Life in Heidelberg: Food, Classes, Nightlife, and Everyday Living

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Euro Spring Break

            After the UMass trip to the Black Forest, I departed soon after to travel and take advantage of the two week free period after Sprachkurse ends, and before real classes start.  On April first I headed by train to Budapest, Hungary with my friend Matt to meet some other Erasmus students at our hostel.  It was a twelve-hour train ride but between naps, cards games, and some wine, it went by remarkably quickly.  

A quick glimpse of the Alps from the train.

          We got off the train at ten at night, surprisingly refreshed and excited, and we made our way towards the station’s money exchange to get our hands on some Hungarian Florins.  We were intercepted by some locals who tried to convince us that they could give us more HUFs for our Euro than the current exchange rate would.  It was a tough call but we decided to stick with the certified currency exchange office.  After receiving a few 10,000 and 20,000 HUF notes we exited the train station feeling like millionaires with monopoly money.  No sooner had we walked to the curb to hail a cab, than a group of teenagers approached us asking if we wanted weed or cocaine.  We politely declined and slid into a taxi.  The driver looked at our hostel’s address.  He nodded, turned on the meter, revved the engine and dumped the clutch like a drag racing launch.  He slammed into gears as his radio played the kind of numbing minimalist techno I would only expect to hear in a former Eastern Bloc country.  As we flew through ridiculously small traffic gaps at the most reckless of speeds I legitimately thought, “Am I going to die tonight, without even reaching the hostel?” I quickly erased the thought and placed my faith back in the driver who I figured knew what he was doing since he was still alive.  Finally we reached the hostel and gave the cabby some cash.  Matt and I looked at each other, gave thanks that we made it and went inside to check in.

Is that Jesus?

            We entered the Retox party hostel and were greeted by a bearded guy named Crusty.  He gave us our keys and some information about the hostel, local sites, events and the city in general.  He also showed us to our 14-person room and said that the hostel was leaving for a pub-crawl in 20 minutes.  Without showering, we dropped off our gear and headed downstairs to the bar where we met our fellow Erasmus friends for a night out. 

The next day we decided to go spelunking and explore the famous caves around Hungary.  I figured it was a great way to get over some slight claustrophobia and hang out with some friends and meet people from the hostel.  After a nice meal at a bistro restaurant, we headed by bus to our destination and then donned some truly serious caving gear, complete with thick jumpsuits and helmet lights.  Despite almost getting stuck and being terrified for twenty or so seconds, I managed to wiggle my way through all attempted tunnels.  Also, there was an experienced guide with the group the whole time and all small holes were optional.  There was always an easier, more open way to get from one place to another, so even if tight spaces aren’t for you, the caving trip is still definitely worth it during a Budapest visit. 

Water break.

A fossilized monster from "Alien".

After spelunking, we went home, showered and explored the famous ruin bars in the Pest side of the city.  The ruin bars are old beat up buildings with cheap drinks and great outdoor and rooftop areas.  One of the most famous ones that we frequented was Szimpla Kert, which had open courtyards with strings of lights, exposed pipes and wires, and multiple rooms with different kinds of music.  It may sound weird but with the proper lighting, décor and greenery, it makes for a great experience, which you can’t get many places else. 

For me, the best part of Budapest was the hundred-year-old, palace-like Széchenyi Baths.  The ornate buildings were beautiful and the outdoor thermal spring baths were heavenly.  I spent six hours there, relaxing, meeting people from around the world, and just floating around.  I hung out with some friends in the indoor baths and sauna as well, but the best experience was definitely the heated outdoor pools.  By the end of my visit, I figured I could happily spend every day of my life there, and turn out like the chubby old local men, unhealthily tanned and playing chess over beers in the water. 

Enjoying the medicinal thermal-spring baths.

We returned from the baths way later than planned and were told that the boat party along the Danube River was shipping out soon.  After a quick rinse in the shower we managed to make it out with the hostel crew just in time.  Upon boarding the boat we were each given a bottle of champagne and then we wandered around the decks meeting travelers from other hostels.  It was a beautiful night for a cruise and we got a spectacular view of the Parliament building, all lit up.  After the cruise a friend and I went to meet up some people we met at the baths.  We hung out at the ruin bars for the night and had a grand old time. 

