Hallo to Heidelberg

Heidelberg Germany May 2005 014
Originally uploaded by haryoung.

There comes a point in every expat’s life when you just have to pause for a moment, even amid the chaos of settling in, learning a new city, coping with the newness of work, and handling all the other pressures of moving to a new country, and just “get out of Dodge”. It is not only “good for the soul”, it is an absolute essential coping mechanism. And, that is just what Buddy and I did last weekend as we headed towards scenic Heidelberg...this picture is what awaited us.

For those of you who are “geographically challenged”, Heidelberg is in Southern Germany. When your mind conjures up the mental image of a “typical German town”, this town is probably the picture that appears in your minds-eye. In the course of a year, over 3 million tourists descend onto this tiny hamlet to experience its lovely landscape, peruse its shops and cafes, and most of all, see the famous Heidelberg Schloss (castle).

The Neckar River runs through the town, separating Heidelberg into two areas. On one side, the Altstadt (or old town) section is totally paved in cobblestones. As one walks through the city, it is hard to believe that some of the structures date back to the early 1200’s. Across the bridge, the famous “Philosopher’s Walk” allows you a spectacular view of the town. Of course, the climb is quite steep, and once you recover from the heart attack you've just experienced as you climbed your way heavenward, you can enjoy the view. Interestingly enough, while Buddy and I cannot speak a bit of German, we did run into a newlywed couple from Taipei and began to converse with them in Mandarin...what a world!

The town suffered greatly through 2 wars (War of the Grand Alliance, and Thirty Years War), but each time the magnificent Heidelberg Schloss was rebuilt. It was not until lightening struck the castle in 1764, and which fire damaged most of the castle, that no further restoration was attempted. Another important note is that the town is the site of the oldest university in Germany. Heidelberg University, founded in 1836, continues to be a significant educational institution in Germany.

Thankfully, Heidelberg was spared damage during WWII, when Heidelberg citizens were able to hand the city over to American Allies unscathed. Today, there are approximately 15,000 US troops stationed in the area, but with upcoming base closures, the US Military will relocate those troops into other bases in Germany and around the globe.

Now, believe it or not, there was a secondary reason for traveling to Heidelberg last weekend. One of the Baylor University Alumni Diadeloso events was actually held in Heidelberg…I’ll save that story for another posting later this week. Suffice to say, you can never truly escape the green and gold…it provides a whole new meaning “to flinging our green and gold afar to light the waves of time”….

PS - click on the link "Passport Photos" for more Heidelberg photos.