<strong>USO</strong> TOURS, CLASSES & ORIENTATIONSwww.uso.org/kaiserslauternGhent, BelgiumSaturday, January 11Stroll through the picturesque city of Ghent, the 1000-year-old capital of the Flemish region of Belgium and theheartland of Flemish culture. We’ll have a walking tourthrough this beautiful city where we will see the castleof Gerald the Devil, St Bavo’s Cathedral, the Belfry, andmany other historic buildings. After our walking tour,we’ll enjoy authentic Belgium cuisine (not includedin price) and Belgium chocolate. Beer lovers can visitthe Gruut Brewery to have a taste of beer made the oldfashioned way spiced with Gruut, the original ingredientused to flavor beer. We recommend U.S. (blue), EC, orCanadian passports. Travel documents are the responsibilityof the customer. Tour price includes transportation,city tour, and <strong>USO</strong> tour guide. This tour includes a longbus ride, strenuous walking on cobblestone streets, andis not stroller friendly; therefore it is not recommendedfor children under 6.Transportation: German busDepart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 0400Return: Approximately midnightCost: $89 Adults, $79 ChildrenLucerne, Switzerland, City TourSaturday, January 11Imagine sitting along the shores of a crystal clear lake,drinking coffee, admiring distant snow-capped mountains.This is Lucerne, one of Switzerland’s most beautiful cities.Come with us and enjoy the mountain air, great shopping,and Swiss hospitality. On the way to Switzerland, we’llstop for breakfast (not included). In beautiful Lucerne,we’ll have a walking tour where we’ll see famous landmarkssuch as the Chapel Bridge, one of the oldest andlongest covered bridges in <strong>Europe</strong>. We’ll also have arelaxing boat ride on the picturesque lake. On a clear day,you can see the breathtaking Swiss Alps mountain range.You will have free time to shop, sightsee, relax, and enjoylunch (not included). Please bring your U.S. (blue), Canadian,or EC passports (they are mandatory). You can useeuro, Swiss francs, and credit cards and ATMs are readilyavailable. This tour includes a lot of walking, so wear goodwalking shoes; also, strollers and young children are notrecommended. Tour price includes transportation, citytour, boat ride, and a <strong>USO</strong> tour guide.Transportation: German busDepart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 0400Return: Approximately 2330Cost: $89 Adults, $79 ChildrenMunich City TourDachau Concentration CampSaturday, January 11Nestled in natural Bavarian settings, Munich isDeutschland at its picture-perfect best! Munich isGermany’s third largest city and is the heart of Germantechnology; but at the same time, its traditional localcostumes, music, dance, food, and festivals make Munichthe stuff of guidebook cliché. On our tour of theold-city, we’ll see the beautiful Residenz, Marienhof,Frauenkirche, Michaelskirche, Palace of Justice, theViktualian Market, and more. Then you’ll have freetime to enjoy the city on your own, and maybe, oreat at the world-famous Hofbräuhaus. Perhaps you’llwant to do a bit of shopping or browse about the lovelycity on your own. We’ll also pay a sobering visit to thefirst Nazi concentration camp in Dachau. The campstands today as a memorial to the horrors enduredduring World War II. This tour is not recommendedfor young children because of the graphic natureinvolved with the Dachau portion of the trip andbecause of the ambitious tour through Munich.Bring euro for meals, and wear comfortable shoes.Tour price includes transportation, Munich city tour,entrance to Dachau, and <strong>USO</strong> tour guide.Transportation: German busDepart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 0300Return: Approximately 2300Cost: $79Paris Dinner, City Tour, and EveningBoat CruiseSaturday, January 11Bonjour! Join us on this express trip to Paris—a cityof history, sights, and Oui, excitement! See such majortourist attractions as the Eiffel Tower, Notre DameCathedral, the Arch of Triumph, and much more aswe spend the day sightseeing with some free time forlunch and shopping. We arrive mid-morning and startout with a city tour where you’ll see those famoustourist attractions. After some free time, we go for aunique dining experience; we’ll head over to the LatinQuarter in the evening for an authentic five-coursemeal served