Guten Tag from Heidelberg

Well, we made it!  We had a few hiccups with our flights (delayed) and one of Diana's bags (also delayed), but all is right in the world now.  This morning was our first full day of touring, and we started with a guided tour of Heidelberg Castle.  Our guide was Lisi, a washer woman from Medieval times.  She showed us the portions of the fortress that were destroyed in various wars and fires, and the portions that were added on throughout history.  We went under the castle into the tunnels that would have housed soldiers during wartime.  We also saw the chapel, the watch tower, and furnished rooms within the palace.  The castle itself represents the both the Gothic and Renaissance periods due to additions that happened over time.

After we visited the castle, we strolled along the narrow streets and made our way up Philosopher's Path.  From here, we had sweeping views of Old Town. 

Tonight, we will get to witness fireworks from the Old Bridge and the lighting of the castle.  This ceremony only occurs three times a year (representing the three times Heidelberg Castle was on fire), and we are fortunate to be here for the historical celebration.

Tomorrow, we move to Waldeck.  We have been fortunate to have a business center with free internet access in Heidelberg.  Unfortunely, we can't upload pictures (no SD slot and we didn't bring USB cords for the cameras), but we'll share photos as soon as we can.  We do not yet know how wifi/internet will function in the Waldeck region since it is more remote.  We'll update when we can!