The Transformation of Warner Barracks Bamberg, Germany

I was able to tour the former U. S. Army Base known as Warner Barracks in Bamberg, Germany. The military history of the property dates back to 1891 when it was established as a Royal Bavarian Army infantry barracks. It served the German Army during WWI, and WWII The17th Calvary Regiment as well as the […]

The Soviet War Memorial Treptower Park, Berlin

The other day I assisted Elsa (my girlfriend’s Russian friend) with a tour of the Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park, which lies within the Alt Treptow district of Berlin. A portion of Treptower Park was dedicated as a Soviet Military Memorial and Cemetery on May 8, 1949. The date is significant for the WWII […]

Circling the Brothers Grimm

Many know the of Brothers Grimm, famed for gathering folklore and fairy tales from the German speaking people. Their gory stories would leave a child quaking sleeplessly if read in the original form. The city of Berlin boasts about being the final resting site for the four brothers and their parents. Unfortunately they don’t make […]

The Berlin Wall Memorial (Die Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer )

For twenty eight years the city of Berlin was a living memorial to the ideals that formed the Iron Curtain. East Berlin, and East Germany bore witness to the idealism of Socialism. West Berlin, and West Germany stood for a more capitalistic style of a Democratic Parliamentary government. West Berlin became an island in the […]

The Checkpoint Charlie /BUSMVA Trip Part I

In late 2017 I was made aware of the Berlin U. S. Military Veterans Association. Any U.S. military personnel is eligible for membership if they served in any capacity in Berlin. The Checkpoint Charlie Foundation supports many groups and causes such as the City of Berlin Scholarships, School Partnerships, Issuing Grants, and The School Teachers […]

A Trip to Teufelsberg in Berlin

In the northern region of the Berlin Grunewald forest there is a tall hill built from the WWII remnants of the city of Berlin. The continuous bombings and subsequent cannon barrages left the landscape unrecognizable with the exception of an occasional landmark of the city. The ruble was removed through the harsh manual labor of […]

Raining Monarchs

The trees along Ohio’s Lake Erie shoreline were transformed into a monarch butterfly tapestry from September 8th through the morning of the 12th. Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge lived up to its name as an anchor point to host the monarchs. They were driven across the lake by a strong northeastern wind then trapped by a […]

The Biggest Week in American Birding May 4-13, 2018

The northern Ohio Lake Erie shoreline between Oregon, and Port Clinton, Ohio is blessed with long stretches of protected wetlands and parks. The Ohio DNR manages Maumee Bay State Park, Metzger Marsh, Magee Marsh and other areas. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages Cedar Point (not the amusement park, the other one), Ottawa National […]

The Other Nashville (Part 4, The Final Chapter)

Sunday April 8- I was up early, made breakfast, poached eggs and Canadian bacon, then got ready to go to church. Joy, the owner of Gnawbone Coffee had invited me to services at Parkview Church just down the street. Services started at 10:30AM. I arrived a bit early. They served coffee. I believe coffee is […]

The Other Nashville (Part 3)

Thursday April 5-It was a cold night. The temperature dropped into the twenties. The furnace cycled on and off all night to maintain a comfortable 68 degrees in the RV. I was awake at 7:30AM but remained under the covers for another half hour. I could either walk to the camp showers, or use the […]