anecdote: not next to alphington, no sirree

Heidelberg.

The town that by this stage in the trip, I couldn’t be bothered exploring. We are seriously over travelling (already?!) and are longing for a kettle and a stovetop. And clean socks.

However, as we coast into this quaint little (or sorta big, whatever) town, there is much gasping, ooohs and aaaahs! We drive along ‘the’ river (I could check, but the book is at least 1 metre away, and well, it’s all a bit too hard. I am currently digesting multiple pastries, and can no longer condone physical activity. – it’s the ecker, which is on like every map and sign, but you’d only know that if you looked, and didn’t just leave it up to your husband all the time… ouch! [what a dick]), (haha - even more of a dick now, coz i just remebered it's the neckar!) anyway, we drive along the river, and to the left, on the other side, masses of absolutely stunning mansions (see pic!). Toorak, you wish.

Then, we hang a right, (this town is shaped like … a peninsula, and peters off into a point.) we cruise into the old town, with the local schloss (castle) towering over up on the hill. The buildings are the quaintest of the quaint and there is noone around. The sun is shining, birds are chirruping, and all is peaceful! we really struck a brilliant section of weather, clear blue skies, whopping 8 degrees!

Spring, she is coming for us!! Sprouty-goodtimes!

When we arrive at our pension, the owner meets us with hearty enthusiasm, and sits with us for a chat about the town, the natural disasters surrounding the southern hemisphere, and the earth’s core. Oh, and how much Australian’s are his favourite guests, quote “so friendly, so reliable, and like a good chat” – we’re in! His English is awesome, and gave us a map of the town with all kinds of goodies highlighted. so, so lovely. he studies geology so was pretty keen to talk tectonic plate movements and impending sea level rises etc.

The steepest bitch of a walk thus far.

We followed a walk on the map called the philosopher’s way (apparently some of the big-wig euro philosopher types, like goethe, maybe, and even an ol’ yank named twain stumbled about the place, conjuring intellectual bemusements) … Kent I think you made that up … it was only invented in the 1900s … nah way man, just checked lonely planet and george hegel was up in that shit way back in the day, and if the first year sociology files in my mind’s library are still accurate, that dude was hanging with karlos san marcos in the 1840s ... I'm not even reading this Kent, – crossing over the bridge, and basically climbing up this mountain via craggy cobblestoned passages, much moss and personal sweating. At this stage I was able to travel sans coat, and, AND, sans cardigan!! It was positively WARM!!! About halfway up, we can overlook the town of joy, and play a hand of cards on the wall. That was freaking awesome.

Then all the way to the top for some more awesome views. Everything has been super sunny and hazy, which makes for a nice change. In fact – the last week has offered up so many seasons, it’s been amazing. Got to have a go at everything!

Heidelberg is a pretty cool town – so old, the house we are staying at, is a mere 250 years old compared to the uni which is 624. It is filled with a mixture of grannys and uni students, all strutting around with take away (or ‘to go’ as they say here) coffees – it’s a thing. Our ordering skills are becoming rather smooth, and our new technique is to just pretend we understand when people talk to us in German, usually a “oh ya, gut” suffices. Lots of nodding along and smiling. So far, it’s working!

Couldn't get the patented 'Kent Jump' here, cuz the passage was too narrow and he kept kicking the wall. However, got some awesome 'looks like you are getting exploded away' shots.

The bed situation in Europe is tiring (and yet, ironically, untiring coz ya can’t sleep properly in them!) – it seems to be a mass of giant bed frames with 2 large single mattresses stuffed in. And no sheets!! I never thought I would care about sheets. But I do, I yearn for them. I long to kick off my doona and snuggle in my sheets, or gently fold the top of my sheet over the doona, deluding myself that it ‘feels’ neater. The pillows are just … oh god. If we have square pillows in Berlin, I think I will have to go out and just buy some. Every single bed we have slept in has these monstrosities, posing as giant fluffy comfort, until you place your head on them and they quietly deflate around you, the feathers bunching up in one useless corner, so that you spend much time during the night bunching it up and stuffing it into your neck in vain for some support. they are really abominable. although, having said that, i think if you fold them over thrice, them scrunch them into your neck cavity, then wriggle about for a minute (sounds healthy, no?), then maybe, just maybe, you can get some support. until the next time you want to roll over and start the whole procedure over again. and yes, we will buy some ‘proper’ ones if berlin fails us. (“Yesh deeear”)

Aside from that, we have been strolling calmly, taking in the sights, enjoying the multitudes of danishes, croissants and gigantic beer, all at low low prices (the rumour is true, beer the size of my forearm is cheaper than a glass of water) and taking much in the way of happy tourist snaps. Kent has completely blitzed me in ninja fruit, something that is more upsetting than I would care to admit (seriously, who the fuck gets up to 650 points?!?! It took me months to crack 400!!). (it’s called hand-eye coordination and primates have been developing it for many a millennia.) Cock. However, after a month of travel, we haven’t killed each other yet (yet.). (yet indeed.). Lots of cards, and lolling about watching movies we stole from Nath’s computer in France (thanks dude!). we watched one movie really, and several eps of conchords, which is gold.

I am thinking a lot about thinking about drawing, and I am nearly in the mood to go and buy a pencil sharpener (of all the very important things to forget! Cha!), so I can get going. I believe this falls under the category of procrastinating. yeah, and i’m in the same boat. lots of thinking about doing some drawings, but after walking around every single nook and cranny of each town we go to (which is great and necessary), the thought of turning one’s mind to the task of visually analysing all the sights and converting them into lines on the page, is a little too much just at the moment. BUT, i did start a little animation about talking houses that makes me cack… so things are in the pipeline.

Tomorrow is driving to Frankfurt and flying to Berlin. Oooh-wee! A little bit exciting, a little bit daunting – seems far more absolute trying to get to our little apartment there than any of the other accommodation so far. Hopefully all will go well, we arrive at the right time, everything is in order and are within walking distance to the supermarket. If I don’t get some green vegetables in me soon, I am likely to implode. You know you’re in trouble when coffee and croissants are the biggest portion in your healthy food pyramid. agreed, there ain’t nowhere near enough veggies going around in these parts and i’m craving them like I never thought possible. we’ve consumed no less than 60kg of chocolate and pastry each, I’m quite sure of it, and it’s impending arrival on bellies and butts is but a definite inevitability.