Stop #5: Hechingen, Germany

So I decided to go a little off the beaten-path, literally!
To tell you the truth, I have no idea why I went with my friends Jessica and Lisa to the city of Hechingen, Germany. Maybe it's because we had student passes with der Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar (VRN) that were good for all regional trains up to certain cities in the area. Or maybe they heard about this castle in the area. Or maybe we were bored. I have no idea.
BUT, I can tell you, we had a great time hiking around the Hohenzollern Castle. Although, our hike would have been even better if: a.) we had a map. b) the fog that coated the entire region had not been there. c) we had known exactly what were were there to see.
From the few pictures I have and the glitch of memory I have left, here's what there is to do in Hechinen, including:

• Berg Hohenzollern (or Hohenzollern Castle): The only remaining section from the first castle is the chapel, and the standing castle remaining today is the 3rd built on an isolated mountain. The castle dates back to the 11th Century. It remains the house of the Hohenzollern family, a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania (so says Wikipedia). Who knew that the Prussian king was also the German Emperor?! AND that there was actually one today, although he is not recognized by the Federal Republic of Germany... AND he is 158th in line for the British Throne, should something happen to the other 157 people in front of him!! I wonder if he got his invite to Kate and William's wedding yet....

Sadly, I learned more reading about Hechingen on Wikipedia tonight that I did when I actually visited it. But it was a beautiful castle, although one cannot go through most of it. We enjoyed walking around it and a sample of trinkets and rooms open to the public.
(Upper picture: City Square in Hechingen, Germany. Lower picture: Hohenzollern Castle. Both June 2007.)

Stop #4: Heidelberg, Germany

Special, Valentine's Day post:
 
Ich hab' mein Herz in Heidelberg verloren! <3 

For those of you who do not speak German, the translation goes "I lost my heart in Heidelberg!". This, my friends, is quite true. The first place I've ever lived besides home and school, Heidelberg is the largest playground I've ever encountered! In 2007, I got to spend 6+ glorious months living in a small 1-room apartment, walking all over the place/Europe, exploring new and wonderful things on mere pennies, or rather Euro-cents! I wouldn't trade those memories for the world! Now, onto the actual post! 


Heidelberg, located about 45 minutes south from Frankfurt, sits on the Neckar River and is host to Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, or the University of Heidelberg. Founded in 1386, this was the reason for my stay. Besides the college, Heidelberg is a great historic city with a wonderful castle, or what most people would call ruins! Built though the centuries, it houses a rather large wine barrel that can hold over 200,000 liters of whatever someone has that much of!

Sadly, there was a strong Nazi presence in Heidelberg in the 1930's, which resulted in a huge amphitheatre, called the "Thingstätte". Nazi presence lasted until March 1945, when they destroyed 2 bridges and left. Needless to say, US Military entered the next day. Since then, the US military has been present in HD! (PS: that's the only way I know how to get Taco Bell in Europe!) 

Heidelberg is located on the Castle Road and close to the Romantic Road. In fact, HD is the 3rd most visited city in Germany, behind Berlin and Munich. Another fun fact: General George Patton died in a HD hospital, after a car accident in the neighboring city of Mannheim.  

On another note, here are some things to see and do in Heidelberg:

• Altstadt: The old city. From Bizmarkplatz to the Schloss, this part of the city is charming and unique. Walking down the Hauptstraße, one can shop, snack or enjoy the pedestrian-only zone. 
• Alte Brücke: The old bridge. This bridge over the Neckar River is a must see for any tourist. As someone who had to cross this bridge every day to go to school, I can attest for the walking around of and dodging pictures from the tourists that flocked to see this old symbol of the city.  
• Universität Heidelberg: One of the oldest universities in Europe, this university is a series of old buildings including the old town hall, library and the old student jail. Yes, I said jail! 
• Philosophenweg: Philosopher's Path. This walking path up and down the north side of the Neckar is called after professors, philosophers, students and any other person used this path to walk and talk. 
• Heidelberg Castle: Somewhere around 1400, the first part of the castle was built. Over time, parts/sections on the castle were added on, destroyed and now preserved. The best part of the summer is the nights where the castle is lit with colored lights and proudly displayed with fireworks. 
• And more. Just ask! :) 

 Photos: 
1. View from the Heidelberg Castle, March 4, 2007 on my first tour of Heidelberg from Dr. Tracy.
2. Picture of the Heidelberg Castle taken from the Philosophenweg on the first day of Spring, 2007. (Yes, it snowed on the first day of Spring!)

