Baumholder 

The Balanza's Home 

The Pilgrimmage

Throughout over 35 years of marriage, my sister-in-law and I have heard the countless "Baumholder" stories as told by the Balanza brothers, Mom Balanza, and Sergeant Balanza. Stories of humor; stories with drama; adventure stories...you name it and we have heard the story—all set in Baumholder, Germany!

Now my sister-in-law and I have often wondered what exactly was so “wonderful” about this place that we would hear these stories throughout the years...over and over. What mystery(s) made this place so special and seem so wonderful? The only thing that comes to mind is perhaps they were recapturing of the wonders of youthful days past, the joy and experience of saying, “...we were there...we were young there...”. I mean, afterall, Germany with its castles, kings, queens, conquerors, Black Forest, albs, hills, dales...this is the stuff fairy tales were made of! Who wouldn’t find this place wonderfully enchanting?

Well, my husband and I recently ventured to this place called Baumholder this past weekend. To the average eye, the small village seemed to center around the military community. Sure it had its church at the center of the village and its narrow cobblestone streets, but somehow the “charm” that I had envisioned all these years was not evident at first sight.

The military installation itself (according to my husband) had remained much the same since 1960’s. There was the gym, the football field, oh—and let’s not forget the “teen” club, where I am sure during those days and times for my husband and his brother, was the center of a lot of their activities.

My husband saw his old home—a European military style home which housed eight families on four floors! The Balanzas were on the top floor which meant that Mrs. Balanza, my mother-in-law had to “lug” groceries up four flights of stairs as there was no elevator in the building! No “wonder” to be found there! And let us not forget to mention the family did not have a car, which meant commissary and shopping trips must have been quite an event, i.e., traveling to and from with arms full of grocery bags, etcetera...hmmm...can’t find the “wonder” there!

Then let us not forget laundry! Let’s see, the washing machines (no dryers) were located in the basement—okay that’s bringing the basket(s) of laundry down five flights of stairs (remember the Balanzas were on the fourth floor!) Then, the were the clotheslines (yes, you heard me right!) The clotheslines were located in the attic—hmm...that means bring the now “heavier” baskets (remember the clothes are now wet!), up six flights of stairs! I am still looking for the “wonder” here! Then they would leave the clothes there to dry and return at a later time to collect the clothing!

So what did the family do when they weren’t working, shopping, cooking, or going to school??? Well, there was Eugene Junior and his sports--Friday or weekend baseball, basketball, and football games. What did Porter do? Well...there was the eternal quest for he and his buddy Clark, to find an open pool table for a game! Never mind the teen club with their two little tables that they had to wait in line for—there were places like the Officer's club that they could sneak into...after all, Clark’s dad was an officer—why couldn’t they play there?? There was sledding in the winter months—always lots of snow in the winter time! And oh, those wonderful German sleds! They could “fly” on those! There were bingo games at the NCO club, the occasional trip to neighboring villages, sites, and country(s). Switzerland...Luxemborg...

So what exactly was the “wonder” of Baumholder? I suppose the saying (changed a bit)...would be, “Wonder is in the eye of the beholder?” It has been my experience that a place/location is always better once you leave it (because after all, only the “good” things that I have experienced are remembered--who wants to remember the “bad” stuff? Not me! With that said, I can only deduce the “wonder”(s) of youth and the younger days when Mom Balanza and Sergeant Balanza were in the prime of their lives--is what is remembered.

Germany...Baumholder...it was a wonderful place! I could see it in my husband’s eyes as he would reminisce about a certain time, a certain happening that was sparked by only walking the same path that he did as a youth. It is that “light” and that “gleam” in his eyes--the excited nature in which he explained how he did “this” or he did “that” which will stay in my mind and remain (to me) as the “wonder” of Baumholder! The youth that once was—for all of the Balanzas, my husband, his brother, his mother, and of course, Sergeant Balanza—remains a part of this family’s history. It is those stories that will keep them forever young!

