Kabel Magazine - (USO) - Europe

USO 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 USOtour 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 USO for its overnight tour to one of Europe’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, Europe’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 USO 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 USO 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 USO 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 USOescort, 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 USO 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 USO 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 USO 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 USO 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 USO 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 Kabel 17