Drive-by of the Parliament building.

Our last day was one of leisure and relaxation.  I played guitar and sang outside with some fellow backpackers.  One of my fellow hostel mates got another face tattoo in the parlor downstairs.  We ate kebabs and fast food.  That night we went on a tame pub-crawl with some hostel friends: a couple of Canadian hockey players playing professionally in Belgium.  We ended up at a rooftop rave in which my innards were literally tossed around from the ridiculous amounts of bass.  Not nearly inebriated enough for what was going down there, and having to catch a flight in the morning, I ducked out and headed back to the hostel.

            My next destination was Rome, Italy.  I met with some Erasmus friends and we stayed at another friend’s student apartment where we where generously hosted.  Our first touristy destinations were the ancient forum, and the Coliseum.  Our friends who were studying in Rome were able to act as tour guides for us, and they gave some history about each site we were seeing.  The Coliseum was pretty awesome.  We chose not to pay to go through the previously underground gladiators chambers, but just hanging out and admiring the enormity of it was good enough.  

The Forum

Temple of Antoninus and Faustina

          I wondered about how epic it would be to play a sporting event in front of a crowd in the Coliseum.  As long as it didn’t involve death, I figured I would easily pay to play some type of modern sporting competition just to be able to say I competed in the Coliseum.  This is of course, is made even more hypothetical considering there currently is no floor above the previously underground chambers.  We then returned home to shower and regroup.  

First view of the Coliseum

Just outside the Coliseum

View of the arena

          That night we went to a club east of the Tiber River from where we were staying.  The place was packed but as it happened, there was an Erasmus party, which allowed for us to enjoy a separate room event with a better atmosphere.  That night, I was navigating my way home with the help of a friend, when I realized just how seedy parts of Rome could be.  We passed groups of people smoking and bumping music around burning trash cans at four in the morning.  I was intrigued because this played out around all of these beautiful buildings and monuments, centuries old, which were just bombed out with tags and graffiti.  Graffiti to me isn’t a big deal if it’d done appropriately, and being in Germany has relaxed my attitude further, where its even more accepted and often considered an art.  However, the ancient arches and aging stone buildings of Rome would normally be things I would think to be off limits.  In the end though, if that’s all people know and are surrounded by, I suppose if they’re going to tag something they don’t have many options. 

Our next day of sightseeing took us to the Vatican, which I would say is definitely worth the visit.  The amount of detail in such a large area is mind-blowing.  Every inch that isn’t a decorative pillar, statue, or engraving is covered by detailed paintings of biblical scenes.  

The Vatican

We left, and decided to walk most of the way back.  The walk led me to believe that pretty much everything in Rome is beautiful and old.  Not just that but they have these amazing trees everywhere that I’ve learned only really exist around the Mediterranean.  The tall thin Mediterranean cypresses and the towering, umbrella-shaped stone pine trees are everywhere within the city, and they compliment the old architecture for an aesthetic that if I saw anywhere, I could only think of as Roman.

Mediterranean cypresses

A stone pine in front of some ruins

We spent that evening with our hosts making merry with Italian pizza and wine.  We listened to music on their balcony and enjoyed the view of the Tiber and city.  Our hosts were all Americans, one of who went to college with my friend and travelling companion Matt.  We hung out for the rest of the night until bed.

Kickin' it on the balcony

Our last day in Rome started with an attempted to find food.  We soon found ourselves in a bit of a spot when we realized every place was closed as shopkeepers took their siesta.  We eventually found a place and sat for an amazing Italian meal in a tiny restaurant, poking out of an alley by the Tiber.  We got homemade meatballs, pasta, pig’s lard, cooled red wine and coffee.  After our meal we went to view the Trevi Fountain.  The place was swarmed with people so we took a few photos, each tossed in a coin with a wish, and left shortly after.  We wandered into a nearby square populated with street various performers.  There was piccolo and guitar duo, a break-dancer, multiple starscape making spray painters, a magician and an electric violinist.  Eventually we had our fill and went home for some Game of Thrones and a good night’s sleep before our next flight. 

Alley near where we ate lunch.

