Heidelberg Altstadt

Ah yes, I am finally learning German words! My proof? When researching places to see in Heidelberg, I came across Altstadt, which means "Old Town". Alt is old, stadt is town, so voila! Altstadt is the oldest part of the city and located below the castle, down narrow, winding roads.

The main allure of Altstadt is the city square. Open air markets are highly prevalent this time of year and a number of booths were set up outside as we walked through. Everything from tourist magnets to what appeared to be hand-me-downs were available for purchase. Each cafe, bar, and gelato shop had an outdoor seating area set up to enjoy what turned out to be a perfect fall day after the morning rain passed. The stores lining the pedestrian path ranged from higher end, such as Lancome, to hole in the wall places offering an eclectic variety of goods.

Karl-Theodore-Brücke

Heidelberg Castle is hundreds of years old, and their bridge has a history as well. The Karl-Theodore-Brücke, or old bridge was built in the 1700's and is picturesque with the mountain and buildings all around. The only let down? The view. I was very interested in getting a picture of Tom and I on the bridge with the city surrounding us, but as you look out upon the city, the landscape becomes less than desirable. Newer buildings, another less appealing bridge in the background, and construction equipment marred the majestic atmosphere I would have expected. The bridge itself was the true focal point.

Jesuitenkirche

To get to Heidelberg's Jesuitenkirche, or Jesuit Church, use the following directions: walk along the river and head east. I just love that. Yes, there is certainly some room for error in doing exactly as they say, but the simplicity and historical nod to using a river as your navigation point is awesome. Some construction was going on outside of the church, so we did have to do a bit of maneuvering to get there. Built in the early to mid 1700's the church has been standing for quite some time. I wasn't crazy about all of the white inside, it compromised the tranquil quality I expect churches to exude. The alter and ceiling arches were beautifully constructed, as was the church's exterior.

After the castle and some city exploring, we were famished. I, like a prepared traveler, ate breakfast that morning and was still starving as it was nearly dinner time. Tom had eaten nothing and was, for once, more insistent than I was to find food. We chose a pub along the city square and analyzed our menus.

I wanted to try a few different things and I thought, what sound better than a cup of soup and small tart? Perfect! That is not what I got... We ordered a garlic cheese bread to start, which turned out to be the size of a pizza. Then, my small cup of soup was actually a giant bowl, served with garlic bread. THEN, my lovely petite tart I thought I was receiving? It was bigger than the pizza Tom ordered. We went from very hungry to having more food than we could possibly eat in, all within the span of twenty minutes. At least we had delicious local beer and wine to wash it down! Be careful what you ask for, my mental image of menu items rarely match their reality.

My "tart". How is this a tart? I was picturing a small, delicate pastry.

In an attempt to offset our feast, we popped into a few souvenir shops throughout the town. As usual, we looked at clocks and other small treats before leaving each store empty handed. On our walk back through Heidelberg, we made a gelato pit stop where they had Snickers gelato. You would think it might be similar to the Snickers ice cream or even the ice cream bar back home, but no. I would go back to that shop just for that gelato.

Heidelberg was a somewhat spontaneous trip choice for us, I planned it a few days ahead at most. Between the fascinating castle tour and quaint town, Heidelberg was worthwhile and would be enjoyable even without much of an itinerary to follow. 

Germany has the Best Castles: Heidelberg

The most iconic castle in Germany is Neuschwanstein, hands down. Theme parks are centered around the design, and the view from the nearby bridge is world famous. However, Neuschwanstein construction began in 1869, while the building technology we have today was certainly not available, they definitely had the advantage over castles erected in the medieval era. A true age of castles, where the structure, durability, and location of your castle literally were life and death circumstances. Enter: Heidelberg.

The city of Heidelberg is, in light traffic, an hour from us. Our drive there was not ideal, Stuttgart has an excess of road construction in every direction at the moment so the ride was nearly two hours. As we approached our destination, we drove up steep and narrow roads without any clue where we were going to park. I assumed there might be a parking lot a la Neuschwanstein. Nope. We had to navigate our SUV into a small, partially on the sidewalk, space. Satisfied that we weren't completely blocking the sidewalk, we began the walk to the castle.