"Da' Motorcycle"

I remember the first time I rode on a motorcycle with my husband. The motorcycle was actually his brother’s and we were out on a nice sunny day going for a ride. The place we were riding was in California and it was on Interstate Highway 5 (BEFORE it was completed!) I-5 at that time was just dirt and gravel and still under construction. Well...we were riding along, and we take this turn too fast and the rear tire slides out from under us! All my husband says to me is “...Don’t let the bike fall! Don’t let the bike fall!” HA! WHAT ABOUT ME!!!!????!!!! I should have had a clue...don’t you think...about what his priorities were!!! (I am sitting here with a smile on my face as I write this, because in the scheme of things I totally understood/stand...what he was saying!) He was simply saying (in an ‘offhanded’ way), “...I know you are going to be alright, but my brother will ‘kill’ me, if I return this motorcycle damaged...and not only that...I don’t have any money to repair it!” (God, don’t you just love us ENFP personality(s)???)

I bring that incident up because over the years my husband had never lost his love of motorcycle riding. (I have to admit, I enjoy it as well).

Well, here we are...present day--living here in Germany. Living in Germany as an American with a motorcycle has many challenges. First of all being affiliated with the military and working on a military Post presents many challenges to the motorcycle owner/rider. First of all, the motorcycle has to arrive in one piece...don’t we all worry about our household and personal belongings making the journey across the ocean(s) safely and intact? Well, the motorcycle was only nine months old (sounds like a baby huh?) when it was shipped. It arrived in one piece (a little scuff mark on the gas tank...minahz’ yeah?) Then comes the process of “re-licensing” via the local Army Post—what an ordeal! EVEN if you have a Stateside license that has the class for motorcycles on it, EVEN if you have already tested for your driver’s license under German law and local Post Policy, you STILL have to take the SAME written license test that you took with the German law and local Post Policy all over again minus a few questions! Now that said, once you past the written test (or should I say ‘re-test’), you STILL are not licensed to ride a motorcycle in Germany. No, you have to pass a skills test with the folks on Post before you can get it registered and licensed. BUT (and that’s a big BUT...no pun intended!), the catch is, if you live off Post, you have to get your motorcycle on Post to be tested, BUT (here’s that big BUT again!), you really shouldn’t be riding the motorcycle on German roads because it is not registered...AND...if you have it towed on Post, you run the risk of Security Personnel asking you for your license and registration when it gets towed through the gate!!! WHAT IS UP WITH THAT???? Oh, and one other thing...say you make it through all of the above, you STILL have to take a Safety Course before you can ride on Post! (Mind you, Safety Course portion is okay—I just think they have the “order” of the process a bit skewed! Have you ever heard of that “oxymoronic” statement, “...military intelligence...” ??? Very apropos here wouldn’t you say?

Well, on to my story... I promise, it is almost over! My dear husband was planning on riding, er....”transporting” his motorcycle in the wee hours of the morning to the local Post before the “registration” office opens. He was going to park it, go on to work and then return later in the morning and be tested. If asked how the motorcycle got there, he would say (innocently), that it was "transported" earlier (...not too untrue...). So, he takes it out for a test run last evening and wouldn’t you know....the motorcycle dies on him!!! It will not start!!! My poor baby! (husband...not the motorcycle!) He ends up having to push it up a hill (imagine pushing an 1100cc motorcycle UP a hill!). AND, to top it off and make my husband’s evening even better... a kindly elderly German man (who got a little “unkindly”) was trying to help my husband push the bike, all the while yelling at my husband, “Zwei!!! Zwei!!!” indicating to my husband, “...put it in second (gear)!!! Put it in second gear!!!” My husband “nicht spreche Deutsche”..so he could not tell the fellow that the cannot start this motorcycle that way!

Needless to say...but I’ll say it anyway...my Dear did not take the skills test today! Because the motorcycle basically sat for three months, it appears there may have been some condensation in the gas tank, thus the “sputtering” and dying out of the engine. Easily remedied BUT it has to wait for the weekend to have my husband’s full attention! Poor dear! And I thought I had it rough!

Well, that is the saga of “DA MOTORCYCLE”...(Being a good wife, I had to "vent" for my Hubby...)

“Happy Trails to you, Dear...I hope you get those big “BUT’s” taken care of...no pun intended!

"Da' Motorcycle" 

"Da' Man" 

The New Judisches Museum 

Checkpoint Charlie 

Brandenburger Tor 

Traveling and Berlin (Germany)

This past weekend my husband and I had the opportunity to visit Berlin. We were very excited to be traveling to a city that we had previously only read about, seen pictures of, and watched either historical movie footage, or seen Hollywood movies about. Needless to say, we each had our own personal impressions and/or expectations of what we would see and experience. Our impressions and expectations were not unfounded nor were we disappointed!

