Day 7- Returning Home

Everyone enjoy this last picture because you'll have to say goodbye to that lucious beard now. I now that it's hard to believe that that much manliness could grow in just 7 days, but somehow it happened. On day 7 we packed up and left Trier early. We caught a train to Kaiserslautern and went shopping for a little while before hopping on the train back Ramstein. Once back on the Air Base we got signed up for our flight back and found that we were pretty high on the list and would probably get the flight. We had to wait several hours until the list finally came out but we did make the first flight out. And that's all there is, there ain't no more.

Day 6- Incriminating photos

This was our last hostel and it was decorated in a very nice yellow.

















(Sigh...) Not really much I can say about this. All I can do is to offer up a little advice to the kids out there about not overindulging in adult beverages. It makes you do silly things.










Here I am again in another compromising pose. I'd like to go on record and say that I didn't know that Jen was gonna take a picture of this. Although by the second picture I had realized she had the camera and I did it anyway. Live and learn I guess.











Personally I think that Jen set me up. First of all she knew that I had a beer with dinner, then I ordered another when we got to the bar to use the internet. She also ordered an Apple wine and then conveniently said that her favorite alcoholic beverage tasted like turpentine. Likely story. So of course I had to drink it for her, can't just let it go to waste. Then we go to make a few phone calls. After that we come back to the bar so Jen can get a cup of coffee before bed. Really, coffee before bed. I should have seen what she was trying to do. She knew that I couldn't let her drink alone and would have to have another beer. But I was to trusting of my lovely wife. Thusly I was tricked into the compromising photos above.













The birth place of Karl Marx. Yippee, I know. But Commies have their place in history too.

Day 6-Trier Dom

This is the Cathedral gardens just behind the Cloister. And when they say garden, I guess they mean that they plant a lot of dead people and grass there. 'Cause that's all there was out there.















View of the inside of the Cathedral. Not quite as large as the one in Cologne but it still had some amazing art work and architecture.











The sculpture here was magnificent. And the marble statues behind it were not so bad either.
















View of the Trier Dom from the outside. Currently undergoing some restoration.

Day 6- Trier Porte Nigra

The Porta Nigra(Black Gate) was once the main entry into the city of Trier and was part of a wall that surrounded it. The structure has stood for nearly 2000 years without being rebuilt. Most of thedamage that can be seen was caused largely by Napoleon. After the Romans left it was used as a monostery, a stable, and then it was partially filled in until being renovated recently.


Not that you can see it in the background but, some of the tour groups were led around by guys wielding swords and wearing togas.


Jen in the second floor of the West Tower. This room housed lots of intricate carvings of Saints from when the Porte Nigra was used as a Church.














































Besides the staircase, everything about the structure seemed to be original. Even though it was raining this morning, after 2000 years the roof still didn't leak.

Day 5- Constantine Cathedral

This Cathedral was built in 300 A.D. and it's original purpose was to be a throne room for the Romans.















View from inside the Cathedral. Unlike most churches in Germany, this one did not have a vaulted cieling. It is now a Protestant church.













This is the Trier Palace. And a naked pasty guy standing next to her. No, not me, I'm in front of her and I'm actually wearing clothes.

Day 5-Trier Kaiserthermen and Amphitheater

Cobblestones. Sorry, no witty story about rocks.











Walking through the amphitheater. If you couldn't tell by the numerous Day 5 posts, we had a lot to do. There was no time for stopping and taking pictures. If Jen wanted a picture of my face she had to run up and get it, cause I wasn't stopping.



The Amphitheater floor. So, this is the second time that I've been in here now. It was great, both times that I've been here I didn't sleep in the car while everyone else got to see it. Two times I've gotten to walk around the ancient Roman ruins. Twice, two times, Uno Duo Bruno. HaHa David.




Inside the Amphitheater basement. This is where all of the animals and gladiators were housed before an event.


Overlooking the entire amphitheater and one of the two main entrances. The design of the place was amazing. You could hear the people down on the floor talking at a normal level as if they were right next to you.



















Kaiserthermen from above.











All of the grassy areas below are the parts that you could walk under. There were tunnels that intertwined all throughout this area.

