Stuttgart.....

Schwip-Schwap- an odd orange/cola drink. I prefer Coke. ;)

OK- I can't get my words to go above the first pic so here will have to do. On to Germany. I LOVED Germany. It surprised me how much I liked it. When I pictured Germany I pictured it all gray and industrial looking. Not so. It was very green and foresty. It was also very clean. And the German people were much, much friendlier than the French.

Stiftskirche (the Collegiate Church). This was an old church right in the middle of the modern main shopping area in Stuttgart. 

I have this weird interest. I love old cemeteries.  I like to walk around and look at the interesting grave stones and wonder about the lives of the people buried there. I find them to be very peaceful. So one day I ventured out on my own to find this cemetery called Pragfriedhof. Above is the crematorium. 

I thought this one was super interesting. It has a door with a lock on it. It really made me wonder what was inside. 

See how peaceful?? 

Near the end of our trip we went to Heidelberg. One of the men Luke was working with lives there and said there was a great old castle we should see. His co-worker (Joe) and his wife took us up to the castle and then we went to dinner with them afterward. Which I must say was much easier because we had someone who spoke German to help us decipher the menu! :)

Heidelberg Castle. I hauled my butt up 314 stairs to reach this baby and it was totally worth it! 

Looking down the street of the Altstadt (Old Town). Charming isn't it?? 

Looking down on Heidelberg form the castle.

Heidelberg Bridge. It's the original bridge used by the castle inhabitants. It was erected in 1786-88. I think part of it was damaged in the war and rebuilt. 

Part of the turret (is that the correct term?) collapsed leaving a view inside. 

The castle all lit up at night.