We saw historical sites and monuments. We saw different types of architecture, museums, cathedrals, churches, synagogues. We saw portions of the “Wall”, Checkpoint Charlie, the path of where the Wall once stood, what was once “East” Berlin, the Jewish neighborhood, the Old and New Jewish Museums. We saw shopping centers, local shops, and coffee shops. We saw so much that we were in (what we have come to term in the positive sense)... “Military-History Overload”! We say affectionately because albeit the history of this area has affected millions and there was much sadness and suffering because of one person, one family, one government, or one country’s aspiration(s)—we enjoy reading, studying, and visiting these places. It is by knowing the past that we can (or aspire to) know the future.

It is amazing to be in a city where pivotal points in history have occurred. Pivotal points which have affected not just the area we are visiting, but the whole world. To be able to say that WE visited and WE stood on a particular site where historical figures once stood. What were their thoughts, their hopes and their dreams? How did they feel, think? Perhaps that is the whole crux of our wanting to travel to far away lands. We did not start out as toddlers saying, we are going to Berlin...we are going to Venice...and so on. I think the most important part about those phrases are the words, “...WE ARE GOING...” That is really what matters...is “to go” and in doing so another important part of life happens, “living” . There was a phrase that I have heard that went something like this, “...it is not the fact that they lived, it is rather ...that they Lived. “

I seem to be going off on another subject that should probably be saved for another Post, so I will leave with one thought in place, "...it is not so much the destination that matters, rather it is the journey and who is at your side that matters..."

So here are a couple of pictures of Berlin...which when I am old(er) and cannot move around...I can look back at them and say... “I Lived”...

Son of Silver Mister and Anna Mo Betsy

Today a new friend asked me if I had a Westie and the question made me stop and think back to days and times when Mister Mo (aka Mo) was a part of our lives.

I was happy to think back and look at Mo's picture but then I got a little sad..you see, Mister Mo is no longer with us. He was seventeen years old when he passed on...old in canine years..

I remember the first time I saw him...he was just a puppy in a pet shop. I knew immediately that I wanted him, but my husband said to wait as the cost was a little steep for us. I made sure we were the last to leave the pet shop and the FIRST to arrive the next morning!

Mo'e (as he became known later on), was a happy little Westie! Always at my side! When he passed on, I told myself I would never become attached to another pet as I was to him. Painful was his passing...but better for him.

And that is all to say on Mister Mo aka Mo aka Mo'e...

Mo Waiting for his Mommy 

Bloginality

My Bloginality is ENFP!!!

Aloha Monday...I think!!!

Well, it is another beautiful day here in Aichtal! This weekend I was invited by some friends to attend an Ostereiermarkt in Michelstadt. This was my first time attending this type of market. (For those of you who do not know what an "Ostereiermarkt" is, it is simply an "Easter Market" where artisans come together to sell their wares--those wares are decorated Easter Eggs). We are not talking about your childhood decorated eggs where you dip the egg in some food coloring... We are talking about "full-blown" art! Paintings, scenes, designs, fokelore, colors of spring, colors of the orient, colors of Europe, carvings, etc...you name it they can create it on/in and egg! Such beauty as I have never seen and from something so simple as an egg! Well, you can tell I did enjoy myself!

Now in regards to my last posting--"whea all da' Local (Hawaiians in Europe) stay!?!" I am still looking for you folks...(smile)...

That's it for now...we will be going to Berlin this Friday....Brrr...I hear it is really going to be cold! I guess I'd better put away my "slippahz" and pull out da' boots!!!

Aloha!

Ostereiermarkt - Michelstadt 

Where is "Ausfarht" Germany???

When I first arrived here in Stuttgart, I saw a Tshirt that had the following message printed on it: "Where is Ausfarht, Germany?". Which made me ask WHERE is this place? HA! The joke was on da' Local Girl!

So, my next question(s) was: "Where are all da' Local kine folks". (Translation: "Where are all the Hawaiians?") "Hawaii nei" has now become "Hawai'i ala"..and I (as many other Local kine folks do) am searching for my "Local-kine" Braddahs and Seestahs (or anyone else that wants to share the "Aloha Spirit" here in the Stuttgart Germany area.

So if you are out there (Braddahz and Seestahs)...let me know...maybe we can get togeddah...talk story...jam on da' uke(s), share some local grindz...you know...da' kine!

...Present day... 

...a while back...