The foot path up was on an incline, but easy to navigate with stairs and railings. Beautiful houses and ample greenery lined the sidewalks.

We visited the information office to pick up our tickets for the English speaking tour, a very important specification at tourist sites! The day was lightly rainy, nothing significant but it certainly cast a gray hue behind the castle. We waited outside for the tour to begin.

I read up on the castle beforehand, so I knew it was old. The lower portion, or the castle remaining today, is first referenced in 1303, although exact dates are difficult to pin down in the early years. What I failed to realize was that there was no exaggeration behind the term of it being a ruin. Above you can see a main wall with literally nothing behind it. To be fair, the castle not only survived being struck by lightening, but also by numerous attacks and take overs. One such attack was made easier when one king, Frederick, tore down defensive cannons and walls to create a sprawling garden for his wife, Elizabeth. That is old school romance, he doesn't just give flowers, he gives a garden of them. Sadly, with lessened defenses, it was much easier for that side of the castle to be attacked. And it was.

Our tour guide was phenomenal. I know it is a requirement of a tour guide to present information and be knowledgeable about the history of the place they work, but the way our guide conveyed stories and pointed out specific details was humorous and astounding. At one point, as we were standing outside of the previous front entrance, he pointed out where the outhouses used to be (above us) and where the moat was at that time (where we are standing) and stated how moats were truly filled with excrement to deter attackers. Hundreds of years ago or not, I am convinced some of those germs were still etched into the bricks. Our guide drew our attention to the detail that went into the walls. Each brick was made by hand and transported to the building site, if the brick successfully survived being placed into the castle wall, only then was the brick maker paid. For that reason, the makers etched their initials or specified signature into their bricks, markers you can still see today.

The 221,000 liter wine barrel, or Tun, above was filled with required contributions of wine from surrounding villages. Due to the requirement, the wineries often sent their worst batches and the stuff was apparently putrid. Not putrid enough to be off putting though as it was consumed every night at dinner. A jester allegedly drank the entire thing one night after being locked in with the Tun. That may simply be an old wive's tale though... I would like to know where I can get a similar barrel for my own personal use.

View of Heidelberg below

A wedding was taking place that day and the couple was taking pictures just beyond this wall, I could catch a glimpse of them periodically. I can only imagine the expense incurred for such a one of a kind spot, but weddings are already expensive and you could literally say you were married in a castle.

Heidelberg has ties to the current Royal Family. The aforementioned Fredrick and Elizabeth are the distant great-grandparents (by that I mean great x10 or so) of the current Queen Elizabeth II of England. How cool is that?! I love when cities and countries are so deeply entrenched in history because it truly does all come full circle. 

Honeymoon Wining and Dining

While in Lucerne, we took full advantage of any restaurant recommendations we could get. The inner streets of the city were lined with shops and delicious smelling places to eat. Arriving mid afternoon, we had only snacked lightly before leaving the Palace Luzern to explore.

For our first dinner, we went to Brasserie Bodu. Bodu has a French inspired menu with a vast wine selection and is located a block off the river front. We made it in just enough time to get a table before any of the reservations for the evening began. Walls were decorated with built in wooden shelving, each shelf containing a variety of glass decanters and bottles. While there was dimmed overhead lighting, we literally ate by candle light as there was a tall stick candle on each table.

Our appetizer was a pasta dish. The dish was simple and perfectly prepared, wide noodles topped with tomatoes, olive oil, and herbs. While pasta is a very easy dish to cook, it is exceedingly difficult to do it correctly and with exceptional flavors. My main course was a white fish with a side of spinach and fingerling potatoes and for dessert I had chocolate mousse. The Swiss are known for their chocolate and I was not let down by my choice. 

Walking back to the hotel along the lake and river, we entered through the bar and foyer area. To relax from our day of travel, we chose a tucked away table with leather covered chairs and settled in for a drink before turning in. The bar menu was a common one, Cosmo's, mojitos, traditional beverages of all kinds, but their drinks were very good. I greatly enjoyed their Bellini (above right) and Irish coffee.

