Au Revoir, Paris

Our second day in Paris was Easter Sunday. The crowds were unimaginable. We walked along the Champs-Elysees along with hundreds of other tourists. Then we made our way to the Louvre. We opted not to go inside due to the crowds and our time restriction but we did see the Louvre Pyramid. Admittedly, all I really know about the Louvre is that it houses the Mona Lisa. What surprised me the most is how large the complex is. It seems to go on forever. It would take days to see everything!

The Paris I was really itching to see was the Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Not so many years ago, it was the haunt of Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dali, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce, and Ezra Pound. Just before our trip I read a book called The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter. The author is an expat who lives in the Saint-Germain-des-Pres neighborhood and his commentary takes readers back to a time when Hemingway sat outside of Les Deux Magots cafe, sipping a cocktail while thinking about writing A Moveable Feast. The book is a good read but the travelers' tips at the end are priceless. They will save you money in Paris, to be sure.

Cafe di Flore is another famous cafe in the neighborhood. This cafe and Les Deux Magots are often considered rivals. Both boasted an impressive, elite clientele of literary geniuses and philosophers. They are

steps away from each other. I felt the need to go to both so we had lunch at Cafe di Flore and then sipped wine outside at Les Deux Magots. We managed to see Paris on the cheap, and this lunch and wine were the most expensive things we did. I knew that we were paying tourist prices but, like many others there, I was trying to soak up some literary genius by hopefully perching myself exactly where Fitzgerald or Hemingway once sat. My husband gamely complied and to his credit, didn't even blink when we were presented with the astronomical bill for two glasses of wine and some peanuts.

Next we decided to leave our mark on Paris at the Passerelle des Arts. This pedestrian bridge crosses the Seine River and thousands of padlocks with lovers' initials adorn the fence. You can purchase a cheap padlock from street vendors and then find an empty spot (difficult task) to attach your declaration of undying love. Again, a very touristy thing to do but also a perfect way to contribute to the whole "City of Love" vibe. It's a lot of fun to read the other padlocks and see names like Ludwig and Helga, knowing that people from all over the world have been standing right where you are, padlocking their names to a fence in Paris, vowing to return someday to see it still fixed there for all the world to see.

Our next stop was Notre Dame. Once again we were reminded how crazy it was to visit Paris on a holiday, and especially to visit Notre Dame on Easter Sunday. I don't know how many people were lined up outside of the cathedral but it really did appear to be thousands. We knew there was no chance of us going inside so we walked around the perimeter and commented about how beautiful and grand it all was.

Then we decided we'd had enough of our whirlwind tour. We felt as if we'd been almost everywhere worth seeing on your first trip to Paris, especially since we had only two days. We'd walked miles and miles, shouldering past throngs of tourists and bundling up against the cold. We both knew what time it was: pub time.

We consulted our guidebook and headed back to Saint Germain-des-Pres for a drink or two. I have already forgotten the name of the place we were going but it doesn't matter anyway because we never made it. When we reached the location, there was a sign indicating that it had moved. A crudely-drawn map showed us where to go and we found the "new and bigger" location about five minutes away-- closed for Easter Sunday. We didn't let our spirits sink too much because Le Pub beckoned to us from down the street. And I'm not joking about the name; it really is called Le Pub.

It was around 3pm so we were just about the only people there. We saddled up to the bar and ordered some fine Belgian beers (Grimbergen Blanche). Black and green olives and pretzels were complimentary and they were refilled every time our beers were... which was several times. My husband ordered some absinthe, just to clinch the experience. The bartender artfully prepared the absinthe and we felt truly hip. At one point my husband asked what time Happy Hour began and the bartender informed us we still had an hour. We shrugged and ordered more beers anyway. An hour hadn't passed by the time we needed the next rounds but the bartender plunked them down in front of us and with a wink and subtle smile as he said, "Now, it  is Happy Hour!" And you know what? He did give us Happy Hour prices for those beers. Who says the French are rude to tourists?!

