Blogs from Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Europe - page 4

With a few days to spare before we have to hand our car back, we have decided to make a weekend of it in Heidelberg. So a few hours from Trier we make our way to this romantically impressive University City. The University was established in 1386 and is the oldest University In Germany. Located on the banks of the Neckar River, in the south west of Germany and the western gateway to the “Black Forest”, Heidelberg is a world class tourist destination and a must see for anyone visiting Germany. Despite the fact that the US has had a military base, located near here, since 1951 does not distract from the grace of this city. We have booked into an Irish Pub, The Dubliner, right in the centre of the old city. Spectacular night views ... read more

CHARMING HEIDELBERG. A popular song says: "Ich hab' mein Herz in Heidelberg verloren!" Translated that means: "I have lost my heart in Heidelberg!" That certainly is true for me. Heidelberg has plenty of romantic appeal. There is the Altstadt - the oldest part of the city - with its narrow streets, some of which still sport the cobble stones over which countless horse-drawn carriages rattled in days gone by. Then there is the majestic Heidelberg Castle ruin looking down on the city, its ivy covered walls reminiscent of a glorious past. Part of the scene is the Old Bridge across the Neckar River, for many centuries the only easy access to the city from the north because it was the only bridge across the river for many kilometers up and downstream. One should not forget the ... read more

Although this blog post will be discussing Heidelberg and its own castle, I thought it was fitting to mention that I am currently on a train to the Rhine region to view more castles. In addition, it seems quite appropriate coming off of the last posting on the language barrier and travel problems, that my original train that I had booked a reservation for was canceled for its first stretch, and although they must have announced it over the loudspeaker system, I was only able to understand when one of the station workers came up and told me. I have simply had to change my perspective to enjoy the adventure in it all. Alright, I apologize for the tangent, back to the main theme of the post. In my next couple of days in Heidelberg ... read more

The wheels of my roll-bag made an awful clatter on the paving stones, so I stepped out into the street and walked on, into the quiet neighborhood. It felt like I could walk for blocks without a car challenging me. I passed a cemetery, ringed with evergreens, roses, and intensely green moss. A crow cawed. A teenage girl walked past in black jeans and a skull t-shirt. She was trying hard to look disaffected, but not quite pulling it off—her hair was too well-groomed, her skin too smooth. Suburban. She glanced at me, at my frizzy hair, nose ring, and black leather jacket, but was too young to know that I could never quite pull it off either. My rucksack was making my back sweat as the sun tried to come out from behind a high ... read more

Heidelberg is a beautiful city that feels very historic and untouched by the war. Our hotel overlooked the river and iconic bridge that was light up at night and only two streets over from the main drag of shops and restaurants. The first night was mostly spent walking up and down this street and along the river which was very beautiful. There was not much of a nightlife scene here and most things closed down by midnight. Being that we were in Germany, I couldn't resist the schnitzel for dinner. During our second day, the group climbed the short but steep cobblestone trail up to the Schloss castle that overlooked the town. It was slightly raining on our way up, but the rain gave way to sun and the place provided beautiful views of the valley. ... read more