Planes, Trains, and Hoofing Through Heidelberg

HEIDELBERG, GERMANY – June 12, 2006

This was one of those days where a little better planning would have probably saved me more than a couple of headaches. But sometimes, flying by the seat of your pants isn't such a horrible thing. Spontaneity is a must as a long-term traveller. And I can't help but think that after as hectic a day as this one turned out to be, I still came out further ahead than I would have if I had just stuck with my original plan. All things considered, I managed to pull off a pretty damned good four-hour stopover in Heidelberg, home of the famous red-stone castle, before catching the first of my train connections on to Stockholm.

I wasn’t originally planning to make the long trip by train. I actually bought a too-cheap-to-turn-down ticket from Frankfurt, Germany to Stockholm, Sweden on RyanAir’s website back in March, before even leaving for Europe. I figured I could work with the date – June 12th. It meant I had a good 2.5 months to work my way through non-Scandinavian Western Europe, and I felt pretty decent about that. And in the end, my timing was right on. It was just the fact that the airport was so way out there, I was going to need to catch a 5 AM bus to make a 9 AM flight.

And this baggage thing. Ryanair’s penny- pinching policies allow fliers to take 15 kg of baggage per person. And what happens if, like me, you’ve got a tad more? No problem, just pay an additional €8 per kilo and you’re home free. Well, after adding up all the costs and relative pains associated with taking this flight, I realized I would actually enjoy less hassles – and save myself a few Euros – if I just booked myself an overnight train instead. The only drawback? I’d arrive three hours later in Stockholm than my flight would have gotten me there. I could live with that.

So first thing this morning, I popped on over to the train station to arrange for my tickets. A few hours later, I was packed up, saying goodbyes to my German host, Daniel, and gauging my best plan of attack for what I knew would be a shortened day in Heidelberg.

For four hours, before catching my train to Mannheim, and on to Berlin (which was over an hour late arriving, and it’s a good thing I had a long layover before starting my overnight journey, or I would have been really screwed), and from there, on to Malmö, and finally, on to Stockholm, (whew! That was long!), I made the most efficient use of my time probably to date.

I stowed my bag in a luggage locker, picked up a map at the Tourist Office, and bused in to the center of Heidelberg, where I climbed for 20 minutes up the steep cobblestone path to the castle and gardens sprawling across the hillside. I soaked in beautiful views of the city below, gables and tall, pointed cathedral spires reaching up beyond the sky line, the Neckar River cutting down the middle, bridges spanning to the other side, and the rising forest beyond. I wandered (quickly!) along the castle grounds before continuing to the old town center, where university students keep things alive and modern.

Passing restaurants and sausage stands, I crossed the main bridge across the river, and climbed again, this time along Philosophenweg (Philosopher’s Way), a scenic path snaking up and around through the steep hillside opposite the medieval town, and offering gorgeous views to the castle and town. And without skipping a beat, I ducked in a market for some quick food for the road, hopped on a bus back to the station, and was on my way to Mannheim in record time.Heidelberg is no place to rush; there is plenty here to make for at least a full day of meandering enjoyment. But given my time constraints – as does happen when you’re whirling through Europe at twice the speed of life, I did a pretty decent job. That being said, I wouldn’t hesitate to visit Heidelberg again. Maybe next time, I can catch the sunset from that scenic overlook on Philosophenweg, instead of from my train compartment… now that would be something!

~Melanie