Friday, November 16, 2012

Germany-Day 4-Mannheim, Heidelberg

We started the morning taking in what we could see of the John Deere facility.  Because it was on a Sunday, everything was locked down but I could at least get a visual of where Justin works when he travels there.  In the picture below, we are just outside our hotel looking up the street to the facility.  The tower in the background was part of the original artillary and amunition factory before World War II.  Up close, you can still see bullet holes in the tower.

 The building with the circular windows is where Justin sits when in Germany.

 After we toured the facility, we hopped on the train to Heidelberg.  When we arrived, we took a tour of the castle there.  It was magnificent and offered amazing views of the city.  This is a city that was not destroyed during the war so it held its old flavor and beauty.  As information on the castle reads, the earliest castle structure was built before AD 1214.  The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.






 We also toured another church in the heart of Heidelberg.


 And more shopping and wandering through the main thoroughfare of the city.


 Seeing the man play the accordian on the street reminded me of my Grandpa Max who grew up in Germany and played accordian almost every time our family saw him.
 I was once again in heaven in the Christmas store.  Oh my, oh my.  AMAZING.
 The coffee houses were also a fun treat.
I was back on the plane on Monday morning while Justin stayed back in Mannheim to work for the week.  It was an amazing trip; one I feel fortunate to have taken.  Hard to believe, but in just a few short weeks, Justin will be headed back. 
AUF WIEDERSEHEN!

3 comments:

Gerben en Julie said...

looks like you had a great time!

shane and jackee said...

Looks like a great trip and a fun time spent as a couple! :)

Life of the Lorenzens said...

What an amazing trip/experience! It makes me want to go back to Europe. I never made it to Germany during my semester in England. It's at the top of my list for next time!