Caramel Apples, Ect

After the Fall hike in Heidelberg we came home and made caramel apples and pretzel rods.   Very messy, and not perfect, but lots of fun.

 Look at these darling German kids!  Love their outfits.

 Lisa's costume for the stake YMYW dance.

Ryan's court of honor was while we were there.  He presented his public speaking speech which was on what you have to do to become an Orthodontist.  He did a great job!

Philosopher's Walk--Heidelberg

On the last evening with the Johnsons we headed to Heidelberg to do the Philosopher's Walk, a beautiful  path on the opposite mountain from the castle.

It was quite an uphill hike but so beautiful!  We thought we were going to freeze, but we worked up quite a sweat and many kids (and Chris) were shedding their coats, hats, gloves and scarves.  

 Such a glorious Fall day and so beautiful!

Trier, Germany

Trier, Germany's oldest city, lies at the head of the scenic Mosel Valley near the Luxembourg border. An ancient Roman capital, Trier brags that it was inhabited for 1,300 years before the Romans arrived. Today Trier feels young and thriving. A short stop here offers you a look at Germany's oldest Christian church, one of its most enjoyable market squares, its best Roman ruins, and a touch of Marx.

 We got to Trier about 10 in the morning as the local merchants were setting up their booths  of vegetables and flowers in the open market.  There were modern stores in the buildings all down the street.  Fun atmosphere.

 A very old building with modern glass doors and used as an office building.

Another interesting little car.

  Porta Nigra,  city gate was built without mortar by the Romans. The only one of four city gates that still remains.

 This home, called Home of the 3 Magis shows one way they used to protect their riches....put the door up high, using a latter or staircase to get up, then pulling the ladder up behind them.  Interesting.

 The city's cathedral, the oldest in Germany, goes back to Roman times. St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine (who legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire), let part of her palace be used as the first church on this spot. In 326, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his reign, Constantine began the construction of St. Peter's in Rome and this huge cathedral in Trier. The cathedral contains two important relics — the "Holy Robe" of Christ (found by St. Helena on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem) and a "holy nail" thought to be from the Crucifixion.

 What we saw was only one fourth of what was originally there!

 This half-domed ceiling is covered in white carvings...very intricate and gorgeous.

 An ornate funeral alter for a wealthy bishop.

 This 200-foot-long and 100-foot-high building is the largest intact Roman structure outside of Rome. Imagine this hall of justice in ancient times: decorated with golden mosaics, rich marble, colorful stucco, and busts of Constantine and his family filling the niches. The emperor sat in majesty under a canopy on his altar like throne.

 From the outside, then the inside.  It had been bombed in the war so had been basically reconstructed with some various changes.  It used to be more elaborate as seen in pictures on the wall.  It is a Presbyterian or maybe Lutheran Church used today.  It felt cold and hollow.

  Remnant of the statue of Christ done by              . There were also busts of some of the Apostles.  They had been  in the cathedral which had been bombed in a WW, can't remember which one now, but the busts were awesome...especially this one.

 Cool doors all around the cathedrals.

 Ruins around the Roman baths and the arena.

 We walked a ways outside the city to the ruins of the Roman 25,000 seat Amphitheater where dramatic productions we held.  The amphitheater was part of the outer wall which enclose the city for protection.

Under the arena,was a labyrinth  where the stage props and sets were kept and then brought up through opening for great effects.

 Great day in Trier....ending with a gelato!    ( Note...David was there, taking the pictures.. Can't believe we didn't get any pictures of him!)

Luxembourg

 Chris and Lisa and David and I went on an over-nighter to Luxembourg.  It was a 2 hour drive there and Lisa and Chris (and of course, David or I) had never been there and we didn't know very much about it until we got there.  Luxembourg is a small country also called the Grand Duchy, and the capital is Luxembourg. "The capital of one of the world’s smallest countries is a vibrant, dynamic city nestled within a romantic, peaceful countryside that gives it plenty of natural space to breathe. The city is a modern, open and friendly place that has embraced the opportunities of high-tech life without losing its soul. It is the home to a number of EU institutions."

There is a valley that goes through the middle of the city, where bridges cross, and where the Old Quarters is.  The newer city is on the hills.  It is really beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed exploring it for the day.

 Below is the current palace of the Grand Dukes situated in the center of the Old Town.  There were plans underway for a royal wedding two day later, and pictures of the couple all around.

 City Palace

Late Gothic,  Cathedral of the Blessed virgin started in 1613.

The walk down to the Bock Promontory, the old fortress, and the Alzette valley

 That is a door behind Chris.....he has grown!

Bock Promontory, Alzette valley and Neumunster Abbey

It was awesome to explore the ruins of the old fortress....the Casemates.  It had once been the most envied fortresses in Europe.  The Bock Casemates immense underground military defense system came well after the foundation of the first stronghold, erected in the 10th century.  There had been 23 km long underground galleries and two stories carved out of stone.

Those stairs were soooo steep and uneven....and quite dark.

 From the caves and casemates, we walked down to the valley floor.

 Looking back up to where we had just been.

 We were very hungry and had quite a time trying to decide where to eat...lots of choices and prices.

 Then we drove out of town a little to our hotel.  It was very modern and clean, but this bathroom was quite a surprise.....no walls or curtain, or separator at all between the shower and the rest of the bathroom!  You can do everything at once!