Lunch the following day was quite simple. Breakfast had been mid morning at the hotel before the sauna and gym, but we wanted to grab a bite before our boat tour that afternoon. We ate at an Italian place, Einhorn, and they are known for their pizza. A large unicorn served as their logo and was displayed outside and on place mats. You can see the horn peeking over the top of my plate. Tom stuck to his basic salami pizza and I had ham with vegetables and cheeses. The pizzas here are absolutely astonishing in size, they are quite flat but take up half the table when they arrive. I can never finish mine.

Dinner that evening turned about to be of a very unique variety. The concierge made recommendations of numerous dinner options for us to choose from. We decided to try out Red, a gourmet restaurant with 15 Gault Millau points. Meaning, it was highly ranked on a French restaurant scale which has a maximum of 20 points. Located right on the lake, we were able to enjoy a very scenic walk over. The city fair was opening the following day, so we investigated some rides and stands on our way.

I scouted out the menu the night before, as I am always the last one to decide on my order. Eating at a place that was such a break from our norm would also cause me to take even longer and I wanted to be somewhat prepared. They, and most restaurants, offered a selection of local beers and wines. I don't know how Tom's beer was, as I was never offered a sip, but my wine was smooth and flavorful.

The appetizer was artfully presented in a large black bowl. We ordered lamb with braised pork belly, quail eggs, black truffle, and black chanterelles. The portion was not large by any means and made it difficult to share a bit of everything. For the most part, I ended up with the healthier end and Tom ate most of the meat.

My main course was char with rock lobster. Underneath was a sweet potato puree, sweet corn, and to top it all off, a French sauce. Again, the portion was small but it was a refreshing change from what would have arrived if I ordered such a dish back home. Quality over quantity.

Neither of us were feeling adventurous enough for dessert, but I did order a coffee. Much to my surprise, an entire revolving tray of treats was brought out to accompany my drink. I love gummy candies, they are my weakness, but these gummies were far too soft and sugary for my liking. Their chocolate cups filled with fruit syrups were my favorite. We ate a handful before heading back to the tranquil bar at our hotel.

Saturday was our private spa day, we ate breakfast late morning and some snacks that afternoon but were starving and looking forward to dinner at the hotel restaurant, Jasper.

I have to say, this restaurant was honestly the best. I tend to harbor prejudice against hotel restaurants as they can be subpar. Although, since arriving in Europe I've found these places to be far above what I expected.

I enjoy bread, but most of the time when I eat it before a meal it's nothing special. This bread smelled like pizza and tasted just at savory. The red spread was a beet butter, a creamier spread and course sea salt was also provided.

Tom and I love lobster bisque and each ordered a cup for an appetizer. Before the soup was brought out however, our we were served a delicate dish of something we never requested. Confused, we were told the chef will serve small tastes of new dishes on occasion. Whatever risotto-like sampling we had was delectable.  

Post risotto, the table was cleared and the waitstaff, wearing white cotton gloves, changed out our silverware and dishes. Talk about the pinnacle of service. For my main course, I had an exquisitely presented lamb dish with potatoes and zucchini stuffed with a gooey cheese filling. 

We didn't order dessert, only tea, and once again were presented with an array of treats to choose from. We had purchased chocolate in town that morning and I wanted have some of my selections instead.

As the meal was winding down, Tom noticed the window "shades" were actually large chains. Always filled with child-like curiosity, he began playing with them. The cool thing is, the chains reacted to whatever amount of pressure was applied to them. This is endearing when they are lightly pressed and swing back and forth ever so slightly, but Tom became increasingly adventurous and I thought he was going to get knocked out by the counter effect he caused.

We departed the following morning after eating lunch at the outdoor cafe. The amount of presentation and attention to detail we observed over the preceding days was, and still is, unparalleled. Most anyone is capable of cooking and putting food on a plate, that doesn't mean it will be of a good quality or flavor. I can truly say I enjoyed unique dishes I will never find anywhere else, my travel companion wasn't half bad either.

