We started our morning by exploring the Heidelberg Castle, which is a huge structure that overlooks the river and most of Heidelberg. The weather held up with only a little mist and we enjoyed ourselves at a leisurely pace.


This was a little patch of garden that must belong to someone who works in or around the castle. We could see it from the edge of the castle, and it was so interesting to see that right there.

Fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables outside a shop on the main street in the old city of Heidelberg.
And, as always, lovely windowboxes overflowing with bursts of color.

Then we drove on to Trier, the oldest city in Germany, deep in the heart of the Mosel Valley and home to GREAT wine.

Trier is my mother’s home, and where I remember spending time with my Oma and Opa as a young child when we spent 10 years living in Europe. (Germany, Belgium & the Netherlands) So this is like coming home for me — the city evokes wonderful memories and a sense of belonging that is as strong as the current of the river that runs alongside it.

This first picture is of the Porta Nigra, the largest surviving Roman city gate north of the Alps. Trier dates back to the first century B.C., when Gaius Julius Caesar conquered Gaul and integrated the Mosel region into the Roman empire.

Amazing, isn’t it? That something so ancient stands today and serves as a reminder of all the history that has come since then. The city is full of ancient and beautiful wonders and I’ll post some more of them tomorrow.

And, amongst all the ornate buildings, more flowerboxes to brighten our sometimes cloudy day.
And I just had to get a shot of these pretties adorning the bus stop in the heart of the city.