A visit by Oma

Oma and Joachim drove all the way from Cologne to bring Mia a new school bag as a presents for the first day of first grade next week. They came in a bit late because of traffic and were quite hungry so the first stop was for lunch.

Then we walked to the old town for coffee and cake and checked out the monuments for Bunsen a famous chemistry professor from the local university

After this we had to take the streetcar back so they could leave on time - not before taking a quick look at Mia's school first though

Kerwe in Kircheim

On a bus ride to Walldorf Ji noticed that a big street festival was being set up. So we checked it out on Saturday. They day gad started rather warm and sunny and we got a few rain showers in the afternoon but it was still fun.
Mia still wanted the do the ride that were probably meant for younger children

We also checked out some of the fair food and the music band

New Playgrounds

On the bus ride back from summer camp Ji and Mia discovered a new playground close to the castle that was build on the side of the mountain.  One of the highlights was the long slide

 Mia met another girl her age

Her father recommended another great playground in the Weststadt which we checked out the next dat

Heidelberg Zoo

This weekend it has turned much cooler - a good opportunity to go to the zoo since most of the animals are much happier when its not hot. The zoo is only a 10 minute bus ride away and we bough the family ticket for a year so that we can go more often.

 The first stop was a little North Sea beach exhibit - with a beach, salt water, waves little light tower, a farm house ....

..and a Strankdorb - a basket where vacationers get protection from the wind

Then we had a look at the giant turtles

and the sea lions

and the pelicans

The zoo also also some great playgrounds - one of the main attractions for Mia and other kids

One on the west side and one on the east side

Mia also loved feeding and brushing the goats and sheep in the petting zoo

A visit at the streetcar and bus depot

Twice a year the local transit company offers a guided tour of the streetcar and bus depot. Luckily we could joint and check it out. Its just a block from our new place by the main train station so we had been passing it quite often but of course never had been inside.

Every kid could take a turn at the drivers seat of the modern street car

 One volunteer was needed to press the talk button by the door to talk to the driver. Some climbing was required

Then we could peek under a streetcar

Next were the buses

 Mia guessed right - they are as heavy as 5-10 elephants

 The engine is big as well

The engine of a street car

Then every kid could sit in the driver seat of a bus

The conclusion was a ride in an historic streetcar from the 50'ies that had actually been build in Heidelberg

We went all the way to Kircheim 20 minutes away and then turned back

During the ride back all the children got little present like a rubber duck that looked like a bus, pencils, gummi bears or a kit to build a card board bus

Hiking on the Königssstuhl

The some city bus that goes to the beer garden goes to the top of the highest mountain (600 m) in Heidelberg the Königsstuhl. We went up and the hiked down to the Schloss and old town.