Absinthe

We finally decided to pull ourselves away (reluctantly) from Le Pub because we had a long walk back to the hotel. Un Dimanche a Paris (A Sunday in Paris) is a chocolate shop close to Le Pub. We purchased a sampler set of 12 delicious truffles for dessert. They were the best truffles I've ever tasted!

We walked through the Louvre once more, heading toward the towering Eiffel growing larger and larger as we made our way. We decided to stop off at a grocery store to buy bread, cheese, olives, meats, grapes, and wine for a dinner on the rooftop of our hotel. It was the perfect way to end our Paris vacation: sipping wine over the top of the city, with the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower sparkling in front of us. 

Eventually the cold became too much for us to ignore and we began clearing away our dinner to go back down to the room. As we reached the stairs, I looked back for one last glimpse at the tower and suddenly it began sparkling and the lights changed colors. I yelled for my husband to come back because I was worried it would stop as fast as it began. Luckily for us, the light show went on for a long time and we held hands, mesmerized by the beauty of it all. It was a perfect moment. 

Did I fall in love with Paris? Oui! I can't wait to return. Next time we'll be able to enter some of the museums and see things we missed. The city is HUGE! I don't know why that surprised me. I think we did a good job with the time we had and I wouldn't change anything about my first time in Paris. 

It is true that Paris is an expensive city but there are ways to make it affordable. We didn't dine at a Michelin restaurant but I doubt any of those restaurants have the views we enjoyed eating our pizza in Montmarte and our baguettes on our hotel's rooftop. Just keep that in mind.

So go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and everything else important we missed. But make sure to leave your love lock on the bridge, have a cheap picnic somewhere with a nice view, and definitely go to Le Pub and order one or four Grimbergen Blanches. And top it off with some chocolate from Un Dimanche a Paris. 

Au revoir, Paris. But hopefully not for long.

First Day in Paris

We just returned from a whirlwind tour of Paris! It was my first time in "The City of Light" and it was amazing. Our last-minute plans put us in a budget hotel, the Adagio Access Paris Tilsitt. It's across from the Belgian Embassy, 150 yards from the Arc de Ttriomphe and 300 yards from the Champs-Elysees. It was a

Arc de Triomphe

great choice because of the location and, most importantly, the rooftop terrace that provided superb views of the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower in the distance.

We arrived in the late afternoon on our first day. The drive from Reims wasn't long but we left the car at Disneyland Paris since the parking rates are much more reasonable than those within the city. It's an easy 40-minute train ride from Disneyland into Paris. We emerged from the Metro right under the Arc de Triomphe. In all honesty, it really took my breath away. It was a great moment and the perfect way to begin our weekend in Paris.

After we checked into the hotel we got right down to sightseeing. I'm sure you already know this, and I think I probably also knew this before I visited Paris, but it didn't really hit me until I was actually there; Paris is HUGE! Perhaps I thought the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louve, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur (and on, and on, and on....) would all be in a neat little row. They aren't. And we decided to walk to all of them. If you plan to do the same, allow me to assure you of this: Those delectable baguettes, croissants, and chocolates won't go anywhere near your thighs because you'll burn the calories off as fast as you eat them.

The first stop, of course, was the Eiffel Tower. It was still cold during Easter, so cold in fact that snow flurries were blowing around when we came out of the Metro. One of my top things to do in Paris was to have a picnic at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. I don't think this sort of thing really becomes popular until the weather is warmer but we did our best by grabbing some jambon et fromage baguettes and sitting on a park bench enjoying the tourists' cacophony from a distance. It was really nice, even though we were shivering.


We decided to forego the visit to the top of the tower this time. The line was insanely long. Very fortunately for us, we'll have at least one more opportunity to visit Paris again and  wait along with everyone else. And when I say everyone, I literally mean everyone in Paris (at least every tourist in Paris).

Lunch gave us the energy to continue our stroll/power-walk. We made it to Place de la Concorde, the largest square in Paris. During the French Revolution it was called Place de la Revolution. At a guillotine in the center, 1119 people were beheaded over just a few years. Notable victims of the guillotine include King Louis XVI and Marie-Antionette. The obelisk in the center of Place de la Concorde is called Cleopatra's Needle. It's from the temple of Ramses II and was installed in the 19th century.

