Military Monday: Amanda- Heidelberg, Germany

The Military Monday duty station feature on this blog is designed for us military families to meet our fellow military spouses and also to learn about duty stations across the world.  We all get to (or have to depending on your outlook and particular set of circumstances), move every couple years to different duty stations that are scattered throughout the country and the world.  This feature will allow us the opportunity to explore these different areas of the world before we get there.  


If you are interested in being highlighted for this feature, please send me an email.  

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Name and blog site: Amanda, Overseas Adventures http://amandapoverseas.wordpress.com

Branch of service: Army

Where currently stationed: Heidelberg, Germany

How long have you been there?: A little over half a year.

Favorite restaurant in the area: It’s hard to pick a favorite. Food in Germany is all so good. Restaurants use fresh, in season ingredients and everything is made to order. I have had meals I’ve preferred more than others, but I have yet to have a bad meal here. I have also only been to a few restaurants compared to what’s available in the area, so I could declare a favorite today and find a new one tomorrow.

That said, I have an affinity for Café Rossi. This was the first restaurant we went to in Heidelberg. I got a dish I don’t remember the name of because the name was most of the ingredients. It was made of beef with some vegetables and goat cheese. Everything tasted amazing together. I’d love to have it again, but the next time we went it was not on the menu. In addition to the food, Café Rossi makes a good first place to go because most of the items on the menu have an English translation below them and the waitresses we have had have all been happy to speak English. If you’re checking out the Altstadt (Old Town) area, it’s also really close to Hauptstrasse (Main St.)

Previous duty stations: Fort Stewart, GA

3 favorite things to do in your current city:

Explore-We like to start off somewhere we know and just walk or drive around and see what we can find. On the weekends we’ve been exploring other nearby cities like Mannheim, Speyer, and Schwetzingen. We have an ever-expanding list of places we want to see both in Germany and elsewhere abroad. I’m sure we won’t get to them all, but we can make a good start.

Eat-The food in Germany is awesome, so we like to try different restaurants and see what they offer. I try to get something different every time, but when I have been at a loss what to get my default is Jäger-Schnitzel, a veal or pork schnitzel topped with mushroom sauce.  I recently got to try a vegetable and cheese Flammkuchen (flame cake) in Mannheim and would love to get one again.

Enjoy the Sights –There are a lot of interesting things in Heidelberg. I enjoy walking up to the the Philosophenweg (Philosopher’s Way), a trail up the side of the mountain where you can get a great view of the city. The Hauptstrasse is a mile-long pedestrian street which is fun to walk. We even have a Schloss (castle). While I haven’t gotten to go inside it yet, I plan to, and it’s cool to look up and see when walking around the city.  

Favorite duty station so far: Definitely Heidelberg. I’m someone who can find things to love and ways to be happy most anywhere, but I’m not sure much could top this.

Who is your hero? My husband is my hero. As a medic and Iraq war veteran, he has put his life on the line to help others return home safely. I think that takes a lot of commitment and bravery, although I’m sure he would say he was just doing his job. I also admire that he continually strives to expand his knowledge and skills so he can help as many people as possible in the future. 

What is the biggest drawback to your current duty station?

I think the biggest drawback is probably that everything is divided. The shopping center with the PX and shops other than the commissary is separate from either of the housing villages. The hospital is separate as well. The shuttle between them only runs a few times a day and cabs don’t come onto post, so until we had a car it was a little hard to get anywhere. Even now it can be inconvenient when I need to get somewhere other than in our village when my husband has the car. On the upside, the village I live in has the library, commissary, vet clinic, and a few other things which are easy enough to walk to.

How strong/ or not is the sense of community in the area?

It seems there is a pretty strong sense of community, both on post and off. On post, people have been very quick to welcome new people and to help out where needed. Our first time waiting for a taxi to go into Heidelberg someone actually stopped on her way off post and insisted on giving us a ride and a small tour of the city. Out in the city, people are generally very friendly and helpful when approached. It seems to be a common assumption that the Germans are cold and distant toward outsiders, but that hasn’t been our experience at all in any of the nearby cities.

Are there any local festivals you have been to or are planning to attend?

Around Christmas, Heidelberg has a Christmas Market. We were able to wander that and tried some Glühwein (mulled wine). In February we went up to Mainz for a parade during Fasching which is a carnival celebration similar to Mardi Gras. In March we went to the Lange Nacht der Museen (Long Night of Museums) where one ticket gets you into many of the museums in Heidelberg, Mannheim, and Ludwigshafen. I would really like to see the Schlossbeleuchtung (Castle Illumination) where the castle is illuminated by Bengal fires to look as if it is on fire and fireworks are set off. This happens three times a year in June, July, and September in commemoration of the castle’s destruction by the French in 1693.   

What is the overall feel of the community/area/base?

The part of the base I live on feels kind of like a big neighborhood. The city of Heidelberg has sort of a small town feel, but it’s a university city, so especially near the university there are a lot of younger people. Both on post and off, it’s a very safe area, and it’s not uncommon to see the older children walking around on their own even after dark. 

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If you are a military spouse and want be featured for this post, please send me an email at HandlingWithGrace {at} gmail.com

Previous Posts

Camp Pendleton, CA - Michelle
Ft. Hood, TX - Alia
Ft. Stewart, GA - Victoria
Camp Pendleton, CA - Marcella
Norfolk, VA - Samatha
Ft. Lewis, WA - Martha
San Deigo, CA - April
Holloman AFB, NM - Kristi
Ft. Bliss, TX - Stephanie
Anchorage, AK - Nina
Kaneohe Bay, HI - Bri
Okinawa, Japan - Kara
Ft. Campbell, KY - Jenn
Monterey, CA - Kate 

Jacksonville, NC - Nicole
San Antonio, TX - Mrs. Duh
Ft. Drum, NY - Sarah

Ft. Polk, LA - Mrs. K

Pearl Harbor, HI - Lauren

Pensacola NAS, FL - Jamie