in a historic atmosphere. You’ll alsomarvel at the City of Lights on an evening boat cruiseon the Seine River. Be sure to bring your camera becausewe make photo stops whenever we can. Pleasebring euro for personal expenses, i.e., shopping andlunch. We recommend U.S. (blue), EC, or Canadianpassports. Travel documents are the responsibility ofthe customer. Please, no children under eight yearsold. Tour price includes transportation, city tour, dinner,boat ride, and a <strong>USO</strong> tour guide.Transportation: German busDepart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 0400Return: Approximately 0430 (SUN)Cost: $139German Cooking ClassSpecial Hands-On Soup ClassTuesday, January 14Do you enjoy German food? Would you like to learnhow to prepare typical German cuisine? Then signup for this <strong>USO</strong> class. This three-hour class willfeature soups. This is a great time of year to learnhow to make some of those delicious soups to sharewith your friends and families. We will taste whatwe create, but please bring small containers to takehome any leftovers, a coffee cup, and your appetite.The <strong>USO</strong> will supply all the ingredients. Recipesare planned in advance and can be viewed on theFacebook group, KMC <strong>USO</strong> German Cooking andBaking. Bring your camera if you would like to takepictures of the wonderful specialties. Participationis limited so sign up now for this special <strong>USO</strong> class.This class is a hands-on class. This class is for adultsonly; please no children under 12.Time: 0900-1200Place: Vogelweh Chapel KitchenCost: $25Learn to Ride the German Train—DB Orientation and Trip toWissembourg, FranceWednesday, January 15Learn all about how the German train system workson this <strong>USO</strong> train orientation and tour. Tour theKaiserslautern train station, receive a briefing on thetrain system, and take a trip to the French town ofWissembourg and return. You’ll be accompanied bya <strong>USO</strong> escort, but you can gain first-hand experiencepurchasing tickets and riding the trains. Learn aboutthe many specials the German Train (DB) offers, forexample: weekend tickets, family tickets, city specialsand much more. On this orientation tour, we’ll travelto the Alsatian town of Wissembourg. Although justacross the German-French border, this town has adistinct French flair. See the half-timbered medievalhouses perched along the Lauter River. We’ll see theChurch of St. Peter and Paul, the church of the formerabbey, which is the second largest gothic church inthe Alsace region (second only to Strasbourg). Try aFlammkuchen or some of the other local specialtiesbefore we return to Kaiserslautern. We recommendU.S. (blue), EC, or Canadian passports. Travel documentsare the responsibility of the customer. Tourprice includes train transportation, train orientation,and a <strong>USO</strong> tour guide.Transportation: German trainDepart: Meet at Kaiserslautern HBF main lobby 0800Return: Approximately 1700Cost: $29 Adults, $25 ChildrenKaiserslautern City TourFritz Walter Soccer Stadium, Theodor-Zink-Museum, Barbarossa’s CastleRuins, Collegiate Church, andSynagogue Memorial SquareFriday, January 17Sometimes we are so enticed by all of the exotic<strong>Europe</strong>an travel destinations that we forget to explorein our own backyard. Whether you are new to the community,or have been here a while, this is your chanceto join us on our new tour to the city of Kaiserslautern.First stop: Fritz-Walter-Stadium. Have you ever won-16 Kaiserslautern <strong>Kabel</strong>
<strong>USO</strong> TOURS, CLASSES & ORIENTATIONSwww.uso.org/kaiserslauterndered how it would feel to walk through the player’stunnel like a professional soccer player or to take aseat on the coach’s bench? On this guided tour of thestadium, you’ll definitely get an inside view. Next, wewill visit the Theodor-Zink-Museum. Its permanentexhibition (free entry) is housed in the former coachmen’sinn “Rheinkreis” and illustrates the developmentof the city over many centuries. It also displaysthe most important artifacts of the region from theNeolithic period to today. Additionally, we will takeyou on a city walking tour of the historical sites ofthe town center including the 12th century castleruins and excavations that are remnants of the timewhen Kaiserslautern was the sight