So, Heidelberg, Germany. We decided to take a few days in Germany to start the trip, after flying direct from Portland to Frankfurt on Condor Airline. I read somewhere that Heidelberg is more charming than Frankfurt because it was not bombed during WWII (there is a legend, likely untrue, that the British and Nazis agreed not to bomb Oxford and Heidelberg for some reason). In any event, the old part of Heidelberg is charming and fun, and filled with tourists like us.
Our Heidelberg photo album is here.
We stayed at the Hotel Hollander Hof, a centuries-old building facing the Neckar River near the old bridge (Alte Brucker). Our room was small but comfortable, with a magnificent view of the river and bridge (see photo, above). The staff was marvelous and very helpful. We planned the stay in Heidelberg as a jet-lag recovery, and it was perfect for that. We walked the old town cobble streets, looking at people and shops and the architecture. We took the funicular up to the castle that dominates the view above the old city. We didn’t do the tour inside the castle (a family we met from Mexico-Columbia said it wasn’t worth it), but strolled the beautiful grounds and enjoyed the views of the city below, as well as the remains of the incredible castle and gardens.
We took a one-hour ride on the Neckar River aboard the Sonneschiff, one of the largest boats powered by electricity generated by the solar panels that line the top of the boat. Not quite as silent as a sailboat, but very quiet and no emissions.
We went to an art museum and enjoyed the exhibits; however, it is not air conditioned and I do not really enjoy saunas. (A note that a lot of buildings we were in, including our hotel, do not have AC. One local person explained that electricity is very expensive, and people do without air conditioning. In fact, she said, newer buildings, including houses, are designed to stay cool.
We found a cozy coffee bar around the corner from the hotel, which became our morning habit before breakfast. One of the employees is a young woman who was very excited to learn that we are from Portland; she was there for the wedding of her best friend a couple of years ago. There it is, that small world phenomenon.
It was not until the second day that we were asked The Question: “What do you think of your President?” This was from a Dutch man who was dining with his wife at the table next to ours at an Italian restaurant. We expect to hear this question often, and, in fact, it has come up a few times since. What can we say, without getting into a lengthy rant about our Dear Leader? Sigh.
For our purposes, three nights in Heidelberg was perfect, mostly relaxing, and a great way to get into a month-long trip. Next stop, Faro, Portugal, in the Algarve.
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