into the menu price, and your server is making a good living without your spare change. 10% is a satisfactory tip. 15% is becoming excessive. 20% is offensively American. If you do get bad service, don't leave a tip. Most folks I know just round up to the nearest Euro and call it a night. This should not only explain a little bit why the service is a bit more distant, but also understand how silly it seems when the uncomfortably perky girl taking your order at Chili’s suddenly wants to be your BFF.

Other Stuff
As an American there’s a few things that will help enjoy your Dutch dining experience a bit more:
Ordering- your server probably won’t come to take your order until you’ve stopped looking at the menu. When you’re ready, close the menu, set it down, and play the first round of “who can make eye contact with the server.”
Empty Plates- don’t be surprised if your plate isn’t carried away immediately upon finishing your meal. It’s considered rude here if someone is still eating for their guests plates to be removed. Remember, it’s about pacing, not speed!
Water- You pay for water here, and you have two choices: sparkling or still. Typically you buy a 1L bottle, and it’s not cheap. Want more water? Order another bottle, playing your second game of “who can make eye contact with the server.” Your server might pour your water for you, and if they do, they will only fill your [small] glass to half full. The rest is up to you.
Bread- Welcome to Europe. Sometimes the bread is free, but it is not a bottomless basket. Ask for more and you might get a funny look from your server for expecting more than your fair share.
Smoking- Yes, much of Europe is still smoking. As of July 1 The Netherlands passed a smoking ban in public buildings, including restaurants. It remains to be seen if this will be enforced, but most restaurants are full bore smoking with a couple of non-smoking tables. From what I can see, more Dutch than not light up immediately upon finishing their meal.
The check- your server will not automatically drop off your check at after your food arrives, you have to ask for it. Sometimes this is a difficult exercise. This is when you play the final game of “who can make eye contact with the server.”

Oh, and one last thing before I forget. When dining in Holland, always greet your dinner companions at and around your table with an enthusiastic “Eet Smakelijk!”