Germany Day 6

Sept. 15, 2011. Our days are so busy it's hard to remember where I am. I asked a couple times today, "What city are we in?" and when I try to tell someone where I've been I sometimes can't remember what happened yesterday or where I was when it happened! It's a good thing I am writing this down as I go or I don't think I would ever be able to keep it straight!

Only four of us shared a room in this hostel, so it was a little less chaotic getting ready this morning. I haven't minded at all sharing a room with such nice ladies - it really helps us get to know each other a little better. Breakfast was provided by the hostel once again, and was the usual German fare with the addition of scrambled eggs. I slept so late (7:15) I had to rush to get packed and have breakfast in time to leave for our day in Heidelberg. Half of our group travelled to Mannheim to tour the John Deere factory; the rest of us drove a short distance to downtown Heidelberg on the Necker for a day touring the city. We had some difficulty finding a parking spot - the roads are very narrow and the van is so big - but Judy got a spot in bus parking and we made our way to the tourist center. Our guide, Klaus, met us there and for the next 3 hours showed us the beautiful city of Heidelberg.

Heidelberg lies on the Neckar River in a steep valley, and is a popular tourist destination for its picturesque location and sights such as Heidelberg Castle and the baroque style Old Town. The biggest employer is Heidelburg University, and much of the city's income comes from tourism. Since Heidelberg is one of the warmest regions of Germany, some plants atypical to the central-European climate flourish there, including almond and fig trees. We saw palm trees, and Klaus told us on one slope of the mountain there is a micro-climate where banana trees grow. Last night we were fascinated by some green birds in the trees at the hostel; we assumed they were escapees from the zoo next door. It turns out there is a wild population of African rose-ringed parakeets that survive here because of the warm climate!

A short walk and tram ride took us up to Heidelberger Schloss (Heidelberg Castle), a famous ruin that is among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. Originally built around 1,214 AD, the structure went through waves of destruction, expansion and rebuilding throughout the centuries. In 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed part of the castle; expansions were done in the 1600s; another lightning bolt destroyed some rebuilt sections in 1764. We heard of the marriage of Fredrick V to Elizabeth Stuart of England in 1612 and of the extensive renovations he made to the castle to please his bride. The different styles of architecture are very apparent to even an untrained eye like mine, and the newer sections were often built atop the ruins of an earlier construction. It was a facinating structure with an outstanding view of the city below, and Klaus was a great guide with a fun story about everything from lion fighting in the moat to drunken dwarfs to illicit affairs!

We then toured a little of the city: the Church of the Holy Spirit (Heiliggeistkirche), a late Gothic church, Church of the Holy Spirit with vendorsMain Street (Hauptstrasse), a mile-long pedestrian street with many vendors and shops, and the old stone bridge, erected in 1786-1788. We ate lunch in the marketplace (potatato pancakes and applesauce), listened to the Glockenspiel at noon, and shopped at the vendors and Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas store. The old city is very beautiful and picturesque, and it was hard to leave because there was more to see around every corner.

Our drive on the Autobahn was longer than planned; traffic was terrible and it was stop and go at times. Yes, even the Autobahn has traffic jams! We finally arrived at Rottenberg and were quickly shuttled to our home stays. I am with a family in Wendelsheim: Bernhard and Birgit Kugler and their children Martin and Alexia. They are so excited to have an American with them and we had a lovely supper of bruschetta, salad, potato salad and something like ravioli that I cannot pronounce and am going to have to have them write down for me because it was so good. Dessert was raspberries, meringue cookies and whipped cream and were were joined for drinks by Birgit's brother and wife. We are planning to cook a meal together of rindrolladen and spatzle in a couple days! It was a full, exciting day and I am ready for bed. Auf wiedersehen!