Travel Tuesday - Heidelberg!

"Oh, the places you'll go."  Gotta love Dr. Seuss.  I had no idea he was addressing me personally. 

Right in my own backyard (name that movie!)  is the beautiful old town of Heidelberg.  When my parents were stationed in Germany in the mid-50s, a movie was made here called "The Student Prince."  It was filmed at an inn named "Three Golden Apples," and last month on a day off, Sir and I set out to see the sights.  We never did find the inn, but we walked miles and miles through this charming old town.  When my girl comes home to me in December, we're going to do the castle here, and hopefully some others, but here's a sneak peek:

Sir and I didn't climb up and do the tour.  This is the view from a public square down below.  The city is a funny mix - elegant old buildings house stores like Brookstone and Gap, and there was even a Woolworths, which I haven't seen since I was a young girl!  One of the unnerving things is that the streets are very narrow, very busy, covered with trolley tracks, and there are buses, bicyclists, pedestrians and mad drivers everywhere.  Not a place I want to drive.

This is the bridge you'd see in all the travel brochures for Heidelberg.  It's magnificent in person - so stately.  If you look closely at the bottom photo, you can see the lines marked to indicate flood levels over the years.  I hope we don't see anything like that while we're here. 

I'm also saddened to hear of the warnings for American tourists in Europe.  People are being asked to use extreme caution when visiting beautiful places like this bridge and the castle and other famous sites all over. As Americans living here, we don't want to feel like we're in danger, or that we're putting our German hosts in danger by being targets.  Living directly across the street from the headquarters of the US Army Europe, it's always in my mind.  And yet, our situation pales in comparison to some of our missionary friends who are embedded in countries that are so hostile to Christianity their lives are in danger every minute.  Such courage they have, and such a love for the Lord to risk all every day!  Is the time soon coming when all of us as believers will face circumstances like that?

Meanwhile, enjoy these little glimpses into our cobblestone world.