The Trevi Fountain

Our final spring break destination was sunny Barcelona.  Aside from a 2-hour delay, we flew over without incident.  We landed and took a pricey cab ride to the Sahara hostel located in a square off of the famous La Rambla street.  After dropping off our gear we got some food at a small Tapas place.  My friends got cold burritos and I got deep fried balls of mushed chicken and fish, also cold.  My hunger allowed me to eat most of them but none of us were pleased with our meal except for my friend Trevor who wolfed down most of our leftovers.  We checked out the beach but not for long because the flight delay set us back a bit.  After a nice beachfront meal we went back to the hostel were we hung out at the bar and shot pool until leaving for the clubs.  The hostel gave us wristbands that allowed us free entry to a beachside club called Opium.  Thank goodness for the wristbands because it was about a 12 Euro cover charge.  Also thank goodness we drank at the hostel’s bar beforehand because I was charged 8 Euro for a Heineken, which I nursed for the rest of the night.  Clubs in Barcelona are notoriously expensive and super pretentious.  If you don’t have pants, a collared shirt, and decent shoes, you probably aren’t going to get in.  All of this said, the clubs are still awesome.  There’s good music, lots of dancing, and the dressed up partygoers and fancy atmosphere make you feel like a celebrity. 

The boardwalk from La Rambla del Mar

The next day we decided to spend on the beach.  We crossed La Rambla del Mar bridge to get some Asian food inside the super mall they had there.  It was the only food in the mall that was affordable but it was still delicious and we had a great view of the harbor.  We stopped at a convenience store to get some sangria and snacks.  I picked out the cheesiest “España” beach towel I could find for 5 euro and we staked out a spot in the sun.  One thing about Barcelona is everyone is trying to sell you something all of the time.  It was true in Rome as well, but not to the same extent.  It happens everywhere, especially the beach.  Tons of people walk up and down the shore selling everything from tapestries and massages to beer and mojitos.  A group of Americans next to us started buying beer and our area was soon swarmed by an army of vendors.  When it started to get late we headed out for food and showers.  That evening we made some Australian friends shooting pool in the hostel bar, and later went out for another outing to the beachside clubs. 

For our last day in Barcelona we decided to check out the Picasso museum, a museum of his artwork made from the old building in which he used to live.  As students, we were able to get in for free which we had not planned on.  The order of rooms followed Picasso’s growth as a person and an artist.  The first few rooms were his realistic study drawings of people and landscapes as he was a student.  As the rooms went on, his paintings became more abstract, and by the end of the tour, his old age was really showing in some of the paintings.  My favorite painting was “Dona amb mantellina” but  I wasn’t able to get a photo because photography wasn't really allowed in the museum.

Early Picasso - "First Communion"

Later Picasso - "Dwarf Dancer"

Following the museum we went to take a gondola lift over the harbor, which was amazing.  We got views of the whole city and harbor.  When we got to the hill on the opposite side of the harbor we continued to trek up attempting to find the highest point and best view of the city.  At the top of the hill was a park with a fountain, a restaurant, and an awesome view of Barcelona.  

The beach from the gondola lift.

View of the city and La Rambla del Mar

We planned on relaxing on the restaurant deck but the prices were what you would expect for having such a view of the city.  Instead we ate at a restaurant in the square where our hostel was.  Our last night was another trip to the beachside clubs, but we made it an early one because of our flight in the morning.  The next morning we took an early flight and got into Frankfurt by 9am.  There was much sleep to be had back in Heidelberg after such an awesome vacation.  I returned with the intention of visiting at least one of those cities again, if not during my time abroad, then definitely when I return to Europe. 

Month One: First Impressions

Although I planned on sleeping during the flight over, I was way too excited to even consider it.  I flew over with some other UMass exchange students, also studying abroad, and who got immediately lost with me upon entering Frankfurt airport.  We finally navigated our way through customs and towards the train area where some locals kindly helped us purchase our tickets.  Taking a rest to get some breakfast, we each got Schinkenbrötchen and beer, because what else would we want for our first German meal?  We felt a little weird about the beer, but when we sat down we realized we weren’t even close to the only ones drinking beer at 7:30 in the morning, and I knew I was at home. 

