Idar Oberstein

When you exit our village there is a big sign ... Idar Oberstein (left) and Kaiserlsautern (right). You can't help but be naturally curious "what the heck is Idar Oberstein?" when you see the name every day when you leave your village! Of course we know Kaiserslautern (aka Ktown) so my instincts told me I need to figure out the other direction! A coworker in Japan had told me about places she loved when she lived in German years ago and this name was one of them!

My buddy Emily and I hit the road after work on Saturday to check out this charming place. 

We read up on it quickly before we decided to go and thought the rock church sounded awesome (literally a church built into a rock) as well as the Schloss (castle). Once we arrived and hiked up what felt like two hundred stairs we were staring at a locked gate! The rock church was closed for the winter! We managed to sneak through a crack for a few photos but we didn't get very far! 

Unfortunately as we wandered up another windy path to the castle we noticed that was closed too! Our plans were a bust but you know what? We didn't let that ruin our day! The sun was peaking out and it was a beautiful view of the city from up top. We snapped a few photos and met a very interesting cat on our wander back down. 

The city center had a cute Eis Cafe (closed in winter also) and a good amount of restaurants. I am certain this place would be busy and full of seated outdoor beer drinkers and spectators in the warmer months. This particular day it was quiet and deserted. 

We had a specific restaurant we wanted to eat at per my research. It was well known for the Spiessbraten which is what Idar Oberstein is known for. 

This particular type of meat/cooking is well known for the style of cooking in a specific wood burning oven and it's also known for being delicious! This restaurant did NOT dissapoint! 

The meat and potatoes are cooked in this oven/stove and it's taste was worth the drive! Prices were reasonable and it was hands down the best meal I've had in Deutschland! We forgot about the closed attractions after our first bite!

The service was excellent, staff spoke English, and were very friendly. There are several different levels and areas to this restaurant, we sat in the back upper level but it was quiet and nice. There was an oven in our dining area and it was used to cook with also. 

Overall I can't wait to go back but take Antonio the next time! The meal was to die for and Im partly drooling just writing about it now. I'd take visiting family and friends there most definitely when they come out this way!

Cora (Forbach, France store)

It's pretty cool to jump in the car and drive to France in less than an hour! It's even cooler to grab some deals on great groceries, beverages and just hear the sexy language being spoke so close to home!

Cora can be described as a Super Wal Mart in French Version. They have an electronics section, clothing, grocery, wine & spirits, and household items like cook ware. Inside of the store is also a small bar, large restaurant/cafeteria, bakery, an optometry store, & a couple small independent stores with home decor and things etc.

There are several locations in France & Belgium that are popular among Americans stationed in Germany but we decided on the closest one. 

First off, the shopping carts are small, awkward and hilarious!! They are hand baskets you can attach to the wheel device if you so choose.

Of course I attached the max two baskets so I could shop frivolously!

We wandered aisle through aisle just admiring all the goodies. We stumbled upon light bulbs among the car care items and pet area. We needed some for house but easily got side tracked when we found a stuffed Yoshi for Yoshi in the video game area in electronics.

The fresh produce was fresh clean and fairly priced. 

There was a salami and meat section that was very appealing. Choices for days!

Right on the next aisle is the cheeses which is obviously the perfect pairing! The cheese choice is insane and there are ladies working hard back there cutting packing and helping any interested buyers.

There was even more cheese than shown in this refrigerated run which was packed FULL! They had everything and some! It was a tad overwhelming for cheese lovers. I just wish I could try them all!

It's easy to get lost in the wine selection also. Thinking of the salami and cheeses with all these wines makes my mouth water! The wine ranged from €2 bottles to €100 bottles! But most were very inexpensive.

There was even a small US wine section for our sub par options we produce.

We carefully selected a couple bottles for €3 and moved on!

The bread area had a ton of different baguettes along with a nice selection of pastries, croissants and desserts.

The macaroons are an exciting purchase since they are after all a French delicasee!

Overall there were too many desserts to decide on. 

There were too many things to even write about but the seafood and meat department is most enjoyed by visitors and their prices are also what Cora is known for. Antonio particularly got excited Bout this giant leg of Lamb. The seafood section was large and fresh. You have to get assistance and it's all priced by kg. there is an are of packaged fresh fish and sashimi. 

Another popular find at Cora is the escargot.

But we passed on that purchase.

The wine and Belgian beer was the highlight of our trip. On another note Cora is known for having specialty butter, yogurt, creme brûlée desserts, seafoods, and much more you can only find there or in France. German grocery stores don't carry most items that Cora is popular for. Hence why people hype it up and make the trip.

All the shopping got us hungry. The restaurant in Cora was packed so we decided to just find something on the way home.We stopped right before the autobahn entrance at Buffalo Grill.

The restaurant looked like a typical American steakhouse inside and service was good. They spoke English and were friendly.

We were served bread and popcorn prior to our meal.

The Grimbergen beer was good. 

Antonio ordered a buffalo burger which was decent. My potato wedges and sauce were amazing! My hamburger patty however was what I got when I thought I ordered a steak! Note: the menu is in French. I though my guess at the description was accurate but the only thing I got that I wanted was those potato wedges. Dissapointed in my "hamburger steak" but that comes w the language barrier and me not asking question and wanting to try new things. Antonio shared some of his burger and we both cleaned my sauce cup out because it was amazing!

I made sure to snap a pic with the buffalo next to our car on the way out.

