Heidelberg Visit Part 1

Prosecco toast with Caro and Suse

"My" beer :)

Caro and I night number 1

Night Number 2 - Love of friends

Nadine and I

Clastrophobically climbing the stairs to the top of the church tower

Top of the tower

View of the Rhein Neckar

Heidelberg Castle

I’m here! Landed in Frankfurt airport Friday at 5 in the afternoon. I think if anyone would have been watching me on the plane as we arrived they would have wondered what the heck I was thinking based on the huge smile I had on my face. Caro picked me up and we headed to Heidelberg. It was little bit surreal being able to give her a big hug for the first time in over 8 months. Not wasting any time, we got home (still feels like it’s partial mine), made dinner, got ready and hit the town. Good thing I had a few hours of sleep on the plane and it was later at night here but I was still running on an earlier time zone. We went to a familiar club and met up with good friends Nadine and Suse. After a long fun night, we slept in pretty easily. Was nice to get a deeper sleep than I have had in a while. At about 1 we decided to go for a run and because I am with Caro, she wanted to show me her new ice cream place. So we ran to the ice cream shop, had ice cream, and ran/walked over the old bridge and by the river. Yes, I said ice cream as a mid exercise snack/breakfast/lunch (I’m mean those three all in one, not three times :)). With Caro, it wouldn’t be any other way :) We tend to influence each others eating habits for the better. She gets me to mental-healthily eat non-nutritious from time to time and I get her to eat a few fruits and vegetables from time to time. All and all it was an in-the-moment experience and I'm lovi it! After the run, we got ready and went to Freiburg to watch her brother, Janis’ basketball game. I was able to finally see her mom and dad for the first time since my return. I love her family and it was so good to see them. We got home late from the game but of course, it was Saturday night and we once again hit the town. Again, the jet leg helped makes it pretty easy for me to hang on this schedule :)

Sunday was another great day! We have been on the run since I got here so it was nice to just get up, throw on some sweats and chill at the house for a bit. We then walked down the Hauptstrasse to go grab some food for the day. Caro, Nadine, Caro’s friend Ade, and I picked up some Doener (a wrap with lots of veggies, chicken scraped off the spit, and a yogurt sauce, kebap style). We got it to-go and decided to climb the tower to the top of one of the big church towers downtown. It was gorgeous up there, a great view of the entire city. After eating we climbed back down the stairs and into the sanctuary. We walked around quietly admiring the architecture, ambiance, and the prayer wall. We added our own prayers of thanks, lite a candle and shared a little time in a sacred place. It was a very special time, not really even planned out. Afterward, we walked back up the Hauptstrasse to the house and hopped in the car making our way out to Caro’s parent’s house. We were meeting them for afternoon/early evening kaffee und kuchen. I LOVE this afternoon ritual here! It is one of my most favorite things I have done in Germany since I first came to this new country. It is just time in the afternoon spent drinking coffee, eating some cake and visiting. Very special and memorable ritual to me. After a couple hour visit we headed back into the city and decided we would finally go for a run. It was raining and dark but very enjoyable. It was so great to have one of my old running partners back and run along the river and through a city I fell in love with a little over a year ago. I find myself smiling a lot here. It is so awesome to be back. It strangely feels as though I really wasn’t gone that long. Everything is still so familiar and normal. It may also be because this is the same time of the year that I was here last. My German speaking has even come back to me much easier than expected. Love it! My time spent with Caro is very treasured. It’s a connection you don’t find in many people and it is so nice to spend time with her again if only it is just for a short time. Close friends are incredibly important to me and I’m very fortunate to have been blessed with ones through out my life and all over the world. I only wish I didn’t have to be so far away from many of them. Tis life. For now, I’m in the moment with one of my bestest; quality time will be had; and I’m making the most of my time here in Heidelberg.