Ups and Downs in Ramstein, but now mobile

The last few days have been very busy, and rather exhausting. Up until today, we have been limited by no transportation. Although civilians can rent and drive a car abroad with an international license, if one is linked with the military, you must attend mandatory classes and pass a challanging exam to get a military license. Therefore, we have been imposing on the 2 folks that we know for all our our transportation.
Friday, Suzanne got a license, hurray!, and we now have wheels. What a relief!
Today, we visited the Landstuhl castle ruins, which originate in the 12th century but had remodeling and additions over 5 centuries. The kids really loved it. Alexander took a million photos, and Devyn seemed to constantly assign the role of "dungeon" to any low-lying room, and she was sure that structure that Alexander figured was a chimney was actually to drop people down into the fire. I am starting to think that maybe she WOULD be interested in visiting the catecombes in Paris, given her morbid fascination today. We then lunched at a charming very homey restaurant at the base of the castle. Although Neil and I had originally felt that we might not be turned on by the heavy German meals, unfortunately this is not true. I had a wonderful Jagerschnitzel, ("Hunter style schnitzel"), with a rich creamy brown mushroom sauce ladeled over the fried schnitzel, and it was wonderful. Oh dear. Alexander is in love with "Toast", which is good toasted bread with toppings-- his was tender pork, creamy sauce (with no mushrooms of course, "ohne champignions" he has learned to say) and of course covered with broiled cheese. Super yum. Good thing that Neil already passed his physical and the cholesterol check.
We also did a little house hunting, to be continued when we return from Paris in a week. Tomorrow (Sunday) we'll drive up to the Mosel valley area, to visit Cochem or Koblenz, the towns along the sleepy and beautiful Mosel, the ultimate Mideval castle Berg Eldz, and possibly Trier. We will arrive in Paris sometime Monday, and will be there until Saturday.