Missy's Blog: Heidelberg

Happy to be making my guest-blogging debut this week on Missy's Blog and after weeks of reading from the States I know the bar is high.

This week the family packed up and headed to Heidelberg, Germany. I have spent a long time (a lifetime) imagining what it would be like to return to the town where I was born, during a time when my parents were married, and what closing that circle would feel like. Even though we've made trips to Europe, somehow Germany never made it onto our itinerary- the time had finally come!

We began with a trip aboard the ICE train from Paris East to Mannheim, connecting to the local train from Mannheim to Heidelberg. The trip on the ICE was fantastic. We blazed through the French and German countryside at speeds somewhere between 130-175mph. (When they really open it up you can tell that the train is making time!) That said, the train is extremely comfortable complete with full bar and amenities, everyone enjoyed the trip. The local train to Heidelberg was equally impressive if for different reasons. Clean, quiet, on time and extremely easy to navigate, our first impressions of Germany amounted to almost stereotypical comments on German efficiency.

Heidelberg itself is a beautiful town of about 140,000 people. It's easy to get around as it's bordered by the Neckar River on one side a castle above, great landmarks that make it hard to get lost. We arrived late in the day and by the time we got settled in the hotel and ventured out it was dark, the sun having set at about 5pm local time. At night the castle is lit up, as are the churches and the old bridge and gate. It's a storybook scene with little motor traffic on cobblestone streets so walking is easy and safe.

We stayed at the Villa Marstall right on the Neckar and a short walk to the old bridge, above. Also featured is the Heidelberg Monkey- there's a story there that I never got but that the emphatic group of Asian tourists hovering just out of this shot definitely did. They loved the monkey, like for real.

During the (cold) days we were able to easily get around on foot- having ditched the idea of renting bikes given the low temps. We hit the Hauptstrasse, the main street, and found all types of food along with a large number of shops including a skate shop for Conrad and dirndl shop for Bryn. It was not uncommon to see signs in up to four languages. The broad mix of people was surprising but was broken down by the skate shop owner as follows- "Americans because they're of German descent or have a military connections, Asians because they tour three places; Berlin, Munich and Heidelberg as great examples of German cities/towns and Middle Easterners because they come from countries where they can't get good medical care, and they can here -with cash." So there you have it.

The mix of restaurants reflects the broad range of visitors and you could have virtually any type of cuisine you'd want. In such a small town it was pretty impressive. We were focused on schnitzel and pastries for the most part.

And beer...

One of the best meals of my life was with Missy at Schnitzlebank. Yes, it's an odd name but this old spot had some incredible food, along with tables filled with carved initials. The special was venison goulash, with rotkraut (red cabbage) and spaetzle, along with a local riesling that was literally on tap. It was all so good it almost made me cry. Add to that the dark, ancient, old school atmosphere, boisterous locals and very friendly owners and you've got a magical German night.

The trip to Heidelberg was a life goal, a milestone, whatever you want to call it. It was a chance to circle back to that part of myself and my parents that I never really knew but had seen hallowed pieces of my whole life. Who doesn't want to understand their parents, and by extension themselves, better by trying to reach back into a shared history?

The reality was less dramatic. There were no personal revelations waiting for me in Heidelberg. There was no sense of reconnection with a place I couldn't remember. What I found instead was a reconnection with my own children, who along with me, reveled in the place the way my parents must have. We were awestruck by the castle, the order, the friendliness of the people and, as Conrad noted, so many people who look like him- the blondes with blue eyes that France is a little short on.

I don't know what else to say about it, Germany just fits. Not like returning to a home I once knew, more like meeting a long lost relative for the first time and realizing you have a lot in common. I can't wait to get back again.