Germany

This month for the 30th we were in Germany. We took a military hop and stayed in Heidelberg and then Bacharach on the Rhine River. We arrived on the 30th around noon. With our little phrasebook and the help of some Germans who spoke pretty good English we got a taxi to the train station and a ticket to Heidelberg immediately. The trip took a little over two hours. Fortunately we chose to stay at a Marriott so we could drop off our bags and relax for a little while before exploring. Once well-rested, we walked along the Neckar River (a tributary of the Rhine) down to the historic district of town. The scene at the river-side park was instantly recognizable as Europe with old men in speedos and students with their books and bottles of beer. Apparently, riding a bike is the popular mode of transportation so we had to be careful on our walking path to avoid being run over. In the historic district, below the Heidelberg castle, we ate at a local restaurant called Kulturbrauerei, which a friend recommended. The food was excellent. Dining is so much more relaxed there. You don't wait to be seated, but rather just sit down and chat until they stop by and give you a menu. And when you're done they almost expect you to stick around and talk for a while. We strolled though the old town and then returned home. The rest of the trip continued on just as wonderfully. Leigh says she loves the idea of traveling on the 30th.