Baumholder Day 1-2ish (Part 2) - Revisiting Memories

But we FINALLY started to come into Baumholder. Passed by an Army Barracks #20 & 21, as we continued into "downtown" Baumholder. Hahaha "Downtown". Psssh. #22 was a shot of "Downtown" Baumholder. :-) So, right next to the bus stop was a bakery, so I needed a little breakfast, so I go inside to get some freshly baked "Berliners" and a couple of rolls. Figured I'd hold onto the rolls, if I got hungry later. Then I saw the sign (#23). I thought, well, THAT'S interesting. It's not that often that you see something like that.

So, I kind of knew where I was, but just to make sure, I asked the lady who was working at the bakery, how to get to the apartment complex that I wanted to get to. She gave me directions there, but warned me that there were a few "changes" ever since 9/11. Ah oh, not doesn't sound very good. She also mentioned that some of the buildings out in the area were empty. Plenty of space if anyone wants to move in, according to her.

So I start walking. I came by a large pond, and park next door (#24 - 26), but I don't remember that, so I continued on, thinking that it would be a great place for a swim... just not now. :-) So I get to a main intersection (#28), cross the street and continue heading down #27. When I spot the apartments... I could see them in the distance. (#29) I was getting closer. So I continue on going, when I came up to a security checkpoint. (#30 & 31) This is where I was stopped by a security detail that wasn't associated with the Army MP's. It was a local security detail from what I could see. I asked them where (street name) was but they weren't sure, so they pulled out a map. And I said that I wanted to get to the apartment complexes. I noticed that those apartments were circled in a way. The guards told me, that yeah, the road that I was going up would take me to them, but I couldn't go up to them because I needed proper identification. Okay, I have my passport, my drivers license, even my college id with me, but of course, the identification that they were looking for was military identification. :-/ They asked if there was anyone up in the apartments that could have signed for me, but I didn't know anyone that was up there, last I knew. So they wouldn't let me pass.

Okay, I thought. I'm not going to be defeated by this, I came all this way, I'm going to see my old complex and forest. While looking over the map, I noticed that the line that had circled the complex didn't really go into the forest that was behind the apartments, so I figured I'd go around. I didn't feel like getting arrested, so I didn't want to step on too many toes. So I left the security checkpoint, went around the southern side of the checkpoint, to come up to a different street. Saw that it bordered the golf course (that was also circled), so followed that till I knew that I was outside of the "area". As I was walking along, I came upon a priso... I mean, a high school. (#32) Did you ever see a High school with BARBED WIRE FENCES!!!??? (#33) You can't really see the barbed wire from the picture, but trust me, they're there. Okay, so I'm really not liking what I'm seeing at this point. But I continue going up the road. Pass by another checkpoint that led into the golf course, but instead of heading up that road into the golf course, I continued up the main road, bypassing the checkpoint.