Cleopatra's Needle

View from Montmartre

We continued on to our final destination of the day: Montmartre. A friend suggested that we grab a bottle of French wine, pizza from an outdoor vendor, and find a spot on the hill to have dinner atop Paris. We took the advice to heart and climbed the steps to the the top of the hill with our pizza and Beaujolais in hand. We watched as the sky darkened and the City of Light came to life. There was an older French couple on the bench beside us having the same dinner and that made us feel très Parisian.

Sacre Coeur

Sated and buzzed, we decided to get lost in the cobbled streets of Montmartre. There were so many shops, bars, and cozy restaurants tucked into small alleys. There were still a lot of tourists but it was a little quieter away from the hill. We could see the Basilica of Sacre Coeur from almost every spot and it was majestic, its stark white facade softly illuminated against the dark Parisian sky. We found a charming little piano bar off the beaten path. The Vin du Mois (Wine of the Month) went down smoothly and was an affordable surprise at only 5 Euros per glass.

Since it was late and cold we took the Metro back to the hotel. On the way, we detoured over to that most famous of cabarets, the Moulin Rouge. We didn't see any shows but we did stand outside long enough to snap some very touristy photos.

At the end of my first day in Paris, I had two important observations:

1.) It's filled with tourists! It's one of the world's most visited cities and it certainly feels that way. Granted, we were there on Easter weekend so we were vying for sidewalk space with spring breakers and other vacationers, but I can't imagine the crowds dwindling over the next few months and I don't think I would ever want to visit in the middle of summer.

2.) I'd heard so many horror stories about how rude the French are and that all of them are unwilling to speak anything other than French. I took three levels of French in college so I wasn't too concerned about being about to navigate, even if it was clumsily. Much to my surprise, we didn't come across one rude Frenchman. Or woman. They weren't only kind and accommodating; some even switched to English once they realized it was our native language. Maybe it was a fluke, or perhaps the Parisians have an unfair reputation.

The visit isn't over just yet...

Some Bubbly in Reims, France

Pommery Champagne House

We took advantage of the long Easter weekend by driving to Paris! We made a pit-stop in Reims, in the Champagne region. It was a nice way to break up the drive and sample some champagne. Because our trip was so last-minute, we didn't have time to make the reservations required for visiting some of the champagne houses. As a result, we ended up in one that was nice but felt really touristy.

Construction of the Pommery Champagne House was completed in 1888. The estate grounds encompass nearly 124 acres. This includes the house, cellars, and chalk pits. We took the one-hour cellar tour. It begins with a 124-step descent to the bowels of the estate. Our guide described the champagne-making process in detail and showed us store rooms filled with thousands of bottles of champagne earmarked for destinations all over the world. Interestingly, contemporary artwork is interspersed throughout the cellars. I found it a bit confusing.

The tasting happened at the very end of the tour in the lobby. It was crowded and sort of felt like a cattle call as we all lined up to collect our samples. You choose your champagne with the purchase of your tickets. Of course we wanted to try as much as possible so my husband selected the 30 Euros option with a tasting of the Cuvee Louise 1999, Pommery's signature, prestigious champagne, and I chose the 21 Euros option with a tasting of two champagnes of your choice (except the Cuvee Louise).

The champagne was good and the tour was interesting. If we had more time to plan, we would have made reservations at one of the smaller champagne houses (Ruinart was our first choice). It was a very decadent thing to do, considering we also each had an 8 Euro glass of champagne while we waiting for our tour to begin.

At the end of the day, I suppose I'm a true product of being raised in a tiny Southern town; champagne is champagne to me. I don't really taste the difference between a $50 bottle and a $35 bottle. Granted, I've never had premium champagnes like Dom Perignon or Veuve Clicquot so maybe there is a difference and angels sing as the cork pops. I'll let you know if I ever experience this. Before we moved here I didn't even realize there was a region in France called Champagne. I've learned a lot! And I've consumed some bubbly to go along with my education so I still feel high-class.


