Concert in the Castle

We got some free tickets for a concert by an US army band inside the castle - which is a great setting for outside concerts and theater plays

Because Mia had school the next day we only stayed until the break. After walking down from the castle it was only a 15 minute bike ride home

Antje in Town

On her way back from Frankfurt to Switzerland Antje stopped over at our place in Heidelberg. We enjoyed the company and Mia had someone to play chess with on Sunday morning. After that we took Antje for a little walk in the Old Town in Heidelberg.

On the other side of the Neckar  we took the stair up to Philosopher's way with offers a nice view of the town

There was enough time to listen to a street musician and to check out Ji's favorite ice cream store in Neuenheim

Two Festivals at one Afternoon

Sunday afternoon we first checked out a festival by the Neckar that went along the whole Neckar with streets closed for cars and activities in all the small towns and cities. For us the big park along the Neckar in Heidelberg is just a five minute bile ride away.
The forestry department of the city offered some wood working activities 

The park department let kids practice how to build a cobble stone path

Some kids act ivies from a club

We waited a long time in line for face painting

Mia anted to be a cat

Then we took a 10 minute bike ride to a fair in Schriesheim. Another long waiy for the bungee jumping

 Then some cotton candy

 Luckily the sun came out

Stuttgart

When Yilei went to Monte Carlo Ella and Ben stayed three days with us in Heidelberg. Then we all took the train to Stuttgart to pick their mother up at the airport. Before we too the S-Bahn to the airport we had some time for a little bit of sight seeing in the center of Stuttgart
There was a nice park right by the castle

 

After we had picked Yilei up she wanted to see the Mercedes Benz museum right by the companies headquarters

We left early since they had to catch a 4:30 am train the next morning to catch their flight to Barcelona

Sightseeing in Heidelberg

After a nice breakfast and some playing we had to show our visitors the touristic highlights of Heidelberg

 First stop was the marketplace

Ben had to get a wooden sword - the girls just tested some

Then we had to check out a nice bakery

After we tool the funicular up the Königsstuhl Mia showed her cousins the play area there

Then it was time for some ice cream at the castle

Ella and Ben in Town

Ji's cousin from outside Washington DC and her two children started off their European vacation in Heidelberg before taking a cruise out of Barcelona 10 days later.
We had stayed at their place in Maryland many times when we lived in Arlington and with Ella one and a half years younger and Ben one and a half years older it was always fun for Mia who likes to play with both

On the first day after their arrival Mia had to show them an ice cream parlor and a nice playground after coming home from school

Then we all took a bus for the 15 minute bus ride to a beer garden in the hills above Heidelberg.
On the way we had to stop a yet another playground

The children saw - and smelled - lots of cows and enjoyed the food

We missed the last bus back into yown ant 7:45 pm but it was only a 30 minute walk to a street car stop for the ride back

Just before the street car stop was another nice playground in a school yard with some nice rock climbing

We made it home in time for the opening game of the Euro 2016

Children's Festival and the Main Station

The store owners inside the Heidelberg main station had announced a Children's festival inside the station on Sunday afternoon. When coming back from a flee market that was interrupted by a thunderstorm we stopped by not expecting much: What could three be besides some face painting and a table for coloring. It turned out ro be quite a good program with a nice performance every 30 minutes.
After an acrobat there was an interactive theater performance for kids

Mia had an idea on how to get off an island

In other parts of the station there was an acrobat

Of course there was also a magic show

Elsa made it Heidelberg as well - she could really explain to Mia though why Anna was not around