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Published: January 17th 2011
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Enjoying a cappucino
Our 1st experience with the wonderful German McCafe! Let’s just say the Frankfurt airport is gi-normous. It puts DFW to shame. There is one train station attached to part of the airport that is, literally!, the size and shape of a cruise ship. Our son Barry had given us great detailed instructions about finding him in the “meeting area” (yes, that is what it’s called) if he didn’t meet us outside the baggage claim. Going through Passport Control was very quick and efficient. We went to the baggage area to collect our checked baggage, and then found our son right outside. Our final destination was to be a train station so we could ride the train to Kaiserslautern. We walked for what seemed like miles in and out and in and out of the airport, until we came to an airport mall with an open McDonalds that Barry insisted we stop at.
I must disgress. The McDonalds in Germany are almost worth the trip alone. This is not your mama’s Big Mac. McDonald's German unit is considered to be on the cutting edge in terms of design and product selection for the chain. The first McDonald's coffee bar was tested in Australia in 1993, and now, nearly
Me and our son Barry
At the Frankfurt train station half of all the McDonald's in Germany - 612 out of 1,350 - have an integrated McCafe. The McCafe coffee bars, with their sleek leather-look seating, warm niche lighting and free WiFi, are a modern departure from the restaurant's old Formica tabletops, molded-plastic chairs and tacky lights. And not only is the menu a substantial upgrade, but I’m talking fresh hefty china mugs of cappuccino and espressos made to order, and a separate counter filled with German pastries.
Okay, back to reality. Barry had ridden the train from Kaiserslautern to Frankfurt to meet us. We enjoyed a fast ICE (Inter City Express) bullet train ride from Frankfurt to Mannheim. Our train out of Frankfurt was delayed, but adjusting our connecting train schedule was not a problem. Riding the ICE train was smooth as silk---like riding on a cloud, although we didn’t approach the 175 mph usual speed due to snow. In Mannheim, we changed to a regional train to Kaiserslautern which wasn’t as nice, but still very smooth. FYI, our trip from Frankfurt to Kaiserslautern was 40 Euros. A bit of history here: the “regional” train---the Palatine Ludwig Railway--- has been in existence since 1847. It was great
fun listening to the passengers chatting in German, and even more fun with Barry eavesdropping and then translating for us. At one stop, a very merry group of 3 young adults got in, all carrying mugs and one, a thermos. It was obvious from the wonderful aroma wafting through the train car that they were drinking gluhwein (a hot, spiced and very delicious German yuletide treat). There were sudden great peals of laughter and Barry began to chuckle. He translated their conversation; apparently the young man took a tip of the wine and said “Shit, it’s hot!!” and one of the girls said “Well no shit, it’s hot wine; what were you expecting??!”. Shortly outside of Mannheim, the terrain changed to a much hillier landscape. The villages and scenery along the way were picture-postcard pretty. Suddenly at the last stop before Kaiserslautern (about 8 km out), we had to de-train. As it had begun to snow fairly heavily, we crowded to find cover on the train platform. Barry was able to find someone who spoke enough English to tell is that there had been a suicide ahead on the track and the area was sealed off. The rail line was
Mannheim
Switching to a local train making arrangements to bring in a bus to take us all to Kaiserslautern. So, 20 minutes later, Take approximately 65 Germans off a train due to a train track being closed, and cram them onto a small bus with a ton of luggage for a 30 minute hot steamy bus ride and what do you get? 65 people who didn’t complain, not once. American whiners and malcontents, take notice. While coping with a slight snag in travel due to a Xmas Eve suicide might not strike you as particularly amusing, there are times, when functioning on 4 hrs of sleep and an entire day of overseas travel, that such situations can become funny. I hope the fellow train/bus travelers have forgiven the 3 giddy Americans. So, we finally arrived in Kaiserslautern a couple of hours late, and piled into Barry’s car for the 20 minute ride to Mehlbach. Next time---a fantastic Xmas Eve meal experience, a visit to Ramstein AFB, and a trip to Trier!
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