We'd arrived in Reims in the late afternoon and our hotel was on the outskirts of town, close to the highway. This left a limited amount of time for us to sight-see in the city but we did manage to make it to the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims. The first religious structure was built on the site at the beginning of the 5th century. It's a Gothic masterpiece filled with incredible stone sculptures illuminated by the light pouring in from breathtaking stained glass windows.


We spent a long time wandering through the cathedral, once the site of the coronation of French kings. It is also where General de Gaulle and Chancellor Adenauer set the seal on the reconciliation between France and Germany on July 8th, 1962. It is one of the most beautiful and interesting churches I've seen in Europe and definitely worth a visit if you're ever in Reims.

The City of Light is up next. Au revoir, mes amis!

Polo in the Vrijthof

As you can imagine from my last entry about TEFAF, Maastricht has earned a well-deserved reputation for being a little hoity-toity. A friend who lives in Maastricht just moved to a different apartment and their Dutch movers (who weren't from Maastricht) even commented about how "snobby" Maastricht is. I still love Maastricht despite the pretentiousness because every once in a while you can join in on the festivities-- for free!

We met some friends Sunday for brunch, tapas-style, at La Bodega. It had snowed over night so the streets were emptier than usual for an early Sunday afternoon in Maastricht. That suited us just fine because we were mainly in town to see polo in the Vrijthof and we wanted a good view. The "City Polo" event took place to coincide with the last weekend of TEFAF. Apparently it was the first time that a city center has ever hosted a polo match.

Being from a small, one-horse town (and believe me, that horse did not play polo), I am not familiar with the game. I don't know the rules and, before Sunday, I'd never seen a polo match. I wore a blazer because I thought that seemed equestrian-chic and I conjured images of Prince William bouncing along atop a galloping horse and I figured that was all the preparation I really needed.

Because of the snow and frigid, windy conditions, the Vrijthof wasn't crowded and we were able to stand right up against the arena for a close-up of the action. The commentary leading up to the match was in Dutch so we mostly just cheered and applauded when everyone else did. Finally the match was about to begin and all of a sudden a booming British voice echoed over the square.

"'allo Ladies and Gents, and welcome to the first-ever City Polo Maastricht! I'm your announcer, straight from the UK! Here we are in lovely Maastricht, the only town that builds two churches right next to each other. If you don't believe me, just listen to the bells!" The crowd's response to the boisterous emcee was a little lackluster so the emcee took it upon himself to provide one of the most colorful commentaries of a sporting event that I've ever heard. It was hilarious.

He christened a Belgian rider "The Muscles from Brussels." Any time he would score a point, the announcer would yell, "And here comes The Muscles from Brussels!" Then he would add something like, "He's from the country that brought us waffles, exquisite chocolate, and Jean-Claude Van Damme!"

I'm sure all of the Dutch people understood him perfectly well but it was our little group of Americans that
were guffawing and applauding whenever he would make a pun. I freely admit that I think I would have become bored rather quickly had it not been for his hilarious play-by-play.

Hilarious Commentator

After someone scored, he exclaimed, "And another score for the home team! The crowd is roaring!" The crowd definitely wasn't roaring and I'm pretty sure he was just amusing himself at this point because he then said, "Bras and panties everywhere!"

And his best line of the match was, "And now the horses are being prepared with some foreplay. The best kind of play is foreplay." I don't know who hired him but they're a genius.

Enjoy some photos of our posh (and slightly bawdy) afternoon at City Polo Maastricht!

TEFAF Time in Maastricht

I love Maastricht. We're very fortunate to be so close to such a cosmopolitan city. It has everything: a thriving university, bustling squares, amazing restaurants, and some of the best-dressed Europeans I've seen together in one place. On any given day you can look inside the windows of upscale boutiques and see chic men and women sipping champagne as they try on sweaters easily priced at 300 Euros and above. Every time I go to Maastricht I feel like I'm an extra on a film set. The city is so breathtakingly beautiful and its history is well-preserved. Where else can you find a bookstore housed in a 13th century Dominican church? Or a 13th century town gate and remnants of medieval walls? Lovely parks, interesting museums, an 18th century fortress, and, according to the people of Maastricht, the oldest bridge in the Netherlands, round out a long list of things that make Maastricht unique and irresistible.

