Archive of Friendship Links
A Weekend of Fun and Friendship in Heidelberg
Eight club members plus partners enjoyed a great weekend in Heidelberg at the beginning of May. The trip had been long in the planning and thanks to Doris Marx, the Friendship Link organiser for SI Heidelberg, all the plans worked out well. The majority of us flew from London City Airport to Frankfurt and thence by train to our destination where, after a quick wash and brush up at our hotel, we were joined by Heidelberg’s President Meike and other members for a meal in a close by restaurant.
Doris had organised weekend group bus travel tickets for us, so we were able to travel around with ease, and on Saturday morning went in to Heidelberg where an excellent guide gave us a comprehensive tour around the old city including the Cathedral, churches and University buildings, and we learned something of it’s place in the history of the area. The tour ended with a funicular ride up to the castle from which there are spectacular views of the city and the river Neckar. It was on the river that we spent the afternoon. Having picked up something to eat on the way, we embarked on one of the many steamers which ply up and down the river for a cruise to the old town of Neckarstein., a journey of about one and a half hours. We went through two of the many locks on the river which enable the huge barges to trade up and down it’s length, and had good views of Neckarstein’s three castles as we approached. After a leisurely stroll around the narrow streets, which included a close encounter with a very pretty local wedding, we just had time for a refreshing ice cream before getting the boat back to Heidelberg.
On Saturday evening we took the tram out to the home of President Meike and her husband, a lovely house in a suburb of Heidelberg, where we met with many of their members and were generously entertained in true Soroptimist fashion. We had taken with us the gift of a beautiful framed drawing of King’s College made by President Jenny’s husband, David, which Jenny presented to Meike mentioning our custom of passing on a picture to each President in turn, and suggesting that Heidelberg might do the same (although I think that Meike would rather like to keep it!)
Sunday morning saw us on the bus out to the town of Schwetzingen, which claims to be the asparagus capital of the world. This being the first weekend in May it was Spargelfest (Asparagus Festival) flags flew, bands played and the streets were laid out with stalls and tables. Our destination for the morning was the Castle of Schwetzingen, which was the summer residence of the Electors Palatine Karl 111 ,Philip and Charles Theodor built early in the eighteenth century. Again we were joined by some of our friends from SI Heidelberg and were given a tour of the Castle following which we adjourned for a delicious lunch with white asparagus at a local hotel. The afternoon was spent happily exploring the vast beautifully laid out gardens of the castle, a mixture of formal and natural with statuary, temples, lakes, and even a mosque. On Sunday evening, despite our special lunch, we still managed a final meal out with Doris in Heidelberg .
As our flight home was not till Monday evening we were able to spend the morning in the city ‘doing our own thing’ which for some meant retail therapy and for others another walk around the town or across the river. Then the ever considerate Doris came to accompany us on the train as far as Mannheim making sure that we were safely on our way after a delightful stay. Some concerns about volcanic ash disrupting our homeward journey proved unfounded, and we landed safely and on time back in London.
We were given a very friendly welcome and appreciated the number of members of SI Heidelberg who made the effort to meet and talk with us. Hopefully we shall be able return their hospitality in the near future.
Janet Crofts