Winter Travels Part 1: The buzz about Heidelberg

(A view from Anne's window)



(Waiting for the tram)



(Walking through the the city)

Here I am, in Heidelberg! (Did you know that the first human in Europe has been traced to this city?) Waking up at 11 in the morning never felt so good. Lounging on a giant bed, I face a window that reveals a mountain with patches of snow and tall trees lining the top that begin to fade with the clouds. This is no longer Tampere, with it's dense forests, serene lakes, quiet public areas, unthreatening faces.

Heidelberg University is the oldest university in Germany. The chattery, excited atmosphere reminds me Harvard, where many students study and live, but also where many tourists visit. During the air raids of World War II, Heidelberg was not destroyed like many other German cities. Therefore, buildings and artefacts date back to the middle ages and early renaissance. Many tourists are attracted to this city, admiring the castle, the bridge, and other sites. Sometimes the German residents get annoyed with obnoxious or slow visitors.

I'm staying in this city with a friend, Anne, I made this summer in Tampere. She's from a small town a bit north called Hardegsen, where we'll visit her family for christmas. So far, I've been to Anne's class, met Isabella from Oregon (and heard her stories from Tanzania these past few months), walked around the christmas market, eaten a typical 1/2 meter sausage and drank meade wine (instead ofr glöwein). In the evening, Anne's roommates prepared a christmas dinner. There was a wreathe in the center of the table, with decorations and candles that gave off a seasonal feel. For dessert we dipped fruit into melted chocolate. Later, we went to Vetter's Brauhaus, where I tried Helles and Weizen beer, and loved it. We finished at a very crowded, smoky pub for melon shnapps, uniqe to Heidelberg. I'm trying to learn some German phrases and vocabulary, but the pronounciation is not easz. Not to mention, I try not to divert too much attention from Finnish, so I continue to say "kiitos" (thank you) and "yo" (yes, and pretty much yes in German) and "moi moi" (bye). I miss this strange sounding language in my quiet town, but I'm quickly becoming wooed by Heidelberg.

We take the tram everywhere. Even if transportation wasn't wonderful, we would have no trouble walking. It's a small place. Yesterday it snowed a little, and rained a lot. It reminded me of a certain raining college town in Eugene Today I'm planning to visit the castle and do a few other touristy things, not forgetting the list Alison sent me.

If you're reading this, I hope you are staying warm this winter, surrounded by nice people, and eating lots of good food.