Lovebirds in Lucerne

Due to moving to Germany four days after our wedding, we did not plan our honeymoon before we left. Between the jet lag and our yet to be determined travel plans, we didn't want to come in with anything set in stone and miss out on trips with friends. Deciding on a location was difficult. The possibilities were nearly endless given our proximity to new and exciting places. Initially, we thought hot beach like location, like the Canary Islands or Monte Carlo. However, the temperatures were not ideal at mid to high 70's. If you go somewhere like that, it needs to be warmer for full enjoyment. 

After some brainstorming, we decided on Switzerland. What better place to honeymoon than in a gorgeous, peaceful country with mountains and lakes at every turn. The harmonious vibe correlated with how we wanted to begin our married life. I did some research on various cities and locations before coming across Lucerne, and ultimately our honeymoon spot, Palace Luzern.

Palace Luzern. Taken from our boat tour later that week.

Germany has a holiday "Unity Day" which fell on Friday, October 3rd this year. Tom had that day off and we utilized that time towards our honeymoon. We left late morning on October 2nd and drove the three hours to Lucerne. There is a particular toll pass required to drive most highways in Switzerland (or face a $250 fine) and we fortunately pulled off to purchase one from a gas station just before we approached the border! 

From the second we arrived, the service at the Palace was outstanding. We were given a full tour of the hotel and shown around our room. We had a corner room which allowed us a lake and mountain view. This also meant twice the balconies and twice the opportunity to take in the scenery.

View from our front balcony

View from our side balcony.

When we booked the hotel we hadn't mentioned we were on our honeymoon, but when the staff found out they promptly send up a handwritten card. It was a very welcoming gesture. Every morning there was fresh fruit set out to enjoy and free bottles of water. Essentially, my idea of heaven.

The Palace Luzern is a luxury hotel and spa. Meaning they had a really top notch spa area with free access to their steam room, sauna, and relaxation room, as well as appointments for massages, facials, any all other spa treatments (sadly, not for free!).

The Lion Monument commemorates Swiss Guards who were 

massacred during the French Revolution.

We noshed on a few snacks, settled in, and hit up the concierge desk for maps of the area before exploring the city. Our first stop was the above Lion of Lucerne. The monument is lovely with the pool of water in front and the beautiful lion sculpture behind we tossed some Euro coins into the water before continuing our journey.

Many of the shops were beginning to close for the evening, making time that much more relaxed. I loved this tree shaded path above.

The Kapellbrücke, or Chapel Bridge. One of my favorite sites.

We made our way through the pedestrian walkways that meandered through the store fronts, I was peaking in as we went along and totally found the dining room table I want some day. I can seek out items I want to purchase even when the shops are not open! As we approached the end of the pathway, we found ourselves overlooking the Ruess River. 

Upon our return from dinner, we discovered there were literally chocolates on our pillow and our room was prepared for the evening. The shades were drawn, slippers were set out on either side of the bed, and the bedside lights were on and dimmed. We had no idea what to make of such detailed care, but we had fun with the amenities provided.

The lounge downstairs had a bar reminiscent of the past with dim lighting, leather covered low sitting chairs, and small intimate tables. Before turning in for the night, we ventured into the bar and had a drink before bed. They have a pianist each evening and he played everything from classical, to Adele, to John Legend's "All of Me".

Friday morning we enjoyed the endless hotel breakfast before going to the spa. The sauna was a perfect start to the day, and we got there not too long after it opened at ten. Post sauna, I hit the gym for a while, taking advantage of their treadmill and free water! 

We ate lunch in town and boarded at boat cruise of the lake. The morning had started out foggy and overcast, but the sun was breaking through as we boarded. I was fascinated with the way the fog was literally melting away as we listened to our audio guide and took in the panoramic view.

Interior of Hofkirche

Hofkirche

I had worn shorts and a sweater that day, a rather chilly choice as the day wore on so I did need to change before we went to dinner. As we walked toward the hotel, we stopped into a near by church, The Hofkirche St. Leodegar. It was built in the sixteen hundreds and structure was detailed and overwhelming. I really love churches in Europe. They have such a rich history, and this church was actually built on the base of another church. There was truly a connection to centuries of stories and culture.