Maastricht outdoes itself for 10 days every March. Colorful welcome banners sway in the breeze alongside roads leading to the city. The cafes on the Vrijthof Square are frequented by wealthy patrons with enormous baubles dripping from their perfectly-manicured fingers. Michelin-starred restaurants are booked and luxury hotels are filled. The tiny Maastricht-Aachen airport becomes studded with private jets. It's TEFAF time.

TEFAF is an acronym for The European Fine Art Foundation. The world's best art dealers (and buyers) converge on the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Center (MECC). Admittedly, we aren't art critics. I don't think I'll ever be able to glance at an ancient object and determine its century of creation or place of origin. Despite our ignorance we decided to shell out 90 Euros (two tickets) for admission to the exhibition just to see what it was like and to hopefully catch a glimpse of a prince or celebrity.

On the chilly Sunday morning, we approached the MECC behind fur-coated dames clutching Louis Vuitton bags. But don't worry about us; we were proud to be sporting our J.Crew ensembles. The walk ended at the VIP parking lot where chauffeur-driven luxury cars sat waiting for their owners to emerge from the art cocoon. A red carpet blanketed the path to the door and even us commoners were allowed to stroll upon it. There were no paparazzi, sadly.

The Catalogue.

After we purchased our tickets we were given the TEFAF catalogue. It's 651 pages dedicated to this year's TEFAF, featuring photos and descriptions of countless objects and lots of paragraphs about the importance of being an art collector. There is also a page dedicated to the Committee of Honour. The list includes people like The Ambassadors of Argentina, Monaco, and the Eastern Republic of Uruguay, and the Governor of Cologne and Mayor of Maastricht. I don't know any of them personally.

The vetting process for exhibitors at TEFAF is often considered the largest and strictest of any show. From the catalogue's foreword: "Some 250 of the world's best dealers are committed to bringing more than 30,000 top-quality works of art spanning 6,000 years of history to TEFAF. All the works of art at TEFAF are checked by committees of leading experts before the Fair opens to ensure their authenticity, quality, and condition. This year 176 experts, working on 29 committees, will be joining us."

Intricate floral arrangement in lobby.

The sheer volume of exhibits was astounding. Everything imaginable was on display including antique jewelry, furniture, paintings, photographs, Chinese fish bowls, rare books and manuscripts, rugs, sculptures, and even a sarcophagus. We saw Picassos, Rembrandts, Andy Warhol's sketches, and seldom-displayed drawings by Van Gogh.

The price tags on these items were staggering. As I was gazing at a blinding sparkle of diamond rings, a man beside me asked the cost of one. "One hundred thousand Euros, sir," was the curt reply from the jeweler. Hearing this, I stepped slowly away from the case, taking extreme care not to accidentally bump into anything or smudge the glass.

The people-watching was second-to-none. Most people were exceptionally-dressed but then there were also the few who didn't feel the need to "put on airs." I saw a man dressed exactly like my Dad, sporting a checkered Western-shirt, tattered blue jeans, and cowboy boots. There was also a gentleman completely covered in tattoos, including his face, with his ears stretched into a circle by enormous gauge earrings. I heard all sorts of languages; of course there was German and Dutch but also French, Spanish, Chinese, and some languages I couldn't even determine.

Art.

When people tired of strolling down endless lanes with intersections named after landmarks such as Trafalgar Square and Sunset Boulevard, they took a break at one of the cafes where they sipped champagne and dined on oysters and canapes. Everything about the scene was extravagant.

We spent almost three hours at TEFAF and there were still lots of things we didn't see. I can understand why the exhibition lasts for 10 days; it really would almost take that long to see it all. We were satisfied with our experience but a little disappointed that we didn't see any foreign royalty or anyone surrounded by security detail.

