Our new apartment

We arrived at Ramstein base on the 23rd of April. We got to stay at the inn next to the commissary on Ramstein which was nice. Because we did not have a car, we walked to wherever we need to go. The room we stayed had a full size kitchen and all the things we need to cook for a meal. So we usually buy groceries and cook in the room. It's very expensive to eat out here. There aren't many choices either.

We stayed at the inn for about 3 weeks. Pat got the house offering on Monday when he reported to the housing office. But we couldn't move in until the 14th of May. We were offered a 2-bedroom stairwell housing. I was a little bit disappointed when I found out it's a 2-bedroom apartment. I was hoping for a house with a back yard. But because of Pat's rank, this is what he got.

But I looooove our apartment. It's specious and bright. If you know me, I love sunshine. I do not like the house that the sun can't shine in. And our apartment is great! There are lots of windows in every room to ensure that the sun will fully shine in. And there is also a balcony for Ian to play. The best part is-----the hardwood floor!!!! I always want to have hardwood floor. And I got it now! Yay! I love my new home.

The moving day's finally came. Pat can't get the day off. So the elders quorum's president and his wife came to help me move from the inn to our new home. Thank you, Brother and Sister Jensen.

P.S.--We haven't got our furniture yet. All the furniture you saw in the pictures are from Air Force Furniture Management Office. They loan you some essential pieces before you get your own.

Living room

Other side of living room

Balcony--tons of trees just in front of our eyes-great view

Living room and entrance of kitchen

There are lots of cabinets in the kitchen--great, love that

Hallway-entrance

The bathroom is very awkward---everything is white, also washer and dryer are in the bathroom

the washer and the dryer on the other end

Our bedroom---I love that big windows

But this is my favorite part--a wall of closet

Ian's room

There is a small wall of closet in Ian's room,too

Kaiserslautern Germany

The bigger city near Ramstein Air Base is Kaiserslautern a.k.a. K-town. In the city and its surrounding district live an additional approximately 50,000 NATO military personnel members (mainly American). K-town is 20 minutes away from the base and will be the center of our life in the next few years other than base. So we went on a USO (United Service Organization) tour which is a new comer's tour of the K-town for the military members and their families so that we can know a little bit of the city.

There were 15 of us. 3 families with kids and 6 singles.It was very very cold and windy that day, probably around 45F. The tour lady gave us a brief history and a little bit downtown sightseeing. Then we were free to go shopping for 1.5 hours. But it was so cold that we did not want to stay ouside for long. Then she took us to a traditional german restaurant for lunch.

5 days in Baltimore

Because of the volcano ashes, our flight from Baltimore to Germany was cancelled. And we were sent to the Sleep Inn 20 minutes away from airport and were told to call the termimal every day to see if the flight is on schedule that day. So we decided to tour Baltimore. There is a lightrail stop just outside of the hotel. And it is very convenient for go to downtown Baltimore.

The first day, we went to Inner Harbor. It is beautiful.

USS Constellation

USS Constellation constructed in 1854 is a sloop-of-war and the second United States Navy ship to carry this famous name. According to the US Naval Registry the original frigate was disassembled on 25 June 1853 in Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia, and the sloop-of-war was constructed in the same yard, possibly with a few recycled materials from the old frigate. USS Constellation is the last sail-only warship designed and built by the U.S. Navy.

USS Torsk

National Aquarium in Baltimore

We plan to go to National Aquarium the 2nd day. But the ticket is too expensive. So we decided to go to Port Discovery Children's Museum instead. And Ian had lots of fun there.

Port Discovery offers three floors of interactive exhibitions and programs for children ages 2-10. All of Port Discovery's programming initiatives align with the Maryland Model for School Readiness and the Voluntary State Curriculum and focus on the Museum's 5 Platforms of Learning. Designed for kids ages 2 to 10, Port Discovery is a place where children can kindle their creativity while expending large amounts of energy. The average visit is 2 to 3 hours, though families with stamina could stay all day. Dominated by KidsWorks, a three-level climbing structure, the Baltimore children's museum’s other exhibits all surround the giant jungle gym. Kids slide, glide and climb to Port Discovery's top floor and back on this three-story climbing structure. KidWorks, recommended for ages 5 and up, is great fun for kids but can be a little nerve-wracking for parents since little ones can exit two floors up. The musuem installed lighted pathways for four age groups plus netting barriers to keep little ones from mixing with big kids. The one-way flow of traffic means that kids who change their minds must keep plugging on to the next floor. Intrepid adults who tag along through the narrow tubes and across the rope bridges may end up having as much fun as the kids.

Ian and Pat had tons of fun. We were there for 3 hours until it was way pass lunch time. So we asked Ian:

" Can we go get lunch at Mcdonald's next door and then come back to play again?"

" No, no, not yet, mama! Not yet!" he replied. He had so much fun that we had hard time pulling him out of the place. But it worth going.

Then the next 2 days were raining and very cold. So we did not get to go anywhere. Finally, we got on the plane the following Thursday night. What a journey!