Stop #3: Roma, Italia

Due to the upcoming Hallmark holiday of Valentine's Day, I made my next blog post devoted to Rome, Italy. In doing some quick Wiki-research to make sure I get my facts straight, I managed to completely convince myself Valentine's Day may be the biggest waste of media and consumer time! So to sum up what most scholars would say: St. Valentine was a martyred saint in ancient Rome. It is believed he was buried on February 14th... So my question is: how did we go from someone being buried to celebrating the day with a lover?!  Instead of even expressing more of my confusion, here is my Valentine's Day experience 4 years ago when I visited Rome, Italy with my sister Carolyn.

Rome, the capital of Italy, is located on the Tiber River. The city has be a major city for over 2500 years, thanks to all the Caesars, stabbings and fires that occurred there. Archeologist have found evidence of human life dating to way back, and let me tell you, it is reflected all over the city. It's a early-European history buff's dream city, along with all those native Latin-speakers! As the 11th most visited city in the world, Rome offers tons of eye-popping things to see and do. Not to mention the average daily temperatures only ranging from 53-86 degrees Fahrenheit. Oh and some great pizza, pasta, coffee and gelato (lots of gelato!).

So, here is my quick list of great things in Rome:

• Um, that big thing called the Colosseum. I may not be that big a fan of Russell Crowe, but one has to be in awe of the remains of the Roman Colosseum. First of all, watch out for the men in plastic armor! All they want is your money! Secondly, I love the European lack of safety. As anyone who's climbed the steps up in the Colosseum, great googly-mooggly! Not only are they large and in-charge, but they have been walked on for oh 2000+ years. They are smooth and when they are slightly wet, let's just say I feared for my life! But the view from the top is nothing but amazing. Those Roman's were good at a few things. Building large rock structures, check! 
• Trevi Fountain: The first time I visited the Trevi Fountain, my sister had me convinced it was this small fish fountain the the plaza over. Let's just say, when I saw the real thing, I was a little more impressed! Not only did we throw a coin over our shoulder, but we were surrounded by oodles of couples celebrating Valentine's Day. There were Roman's trying to sell us roses all over the place, so we did the next best thing... 
• Got gelato! In fact, we went back the next day, same place, for more gelato and the gelato man remembered us! We may have splurged one more time for some. You can't go wrong with any flavor. And let me tell you, any gelato in Italy can take out the best gelato in the USA. 
• Speaking of things to eat, you can't go wrong with any pizza, pasta, coffee or wine in Italy. Let's face it, these people perfected it. They know what they're doing. And it's ALL good! 
• Tons of ancient buildings, decor and surroundings. From the Roman Forum to the Pantheon and just passing bridges and parks, one feels like you just walked off the set of Gladiator. It's just amazing to think these pieces of buildings/structures have been around for thousands of years.  
• Scooters. I have a feeling, scooters are just an Italian thing. They are all over the place, the drivers are crazy, and one day, I totally want to rent a scooter and do the same!!
• Maybe the best perk to visiting Rome in February... walking around in t-shirt and jeans. 

 The only downfall is the language barrier, but the plus is the slightly smaller size of the city. One can easily walk from sight to sight or hop on the bus and get across town. Do watch out for pick-pockets around touristy areas and on buses. Although Rome was a little touristy, it is definitely a place I would go back to visit (especially in the winter and with my friend Sammie, my favorite Latin teacher)! Thanks to a well-know blue tourist's book guide, we were able to get a nice hotel for a cheaper, off-season rate. I would also recommend picking up a city guide book to help you figure out what landmark you just walked past!

Pictures: Colosseum and Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy, both in February of 2007.