After some research we discovered that the Private View was actually held on Thursday, a day before the public opening. I suppose it does make more sense for the truly serious buyers to see everything without being encumbered by a bothersome public snapping photos and gawking. I think the real deals were made during the VIP day. For example, a painting from the 1630s was purchased for $6.5 million on Thursday. And we thought 12 Euros for parking was steep.

If we had been invited to the Private Viewing we would have been able to rub shoulders with some of the rich and famous: American billionaire Robert Lauder, Qatar's Sheikh Saud al Thani, and.... Kanye West? Apparently he sauntered through the MECC wearing a tres fashionable grey hoodie. I weep for the future.

With a last look at the grandiose charade, we took our leave of TEFAF. I think it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience for people like us but it was an exciting glimpse into a world beyond my imaginings, one filled with society parties, swanky jets and Bentleys, and, evidently, sarcophagi.

Heavenly Heidelberg

Well, it's snowing here AGAIN! I feel like this is the never-ending winter. Just a few days ago I was outside enjoying the sunshine and warmth and today it's frigid and sunless. If I've learned anything from living here it's that you can't let the weather change your plans or you'll be stuck inside the house for weeks. We woke up to a cold, rainy day on Saturday but we forged ahead with our plan to go to Heidelberg. Thank goodness we did because as the miles passed, the clouds broke and the temperatures warmed. The weather was beautiful in Heidelberg for the whole weekend!

The location we're in makes it easy to miss the rest of Germany because it's so convenient to just focus on Belgium and the Netherlands since they're so close. This year we've resolved to venture to the Bavarian part of Germany and really try to see the rest of the country outside of this triangle. Another good reason to stay in Deutschland is because I'm halfway through my German language course and I need the practice. I think German is a complicated language. I'm having a lot more trouble with it than I remember having while learning French but that could be because I was in college and accustomed to being a student. Maybe I'm just lazy now.

Anyway, back to Heidelberg. We didn't stay in the city center because hotel prices were exorbitant. Our hotel (Elite Hotel) was an easy 10-minute walk from the center and considerably cheaper. It was in a residential area and I generally prefer that because I think it's more charming to stay where people actually live. The only drawback was parking. The hotel gave us a permit for street parking but all of the spots were taken by residents. Cars were lined up on both sides of the hotel's one-way street. The cross streets were also einbahnstrasse and the only way to get to them was to go all the way out to the main road and then come back up, effectively resulting in missing any spots that might have become available on the original one-way street. Confusing? Yes, very.

We ended up driving around this neighborhood for 45 minutes. It was ridiculous. We kept passing a cafe on the corner and by the third or fourth time, people began looking up from their coffees and croissants, wondering why we were casing the joint. Every time we thought we saw an open spot we would race around the block and return only to find that it was handicap, not an actual parking space, or another car would be wedging itself in because it somehow mysteriously reached the spot before we were able to complete our circle. Some spots were available but it was impossible to squeeze our American-sized car in between the European-Playmobil models. We were finally able to park on a side street but not until I had spent several minutes making the European Vacation joke: "Look kids! There's Big Ben.... and there's Parliament. Again." Fortunately for me, my husband was amused.

I only tell this story to illustrate that even now, a year and a half later, we still sometimes have trouble accomplishing basic tasks. I think the difference is that a year ago we would've panicked and now we just accept certain things like getting lost and being late. It's a much more relaxing way to deal with unexpected issues. And at least now we know what einbahnstrasse means.

Our first order of business was lunch. It was a bit late due to our parking fiasco but we managed to find a nice restaurant serving up typical German fare and delicious hefeweizen. Perkeo Restaurant is named for Perkeo of Heidelberg, a famed court jester and guardian of the largest wooden wine barrel in the world. Legend says that he died at age eighty after drinking a glass of water instead of his usual wine.

My husband had shnitzel and I enjoyed a regional dish: stuffed dumplings with mozzarella au gratin. Delicious!

Heidelberg Castle ruins from the village.

Heidelberg Castle was our next stop. It looms above the streets of the village and it's hard not to keep looking up after every few steps to catch glimpses of the majestic bastion. The anticipation of reaching it starts to build as you get closer. There are two routes to choose from: a very steep, sloping hill and lots of stairs ambling along beside private residences and shrouded by trees. We chose the hill for our first ascent and it was certainly a challenge staying upright as we trudged to the top.