Dinner reservations were at seven that evening and the restaurant was just across the river. The fall festival was being set up to open the following morning so we wandered through the booths and abandoned rides before taking in the view and reflections on the water. We again chose to spend a few hours in the hotel lobby/bar listening the magnificent piano music before turning in for the night. Our room was again prepared for the evening, this time with caramel cookies on our pillow!

Saturday we booked a private spa. This allowed us two hours of secluded spa time and a half hour couples massage. I was determined to get a massage while we were there and this was my chance! We arrived at our appointment to be shown a gorgeous locked off area covered in rose petals with a sauna, steam bath, hot bath, fresh fruit, water, tea, robes, and private balconies overlooking the lake. And in case they forgot anything? You could just call them or order room service. Naturally. To say it was an indulgent, luxurious experience would be an understatement. 

To me, the Swiss are extraordinarily skilled at two things: chocolate and watches. So we went shopping in town to look at both. There was a really cool stationary store that caught my eye, I love my pen and paper organization habits and nothing excited me like a crisp new notebook. The store was amazing with notebooks of every color and size, we ultimately left without buying anything, it was rather overpriced. After checking out a candy shop and the Lush Cosmetics store, I found the perfect chocolate shop up the road. I got a whole plethora of truffles: dark chocolate, coconut, caramel, Bailey's, and amaretto. Plus some others I'm sure I'm forgetting. All of them were amazing, but the coconut was a let down, too sugary tasting. Since my shopping list was complete, we explored as many watch shops as we could find, which was a lot. There was a multi-floor store dedicated to designer watches of all price ranges. I checked out the 44,000 CHF Rolex, but was super careful not to touch!

For dinner that evening, we ate at the restaurant in the hotel. We had time to kill before our reservation and took in the view from our room while waiting. The sun was beginning to set and the colors were beyond brilliant as it went down behind the mountains.

The following morning, we ate a late breakfast/early lunch at the hotel cafe. We took one final stroll through town, taking a picture by my favorite bridge on a beautiful and sunny day.

From the moment we drove into Lucerne, we both fell in love with the city. Yes, it is touristy at places, but everyone is so friendly. We spent fifteen minutes talking to a small shop owner about our lives and the country and living abroad. You don't have those connections in every place you travel. We plan on returning to Lucerne before we leave Europe, and now have an amazing retreat to return to later in life. For our fifty year anniversary? I vote a trip to Palace Luzern!

It's (Literally) Like Rain on your Wedding Day

I did an earlier post about my wedding planning process about a month ago. Now that our pictures are in, I want to share them. While I absolutely believe food and atmosphere are the top priorities of a wedding, hiring a talented photographer is not far behind. I received the full copy of the pictures after we had been in Germany for a few weeks and it was so fun (and funny!) to go through the pictures of all of our friends and family. I absolutely love the photos.

The week leading up to the wedding Tom (repeatedly) told me rain was expected that Saturday. Okay... What am I going to do about that? At least I went into the day knowing rain was a possibility, but as the sun came out while my bridesmaids and I were getting our hair and make up done the morning of, I assumed we were in the clear.

My lovely mom zipping my dress up.

Once hair and make up were complete, we loaded up in the limo van, hopping over puddles leftover from earlier rainstorms and were on our way to the 1:00 pm ceremony.

My brother walked me down the aisle, and he did a great job. The aisle is notoriously long and while I didn't want to take five minutes getting to the front, I didn't want to run up there either. He takes cues very well and knew when to slow down a bit for my short legs.

We were married at Queen of All Saints Basilica on the far north side of the city. We had a catholic ceremony without a mass and it was really beautiful. One of my cousins is a flawless opera singer and she was kind enough to sing before and during the ceremony. Her vocals were absolutely beautiful.

Once the ceremony was through, we took a handful of pictures with family and the wedding party in front of the alter. I knew some guests were waiting on us to do our send off with bubbles, so I rushed everyone out saying we could do lots of pictures outside. Because, you know, the sun was out and I was looking forward to taking advantage of the church's beautiful outdoor space.

As we settled into our getaway Audi (Thanks, Julie!) and pulled away, a huge boom of thunder came through. We were in a convertible, driving away from cover, and it was going to rain. Tom was a life saver and quickly figured out how to put up the top, we made it back to our limo bus with the wedding party and photographer and were closing the doors as a torrential downpour (no exaggeration) came through.

