Time for yet another boating adventure! On Saturday the 16th, Manuel, Juri and I loaded up the camping car, drove a little ways up the Rhine, and then packed up... The Catamaran. Made by Waldorf kiddies, I believe. We fit a ridiculous amount of stuff in there, and then Juri and I paddled upstream, while Manu surfed. Paddling was all kinds of uncomfortable because we had to sit on the platform and then paddle out in front of us... Anyways, we eventually got to an island. We had planned to go where we went last week, but it was under water! Guess there’s been a lot of rain.
















So much stuff! The boat was literally 2 inches out of the water with Juri and I in it.
















Because we thought it was going to rain (and dear god, did it rain...) we put up a tarp which ended up being the size of a small house! Crazy. We had a good evening, grilling, eating, and playing Dutch Blitz for about 2 hours. I think I’m going to need a new set of cards, because mine are all kinds of beat up!

That evening, after getting back and getting a little less wet, we watched the final of the Women’s World Cup, USA v. Japan. It was a really good game, and SO close! Sort of disappointed that we lost, because we really played the better game, but it was pointed out that if anyone else should win, Japan deserved it.

On Tuesday, the first properly sunny and warm day since I’ve been here, I decided to have a ridiculously touristy day around Heidelberg.















The city from the castle.















Castle! You can't really see it here, but it's this funny pink color, because that's just the color of the local stone. Makes it look just a bit less intimidating, though.















Yay! I took a picture of myself and it doesn’t look awful! By the way, I’m on the castle, and that’s the Neckar.















Outer side of the castle, and I think the green part used to be the moat. Apparently, during WWII, the Americans refused to bomb Heidelberg, because so many of them had traveled or studeied there, and they thought it was too beautiful to destroy. The French, however, did not have the same reservations, and that’s why the castle is looking a little worse for wear. (I’ll admit, I don’t actually know if the second part is true, but I know the first is).















This is apparently the German concept of a royal garden.















Just kidding, it used to look like this!















Ich bin dein Gummibär....















So, apparently, Heidelberg has the largest number of Americans outside of America. Or, something like that, because there are a TON of army bases! This one is right around the corner from his mom’s house. Craziness.

Hehehehe. There's something so satisfying about taking pictures of things that say not to...

This is really random, but I’m really excited, because whenever I go somewhere, I always think “man, I wish I had the habit or buying a patch or pin in every country I went to, because then I’d have this awesome collection of memoribilia.” But then I always think “Well, I’ve already been to so many places, that it’s stupid to start now.” But then I always go to more places... So, I finally made up my mind. In Heidelberg, I bought two little lapel pins, one with the German colors and an eagle, the other saying Heidelberg. Finally, I have my tradition! And here’s the clever part—I found a website (zazzle.com or something) that sells many things, including pins. So, I went and bought a pin for everywhere I’ve been (flag and/or national symbol pins). I’m going to have such an awesome collection :) I don’t know why, but it’s really exciting, although I won’t get them until I’m home. Too bad

Other things during the week involved: painting Manu’s mother’s kitchen (he then replaced all the cabinets), going to see a really impressive youth circus from... Costa Rica, I think, which was organized by a few of his friends, and finally seeing Harry Potter! Very exciting. I might have changed a few things, but overall it was fun. Hell, even Manu liked it.