Heidelberg

Ok.. a big day today that started at 12:25am with our 3rd flight from Hong Kong to Frankfurt (just the 12hrs 5mins). Due into Frankfurt at 6:30am, arrived 6:25am. Nice job Cathay Pacific.  Our flight 3 will be remembered for what seemed like an elongated airborne earthquake.  Just as everyone was ready to catch a few zzz’s, the turbulence started.  We got used to it after a while so no dramas. We awoke from a  semi sleep to views over Moscow and a few other Russian cities but after that it was all cloud through to Frankfurt. We never saw a scrap of Poland or Germany until we broke through the cloud right in Frankfurt city itself (but only because we were on our final approach to the airport!).  Although it was raining heavily we had a reasonably clear (but grey) view across the Main River to Frankfurt.  Welcome to the German summer!  Throughout today we’ve spoken to several locals and they all said the rain was most welcome after a period of hot weather!  Dahhh, not what we want!!
After touching down our plane taxied for a couple of thousand kms before parking up at Terminal 2. And yes it was also right at the end of Terminal 2. Our bags came quickly and because customs didn’t want to bother us we went straight outside and on to the waiting shuttle bus (the ‘yellow bus’ is the fastest connection to Terminal 1 which houses the train stations (of which there are two). Up the escalator we went (inter city trains are up top, regional trains down below) where we bought tickets to Heidelberg. We only had to wait 10 mins before our Inter City Express (ICE) showed up. A very tidy unit. Btw… you’ll be pleased to know that no photos were taken through all of this.  The ICE cruised at approx 160kmph to Mannheim where we had to swap to a regional train for the last 15 mins to Heidelberg.  Easy as.
And yes… it was persisting down in Heidelberg as well, and has been for most of the day. We grabbed a cab to our hotel to put our bags in storage until check-in time. At the hotel they said our room was ready and kindly allowed us to check in and use the room for a very welcome shower!!
Fully refreshed off we went with brollies in hand. The first stop 20 metres away. The Alte Brucke and it’s tower gate. OMG timeout. Kath is doing some serious snoring in the background, and it’s still daylight!  Fair play though, we’re both knackered after all the flights. Plus that beer at lunch time probably topped her off.
Ok, I’ll park the shots of the Alte Brucke because, after a crappy day weather wise, the sun has just come out late, and I’m off to snap a couple of nice pics.  But before I go, here’s Kath with the bronze monkey beside the Alte Brucke. Trivia: Unveiled 1979. The original monkey of the 17th century was destroyed along with its associated tower. This is the replacement!

Ok I’m back now, job done. Resuming where I left off in the murk of the morning we made our way to Kornmarkt and to the talstation from which we took the funicular up to Heidelberg Castle. The funicular leaves every 10 mins and is an overpriced €6ea for a 2 min ride (return trip).  But they know that the tourists WILL pay!

The bloke at the entrance is ready to nail us for tickets.

So it’s hosing down, and our umbrellas are of the flimsy travel type. Bliss <not>.  We headed into the courtyard.
Trivia: Heidelberg Castle (Heidelberger Schloss ) was first mentioned in 1196. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. The earliest castle structure was built before 1214 and later expanded into two castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed the upper castle (does that really happen??).  The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage from later wars, in
particular by the French under Louis XIV who brutalised the castle in 1689 (notably blowing apart the Powder Tower).  In 1693, they returned to complete unfinished business, and laid most of the castle in ruins.  We’ll discover later on this trip that many German castles in the region were destroyed by the French in 1689.  The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Some Heidelberg castle snaps..
I suspect this is an ancestor of Michael Jackson with his pet monkey (maybe chimps weren’t so readily available back then).

The main courtyard.

The ‘Heidelberg Tun’ barrel and Kath.

Trivia: Built in 1751, this barrel is the largest wine barrel in the world and holds 57,853 gallons. To put that in context (in terms we boys understand), think of 219,000 jugs of beer!  Sooo… in case you’re doing the maths, this means that if you nailed 10 jugs a day you’d empty it in 60 years!  Best bring a friend!  ;-).  The barrel room is apparently haunted, but the ghost must’ve been snoozing while we were there.
Right opposite the barrel is a statue of Perkeo of Heidelberg (born Pankert Clemens or Giovanni Clementi) who was a notable court jester in 18th Century Heidelberg and has since become an unofficial mascot of the city and region.  He is celebrated for his massive wine consumption despite his small figure (it is documented that he regularly drank between five and eight US gallons of wine a day). Not dissimilar to Kath and the ‘book’
club girls on a ‘club’ night.