Antonio had a great time day tripping to France he thought it was so awesome to scoot over to another country only 45 minutes away! Next France trip will be a short drive further to Metz and we want to check out St Avold Cora. Forbach was a bit rundown and it didn't affect the food quality. But those floors looked like they had been installed 50 years ago!

Overall haul and experiences was good. We can't wait to go back and hunt for cookie butter cheesecake and mini creme brûlées we've heard about after our 1st trip that are delicious. Cora is a new store adventure that any foodie or adventurer would appreciate!

Edelweiss Lodge, Garmisch

About a 5 hour drive from home in the beautiful Bavarian Alps is the charming military lodge of Edelweiss. 

The scenery was gorgeous scattered of farms and land, then snow capped mountains and even a couple castles in the sky as we got closer to our destination. 

Upon arrival we discovered Edelweiss is on a guarded military installation so you must go through the gates to enter (ID required, or passport for visitors). The lodge has a giant high ceiling open lobby that was filled with Christmas decor and a large fireplace. Check in was quick and easy. The staff was very friendly but we were in a hurry to get to our room and get ready for our brewery tour. 

The room was nicer than we expected to be honest. I think in the back of our minds we were expecting it to be like the Dragon Hill Lodge in Korea, which is quite janky. But to our pleasant surprise we had a nice open living room area and a bedroom with 2 double beds. The bathroom was descent size and clean. TV in both the living and bedrooms and a nice sliding glass door and small balcony outside full of mountain views. 

Less then a half hour later we found ourselves in the lobby with our DD to the brewery and the rest of our tour group. We jumped in a 10 passenger van and hit the road. Our driver pointed out good local eats and places to avoid along the way. We got to Griesbrau brewery in about 30 minutes. When we walked in we were warmly greeted with a tray of beers and a friendly German man in full traditional linderhose. He started the tour explaining we will be tested at the end on everything he teaches us. 

He then went into explaining the ingredients in the beer and the equipment up top before we went around to different areas of the brewery to learn about their brewing process. We tasted along the way, a couple different beers and a shot of a special beer liquor they make. We were educated on the processes as well as the beers they brew in other seasons. 

After learning and drinking it was time to get some food to absorb some of that booze. We sat down for dinner amongst locals on wooden table and benches and were served another beer to taste. Before getting food we had to take our quiz to test or new knowledge. We whispered and chuckled at the table getting answers and filling out our tests as a group & turned them in for grading. The meal was a buffet style where you chose what you want to eat and they plate it for you then you pay at the end for your choices. It was very reasonably priced. Antonio & I shared a huge plate of spaetzel, pork knuckle, & pasta. It was good traditional German cuisine and the beers seemed to keep coming. 

The driver was helping serve extra beers if you wanted to order others you enjoyed during tasting. After our meal our exciting tour guide came back with certificates to present to the class. I was the first to receive a kiss on the cheek for the photo and appeared to start a trend for the rest of the ladies and even a man to get the same reward upon receiving our "Bier Diplom" hahaha. 

The ride back to the hotel included a dance off to FloRida's "It's Goin Down For Real" song that started with one of the moms! The tipsy van full of all ages was laughing cheering and encouraging everyone to battle. People were standing up and dancing while we were racing down the road. It was something else! By the time we got back to the hotel I think everyone was spent. But Antonio & I kept the party going by checking out the bar in the lower level. It's the only thing that's open late night there. 

Breakfast had limited option so the next morning we chose the smaller place that serves standard grab and go items like coffee, fruit, muffins, and bagels instead of the buffet. We wanted to be fueled for the day of snowboarding not stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey. They had a breakfast special for $5 that include a large coffee. Cheap and good!

So we hit the local ski shop to get our passes and a plan. The staff was again super friendly in providing us directions and information. We bought the pass that gives you transportation up to Zugspitze and any other lifts or cable cars or trains you chose to take up and down the mountain. We took the cable car up. It was truly a unique and amazing experience. I quickly squeezed into the car for a window seat, you definitely don't want to be in the middle on this ride. It's a stand up cable car that fit about 30 of us including gear. I was able to snap photos from the window and just enjoy the insane views and/or death below us. It was so high and crazy! The wind picked up and the car would sway. The higher we climbed the more wind would squeal and blow into the car through the cracks of the door. Again, terrifying but awesome! 

We spent our time going up and down the two lifts they had open since there wasn't much snow. There was a cute little bar and restaurant atop the hill we grabbed a beer and bite to eat at. The menu was all German so we guessed and ended up with a baked potato like item with an amazing sauce on the side with fresh herbs. The food was good and it was a nice place to get warm and rest a little. After snowboarding a little more we headed back down the mountain by train. This was not our plan and we accidentally found ourselves on it. The train was packed and took forever! We hated it. It literally was 45 minutes winding down instead of the cable car that went straight up in 10. It was terribly, painfully long. Cable car is our only choice for next time!

After our long day on the slopes we were ready to get some good food. We got showered and dressed to go out. We drove down the road to a place our brewery tour driver pointed out. It was called 'The Local Cure'. A small Irish pub and eatery. The onion rings, burger and fries were all amazing! Sadly all the photos I took did not come out... User error... With a memory card issue. No further comment on that drama! They had a long list of whiskeys and scotch they have stocked. Music and vibe inside was good but the food was even better!

Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Edelweiss and can't wait to go back! They have summer water activities and other outdoor fun you can't really enjoy in the winter so I think our next visit will be during a different season.