The first house I stayed in was in Leimen, a city right next to the more popular and more tourist-y city of Heidelberg. So on the fourth day in Germany, I got the opportunity to visit Heidelberg. Overall, Heidelberg was just gorgeous. I love it.The vibe was very relaxed. Everyone walked around leisurely without appearing to have a real itenirary for the day. I am told that it is quite a student city because of the local university, but all I saw was older people. I guess it being summer could be the reason for this. Anyways it was still a great town. The first thing I did when I arrived was take a solar powered boat ride around the Neckar River. The boat is silent and I learned some interesting history and landmarks of the city from the captain. 
After I walked along the bridge. Helga and Gunter were the couple I was staying with for four days; they were also the ones showing me the town. On the Heidelberg bridge is where Gunter proposed to Helga. So romantic! Also on the (I believe) east side of the bridge ( I have no idea which way is North or South so I'm not 100% sure it is the East) there are serveral little locks. It is tradition that couples come to the bridge add a small lock and throw the key into the river, so that their love can not be broken. I'm sorry but this is one of the cutest things I have heard of. Who knows maybe one day I will have a lock there too.
On the bridge is statue of Carlos Theodoro. He is the same man that owned the summer castle I wrote of earlier. He also lived in the Heidelberg castle. It is said that he was such a ladies man that his big nose is all over Germany. Haha
This cute little monkey (no I am not refering to myself) was funded several decades ago by the city locals. They were tired of tourists coming and taking pictures and observing them as if they were a different specie. The monkey is holding a mirror and is supposed to be saying, "Look, you aren't the only one who looks different".
Next we stopped at Kathe Wohlfahrt. This is a huge store dedicated to only Christmas items. The store in Heidelberg is not the largest of the chain of stores, but its enough Christmas to get me in the holiday spirit. Just about everything in the store is made by hand. The store carries everything I could ever image for Christmas. Apparently, during the holiday season, so many tourists go to this store that they charge a two euro entrance fee. However in the middle of August less people are intersted on stocking up for Christmas so entering is free.
Again Heidelberg was so amazing. It was a gorgeous town with a grest history. I do not know how it is during the school year, but otherwise it is so relaxed and charming. I really had a great time.
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