Enjoying a Memorable Weekend in Heidelberg, Germany

One of our first weekend getaway from Frankfurt was to visit Heidelberg. Heidelberg is the location of the oldest university in Germany and has a wonderful old town area. Because the Heidelberg University has been considered one of the finest universities in Europe since it was built in the 14th century, it has attracted scientists, philosophers, and literary figures throughout its history. Located on the Neckar River, the scenery is absolutely stunning, especially in October, which is when we visited.

Heidelberg Castle
Walking Through the Old Town District
Part of the Heidelberg Castle
Views of the Neckar River
Old Bridge Gate

Sitting on the hill above the city is the Heidelberg Castle, which is well worth touring and hearing about its fascinating history. The views of the town below make the difficult climb up the stairs that lead from the city to the castle entirely worth it. Just walking around the castle grounds is amazing and is definitely a highlight of a visit to Heidelberg. In addition to the castle, taking a stroll along what is referred to as “Philosopher’s Walk” is an absolute must.

Local Beer
Town Square
Views of the City Church
Autumn Scenery
Wonderful Architecture

Heidelberg is definitely a popular tourist destination and even during the time that we visited, there were plenty of crowds. We enjoyed walking the streets of the old town area with its Baroque architecture. We enjoyed the local beer, Heidelberger, as well as a wonderful meal that didn’t translate to English very well (“pork stomach“), but was delicious none the less. The historic town square with the shops and restaurants is a great place to take a break from all of the walking and relax for a while.

Stairs to the Castle
Heidelberg Castle Entrance
“Corn Market” with the Castle in the Background
Views of the Countryside
Busy Streets

After walking the streets of old town, we made our way to the Old Bridge with its old gate and monument statues. There is also another square called the “Corn Market” where you get wonderful views of the castle as you gaze at the fountain and statue in the center. Perhaps because it was one of the first places that we visited outside of Frankfurt, but our weekend in Heidelberg is definitely one of our favorite memories of our time living in Germany.

Historic House
Interesting and Delicious Lunch
End of the Day
Fascinating Architecture Everywhere Throughout the City
More Views of the Neckar River
Fountain at the Castle

Unique Geological Features Around the World

We enjoy seeing a variety of natural wonders as we travel to different parts of the world. It is often the case that these unique features are associated to the forces that are constantly changing the landscape, but often take thousands of years to create. We have many interesting geological formations right near where we live as well as those that we’ve seen during our travels. Obviously this is just a sampling of the different features that we have seen, but we find the varieties as well as similarities to be quite interesting. What is the most unique geological feature that you have seen during your travels?

Moon Valley in La Paz, Bolivia
Halong Bay in Vietnam
Westfjords Glacier in Iceland
View of Delicate Arch in Utah
Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs
Fascinating Ceiling of a Cave
The Arch at Cabo San Lucas in Mexico
Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming
Quilotoa Volcanic Crater in Ecuador
Grand Prismatic Lake in Yellowstone National Park
Paint Mines Interpretive Park near Colorado Springs
Rock of Gibraltar
Lava Rock Formations at Lóndrangar in Iceland
Formations and Ceiling in a Cave in Vietnam

Taking a Drive Back in Time

When we go on a road trip, we will often take photographs from our drive in a similar way to how we take pictures out of windows of an airplane. During our road trip to Scottsdale a few years ago, we took many different photographs as we made our way from Colorado to Arizona. We converted several of the pictures to black and white, which obviously changes the perspective. At least to us, seeing photographs in black and white has the effect of making it feel as though the pictures were taken some time back in time and not in the present day. Do you have an opinion of black and white photographs?

It Was a Cloudy Day

Rocky Bluffs

Bend in the Road

Crossing the Border

Runaway Truck Ramp

Clouds

Scenery Along the Highway

Rolling Hills

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