Musings of a Middle-Aged Mom: Day Eight - Ludwigshafen and Heidelberg

On Day 8, we approached Ludwigshafen. My best friend's maiden name is Ludwig so I had texted her our destination.

The leaves along the bank were just gorgeous.

When we docked in Ludwigshafen, we found that it was pretty much just an industrial area. Our tour guide met us with a bus and he was amazing!!

We boarded a bus and headed to Heidelberg Castle. The drive was so beautiful but I am so glad that I was in the front of the bus and I am so glad that I was able to take dramamine!! I also wore my relief band - it truly helps.

can be ordered from Amazon - Reliefband

Look at those trees - glorious autumn leaves!

We arrived at the castle gate!!

once again - those leaves!!

Heidelberg Castle was once considered the 8th wonder
of the world!

Our tour guide told us the legend of the vomitoria - which according to our guide
and to the internet is indeed a myth. People wanted to appear wealthy and
be able to eat and eat and eat . . .so supposedly, they would vomit in order to
eat more. That is just so gross. It sounds like the beginning of eating
disorders!!

This massive wine barrel was impressive.
Mark's knee was hurting so we didn't climb
on top.

There was a sweet Asian family taking
pictures by the ginormous wine barrel.
They spoke no English and I didn't
speak their language, but she and I
communicated and I took photos
of their family and she took photos
of us!

Mark took a photo of the wine menu so that he could show

our wine drinking friends.

There is also a legend about this indention. On the Great Terrace at Heidelberg Castle, a shoe-shaped imprint fascinates visitors from across the globe. A brave knight is said to have left this deep impression in the sandstone as he leaped from a window in the Friedrich’s Wing. . . in his heavy armor.

Would anyone like to guess why he was jumping? He was caught in the act with

someone who was not his wife and was married to someone else.

If he was caught in the act, how did he put on his armor so quickly??

It really does look like a footprint and makes for a great legend.

These views - oh my goodness - the view took

my breath away!

We could turn in every direction and it was beautiful.

This is such a beautiful village along the banks.

Several of the "statues" on the side of the building

are overweight -- because being overweight

showed their wealth!

Look at this big guy!

I know y'all are tired of my photos of leaves - but they were just so beautiful that I couldn't stop snapping away!

Below is the Elizabeth Gate in the Artillery Garden and it is a true treasure, and was commissioned by Friedrich V from Salomon de Caus. Friedrich V had it built for his wife, Elizabeth Stuart, in 1615. According to the legend, it was a birthday gift and is said to have been built in a single night. The triumphal-arch-style structure is adorned with delicate ornamental sculpture. The stone foliage hides many animals, such as frogs, lizards and squirrels.

Our guide told us that the way it was built in a single night while the lady was sleeping . . .

it was built in several sections and brought in during the night and put together

before she awakened!

There was construction going on behind the gate - hence the ugly construction fence you can see through the arch.

We got back on the bus and headed down to the town of Heidelberg.

We had a couple of hours of free time. We were originally with Kim and Caristi, but split off.

I love all of these towns we visited.

Here is the view of the castle from down in the town. There is a whole lot of history. Heidelberg Castle was ruined by the French in two attacks in 1689 and 1693. After the 1693 destruction, townspeople salvaged bricks from the ruins to build new houses, an act that contributed to the castle remaining in a state of ruin. People literally scavaged the bricks and built their own homes.

In 1764, after some makeshift repairs, the battered castle was heavily damaged again: this time by the forces of Nature, in the form of two devastating lightning strikes (I understand how that feels, don’t I?)

I am not sure I have the timeline exactly right - I do remember heavily damaged in a couple of wars and struck by lightning twice and the fact about the townspeople stealing the bricks.

I am such a sucker for a town square. They were cleaning this one getting it ready to set up for Christmas Market!

We made our way to a bakery. Mark was disappointed in his choice and after a few bites, threw it away.

I, on the other hand, loved every single bite of my pretzel. I did share some with Mark.

Cute little streets (love them!)

This is a liquor store that Mark loved. You could taste everything. The bus was getting ready to leave and Mark was still in the store . . .the man who doesn't like to shop!

This is from the store's website - it was in German and I asked ChatGPT to translate for me and now I share with with:

Our shop in Heidelberg’s Old Town is not only a place to shop, but also an oasis of enjoyment. Immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of the Old Town and let our lovingly designed store inspire you. The combination of historic charm and modern flair makes every visit a special experience.

In our shop, you’ll find a refined selection of handcrafted spirits and liqueurs. From classic fruit brandies to innovative specialties, you’ll discover products made with passion and dedication, offering incomparable flavor. Our knowledgeable team is happy to advise you and help you find the perfect spirit for any occasion.

Would you like to bring joy to someone special? Our Heidelberg Old Town location offers a wide range of gift ideas for every occasion. Let our staff inspire you!

Visit us in Heidelberg’s Old Town and let Alte Brennerei enchant you. Experience craftsmanship, culinary variety, and warm hospitality in one of the most beautiful places in the city. We look forward to welcoming you to our shop and providing you with unforgettable moments of enjoyment.

It was a really interesting shop - they had these little casks along the walls and they had English speaking employees.

We went to see the old bridge made of Neckar valley sandstone. It was built by Elector Karl Theodor in the 18th century and connects Old Heidelberg with new. The views from the bridge are lovely.

Headed back to the boat docked in Ludwigshafen.

We attended the chef's tasting dinner that night. We literally made the reservation within moments of boarding the boat. An employee was walking around with a clipboard. We made our reservation, but they wrote down the wrong room number . . .so we didn't get our special invitation delivered to the room. Mark checked on it and they told us they would work us in. We had made reservations to sit with the Texas and California folks we met on the first day of the cruise so we knew we made the reservation. When we arrived at dinner, they realized he had written our room number down incorrectly.

I think we looked pretty good that night!

The food prepared and served was comparable to a five star restaurant. There was a tiny appetizer of heirloom tomatoes and cheese - our amuse-bouche.

A soup was served, but for some reason I don't have a photo!

Below is shrimp ceveche and I tried it. I just want to acknowledge that I ate several small bites. I just have a hard time understanding how lime juice can cook shrimp.

Our chef was in view which was very nice.

One course was halibut and risoto and spinach.

We were served our palate cleanser - a freshly made sorbet. Y'all know I don't eat sugar, but I did sample it.

There was also a beef course. Some people ate every bite of every course. I did not. I could not. Some people also drank massive amounts of wine. I did not. I'm not being sanctimonious - it was a LOT of food and beverage. I drank a lot of water hahaha!

The last course was dessert. It was mango sherbet, a macaron, and a tiny pie. I took a tiny taste of all three. Hopefully, we will go on another cruise and have another opportunity for a night like this . . .but just in case, I didn't want the opportunity to pass by.