Tag: train

The original plan for today was to explore Ulm for a bit and then jump on a train to Heidelberg.  The rain came early to Ulm (remember, the rain gods have a copy of my itinerary) so I was not inclined to stick around for long.  I did walk along the Danube river for a couple of kilometers and circumnavigated the city centre for a while, but then I had the idea to visit Tübingen on the way to Heidelberg.  Tübingen is a university town in on the Neckar river south of Stütgart. I was hoping it would be worth the time, and I was not disappointed.
I exited the train and header for the Altstadt (old city) which is on a hillside above the river.  The streets are narrow, steep and winding and all of the buildings are in the half-timbered style of the Black Forest.  Here, as in Ulm earlier, it was market day with stalls of produce and flowers in the main square.  I climbed up to the high point of the city centre to a castle which didn’t really look worth the 4 euro admission fee, then explored for a while before looking for lunch.

The Lonely Planet guide recommended a place called Gasthausbrauerei Neckarmüller for excellent food and beer.   I plopped down at a table on the patio overlooking the river and promptly smashed my fingertip in a loose part of the chair.  After I recovered from the injury I ordered a lunch recommended to “go well with bier” (seriously, what doesn’t go well with beer?) — a Wurstsalat (sausage salad) and a large unfiltered dunkel bier.  The salad was sort of a pile of bologna-like meat (but less slimy) with slivers of pickle and sharp red onions and some local bread.  The garnish was several gerkins.  Both the food and drink were perfect and I enjoyed my leisurely lunch by the Neckar river watching the punters float boats full of tourists back and forth.

Back on the train, I connected through Stütgart back to Heidelberg.  In Stütgart I changed trains and climbed into the first class car.  This car had the “private” compartments of six comfy chairs with a sliding glass door.  After checking that I seat I had chosen had not been reserved I put the headphones on and listened to some Bat For Lashes, Florence and The Machine, and Portishead while prim and proper german businessmen boarded.  Two of them entered the same compartment where I was sitting and checked the reservation board three times making sure they were in the right place.  I was amused as they sat down opposite me and tried to determine why I was sitting up here in their first class compartment.  You know I fit right in: they were in their gray teutonic suits with matching belts and shoes while I was wearing my clean-ish blue jeans, hiking boots and Rockies t-shirt (GO ROCKIES!).  I watched with glee as the ticket inspector came in and they expected me to be booted out back to second class where I belonged…  I could see the disappointment on their faces when the inspector checked my pass and went on his way.

The businessmen finally had some relief when we reached Heidelberg where I was departing.  Just to mess with them a little more, I left a couple of parting gifts in the compartment before exiting the train — remember what I had for lunch?

I found my hotel to be very Sprockets-like and clean, but not very close to the Altstadt.  I was about to get on a tram to the city centre when my cell phone rang with some bad news.  Antionette took Lucy to the vet today to have her infected toe checked and while the infection was better the ulcer on the toe was worse.  Bad enough, in fact, that the vet wants to amputate at least the toe soon, possibly before I get back.  They’re going to check on it once more next week and then a decision will be made.  I feel so bad for Lucy and wish that I could be there for her.  I’ve already investigated coming back early if she does need the amputation before the 28th.

In a funk now, I tried to navigate the tram and bus system and eventually made it to the city centre, but I was not in much of a drinking mood.  I had a couple of beers and headed back to the hotel where I slept restlessly.