Japanisher Garden, German Lunch, Mexican Dinner

Emilee and I spent my next to last day exploring places in Kaiserslautern Emilee had not been to before. We started our day going to the Base to get Euros, then visited one of Kaiserslauterns stores that is the closest thing to a Walmart as they get. Emilee had wanted to see what it was like, but never had made it there, so we paid it a visit. I ended up purchasing some odds and ends to bring home with me - things I can't find in the States. This store also had a restaurant, so we had some "wursts" for lunch, and headed home.

After we parked the car, we visited the Japanischer Garden, which is a 5-10 minute walk from Emilee's apartment. It was so beautiful, so calming, so peaceful. It would be the kind of place someone might want to go back to when they need a place to get away and think.

(For more photos of the Japanese Garden, click on title of this posting above.)

We then walked back home and I changed clothes (it turned hot!), and headed out on foot to the old town of Kaiserslautern. There I purchased some stamps (it's amazing how well sign language can be understood - say "post", lick thumb, pretend I'm putting stamp on envelope, draw long envelope with fingers....they understood me perfectly!), had my last German eis (ice cream), walked some streets we hadn't ever been down before, and even went in the Kaiserslautern Information Office, which Emilee had never visited. I picked up some brochures for her for places she and Alan might want to visit. The most interesting one was for some walking/running trails that are on the outskirts of the Palatine Forest. Last year when Alan and Emilee took me to the Bremerhof Restaurant on the outskirts of town, I noticed joggers, Volksmarchers, and mothers and fathers with strollers going along this path, but didn't know what it was. Next time I come back here, I will have to take a walk through there. There are six different routes, each one longer than the next. You choose how long a path you want. With both of them working out and getting in such good shape, they will be able to do any of these paths if they wanted.

The walk home from Kaiserslautern kind of did me in...It was hot and humid, and those last little uphill jaunts had me panting by the time I made it up the three flights of stairs to Emilee's apartment. I collapsed and took a power nap. When I woke up, we went to eat Mexican at a restaurant near Vogelweh. It was PACKED! Most of the customers were Americans, but not all. The food wasn't half bad, either.

Back to the Base to get gas, cat food, and then home...again. I promptly got ready for bed and headed up here to sort through my photos and write this blog posting. I know they are getting less and less interesting....I think I'm about pooped out! One more day....