What is a wedding party to do in this situation? We had three hours until cocktail hour, a bus full of people, and no real game plan. First stop, liquor store. 

One of our lovely groomsmen took one for the team and sprinted in and out with some beverages for the group. Thankfully, the bus was fully stocked with water as well, which is what I sipped on while we drove around. Our attempt to get into the Chicago Botanical Gardens was not successful as they were not letting people in during the storm. A brilliant idea came from the Best Man. He knew of an area by the lake where there also might be some cover if it rained. 

As we approached, the weather cleared. My long train was not going through the water (imagine how heavy it would become!) so my MoH bustled my gown before we even left the vehicle. This made me late to pictures, and I do not like to be late! So, naturally, I ran to catch up. Not always the smartest idea on wet pavement in heels, but it did make for an entertaining picture!

The photographer captured some amazing shots before the rain set in again, this time it was a lighter drizzle! We sent the wedding party to the bus while Tom and I did additional pictures in a covered area. The rain made everything so wonderfully vibrant and green, I even love how the wet road looks in the pictures. 

A lot of work had occurred since breakfast, and I was quickly becoming hungry, borderline hangry (so hungry you're angry) to be exact. I am a planner and had made perfectly portioned healthy snacks for all of us. Almonds, trail mix, fresh fruit, water, yum! However, in the rainstorm turmoil, they were left in another car. We all needed food, and soon. After some brainstorming, we called ahead to a bar near to our venue. The place was called Tommy Nevin's, I had not heard of it before but they were open, available, and we put in our order over the phone so I was greatly looking forward to my first visit!

I did not want red anywhere near my dress so I had a vodka tonic while 

the girls had vodka cranberries.

I have no idea how I got up there, but it made for a great picture!

We ordered hummus with vegetables and pita bread, sliders, and drinks. The food was delicious and the patrons and staff were very congratulatory to us, albeit a little confused. It's kind of fun to go to a totally normal place in your dress and just relax, to be able look around at some of your closest friends and family laughing and having a good time during an unpredictable day. I will certainly remember that moment for years to come. 

Around 4:45 pm we left for the venue, the Hilton Orrington. Since our cocktail hour didn't begin until 6:00 pm, we hung out at the bar on the first floor of the hotel and it really grew into quite a gathering of all of the wedding guests! Once cocktails began in the smaller ballroom, we all made our way up and I made a beeline for the bacon wrapped dates. 

Dinner was at 7:00 pm and we made our super skilled grand entrance before it began. We decided to slide in from behind the wall for a dramatic effect. They're dancing in from the side of the staircase??? Who knew! Really, I was glad to simply make it down the staircase without face planting.

Salad was delicious and a healthy necessity post bacon wrapped dates. Tom didn't ruin my face or dress while cutting the cake, proving he is a smart man. My entree was the basil and pine nut salmon, but the other options were pesto and arugula french chicken and root vegetable risotto. Everyone's speeches were really heartfelt and touching, including Tom's thank you speech before our first dance. 

Picking out our cake flavors was one of my favorite parts of wedding planning. I gave the bakery, Bittersweet, a rough idea of the design I wanted and told them to put their own spin on it. I think it looked quite lovely, and it tasted amazing. We were both served the German chocolate cake with creme cheese, but we also managed to get our hands on the almond cake with salted caramel and vanilla bean brulee. The second was a huge crowd favorite.

Tom's suspenders came down once the party began, maybe they were impairing his awesome dance moves. The floor was flooded with dancing, laughing, and singing people until midnight. We played our final song "The Parting Glass" and the group demanded an encore. Luckily the staff and DJ were in a jovial mood and allowed everyone to rock out to "One More Time" before leaving for the night.

A year and a half of planning went into this wedding and I find it hard to believe it's already over! I am unbelievably grateful to have had such supportive friends and family to get us through the process, and the curve balls that came our way the day of! I was truly able to enjoy my wedding day and have vivid memories of every last detail, even though it feels like it flew by! Every wedding is beautiful, but mine was my absolute favorite and the ideal beginning to my life with such an amazing man.