The post where I was stationed, Cambrai Fritsch, is a ghost town. I expect that some day all of the buildings will be torn down and replaced with something useful. Until then the places I spent my youth in, the barracks I slept in with my buddies, the warehouses we worked in and the hospitals and dispensaries we rendered aid in are sad reminders of misplaced political bets and irrational fears. Our presence here after the war guaranteed the safety of the Germans. It allowed them to
get on with the business of rebuilding and repopulating and reducing their military and their passion for warmongering. The reunification of their broken nation. In that regard we were spectacularly successful. Make no mistake. Germany IS the EU. It is the center of the wheel around which all European economies revolve. We did that.I don't believe the Germans dislike us. They seem more bewildered than anything by our current actions. Miffed regarding our spying on them via the NSA. Concerned that we would tap the phones of their leaders. Distrustful of the few troops who still remain here. They're not quite sure what it is that we do in the few remaining bases in their land. I don't think most American civilians know or even care why we remain here. And that is the reason that I believe we will soon be completely off of German soil. Good or bad thing. I do not know. Hell. I don't care. We'll do the same thing somewhere else just as we're doing in Iraq and trying to do in Afghanistan. War is not linear in trajectory. It is a cycle that we repeat ad nauseum. In fact; Soldiering is
the world's oldest profession.We left Garmisch last Wednesday. Cruised north past Ulm and Stuttgart till I tired and we stopped in Heidelberg. Paid $180 for a run of the mill hotel because that is what a run of the mill hotel in Germany costs now. In 2001 I paid eighty cents to buy a Euro. Today I pay nearly $1.40. Light lunch for three at a sit down restaurant runs $50. At least you don't have to tip. The Federal Reserve has printed so much money in the past seven years that, now, every western nation is giving our currency the hairy eyeball. Soldiers like my son have been so financially damaged by the exchange rates that they have little choice other than to stick to their bases where, at least, they can feed and entertain themselves. This insulates them from a German population which grows even more distrustful. It's not our kids' fault. We did that to them.
Heidelberg has been special for my family. Noah first came here with us when he was ten years-old. A beautiful University town on the Neckar River with an old, red, sandstone castle commanding the city's heights.
I used to come out on summer weekends with my buddies to enjoy the Summer fireworks displays after which we would join young German students and party in the streets till early morn. The students are gone. Forced out by Heidelberg's high rents. They live in Mannheim now and commute to class. Heidelberg oozes money everywhere you turn. On our last morning together Karen, Noah and I climbed the steep hill to the castle. From the veranda we looked west over the river. In the distance we saw new buildings and factories fanning out towards the sunset as far as the eye could see.We did this.
Note: We're staying with a couchsurfing host family in Wiesbaden now. Wonderful folks. Markus and Isabella have two sharp daughters; Kim and Kaya. Fellow travelers all. We spent the night trading travel stories and tips. A great family to spend time and laughs with. We cannot thank them enough. And their Lasagna is to die for.
We're off to Fez, Morocco on Sunday. We're unsure of the internet there so I thought I'd get this one off before we go.
Liz Holmes
non-member comment
Looks cold there. Godspeed. Superbowl on Sun. Love Liz