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I just got back from a day trip to Heidelberg. I spent the last two years of high school living in Heidelberg, so was excited to go back and visit all the old haunts. While there I met up with my old friend Sam and together we had many exciting adventures. The ride to Heidelberg from Aachen was uneventful although it does have beautiful scenery, at one point on the drive you cross over the Mosel River on a huge bridge and the view is just breathtaking. Also it is a joy to be on the Autobahn going superfast! I love it!

Upon arrival in Heidelberg we made our way to the Crowne Plaza Hotel. This hotel is really fine and is in the perfect location, only meters away from the Hauptstrasse, which is where almost everything to do in Heidelberg in located. From there Sam and I made our way the Starbucks on the Hauptstrasse, a place we spendt much time during highschool. The Starbucks does not have the typical interior of an American starbucks. It is located in an old building, the interior of it is painted pink with white crown-molding and some crystal chandeliors hang from the ceiling. There are numerous tables as well as a couch and some green plush chairs. Inside there is a small round tower with two tables at the top where you can look out onto the side streets and down towards the river. A fun place to sit and people watch as you enjoy your coffee.

After coffee we headed down towards a candy store that only sells gummys. It is amazing they sell gummys in flavors you would never think of, all kinds of fruit flavors, beer flavored, coffee and tea flavors. They also make them in all kinds of designs. They have the gummys shaped like bears, fruit, leaves, cups, people, horse shoes (a symbol of good luck), lips, and even have a selection of adult entertainment gummies! )It is a shop where you (or at least I) shell out a lot of money quickly.

Across from the gummy store there was a shop that sold all kinds of liquors, and the like all hand-brewed. They have a wide selection and after a little delibration Sam and I decided to purchase a small bottle Absinth to try later that night.

After spending a few hours on the Hauptstrasse we went to have a bbq at her parents house. Sam’s mother is Austrian and boy can she cook! The food was delicious! Where Sam’s parents live is a small town called Rauenberg. It is gorgous. It is located between hills that are covered with vineyards. The second night that we visited her parents, we took her dog Trouble with us and took her for a walk up into the vineyards. It was amazing. There are lots of paths you can take your dog. As you walk you slowly go uphill through a small thicket of trees and past some trees, which we came to see were cherry trees that had started to produce some fruit. Along the edge of the vineyards there are several rosebushes that creep up along the various fences and gates that line sperate one vineyard from the other. When you finally get to the top of hills there is a very nice view of the town and some of the surrounding villages. It is like something out of a storybook. THere are the hills and the outlines of old buildings with the churchsteple the towing above everything else and you stand there smelling the grass and see all the wildflowers blumming. It is a moment I will never forget…

Finally made it to Germany! The various flights here went exactly as scheduled, and were uneventful. While the view for most of the time was just the clouds in the sky, the flight from London, Heathrow to Dusseldorf had great views. We flew over the British channel and could see all the boats and ferries out on the water, we also flew over Holland.It looked like a quilt of various shades of green, browns, and yellows from the sky. Very beautiful.

Landing in Germany carried with the awesome feeling of finally coming home after a long absence, everything had that familiar vibe to it. Nothing to exciting happening so far, just trying to deal with jet lag. It was most definitely a challenge to stay up until a decent hour yesterday. Upon arrival in Germany we went directly to visit my Oma (grandmother). She had baked a Strawberry Kuchen (cake) and had coffee for us. Five mugs of coffee later and I was still fighting sleep! The cake she baked was delicious, not overly sweet like the cakes in America. There is the bottom if the cake which is actual cake and then there is fresh strawberries on top covered in a glaze, very tasty.

Later in the evening we then went to Landhaus Odinius (which is owned by various members of the family) and had a drinks called a Drecksack, which is cola and beer mixed together.Surprising they taste good together and was just what was needed to help me stay awake. The rest of the evening just involved catching up and much needed rest. This morning we went to the Saturday market. The market is in a town called Julich. The market fills the center of the city and spills out into the streets. Recently in Germany they celebrated Maifest (Mayfest), and the streets still had the flags strung out, giving it a very fun and festive look. The market was very similar to any farmers market you would find the United States. There were various stalls with fresh produce, flowers, honey, cheese, and even one that sold freshly made pasta. It was a great place to stock up on fresh vegetables and buy a few flowers.

A new travel adventure is about to start! Tomorrow I leave for a three week trip to Germany with my brother and sisters! I am a military brat and lived over there for many years and I am excited to go back to visit family and friends. I will be in the Cologne, Aachen area, as well as a quick trip over to Heidelberg. While there I will keep you updates on all the fun things and adventures I encounter (one of these will include a trip to the tattoo parlor!) Keep checking back!