Another Full Day

Today was another full day in Germany. Our hotel in Heidelberg was very comfy, and we were near exhaustion from little sleep on the plane followed by a full day of getting to and seeing much of Heidelberg. We crashed for a solid 12 hours, and awoke to a gorgeous day and a wonderful included breakfast.

Still fairly early in the morning, before most tourists were about and while people were beginning to make their way to work or school, we started off on a walking tour of old Heidelberg. The map was a little small for old eyes to read, so we got off the track a few times. But we finally managed to see all of the sites indicated. Most were not that memorable in themselves, but walking through this area of old buildings that had largely escaped bombing in World War Two was the greatest treat. There were interesting things to see wherever we looked, and most weren't on the tour.

It was fascinating to see how the university here was integrated into the city, using centuries-old buildings for modern offices and lecture halls. One building, which had been built as stables for a duke's collection of horses, now serves as a large dining hall for students.

One of the university's heroes is a scientist named Bunsen, possibly of Bunsen Burner fame(?). He has a bigger than life bronze statue, as well as a building named after him.

We finished our tour just in time to return to the hotel and clear out the room ahead of the 11 a.m., check out time. Then we caught a city bus back to the main rail station and bought a ticket to Würzburg. We were afraid that we would have to take a long and expensive trip all the way back to Frankfurt and then out to Würzburg once again. But the agent put us on a slower, but less expensive direct route on the S-Bahn.

These trains stop briefly at every little town or village along the way, which is why most tourists avoid them. But we found it rather scenic, especially as the railway followed the River Neckar through the steep hills of the Rhineland. It was also interesting people-watching as the locals got on and off the train regularly.

We only had to make one change along the way, and it involved getting from track 1 to track 4 at a place called Osterburken, with only four minutes between trains. We got really concerned when the S train we were on indicated that we would arrive 2 minutes late! But we got off the train, walked over to track 4, and watched our next train pull into the station for us to step right on. The timing was flawless. One has to marvel at such efficiency!

Our hotel in Würzburg is only a short walk from the rail station, so no city buses were involved. We checked in and picked up a map, then set out for the Residenz -- a grand Baroque palace begun by the Prince-Bishop Johann von Schünborn in 1720, but not completed until 1744. Among guests here were a guy named Napoleon Bonaparte (who called the place "the largest parsonage in Europe), Queen Victoria, and other notables.

We arrived just in time for the 3 p.m. English language tour, and happened to be the only two people on it, so it was a private tour! Nevertheless, our guide gave us the full treatment. She emphasized how fortunate it was that the palace had not been completely destroyed by Allied bombs in WW2.

But when we saw the photos from 1945, it was apparent that the German definition of "not completely destroyed" may differ from normal usage. But all of the tapestries, furnishings, crystal chandeliers, and carpets had been removed to underground storage. Even some of the wood paneling had been removed from rooms and preserved during the war. So the restoration is pretty complete.

Photos are not allowed in the palace, but I cheated in a couple spots. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a shot of the Bishop's chapel. What an amazing example of Baroque excess! After our tour, we enjoyed walking through the palace gardens, which are open to the public. It was wonderful to see so many flowers blooming, as spring has not yet come to Minnesota.

We returned to the hotel to regroup briefly, and enjoy a complementary glass of wine (this is white wine country with many vineyards on the steep hillsides). Then we set out to find dinner. The first spot that Mary had identified from her usual, thorough research was booked solid, and we didn't want to wait three hours for a table. Plan B turned out to be a wonderful place, and we had an excellent meal. It's asparagus season, and we enjoyed seasonal specials.

A fascinating tradition in Würzburg is evening wine on the old bridge over the River Main. Wine is sold through a window of a local restaurant and winery at one end of the bridge. Then, hundreds of people line the bridge, wine glasses in hand, chatting with friends and neighbors -- or with tourists! (We seem to be passing pretty well, as most people we encounter try speaking to us in German, which we don't understand.)

Although it was still daylight, our phones told us that we had already walked over 6 miles for the day. So we decided to save the rest of the walking tour for tomorrow, and to return to the hotel to rest our feet.