Maybe this is the ghost?

View from the castle with Heiliggeistkirche standing out (a gothic church in Marktplatz, built 1398-1548).

After being rejected as Crusaders coach he found his eventual home on the side of a building.

The powder tower (at left and mentioned above) was blown apart by the French in 1689.

Statue in Kornmarkt.

Shop window containing all the good stuff we shouldn’t eat. Was I tempted?

Street art.

A tree house?

Well nearly!

Karlstor (Karl’s Gate) was built in the years 1775-1781.  Originally built as a gift from the citizens of the city of Heidelberg to Elector Karl Theodor.

Old town Heidelberg.

A massive river barge carrying umm.. water along the Neckar River.

The twin towers of the medieval gate at Alte Brucke (old bridge) were once part of the town walls. Baroque tower helmets were added as part of the erection of the stone bridge in 1788.

The beautiful Hotel Zum Ritter (adjacent to the cathedral at Marktplatz).
Trivia: The house Zum Ritter Sankt Georg (Knight St. George) is one of the few buildings to survive the War of Succession.  Built in 1592 in the style of the late Renaissance, it is a venerable gable house of sandstone which is full of fluted columns and ornately carved window blocks.  It is the most artistically valuable town house in Heidelberg.  Spectacular!

Zum Ritter decoration.

And again.

Woooahhh… Kath’s snoring has reached new levels (decibel levels that is). Wicked.
The statue in Marktplatz.

Now this place is worth a visit. On the right but two doors down in this pic. See the next photo for detail.  It’s the Vetter Heidelberger Brauhaus at Steingasse 9.  Yup they brew their own beer. It is known for having the record of brewing the strongest beer in the world! 33%! We went in for lunch and took the opportunity to try one, but their strongest beer is now just 11% (still punchy though).  We had lunch here. Kath had a schnitzel and I had traditional German sausages with sauerkraut & mustard dressing which went together beautifully.


It was here we met a couple who lived about 30 mins away in a town that I hadn’t heard of, nor can remember. Anyway, here we all were keeping the conversation going reasonably well given the limited German on one side of the table vs the limited English on the other.  Nevertheless we had a great time and if it wasn’t for them having to drive, I’m sure the rounds would’ve been extended.  Here they are under the blue and red striped umbrella walking down the main shopping street (Hauptstrasse).

We strolled along Hauptstrasse after lunch to walk off the beers. Here’s
the view looking back to Marktplatz.

Ok real estate people. Spotted by Kath in the window. A bargain one bedroom unit, 34m2, ideal for students, in a quiet area. €129,000 (NZ215,000). Dahh… put it on the student loan!

Meanwhile – more building art.

Ok, this is the bit where I went outside to snap some more photos while the sun came out. It was just as well I did because it’s now back to ‘dull’ and rainy.  First, the gate at the bridge opposite our hotel (originally part of the town wall).  It’s baroque tower helmets were added in 1788.

More of the bizarre bronze monkey.

Ok… which of the Matts reading this (I know of 3) is going to own up to placing this lock on the bridge? Dodgy.

I crossed Alte Brucke and snapped this pretty photo.  Trivia: The bridge was built with Neckar valley sandstone between 1786 & 1788 by Prince Karl Theodoride.  The bridge crosses the Neckar River, which we’ll also see further down the journey on at Esslingen, Stuttgart and Rottweil.

A closer shot with Heidelberg Castle at the back.

Alte Brucke with our hotel at the right.

Statues on the bridge.

The Alte Brucke gate (again!).

A view of our hotel featuring the rear of the monkey.

Looking down Steingasse towards Heiliggeistkirche.

Ok… enough for now!!  I’ll just say that we’d like to stay here in Heidelberg a bit longer but sadly it was a plan B visit because Frankfurt was virtually booked out this week due to the ACHEMA convention which has 100 countries being represented. Accommodation was therefore priced through the roof.  So here we are at Heidelberg.  A lovely quiet town. Friendly people. Pop. 150,000. Recommended.  An early night tonight. We need some real sleep (although Kath has already had some of hers.  Hey… she’s now awake!).
Late mail. Popped out to see the lights on the castle.