9 August 1999


Dieter took Monday off of work to take us in to Heidelberg. We got up, got ready and took the streetcar from Seckenheim into Heidelberg. In Heidelberg we took a long walk through the old student and shopping areas. Because it was Monday, all the museums were closed--except for the Student Jail. It is a small museum, but it had been a bona fide jail where students were sent after bouts of drunkenness, or just pranks.


After our visit to the museum, we took the cable car up to the top of the Königsstuhle, at the top of the mountain. We looked around at the scenery, ate a bagged lunch of bread and sausages, and started a hike down the mountain. It was a warm day.


About three-fourths of the way down, we arrived at the castle, the Schloß. It was beautiful, as ever, built of the red stones characteristic of the region. We soaked in the beautiful view of Heidelberg from above.


While at the castle we also saw the famous footprint in the stone, and heard the legend of the knight who jumped from the window above. And beneath the castle was the "Big Tap" (Groß Faß) that Pakeo the dwarf allegedly drank dry. It was a short walk down the stone stairway from the castle back into town, and then through town.


We took the streetcar back to Edingen, to Ekkehard's house. We sat outside and ate dinner, then talked. After dinner, Bettina showed us the house and took us up to the Mühlinghaus Turm, built by the former owner for his doves. It is now Lukas' favorite place. From there you have a nice view of all Edingen and beyond, from above.

Because of the thunderstorm that popped up about then, Ekkehard drove us all back to Dieter's house in his Toyota Picnic van. Then it was right to bed, because of our early departure in the morning.