Tuesday, September 4, 2012


Thursday 4 September

Good night last night! Walked round town first and then to the Zillafel beer hall. Not very many German but very good fun with a 3-piece band in leather shorts etc. Round the ceiling from the bar to the band ran a miniature cable car carrying beer for the band (about every ¼ hour). Very touristy but a good spot – drank a total of 3 litres of beer between us and drove back to the tent (all okay despite sounding horn by mistake on arrival).

[I know. Would not do that now but then was then]

Early morning start at 11.30 (to be fair A had done a lot of clothes washing) to see Heid! A very beautiful town nestling between a high ridge of pine topped hills with the river Neckar running between. We exchanged some Swedish money at a bank and walked to American Express for some free information on the town. From there via a store to buy a corkscrew (litre of wine 4/-) to the Cable Car for a ride to the top of Koenigstuhl Mountain. Although cloudy, great views of Heidelberg and surrounds. Back in cable car to go down to Heidelberg Castle, a large castle transformed into a romantic ruins by the wars of Palatinate Succession in 1689 and 1693. Built in various stages from 1100 to 1550.

Mark Twain (wrote about Perkeo, the well known court jester who consumed 15 bottles of wine every day from the vast 50,000 gallon barrel of wine in the castle vaults – saw it together with two American girls spending a year in Europe after graduating and before going to Israel) standing on the castle’s ramparts and gazing down upon the city, declared it was “the last possibility of the beautiful”. Quite. Looking down we could see, and later visited, the university which was founded in 1386 and is one of Europe’s oldest universities containing today approximately 15,000 students – many from foreign countries.

The Olde Bridge built in 1786 by Elector Karl Theodor and spans the Nackar River at Steingasse. This bridge was for centuries the only entrance to the town. Later walked to the House Zum Ritter built in 1592 with a magnificent Renaissance façade is the only private house to survive the fire of 1693. Also saw Church of the Holy Ghost more than 500 years old. Very tired, returned to tent late afternoon. This evening will be going to the Red Ox Inn – one of the town’s oldest student inns. 

1 comment:

  1. We did heidelberg in 68. We can't remember where we stayed. Some camp somewhere Got a photo of me on the bridge I'll post it somewhere for you. August in Germany wrapped up in an anorak

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