The Münster was a church. We looked around, looking for a way to the top. There were no signs, no indications, anything, that you could climb the tower. We went to talk to the nice man behind the desk, and he said yep, you pay 5Francs, he will open the door for you, and then you walk up up up up up many many steps.
We payed, and walked to this random door he opened for us with a buzzer, and then we started the climb up the narrowest and most awkward steps I’ve probably ever been up in my life (with the exception of the upstairs of the Brays’ house). It was AMAZING. There were levels after levels, we always thought we’d reached as high as we could and then we always discovered a new door, leading us higher and higher.
The views were cool, but what made it so special was how it wasn’t touristy. It was something you would have to know about to do – as I said there weren’t any signs or advertisements that you could go to the top. So we were alone for nearly the whole time, apart from seeing a few other people on the other tower – they were confused how we ended up in one and them in the other – that just shows how many steps and different options there were!
After leaving, we happily decided we had now experienced Basel (in every way James), and we took the next train off to Heidelberg. Had the best ever picnic-lunch on the train again consisting of an amazing shop-bought Greek salad, chicken ceasar sandwiches, nectarines (I literally eat about a nectarine a day, just to live up to my blog title ;)) and BANANA BREAD om nom from the American Bakery at the station.
At Heidelberg we were met by our friend and old housemate Maria!! <3 Maria is lovely, one of the nicest people there are. I lived with her in France, she was the German assistant at the school where I was the English assistant.
We walked over to her’s, and she cooked us a ‘quick meal’ which for most people would consist of I dunno, pasta and sauce, or an easy ready-made meal or something, but for her it was a very cool and way more complicated Indian sauce, home-made! Yep, it was ready quickly, but it wasn’t in any way simple… Om nom!
Then off to explore the town. This is at the same time a good and bad thing about travelling – you don’t have much time to explore so you have to make the most of all the time you have however shattered you may be. But, it was awesome, we took Maria’s bike so I wasn’t too tired.
We walked along the pretty river Neka (?), saw Heidelberg castle from afar, and walked through the extremely quaint and lovely town centre full of outside cafés and cheap ice cream stalls. So much fun just discovering an amazing German town (neither of us were particularly fans of Germany beforehand, I mean, just didn’t know too much about it), and catching up with Maria 🙂 A lovely ending to the day.
Tomorrow, off to Wiesbaden to see yet some more friends – one of my (Finnish) relatives live in Germany since she married a German, and since it’s on the way and she was very eager to have us, we decided next night will be spent there. 🙂
Tschüss,
Emmzzzy
xxx
C'est très mignon de vous voir encore ensemble!!! Bisous a vous trois!!
Guada
Merciiii et plein de bisous à vous!!
Munster looks great! I went up Pynikkin Näkötorni on Sunday – your Munster looked like a cross between that and St Pauls in London, with a large dose of mystery thrown in. Did I tell you that I went through Heidelberg in the train back in November? Very nice bit of Germany (and nice train too).
no u didn't mention. Heidelberg is awesome <3 especially with Maria <3