Steep climb to the top!

The castle was originally a medieval fort, first mentioned in 1225 in a document in which Duke Ludwig of Bavaria granted a fiefdom. Between 1400 and 1544 the fort transformed into a castle complex. Throughout the next several hundred years it went through additions, renovations, war, French occupations, lightning destruction, and, finally, restoration and preservation.

Crumbling wall!

The castle, as it was.

After a stroll through the gardens, we went back to the main courtyard to see the largest wooden wine barrel in the world. It holds over 58,000 gallons of wine. It was Perkeo's (the court jester) job to watch over the barrel and his name is said to come from the answer he always gave when asked if he wanted a drink: "Perche no?" -- "Why not?"

Yeah, it's pretty big.

We left the castle just as the sun was setting. We went to a lookout point from the castle and watched Heidelberg's red rooftops glow as the last rays of the sun lit upon them. It was magical and reminded me of the ever-changing scenery in Ireland's countryside.

Alte Brucke

We decided to race down the hill to the Alte Brucke (Old Bridge) to see the sunset over Neckar River. The bridge was crowded with couples young and old, children, and groups of friends all gazing at the view. Street musicians played lively songs and church bells tolled from the village. The experience was another of my visions of Germany before we moved here, and it was absolutely perfect.

We then stopped for a quick drink at Vetter. It's a traditional German pub with long wooden tables, bratwurst, and in-house-brewed wheat beer. Hops hang from the chandeliers and the crowd is a jovial mingling of university students, locals, and international tourists. I had a hefeweizen mixed with some sparkling wine and fresh strawberries. It sounds weird but it's extremely tasty and not as sweet as you'd imagine.

It was dark by now and we thought it would be nice to trek up to the castle one more time to see it at night. The underlying reason for our evening workout was because my husband decided to eat a huge nougat-filled ball of chocolate and he wanted to work off the calories. This time we took the stairs and all I have to say is that if you go to Heidelberg you have license to eat and drink whatever you want as long as you're planning on going to the castle and Philosopher's Walk. These little hikes put the Stairmaster to shame.

Once again, the walk was rewarding. A few others were taking advantage of the cool, pleasant temperature but it was still quiet on the castle grounds and the nighttime views of Heidelberg were lovely. We walked through the courtyard and our footfalls echoed off the stone walls. Everything was covered in shadow and the floodlights gave everything an eerie glow, making it easy to imagine what it was like when candlelight flickered from the arched windows.

It's unique to be able to see something like this at night, away from crowds and noise. In most cases you never have an opportunity to see attractions at night, much less for free! I definitely recommend a night visit to Heidelberg Castle should you ever find yourself there.


We woke early Sunday morning to tackle Philosopher's Walk. It's easy to find: just walk across the Old Bridge and you'll see a pathway marked by a small sign. The first glance is deceiving; it looks like an ordinary garden path. After a few steps the pathway veers and you find it's another steep climb to reach your destination. Things get much easier once you reach the top of the hill. Philosopher's Walk is so named because it's said that university professors and philosophers walked there for inspiration. I can certainly imagine that the lush landscape and quiet forest would provide a nice respite from the city and an opportunity to clear the mind.

Private Garden Entrance

Private, gated gardens dot the hillside. Some are overgrown while others are meticulously manicured. During our walk we saw someone tending their garden. Can you imagine?

"Honey, I'll be back in an hour. I'm going up to Philosopher's Walk to see how the thyme and basil are coming along."


Again, the views of Heidelberg are incredible and from here you can see the castle in all its glory.

We were sad to leave Heidelberg but we got out just in time. While we were walking back over the Old Bridge, the temperature dropped about ten degrees and it was soon blustery and cloudy. Despite the drastic change in weather, Heidelberg is a place that's enchanting whether it's seen under the red-tinge of sunset, in the darkness of night, or shrouded by ominous clouds.

Heidelberg, you have a piece of my heart.