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This is the weekend of the Bastogne Historical Walk, so you know where we will be this weekend. We plan to get there and register Friday afternoon so we can avoid the big crowd Saturday morning. You can sign up Friday between 3 and 6 p.m. The doors open at 7 a.m. Saturday and the walk starts at 8 a.m.; you must start by 9:30. This year the walk goes north and west of the city in the region around the town of Hemroulle.

Friday afternoon after we register we plan to hit one of the many attractions in Bastogne, focusing on either the Bastogne Barracks or the Airborne Museum Bastogne. The Bastogne Barracks, located at Rue de La Roche 40, is open Friday until 6 p.m., while the Airborne Museum, at Avenue de la Gare 11, is open until 5. Whichever one we do not visit Friday will be added to the agenda for Saturday afternoon along with a visit to the Bastogne Ardennes ’44 Museum in the nearby town of Bras. Last year this museum was new and only partially complete. It will be interesting to see how it has developed. We also hope to hook up with our friend Jean Muller from Luxembourg and ride with him in his friend’s WWII vehicle.

We’ll be at the start hall bright and early Saturday morning and we plan to walk the 13-kilometer route. Depending on the weather, we could adjust to either the shorter 7-kilometer trail or the longer 22-kilometer route. As in years past, we hope to see re-enactors portraying American and German soldiers. They will have uniforms, weapons, vehicles and other equipment from WWII. They usually dig foxholes, set up fighting positions and try to re-create the conditions around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.

This will be a hectic weekend. The main street through downtown Bastogne will be closed most of the day Saturday due to the parades. It probably would be a good idea to grab the first parking spot you see and walk everywhere for the rest of the day.

Look for us in the mass of people in Bastogne this weekend as we honor those who fought and died in the historic Battle of the Bulge.

We recently went to the Christmas market in Monschau, Germany. This tiny town is nestled in a deep valley, so the market is small. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in cuteness. Winding cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses are the setting for the stalls selling crafts, food and assorted warm beverages. There are also plenty of shops for finding a special gift for someone. You have to try the local Monschau mustard, which comes in about 25 varieties. Our favorite is the honey-poppyseed. Monschau is a beautiful city for a visit, but the Christmas market is only open Friday through Sunday.

We know how easy it is to focus on German Christmas markets, but don’t overlook your European neighbors. We have also been to Christmas markets in France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands and have found them to be exciting. The central theme of Christmas is the same, but each country has its own unique cultural flavor.

Get out and enjoy!

Email volksmarch information to two.walkers@yahoo.com. Mail brochures to Bob and Lorraine Huffaker, CMR 460, Box 278, APO AE 09752.

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