Week 131: The Marine Corps Ball

This week was a short, but busy week! After we arrived back late on Monday night from the Canary Islands, we jumped back into work and school.

Brooklyn is busy every day after school as one of the managers of the school’s wrestling team. Ryan’s Boy Scout troop is prepping for a big camping trip to Belgium to explore the Battle of the Bulge. They have been meeting to do lots of planning and he has a long list of books and movies to read and watch that we have been working on.

On Saturday we headed to Baden-Baden, about an hour and a half from Stuttgart. Matt and I were attending the Marine Corps Ball and Brooklyn was babysitting for a family that was also attending. Ryan was going to have “peace and quiet time” in the hotel while the rest of us were gone.

This week was peak for autumn foliage and we drove the long way in through the Baden-Baden parks; it was so pretty! Then, when we got checked into our hotel room, we found we had the prettiest view of the city and surrounding mountains and trees.

We “cheated” on Marriot this weekend and opted for a hotel across the street from the venue, the Maison Messmer. I really hate to not earn a Marriott night, but the hotel was absolutely beautiful and the view and walkability made it even sweeter. Also, from our hotel, we had a prime view of the Christmas Market, which was being set up over the weekend.

We hung out until it was time to get ready and then at 5pm, Brooklyn headed to her job and Matt and I made our way to the Kurhaus Baden-Baden, where the ball was being held.

Kurhaus is German for “spa resort” and one in Baden-Baden is really famous for its casino. It was built in the 1800s and became popular during a time when gambling was illegal in France and people would cross the border to come gamble. Meant to attract the European nobility and the rich, it is extremely glamorous; the vibes are very “James Bond” in Casino Royale. The Kurhaus maintains its glamorous reputation and to do this day, still requires men to be in a minimum of a suit jacket and ladies to be dressed in cocktail attire. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend an event here.

The ball started with a cocktail hour in the vestibule surrounding the Grand Staircase and then we moved into the Grand Ballroom for the ceremony. At our seats, we were surprised to find authentic German bier steins that were engraved to celebrate the Marine Forces in Germany. Probably the best party favor ever!

The ceremony started with the band playing in the Color Guard, followed by the most important part: the Birthday Cake. The ball is held in honor of the Marine Corps’ Birthday ever year; this year was the 248th. The cake is cut with the ceremonial sword and the oldest marine in attendance is given the first bite. After which, he passes it to the youngest marine in the room, announcing both marines’ individual birthdates and biographies. The passing of the cake symbolizes the passing of knowledge and wisdom down through the generations of marines. At this year’s, the oldest marine was “only” in his 60s, while the youngest was 21 and just entered the Marines last year.

After the cake cutting, the Birthday Address was given by General Michael Langley, who is stationed in Stuttgart as the commander of Marine Forces in Africa. Dinner was next; I don’t know how they did it but it was the most delicious chicken dish I’ve ever had. It’s hard for me to describe chicken as anything but “ok” but this one was great and topped in the most delicious sauce. Then, a full dessert dish with ice cream, chocolate mousse, and cake. Once the dishes were cleared, the DJ started up and the dancing began, which lasted until midnight.

After the dancing was over, everyone still at the ball decamped to the casino for gambling and drinks. We finally made it back to the hotel around 3am. It was a long night, but so much fun. We are so grateful to our friends who invited us to come along as we otherwise would have never been able to attend. It was definitely an experience we are not soon to forget.

After our late night, we slept until almost noon, which was check-out time at the hotel. Instead of heading directly home, we stopped at L’Osteria in Baden-Baden for some of their gigantic pizzas and mozzarella caprese. We got home in time for a nap and then got ready for the week ahead.