Super Saturday!

Yesterday was an intense day. I woke up early, walked all around town (literally....north, south, east, west... i traversed all of Heidelberg!). But it was a good day! Let me tell you all about it.

I decided that hiking down to town through the forest would be a good idea. It was a long hike, and sometimes I felt like Snow White with all the funny forest sounds I kept hearing. The forest here is so beautiful, did I mention that? Anyway, I got lost in the forest for about an hour. Well, not literally lost, I just didn't know the path I should take. I followed the general direction. Luckily, I made it into town just fine... and it only took an hour! (this is a big deal - it takes 30 mins to get to town on the BUS.)

I walked around the Hauptstrasse because it was market day - i LOVE market day! there are so many fun things. Anyway, I saw about four couples taking wedding photos... what a gorgeous day to get married. I was finally able to get into the big church on the main square and take pictures. That church is amazing... I have to get back inside. :)

Once I was done with that mission, I decided to hike to the Philosopher's Walk and Heilgenberg. Both very lovely. Heidelberg is famous for the Philosopher's Walk. Great minds in 1800's came to Heidelberg and loved it quite a bit. They would walk through the vineyards on the hillside, and this walk was named after them. It's a really gorgeous walk, full of gardens, terrced flower beds, and great views of the city.

Next, the hike up to Heilgenberg. Heilgenberg has some amazing sights, and I really wanted to see them. First, the Celtic Ruins. The top of the mountain has some ancient ruins from the Celts that lived there around 400-200BC. There is not much left - an old well, and a wall were all I saw. Still, it was fascinating to be around history like that. The well was over 55m deep! (that's more than half a football field!!) and it was easily the width and breadth of a human being all the way down. So cool.

Next, a little way up the trail is St. Stephens Cloister. It was built in 1094, but abandoned in the 1300s. It's still cool. Completely run down, and trees growing all through it... I felt like I was in a gothic novel. The tower is the only thing that remains intact... more on why later. To get to the top of the tower, I had to climb up 3 flights of windy staircase. Did i mention how that makes me dizzy, but I love it anyway??

Further up the hill is the Thingstätt. Built in 1934, it was used for NAZI propaganda for the youth of the third reich. They used the stones from the abandoned cloisters nearby (that's why only the foundations remain). It is HUGE. It seats over 8000. It was kind of scary to be there, and know what sort of mentality was espoused there, and what it was used for. That being said, the sheer size was amazing, and it would be a good place for a play - the acoustics were amazing.

Next, St. Michael's cloister at the tippy top! This thing is HUGE! kids play hide-and-go-seek, it's so big. I liked this one for it's design and roman influence. so cool! I can't believe I walked around and saw physical evidence of people who lived there thousands of years ago. I love history.

Lastly, last night was the tri-annual lighting of the castle! The castle has been burned down three times. So, to commemorate, Heidelberg lights the castle up three times a year, and shoots off amazing fireworks. It was sooooo cool! Imagine... it's completely dark outside, then the lights around town go out. BOOM, you're in total darkness. Then, 1, 2, 3 verticle streaks of light shoot into the sky. Next, the castle blazes to life in orange and red lights - it's on fire!!! slowly growing brighter and brighter... then it dims as the fire fades. Now it's time for fireworks. BOOM boomboomboomboomboom!!! they are lighting those things off as fast and loud as possible. The show lasts about 15 minutes, and it's a real doozy.

Finally, it's home for a late night glass of milk, a shower, and bed.

Yesterday was amazing!!

the thingstätt. it's so huge, you just can't believe it.
St. Michael's cloister.
the tower of St. Stephen's cloister. That's me at the tippy-top!
View of the valley from the Philosopher's Walk. You can barely make out the communication towers at the top of the hill. I live just below those. Yep, I walked down that mountain, and up the one on the otherside of the river. Long hike. :)
Window in the main-square church. I really need to learn it's name...