Heidelberg

(3 photos)
About ten miles east of Mannheim, along the Neckar River, is the splendid city of Heidelberg. There are numerous churches and museums, the University (1386), the Alte Brücke (Old Bridge), and the Schloss (Castle1200s) spectacularly perched on the hill, permitting a wonderful view of the city.
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When we see these lovely old towns with beautiful homes, churches, castles, bridges, and shopping streets, we often wonder if the builders specifically designed the elegance, or if they just built in the style of that day, and the beauty “… is in the eye of the beholder.” Well, the castle is nice, but the most elegant, the most beautifully built feature in this photo, is my travel companion.
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Our very first night in Europe, 35 years ago, was spent at a campsite just a couple of miles east of Heidelberg, on the left bank of the Neckar River. Our flight from Los Angeles had been a day late, so consumed with jet-lag, the four of us, me, Emmy, Daughter Linda, and friend Linda (Pupa), all napped for an hour or so in our VW Camper Van, in the middle of the afternoon, in spite of the river traffic noise.

Over the next twenty-five years, we’ve spent seven nights in hotels or nearby campsites, and have visited, or just driven through this glorious city, a dozen times.