of one of theimperial castles of Emperor Friedrich I, also knownas Barbarossa—or “Red Beard.” Hear the legends ofthe Emperor and find out why the fish is the symbolof the city. Learn also about the history of differentfaiths here in Kaiserslautern while we take a lookat the city’s two oldest churches and the synagoguememorial square. During your free time, you willhave the chance to enjoy a late lunch (not included)at the center of the old town or to do some shoppingin the pedestrian shopping zone. Come and find outabout the hidden treasures of Kaiserslautern. Join us inreally getting to know K-Town. Tour price includesbus transportation, city tour, stadium tour, and a <strong>USO</strong>tour guide.Transportation: German busDepart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 0800Return: Approximately 1700Cost: $49 Adults, $39 childrenPrague City and CastleOvernight in a Downtown HotelFriday-Sunday, January 17-19Join the <strong>USO</strong> for its overnight tour to one of <strong>Europe</strong>’smost fascinating cities. We’ll depart late Friday nightand travel overnight via deluxe motor coach to arrive inPrague early Saturday morning. After breakfast, we’llbegin our exciting day in Prague, <strong>Europe</strong>’s golden city.It’s a city filled with history, art and culture, a city ofcontrast and mystery. On the guided tour of the city,you’ll see such sights as the Powder Tower, the old TownSquare, and the Charles Bridge. You’ll also have plentyof time for shopping or you may want to participate inone of the many tours offered by local experts—forinstance, literary tours, architectural tours, the castle tour,and more. Our accommodations will be in a comfortable4-star hotel in the city’s main shopping andentertainment district. After an early morning breakfastat our hotel on Sunday, we’ll meet our local guide for atour of the Prague Castle District—an entire town withinitself on a hill overlooking the city. Please bring yourU.S. (blue) or EC passports. They are mandatory.Non-U.S. citizens should check with their consulate forvisa requirements. Tour price includes transportation,one overnight in a comfortable 4-star hotel in downtowncenter, breakfast Saturday and Sunday mornings, cityand castle tours, and a <strong>USO</strong> tour guide.Transportation: German busDepart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 2330 (FRI)Return: Approximately midnight (SUN)Cost: $259 Adults (per person based on doubleoccupancy) $249 ChildrenSingle Supplement: $60Bavarian Fairy Tale Castles—Hohenschwangau and NeuschwansteinSaturday, January 18On this express tour, we’ll pursue the traces of LudwigII of Bavaria, the 19th century “Fairy Tale King” whobuilt the lavish castles that are among the greatest touristattractions in Germany. After a breakfast stop (notincluded), we will tour Hohenschwangau where Ludwigspent several years of his childhood and where the ornatewall frescoes of Germanic legends stimulated hisromantic dreams and his love for the Alps. He used thedramatic backdrop of this mountainous scenery for thecastles Neuschwanstein and Linderhof. In the afternoon,we visit Neuschwanstein, King Ludwig‘s magnificentand most famous castle built in the style of a medievalCamelot and became the model for Walt Disney‘sCinderella castle. There will be free time for lunch (notincluded) and some souvenir shopping. We‘ll stop on ourway home for dinner (not included). Because of strenuouswalking and an ambitious itinerary, this tour isnot stroller-friendly. Tour price includes transportation,entrance fees to both castles, uphill transportation toNeuschwanstein, and a <strong>USO</strong> tour guide.Transportation: German busDepart: Vogelweh Bowling Center, 0300Return: Approximately 2330Cost: $105 Adults, $95 ChildrenLearn to Ride the German Train—DB Orientation and Trip to TrierSaturday, January 18Learn all about how the German train system workson this <strong>USO</strong> train orientation and tour. Tour theKaiserslautern train station, receive a briefing on thetrain system, and take a trip to the historical city ofTrier and return. You’ll be accompanied by a <strong>USO</strong>escort, but you can gain first hand experience purchasingtickets and riding the trains. Learn about themany specials the German Train (DB) offers, suchas weekend tickets, family tickets, city specials, andmuch