December 19th, 2015
I’m playing some catchup after a busy week of housing hunting, school visits, Christmas shopping, and fighting a cold. I’ll write more on some of those topics later. For now, I wanted to share about our first train trip!
A close friend of ours recommended getting help riding the train before attempting it on our own. After our struggles on the bus system, we decided it would be wise to heed her words! We learned about various tours, classes and orientations offered through the USO (United Service Organizations) during hubby’s orientation. A few days later, we signed up for the “Learn to Ride the German Train” trip to the Deidesheim and Freinsheim Christmas Markets for December 13th. The boys couldn’t WAIT to ride the train and started counting the days.
On Sunday morning, we drove to the train station in downtown Kaiserslautern. We arrived early because we knew there was a Fußball (soccer) game and parking might be a challenge with the stadium’s close proximity to the station. We got a little extra fuel for our tummys at a local bakery and then walked around. Fans, arriving on the trains, were full of excitement. The Germans LOVE their Fußball teams! We walked by these fun statues of players in a park nearby.
After meeting up with our group, our tour guide gave us an orientation to reading signs, buying tickets and catching your train. We were the only family in our tour group so Danny and I took turns watching the boys while the other tried to absorb as much information as possible. The boys were more than ready when we finally boarded the train!
Our first ride had a quick train transfer before we arrived at the Deidesheim Christmas Market. Its one of the most popular markets in the southern Palatinate region with over 100 booths. We ate brats, tried the honey gluhwein, snacked on candy almonds and a chocolate covered banana as we walked around. The carousel ride gave us amazing views of the surrounding area.
In the late afternoon, we met up with our tour group again to catch another train. Our next destination, Freinsheim, was a walled city located on the German Wine Road. Once we arrived, we took a fifteen minute walk to the historic downtown area. The boys enjoyed spotting the signs that pointed us in the right direction as we meandered through quaint neighborhoods. As we approached the Christmas Market, we could hear the bells chiming to mark the 5 o’clock hour. There was a living nativity and pageant starting as we joined the crowds. Children, dressed up as angels, gathered near us as they waited for their cue. The air filled with the beautiful voice of a woman singing in German. We lifted the boys onto our shoulders and tried to take it all in. Though I could barely understand a word, I knew the story and found gratitude being surrounded by so many who wanted to celebrate it. What an experience…
Early in the evening, we reunited again with our tour group and walked back to the train station to head home. Taking the USO tour was a good way for us to get our feet wet with riding the train. Next time, we will embark on our own with some knowledge and a little experience under our belts. We are definitely looking forward to more train trips! Want to join us? We would love to have you!
