kaiserslautern uso tour policy

USO TOURS, CLASSES & ORIENTATIONS www.uso.org/kaiserslautern
Bad Wimpfen, Michelstadt, and Erbach
Christmas Markets and Medieval
Towns
Sunday, December 9
You don’t want to miss this Christmas tour to three
medieval towns that provide breathtaking backdrops
for their enchanting Christmas markets. We’ll begin
the day in Bad Wimpfen, an imperial town of great
importance throughout the Middle Ages. Experience
the town in its Christmas splendor as we step back in
time walking along the old town walls and through
the gates, towers, and winding streets lined with halftimbered
houses. Its famous “Blue Tower” dominates
the town’s skyline when viewed from the Neckar
River Valley below. The Christmas market in Bad
Wimpfen is known as the “Altdeutscher Weihnachts
Markt” (Old German Traditional Christmas Market).
With its 160 booths, the romantic atmosphere will
invite you to try many of the Christmas delicacies. The
Christmas markets in Michelstadt and Erbach are not
quite as large (70 booths) and both provide wonderful
settings. The Market Square of Michelstadt with its
15th century city hall is one of the most photographed
sites in Germany. The Baroque Palace of Erbach and
its adjoining medieval town are the ideal backdrops
for the seasonal festivities. In Michelstadt, you can
visit the crafts market in the old castle. You will find
many reminders of the once important trade of this
region of the Odenwald—ivory carving. Whether you
are coming along to work on your Christmas shopping
list, collect a few more Christmas mugs, take
plenty of pictures, or learn about the history of these
charming towns, you won’t be disappointed. Tour
price include bus transportation, town orientations,
and a USO tour guide.
Transportation: German bus
Depart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 0830
Return: Approximately 2200
Cost: $59 Adults, $49 Children
Metz Christmas Market and Christmas
Flea Market
Sunday, December 9
Discover the beautiful French city of Metz with
its cathedral famous for its stained glass windows,
the oldest church in France, remnants of its former
protective wall and more. But first, we’ll visit the
special Christmas flea market for a unique Christmas
market experience. This popular antique flea market
will include entertainment as well as shopping. In
the afternoon, we’ll visit the city. In the shadows of
the cathedral will be the annual Christmas market.
You’ll have plenty of free time to have lunch (try the
region’s most famous dish, quiche Lorraine), visit the
sites or shop at the Christmas market or at the large
St. Jacques Mall or in the quaint pedestrian zone. Tour
price includes transportation, entrance to flea market,
and USO tour guide.
Transportation: German bus
Depart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 0700
Return: Approximately 1900
Cost: $59 Adults, $49 Children
German Baking Class
Hands-On Christmas Cookies
Tuesday, December 11
Ever wondered how those wonderful German Christmas
cookies are made? Well, now is your chance to
learn. During a three-hour hands-on session, you’ll
learn how to prepare a variety of popular German
Christmas cookies. We’ll taste what we create, but
please bring small containers to take home any leftovers,
a coffee cup, and your appetite. The USO will
supply all the ingredients. Recipes are planned in
advance and can be viewed on the Facebook group,
KMC USO German Cooking and Baking. Participation
is limited so sign up now for this special USO
class. This class is for adults only; please no children
under 12. Each Christmas cookie class in November
and December will feature different recipes.
Time: 0900-1200
Place: Vogelweh Chapel Kitchen
Cost: $25
Learn to Ride the German Train—
DB Orientation and Trip to St. Wendel
Christmas Market
Wednesday, December 12
On this special USO tour, we are going to visit one of the
most popular Christmas markets in our neighboring State
of Saarland. At St. Wendel’s Christmas Market, we’ll enter
a magical world of the sights and sounds of the advent
season. St. Wendel, a quaint town with a population of
approximately 26,500, has been meticulously restored
and provides the ideal setting for its enchanting Christmas
market. The market, with 120 decorated booths, features a
giant Christmas pyramid, a living crèche, and a medieval
Christmas market where craftsmen demonstrate their
trades. The historic town center with its beautiful basilica
dedicated to St. Wendelinus provides the perfect backdrop
for the Christmas market, bringing back memories of
days gone by when tradesmen sold their wares around
the church during the advent season. Along the medieval
town wall, you’ll find a miniature village with 14 little
houses and 300 tiny figures going about their daily tasks.
