Heidelberg – Idyllic German City

On November 4, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany18 Comments

It was special for us to visit Heidelberg a couple of weeks ago because our youngest daughter spent three weeks there a little over a year ago. To be able to see the places that she had seen and compare opinions and the things that we both had seen was a wonderful experience. It isn’t that often that we travel to a destination at different times and get the opportunity to share them, even if not at the same time. We already shared the Heidelberg Castle (Schloss Heidelberg), but there was a lot to see than just the castle. It was only a forty-minute train ride to Heidelberg from Frankfurt, so we expect to go back again, so we weren’t worried about trying to see it all in a single day’s visit, but we definitely enjoyed what we did get to see.

It is very much a tourist destination, so expect crowds, even if off-season, as well as shops catering to those visiting from around the world. Honestly, we didn’t mind for once, it wasn’t too crowded and we were able to pick up a couple of Christmas decorations to display in our apartment in Frankfurt, when it is time. There are plenty of restaurants with local beer and food, but you can find other options as well if you desire. Unlike Frankfurt, Heidelberg was not destroyed during WWII, so it is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the historic architecture of Germany. Obviously there are statues and town squares, but one of the main sites is the Old Bridge, which will take you across to the Philosophers’ Road. It is supposed to have incredible views of the city, but we had already done our fair share of walking, so we decided to leave that to our next visit.

Like many days in Germany, the day started cloudy, foggy, and cold, but as the day progressed, the sun managed to make an appearance and it truly brightened our day in all respects. Walking the streets of the old town was a relaxing experience. Life slowed down, people weren’t in a rush to get to the next tourist spot, and it made for a completely enjoyable day. We continue to enjoy everything that Germany has to offer and Heidelberg is definitely a highlight of our relatively short time in our new home.

The Food of Heidelberg

On November 2, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, Recipes19 Comments

Every region in Germany seems to have local favorites that are unique to that area, while everyplace seems to have schnitzel and sausage. We were only in Heidelberg for a day, so we didn’t eat a wide variety of food, but we took a chance and ate what was deemed to be a specialty of the region. It was listed on the menu as “Pork Stomach”. Needless to say, we weren’t sure at all as to whether we should order it since it didn’t sound particularly appetizing. It actually turned out to be pretty tasty and we have some assumptions as to how it is prepared.

Basically the pork stomach is pork meat, potatoes, and vegetables that we assume are stuffed in the stomach lining and then cooked. The result is something that looks kind of like a giant sausage or for those who are familiar with it, a slice of Spam. The texture is a little difficult to describe, but with the brown gravy it was served with, it was very good. We probably won’t order it again, but at least we gave it a try.

Obviously there was local beer and we also had a very nice goulash with noodles. We have had this particular style of noodles a couple of times and they too are a little difficult to describe. They a soft and chewy, nothing like most pasta that we have had. It is a good thing that we have been walking a lot because the portions here have been very large. After almost every meal, we are asked if we didn’t like the food because we couldn’t finish the whole meal. We have done a lot of reassuring because it has been good, we just can’t eat that much.

Weekend in Koblenz

On October 31, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany13 Comments

Trying to go to different places every weekend has definitely been exhausting and we haven’t had the time to fully describe all of the things that we have seen during our first month here in Germany. This weekend was no exception as we decided to spend two days in Koblenz. It was a relatively short train ride, about an hour and a half, but also one of the most beautiful rides that we’ve ever been on. Following the Rhine river as it winds through the mountains, trees in full Autumn color, and castles every 10 minutes, it was truly spectacular and Koblenz was equally wonderful.

There was definitely plenty to see and Koblenz is definitely worth a full weekend to truly enjoy all that it has to offer. Both days started with fog and clouds, but by mid-day the sun was dominant in the sky, which made the experience that much more enjoyable. We will go into greater detail when we have more time to fully describe the places that we’ve seen, but we wanted to at least provide a flavor of what Koblenz has to offer. Walking along the Rhine river is an amazing experience and every direction that you looked there were stunning views.

Of course there are castles, we started to laugh at how common the sight of castles has become even in this short time in Germany. Walking is something else that we have become quite accustomed to, but our legs are tired from all of the stairs that we climbed in order to see the main attractions in Koblenz. There are also a couple of fortresses that are fascinating and a cable car across the Rhine provides spectacular views. The old town, Altstadt in German, was one of the largest that we have seen so far and provided plenty of opportunities for food and drink, which we took full opportunity of.

We are missing Halloween here as apparently they don’t really celebrate it and obviously we will miss Thanksgiving as well. It seems odd to us to be going straight into the Christmas season, but since that is what is surrounding us, we will just have to embrace it. We are certainly looking forward to the Christmas markets as we keep hearing about how magical they are here in Germany. We haven’t made plans for the upcoming weekend, but with any luck, it will be as wonderful as the time that we spent in Koblenz.