Day 9 - Bridges, Brides, Monkeys, and Marzipan Penises

Got up late. Jane had made me breakfast again (veggie burger) and I packed up everything else I needed for the day and tidied up the apartment. This time I actually jogged down the entire hill. I’m getting good. Got the bus to the Alte Bruecke and walked up to Mike’s hotel, where he was waiting. I had just had breakfast (it was after 12) and he was hungry so we went to find something for him to eat.

Mike saw some teens with this really great-looking gyro type thing. He asked the kid where he got it, and this nice teenager actually walked us over to Gino’s which turns out to be a Mexican fast food place that serves gyros – Nancy and Jane had eaten there last year. Mike’s sandwich was delicious.

We took a great walk all the way down to the Karlstor at the far end of Heidelberg. We stopped at the Kornmarkt where there was a really great view of the castle. The golden statue of the Madonna (Marienstatue) at the Kornmarkt is also beautiful. It was built in 1718. When you are standing in the Kornmarkt, and you look up at the Marienstatue with her golden crown, the castle ruins make her backdrop. I think it was one of the loveliest view in Heidelberg.

We also walked around the Holy Spirit church where there are these really tacky souvenir stands between the buttresses. It turns out that there have been small stores there since 1480. The Holy Spirit is the cathedral which dominates the center of Heidelberg (known in Heidelberg as the Heiliggeistkirche.)

In a small grocery store Mike picked up a bottle of vodka for Jane. While we were in the store Mike mentioned that it smelled exactly like Aunt Lottie's general store back in Missouri. Both of us were transported to our childhoods by the smell. In the window of another small store was an amazing array of marzipan candies in the shape of penises, mating pigs, etc. Another great photo op!

By now I was peckish, so we went to Big Pommes and ordered a curry wurst and fries, which we shared. Totally excellent. Mike even had a poison soda. He says he’s on vacation and can have as much poison as he wants.

I had been really wanting to check out the Alte Bruecke (Old Bridge), more formally known as the Karl-Theodor Bruecke. The four original wooden bridges were always being destroyed by flood, fire or ice, so when the last wooden bridge was destroyed in 1784, Prince Elector Karl Theodor commissioned the stone bridge. Part of the old city wall is preserved on the medieval bridge gate on the town side.

We went over to the bridge, and first were fascinated by the high water marks dating back to 1784, when there was a terrible flood. At the entrance there is a brass statue of a monkey, with the face being like an open mask. Apparently, the thing to do is to stick your head up in there and take a picture. Next to the monkey statue there is a tiny brass sculpture of 2 mice. While we were there, I took pictures of two brides and grooms who were doing photo shoots on the bridge.

We walked across the bridge, and when you get to the center there is the most amazing view of the castle and all of Heidelberg. Gorgeous. There are also some beautiful houses on the other side of the river. We spent some time just walking and taking pictures then went back to the monkey statue. I was having Mike take my picture in the monkey mask when this young man just jumped over and put his arm around me and got in the picture! Then he just yapped and yapped to us about his friends: “He is a German boy on the phone with his girlfriend. He is saying, ‘I am sorry, I am in Heidelberg! I am sorry!’, and he is an Italian boy!” and so on about his mates.

Walking back we saw a building with more flood marks. We spied a huge spider web, with the spider right in the center. Mike said, “he needs a bug.” I said, “let’s get him a bug!” and Mike saw one right away. I picked it up and tossed it into the web. Man, did that spider MOVE. He sped right on over and started his lunch. I heard a tiny voice say, “thank you.” (The tiny voice sounded a lot like Mike.)

We also saw a beautiful orange tiger hunting at a grate. He was totally focused! I tried to move the grate so he could get in and get his prey, but it was no go.

We stopped in this little Asian Markt where the proprietress just talked and talked about her son’s visit to New York City. She even had pictures. She was so cute and so happy to be talking to us. Mike got Jane a little present in there.

The day before we’d seen a man putting gold stuff on his face and lower legs and feet and didn’t know what he was doing. Turns out he’s one of the street performers. He has a gold robe and a gold Roman helmet. He is able to hold perfectly still, just like a statue. When anyone puts coins in his hat, he moves robotically and thanks them. He is the better of the street musicians we’ve seen – there is this awful couple – he plays jazz on a saxamaphone and she plays the tambourine. He is good, but she looks totally stupid wiggling and slapping that thing on her butt, and her rattling on it just ruins the jazz.

Jane picked us up right by the Dubliner and we drove to Freiberg. Thomas had just gotten in ahead of us, and the G was already there, getting loved by his Daddy! We walked over to Chiarivari for dinner. Mike and Jane had wonderful big salads with curried chicken, Thomas had a spaetzle and cheese dish, and I had the best calves’ liver and taters I’ve ever had. We had good German beer out of pottery steins.

Walked back to Jane’s crib and watched most of Borat and then turned in.