A highlight each day is the procession of the three wise
men with their followers and live camels, followed by a
Christmas pageant. In the museum, nativity scenes from
all over the world will be on display. Our local guide will
show us some of the special sites in St. Wendel and give
us an historical overview of the town’s eventful past, and
even tie its history with that of the United States. At the
market, you can try some of the traditional local specialties
and even some of the Glühwein (spiced wine) before
we return via train to Kaiserslautern. You’ll receive an
overview briefing on the German rail (DB) system as we
travel to St. Wendel and return. You’ll be accompanied
by a USO escort, but you can gain first-hand experience
purchasing tickets and riding the trains. Come learn
about the many specials the DB has to offer, for example:
weekend tickets, family tickets, city specials, and much
more. Bring euro for shopping and food. Strollers are not
recommended. The market will be very well-visited. Price
includes train transportation, train orientation, local guide,
and USO tour guide.
Transportation: German rail
Depart: Meet at Kaiserslautern HBF main lobby 0900
Return: Approximately 1900
Cost: $29 Adults, $25 Children
German Cooking Class
Hands-On Holiday Party Foods
Thursday, December 13
In this special cooking class, you can learn how to
prepare some popular German holiday party foods and
treats for your next party. Come and learn some of the
special recipes so you can prepare them on your own
during this holiday season. You will taste the dishes,
so bring your appetite, and please bring eating utensils
and enough small containers to eat out of and to
take home any leftovers. If you have a favorite paring
knife, bring that too. Menus are planned in advance
and can be viewed on the Facebook group, KMC
USO German Cooking and Baking. USO will supply
all the ingredients. Participation is limited so sign up
now for this special USO cooking class. Bring your
camera if you would like to take pictures. This class
is for adults only; please, no children under 12. This
class will feature the same recipes as the December
18 morning class.
Time: 1800-2100
Place: Kapaun Chapel Annex Bldg 2782
Cost: $25
A Day in Paris—
Travel to Paris in 2 Hours and 28
Minutes
Friday, December 14
How would you like to go to Paris for the day? Do you
have a “Need for Speed”? Don’t like the five-hour bus
ride, or tolls and high gas prices? We can’t beam you
there, but we can do the next best thing. Zooming from
Kaiserslautern to Paris in 2 hours and 28 minutes,
we’ll travel at speeds of up to 320 km (200 miles)
per hour. Join us for this unique experience. Spend
the day in Paris, shopping, sightseeing, visiting a museum,
or just hanging out watching people. Sound like
a dream? If traveling on the autobahn isn’t fast enough
for you, perhaps this train will be. It’s not only fast,
but comfortable and energy efficient too. You’ll travel
by train, with a USO tour guide, and upon arriving in
Paris, our expert guide will direct you to some of the
highlights of the city via public transportation, or if
you choose you can plan your own agenda. Of course,
we can’t see it all in nine hours, so make sure you set
your priorities in advance. Space is limited, group
size is small, so don’t hesitate and sign up now. Travel
lightly, backpacks are recommended, as lockers are
not always available. We don’t have a tour bus at our
disposal so be prepared to walk and ride the Metro
to our destinations. This tour is not stroller-friendly
due to the stairs in the Metro and cobblestone streets.
Not recommended for small children. We recommend
U.S. (blue), EC, or Canadian passports. Travel documents
are the responsibility of the customer. Tour
price includes round trip train transportation, tickets
for public transportation within Paris, and a USO tour
guide. Please note train tickets are nonrefundable
beyond the USO cancellation date.
Transportation: High Speed Train
Depart: Meet at Kaiserslautern HBF main lobby 0645
Return: Approximately 2135
Cost: $199
Kaiserslautern Kabel 15