Around the World with Hardy(T)Around the World with Hardy(T)So it was, on my last day in continental Europe, that I made the short train ride from Stuttgart to Heidelberg. As with Kerstin earlier in the day, I have problems catching up with Sabine: first she's at work all day, then she has a kung fu class, but we eventually catch up for a coffee and a stroll along the banks of the Neckar.
Earlier in the day I'd wandered
around Heidelberg by myself. This is the picturebook Germany of the fairytales:
the majestic Schloß overlooking the Altstadt with its historic Marktplatz
and its many other incredibly well preserved old buildings. However, having
been on the road in Europe for over three months now, Heidelberg was just
one old town, albeit a very pleasant one, one castle, one ancient church
too many. Somebody up there must have known I was hankering after the mother
country, because the city bus company is called "HSB",
which is also the name of my favourite beer back in my home city of Portsmouth.
After my exploration of
the city, I meet up with Sabine and we catch up on what we've both been
up to since we met in Greece. There's an unexpected bonus awaiting us beside
the Neckar. A proud father is giving his young son a lesson in rocket science!
The "rocket" is an upturned Coke bottle with a couple of stabilising
fins attached to it, partly filled with water. There's a tube coming out
of the bottle top which is attached to a bike pump. As the father pumps,
the air pressure in the bottle increases until the water is forced out in
a jet, forcing the rocket a good 30 or 40 feet into the air! The son was
well impressed. Who needs expensive toys when you can have this much fun
with a Coke bottle and a bike pump. (ooer, where have I heard that
before?)
Sabine and I say our goodbyes, and there's just time to wolf down a quick curry - my first in over six weeks! - before getting the overnight train back to dear old Blighty.
Fratton Park awaits...