Our life in Germany was rather magical, for me, anyway. Maybe that is because I was just a farm girl at heart. Actually, the American compound where we lived was just about five miles from the commissary and Military Post Exchange. So we were out in the country with lots of farms all around us. Some people chose to stay on the compound exclusively. It really had everything a person could want. There was the 130th Station Hospital which was a 100 bed hospital. This is where Lee worked, and it also has some history there, it is the place where Gen. George Patton passed away. It was also where I ultimately found gainful employment. If military personnel or their dependents needed a specialist we referred them to Landstuhl Air Force Base. The military compound had churches, youth centers, movie theaters, snack Bars, Bowling alleys, the Enlisted Clubs, the Officer's Club.
There were several stores or kiosks which specialized in German products as well as products from several other countries which could be purchased at a less expensive rate than outside stores. They had a separate store where beer, wine, liquor, and soft drinks could be purchased, also at a reduced cost, and of course no tax. By this time we had established a good relationship with Herr Hartman and purchased most of our wines from him. Lee and I certainly did use the facilities for grocery shopping etc. however outside of the boundaries of the military posts was a whole other world which beckoned to us. Besides having privileges to the American facilities, we also had the availability of the French commissary, and the Canadian facilities as well. So you can understand how easy it was for us to develop our palates to include some of the delicious breads, cheeses, wines and other delicacies such as foie gras which were prepared daily and available to us. Besides all of these military facilities, of course we had the countries themselves to explore, savor and enjoy. As I stated earlier the American dollar was not strong during the 3 1/2 years that we were assigned in Europe, consequently we tried to stretch our money as much as possible. One thing that we always did however while visiting a different country was to sample the cuisine from that area. I was amazed at how much our daughters loved snails smothered in garlic and butter, and deep fried squid. I remember vividly one trip to Switzerland we all cross country skied 12 miles, then took a cable car to Murren which is a small town nestled in the Swiss Alps. It was snowing heavily, a beautiful winter wonderland. We were ravenous by the time we arrived in the small town which is accessible only by foot or cable car. A small cafe beckoned to us with the wonderful aromas of Swiss and French fare wafting through our senses. Our lunch consisted of hot steamy bowls of french onion soup and a quiche Lorraine which was hastily devoured. The meals are always accompanied by petite loaves of the most heavenly crusty french bread, and if you choose, a nice glass of french red or white wine. Just recalling these wonderful gourmet meals brings me back to those dimly lite cafes where fine dining was the norm. This is just one of so many hundreds of vivid and delicious memories of our experiences in Europe. When we moved back to the states Lee and I tried and tried to replicate the wonderful breads of Europe to no avail. Our breads are delicious, but I am certain that the romantic ambiance of Europe no doubt enhanced the foods even more.
I could go on and on, as you may appreciate I absolutely love traveling, fine dining, and meeting new and different people. Actually, I was in the best physical condition of my life while we lived in Germany. I ran 6 miles religiously every day so I could eat what I wanted, believe me it was worth it. That coupled with the fact that we resided on the third floor of our apartment bldg which by the way provided laundry rooms in the basement, kept me physically in great shape.
Au re voir,
Carol
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