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Published: July 22nd 2016
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Timing really is everything. It can make or break an event, a day, or even an entire trip. If everything works out the way it should, everything goes according to plan, and you are the beneficiary of a little luck, great things can occur of which the memories will last a lifetime. That was certainly the case for our trip to Tubingen today!
It was a bright and sunny Friday morning for a stroll down the lane to the bakery for some breakfast. The forecast called for a chance of showers with perhaps even a bolt of lightning and roll of thunder mixed in for certain locale's, but you wouldn't have guessed it by the cloudless blue sky. After a morning at school, we met in the college town of Tubingen, about thirty minutes from Haigerloch. It is home to one of the top Universities in all of Germany, highly sought after for its medical school in particular. It is a town which revolves around its University, and that's easy to tell. The number of bikes in this place is immense, there is cool art everywhere, and it possesses that cool college town vibe. Mix in some jaw dropping medieval
architecture, a beautiful river, and lots of great shops and places to eat, and you have an absolute winner of a place to spend the afternoon.
We came together near the banks of the Neckar River on this warm and humid afternoon, the skies now clouded over in a haze, to punt the Neckar. Sixteen to a boat, and we were off for a relaxing cruise along the river. Enjoying the views of the lush, green banks and the colorful homes nestled near the water and seemingly stacked upon one another up the steep hillside we coasted along as our captain deftly navigate the busy river. It was an enjoyable trip with great company and bustling conversation, along with a little splashing between the boats.
After the tour, we enjoyed about ninety minutes spent exploring this incredible old town. Up the cobbled stone roads to the church, exploring the old town square, or finding a few new places to shop, the kids made the most of their free time.
We met for a wonderful dinner at a restaurant on the rivers edge under more ominous looking skies. The clouds were darkening over the town, but that didn't
scare away the throngs of tourists and college kids enjoying some time on the river. Be it paddle boating, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking or punting, it was still an active scene on the water.
As the first few plates of food arrived at our under cover tables, the first flash of lightning caught everyone's attention, followed by a low, strong rumble of thunder. Still, those on the water took no notice. A punt with a professional camera mounted on a tripod, a microphone setup and a woman singing on an acoustic guitar in front lazily floated by, blissfully unaware, or completely heedless, as to what was about to be unleashed upon them. A couple of minutes later, the wind whipped and the skies opened. A torrential downpour blurred the far side of the river while wind ripped along the water, turning punts sideways and sending others river goers scrambling for the safety of land or at least a dry spot under the bridge.
There we sat, content and dry, warm meals in front of us, and camera phones in hand as one lone punt struggled up the middle of the river. Meandering this way and that, sometimes
turning perpendicular to the current and the wind as the captain struggled to maintain his bearing in the squall and the nonplussed passengers huddled together for warmth and safety. Eventually, they did make it to the cover of the bridge in order to wait out the storm which lasted conveniently enough, until about the time we finished dinner.
More than a few of our kids likened witnessing the plight of the lone punt to our adventure on the ferry boat during the American leg of this exchange. It was an apt comparison really!
All in all, it was another wonderful afternoon where everything just worked out in our favor. I hope the good luck will continue for the family day tomorrow. Lots more adventures are in store for everyone I am sure. We will meet again as a group on Sunday to explore a local cave system complete with prehistoric remains and then pump up the adrenaline on the alpine slide. It's hard to believe that we are entering our second and final weekend here in Germany.
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