more. Trier boasts a fantastic collection ofRoman excavations. You will see sights such as thePorta Nigra and the Roman Baths. Along with theRoman ruins, you will also see the medieval relicsin the popular pedestrian walkway area. After thecity tour, you’ll have plenty of free time for lunch orexploring the area on your own before we board ourlate afternoon train back to Kaiserslautern. Please donot bring large strollers; they are difficult to get onand off the train. Be sure to bring your cameras andeuro for lunch and personal expenses. Price includestransportation, city tour, and <strong>USO</strong> tour guide.Transportation: German trainDepart: Meet at the Kaiserslautern HBF at 0800Return: Approximately 1900Cost: $35 Adults, $29 ChildrenStrasbourg, France, City TourSaturday, January 18Curious about the French Alsace region, the regionLouis XIV called “the beautiful garden”? Then you’llwant to take this <strong>USO</strong> tour to Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace.We’ll begin our day with a city tour, including a visitto the beautiful Gothic cathedral that took about 400 yearsto build, and the famous La Petite France section of thecharming old city with its 16th and 17th century timberedhouses lining the Ill River. After the city tour, you’ll havefree time to try one of the regional dishes, Flammkuchen,at one of the quaint restaurants (not included), exploreon your own, or shop in the large department stores andnumerous shops. Don’t forget to bring euro for shoppingand lunch. We recommend U.S. (blue), EC, or Canadianpassports. Travel documents are the responsibility of thecustomer. Tour price includes transportation, city tour,cathedral visit, and <strong>USO</strong> tour guide.Transportation: German busDepart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 0630Return: Approximately 2100Cost: $69 Adults, $59 ChildrenValkenburg Caves and NetherlandsAmerican Cemetery and MemorialSaturday, January 18Join us on this special tour featuring two unique destinations.Under the Castle ruins of Valkenburg nearMaastricht in the Netherlands is the Velvet Cave, alabyrinth of passages more than a thousand years oldand rediscovered in 1937. Once used as an escape route,the passages enabled the knights and their warriors tosecretly vanish from the castle and attack the enemyfrom the back. During the German occupation andWorld War II, the cave served as shelter for Jewishpeople, locals, and American troops. Among the manypassages, you’ll find a marvelous chapel and its manyimpressive mural carvings, inscriptions, and sculptures.After visiting the cave and castle, you will have timefor lunch and shopping in the charming historical town.We’ll also visit the American Cemetery and Memorialthat is located in Margraten near Valkenburg. Werecommend U.S. (blue), EC, or Canadian passports.Travel documents are the responsibility of the customer.Strollers are not recommended. Note: The cave staysa constant 12° Celsius (53.6° Fahrenheit) year-round.Also, please bring a flashlight for the caves. Tourprice includes transportation, entrance and guided tourof the cave, and a <strong>USO</strong> tour guide.Transportation: German busDepart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 0700Return: Approximately 2200Cost: $69 Adults, $59 ChildrenLearn to Ride the German Trains—DB Orientation and Trip to Speyerand Visit Sea Life, the TechnicalMuseum, or IMAX MovieMonday, January 20Come with the <strong>USO</strong> on this great family outing andlearn all about German trains. Tour the Kaiserslauterntrain station, receive an overview briefing on the railsystem, and take a trip to the city of Speyer and return.Learn about the many specials the DB offers, for example:weekend tickets, family tickets, city specials,and more. Speyer is a historic yet dynamic city near theGerman Wine Road, and its history spans more than2000 years. Speyer’s beautiful Salian cathedral is one ofGermany’s outstanding landmarks. Almost 1,000 yearsold, the impressive cathedral is the final resting placeof eight German emperors and kings. You’ll have timefor lunch and some shopping before we return via trainto Kaiserslautern. There will be sufficient time to visitone of the museums or IMAX movies that is includedKaiserslautern <strong>Kabel</strong> 17
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