Sunday, March 8, 2009

Ich hab' mein Herz in Heidelberg verloren

When it's summertime in Heidelberg,
There's beauty everywhere,
All the tree are dressed in their sunday best
And the brass band plays in the square.
-The Student Prince of Heidelberg--



Well after a week of atrocious windy and rainy weather, Carola going to conferences, Sophia losing her breakfast all over the kitchen floor just as it was time to go to school, I was ready for something distracting. So this weekend, we went to Heidelberg.




Now I've always known of Heidelberg from the musical me and mom used to watch with Mario Lanza. "The Student Prince of Heidelberg." It always sounded so romantic, a little German town on the river with a university.
(The girls and me in front of the sciences building and the castle on the hill)




I can see why they would base the musical out of such a beautiful town. I can only imagine what this city looks like in the spring, or before there were cars driving through it. The church is gorgeous, the Church of the Holy Ghost. It's across the square from the "Rathaus." or political building.



There are old buildings everywhere. The city was established as a Roman city in 40 AD. And has grown ever since. The Nazis were here in the 30's.
After burning down the two synagogues they forced the Jewish teachers out of the universities. The town's biggest industry was the university. It wasn't anything industrious or factory.






When the American troops started bombing Germany and taking over, they wouldn't bomb Heidelberg. They thought since it was so beautiful and wasn't a threat industrially, they had no reason. So when they went to invade, to set up a garrison, The Nazis bombed the one bridge over the river that allowed vehicles to cross.




However, we still got stationed there. And this city is amazing. Besides the huge very old mansions, and gorgeous churches, the buildings are phenomenal and the castle is amazing. Okay, so we didn't actually get to climb up to the castle, because we didn't have time, but when we go next time in the spring, i can only imagine how beautiful it will be.




This was a really old bookstore that was about three levels. it reminded me of a mix of Flourish and Blotts and the bookstore Audrey Hepburn works at in "Funny Face."




There were lots of people there on saturday shopping like us. I guess Heidelberg is a big tourist place now. But I loved it.









This is for me and mom and Cea. Only they would get it. And it's really funny.
"Do you have any produce you're taking into the state of california?"
"No, but we have some lovely earrings!"








Beautiful shot of the church and another building. This is looking down the main street.









Carola kept going into stores to go shopping. We got sick of waiting, so we sat down.






So Michael bought us gelato while we waited HOORAY!








I wanted to buy this for Kaniela, because he's our little "wunderkind"







You can't ever pass up an opportunity for some photography.
Cara.







Just a small European street.











This is us in front of the Rathaus which means Political house. Funny huh? It's the city building. We're in the main square.






The castle up on the hill. neeaato!








The gate to the bridge over the river. Neato Mosquito. So when we were on the bridge, there were some gypsies playing music and so i got a video of me dancing in front of them to their gypsy music. It was awesome.






The girls on the bridge.






And last of all. just me. In the town square. Behind me is the "wissenschaft" or sciences building/lecture hall. And behind that on the hill, the ancient castle! Love you all so much! Hope things are well! miss getting letters!

3 comments:

mm.gma.ar :) said...

Manda -- this is awesome! Love the history -- love the pictures -- love the memory of watching "Student Prince". Oh, yes -- LOVE the earrings! :) And love you -- keep having fun. mom

The Holdens said...

I've been there! I miss it . . .

Anonymous said...

I miss Germany so much. It is fun reliving my experiences through you! I remember hiking all the was up the stairs to the bell tower in the church of the holy ghost.