Day 5- Trier Kaiserthermen

This is what was once the throne room of the Kaiserthermen (King's Bath) in Trier. This Bath is the largest North of the Alps. It was awesome and really well preserved.














Jen admiring me.


















Jen contemplating the structure of the baths. Trying to figure out which parts of the structure are original.















Jen as she exits the ruins.

















We spent probably 30 minutes going through all of the tunnels that went through the bath.

Day 5- Trier Roman Ruins

Descending into the old Roman Palace. Most of this was still intact when it was unearthed a few years ago.















Most of the building in the background had crumbled and fallen in but it was pieced back together to show how it had looked 2000 yrs ago.




Jen standing in front of some Roman ruins that are currently being excavated.














I too stand in front of the same ruins.











See, I can smile.
















I thought that this was cool because the base of this bridge had lasted for thousands of years and is still being used today. Unlike the other ruins. This one has withstood floods and everything and still has cars driving over it everyday. You can tell how excited I am about this historic marvel.

Day 5- Trier Lunch

If you can't tell yet, most of our trip revolved around eating. It's just that when you're on vacation it's ok to be a little gluttonous. That's how I justified eating this whole plate of dessert after eating a Döner mit pommes fritts. It was by far the best dessert we had on our trip.












Jen went and practiced her German out on the dessert stand. There were a few tables set up with homemade desserts all over it. Jen was able to convey which desserts she wanted with the German she knew all by herself. It was quite impressive. She came back with an apple pie, a berry strudel, and a chocolate creme something or other. The best part is that she got the whole plate of deliciousness for just 5 Euros. The Wifey Rocks.


This is a picture of the main square in Trier where we ate lunch and dessert. It is full of old stores and restaurants and even a McD's. It was a great place to sit and have lunch. There were lots of things to look at and there was a guitar player sitting next to the fountain that serenaded us throughout our meal. There were also tons of flower vendors in the square the entire day. It was wonderful scenery and a great place to relax for a few hours.

This is the type of pictures that get posted on the blog when you make your husband do it all and then don't check up on his progress. Just kidding, there will be some sensual pictures of myself posted in the coming days. Ladies beware.

Day 5- Leaving Köln

Here we are at the main train station in Cologne. It was really cool to see the wrought iron construction. It was again really cold though. At one point while waiting for our train we were approached by a panhandler. He came up spouting his "oh poor me I need money for a train ticket" story(All in German of course). I decided that this was the perfect time to play the I'm just a stupid American card. Unfortunately, even panhandlers know English. So when I told him that I "didn't understand," he called my bluff by rolling his eyes and giving me his sob story in perfect English.
Uuummmm Nutella. Another wonderful breakfast. All of the hostels provide a full breakfast buffet. I think that's the reason why I gained so much weight on the trip.

Our ghetto fabulous elevator. Kind of worried us on our way up to the room.









View over the Rhein from our room.

Day 4- Köln Nightlife

This is an old tower left over from the Roman era. Took us a long time to find this at night. Not to mention that it was just in the middle of a residential neighborhood.














Jen and I on the subway trying to find the best way to get to the Roman Tower and then back to the hotel. Honestly, I thought that the Korean subway system was easier to use than this one. But, we eventually figured it out.
This was the best restaurant that we ate at the entire trip. Jen got someone to take our picture. He had been sitting across the table and heard us struggling through our German to order and so he came over to talk to us after we were done. He tried to give us some travel advice, unfortunately I couldn't understand his English accent so well. All I could glean was that there were some ancient things in Cologne to go see. Although, since we had decided to leave in the morning, I could afford to not pay attention and just nod as he spoke.
The restaurant Haxenhaus zum Rheingarten.













Did I take a poo on my plate? No. It's a meter long, homemade, family recipe bratwurst bursting with deliciousness. It rests on top of a pile of bratkartoffeln, sauerkraut, and if you look closely there might be a piece of lettuce. It was by far the best meal we had all trip.











Also one of the best beers that I had. It was a Kölsch. Although I almost died when I got the bill for dinner. They charged me 6 Euros for the one beer. I had to start checking the price on the beer list before ordering from then on.