Heidelberg Part 1

What I have been up to:

The last week was lots of visiting with relatives. There are so many and they are all very loving and kind. We have had many lunches and dinners together. It is delightful. Earlier you saw pictures of my uncle and his friend. Here are some of my cousins and nieces and nephews.

In the backyard with Christoph, Lewin and Almina, Jona. What a loving family!

At the end of a lovely evening with Bernhard, Claudia, Alina and Joshua. So much joy!

Wisteria are blooming everywhere. We are on a third story of an observation deck/parking lot and behind us is HUGE wisteria. Claudia, Joshua, Joshua and Kristina and I spent the day at a big market. It got up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

I have been walking. A big part of the plan is to walk and think. The longest walk so far was up the Philosophers Way. I started across the river by the bridge monkey - more rightly a baboon. You can see in the distance, in the gap at the top, the hill has a tower.

The Heidelberg bridge monkey.

There is lots of history in and around the tower. Celts were in the area. The Romans built fortifications nearby. In 1090 a benedictine monastery was built just back from where the tower now stands. That monastery lasted until the 16th century. It was one of two monasteries that were built on the holy mountain. The tower, cool as it is, is not nearly so old. It was built in 1885-6. The view from the top of the tower is spectacular and from below the tower only slightly less so. Lots of time to think and pray on this walk.

The tower does not look daunting, but after a 1 hr hike, the 97 steps inside were tough enough.

The view from on top the tower. The Heidelberg Castle is in the distance

As a fun side note across the river from the old monastery, my grandfather attended Heidelberg U. as the first of his family to got to a university. His PhD thesis was on The Rule of Saint Benedict. I now have a copy and am working on translating it. I expect that will make for a good Adult Forum some day.

With all the visiting, I have had no time until today to just rest. I started the day by reading some of the wonderful cards that were given to me before I left. Your thoughts and prayers really mean so much to me. I wrote the last thank you cards out and will send them this week.

Later today I went to the baths in Baden-Baden literally "bath-bath". (So good they named it twice like New York, NY.) It was an hours drive for 3 hours of serious relaxation, followed by a long walk around the town and many, many stairs. Springtime here is wonderful. Many pictures of flowers to come.

I tend to climb to the highest point in whatever direction I go. This is the view from above the Lutheran Cathedral. Of course I spent time inside. I'm a bit of a church geek.

So many stairs. No rule of 17 in sight.

The older baths in Baden-Baben

Tomorrow I wake early and drive 6 hours to Hallstatt, Austria to visit the museum there and learn what the earliest period of Celtic life was like. If you would remember me in your prayers, I would be grateful. Particularly for safety and that God reveals what I need to learn.

Peace my friends!