After Carsten was done with class on Thursday, we borrowed his sister’s car and drove north to visit his grandparents who live just outside of Munich. On the way up to their house, we stopped at Heidelberg to look at the castle and eat dinner. We arrived in Heidelberg somewhat later in the evening, and we ended up practically jogging through the city so that we could reach it to the castle before the sun set! We barely made it! The view from the castle was awesome, and I could not stop taking pictures. After touring the castle and its ruins, we walked back down to the town square to have a “traditional German” dinner before finishing our road-trip.
The next day was one of my favorite days so far this semester. Carsten’s grandparents wanted to take us on a tour of the castles along the Rhine River. So in his grandparents’ car, we crossed over a bridge, drove up one side of the river, took a ferry back across to the other side, and drove back down along the other side. It was amazing! Every few minutes we could see ruins of a castle. There were so many, and they were fantastic! Along the way, Carsten’s grandparents would tell us (in German – Carsten translated) historical facts and legends about the castles on the Rhine. They were excellent tour-guides! His grandma loves to talk, and I was amazed with how much she knew about the Rhine. Carsten’s grandparents are two of the nicest people I have ever met, and they insisted on taking us out to lunch in a castle overlooking the Rhine. The food and view were incredible, and I was overwhelmed by their generosity. On our way back down the other side of the river, we stopped to walk through the woods to look at more historical monuments, and we also stopped for coffee and cake in a different city along the river. It had a terrific view of the Rhine and the surrounding vineyards! Have I mentioned before that I love vineyards?! Of course, I could not stop taking pictures.
The day felt like I was living in a fairy-tale. I enjoyed every minute of the busy day, and am so thankful that Carsten’s grandparents wanted to take us on a tour of the Rhine. It was a fantastic weekend, and thinking back on it, I am still amazed how God blessed me throughout that trip. I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to visit Germany for my week of vacation – it was an unbelievable experience!!
Until next time,
Marga