Heidelberg is the perfect mix of fairy-tale township and modern small city.  It is incredibly scenic and historic, yet has all of the conveniences and stores for comfortable everyday living.  I’ve realized that the magic of Heidelberg is not just experienced by tourists, and I’ve found that many Germans, Heidelbergers or not, find it to be a special city.  A trip to the famous Heidelberg castle or “Schloss” or up Philosopher’s Way will provide you with stunning views of the city.  The castle can either be reached via a quick few euro tram ride, or a slightly arduous yet doable walk.  Philosopher’s Way is also a great, steep, walk or run depending on how much you’re trying to sweat.  Its name is such because of the many professors, philosophers and poets that strolled the footpath enjoying the peacefulness of its natural beauty.  At the top there is also a cool World War II era amphitheater that has fallen into disarray, and the old St Michael’s Monastery.  Although some internet research could give you some good info, looking up a cheap tour guide might not be a bad idea.  Although it’s not totally necessary, someone that knows the area can have some really interesting tidbits that you might not find online.  Some of my Sprachkurse peers and I were fortunate enough to have a free tour of the Altstadt and the castle.

View of the Altstadt from the castle.

The Schloss in all of its glory.

Heidelberg already feels like a hometown, but my first few days here were only manageable with a multitude of maps and the combined brainpower of four traveling college students.  After getting off the train in Heidelberg we decided to try and walk our way to the “Jugendherburge” or the youth hostel, since we couldn’t really figure out the bus.  We got there, put down our stuff and immediate all fell asleep.  That night we went out to explore the town and ended up getting some food at the first bar we saw; an Irish bar called the Dubliner.  We didn’t do much exploring after that because it was a Sunday and the area was dead so we headed back to the hostel.  When we got back we heard music and laughing outside so we ventured over to what was the rugby clubhouse for the famous SC Neuenheim team.  They kindly offered us beers and food and we listened to Spanish ska music while we talked and grilled.  Only two out of the group of people could speak English because most of the other players had been recruited from Paraguay.  I got to practice some Spanish and was amazed how the two English speakers were multilingual.  I figure that must be the most convenient skill to acquire.

Messy room, but that light!

            The next night was rather uneventful because we had our German language class placement test in the morning.  After the placement test I decided to try and do some food shopping and general exploring of the city.  I got off the bus at Bismarckplatz in the center of town, only to find that all of the stores were closed.  Then it dawned on me that today was Carnival, the German equivalent to Mardi Gras.  Not wanting to just turn around and go home, I followed the music and crowds down the main street, or Hauptstraße.  It was pandemonium.  Music and cheering seemed to come from everywhere and you couldn’t travel against the flow of people even if you’d tried.  Still barely knowing where I was in Heidelberg I managed to find some friends and acquire some beer.  As a side note, the fact that you can legally publicly drink in Germany is a huge game-changer, and one of the most underappreciated difference between Germany and the U.S.  That day I made some new friends and at night we explored what we would later come to know as Unterestraße, a small street off of Hauptstraße that is almost entirely made up of bars and small clubs.  The area was packed with people in costumes and face paint.  Needless to say, it was a good way to kick off my German experience.

Hanging with some Carnival folks.

The next day we found out which language level class we tested into and we began our first day of Sprachkurse.  I tested into the beginner level which was A-Okay with me considering my super limited German language skills.  Sprachkurse was one aspect of the Heidelberg study abroad program, which I completely underestimated how great it would be.  It was essentially a four weeklong crash course, meant to give students instruction on the German language.  It was great to refresh my German skills, but possibly the best part was Frühstück, breakfast served every day during our language courses.  It was great, not just for the obvious reason that it was a break in class to get food and coffee, but it was the perfect opportunity to meet people from around the world who all wanted to meet other exchange students.  I realized that other programs’ Sprachkurse didn’t have this so I’m thankful, as many of my good friends here I had met during Frühstück. 

In one of my first weeks in Heidelberg, I went to a classical music performance in the Alte Aula.  The group placed pieces from Wolfgang A. Mozart, Antonin Dvorak, and Max Bruch with a short intermission before the last symphony.  One of the key performers was piano player Wolfram Lorenzen, who was unbelievable, and was my favorite part of the act.  My mind was blown.  In such a beautiful old venue, I felt like an 18^th century nobleman sitting, listening to the best performers the region had to offer.  The music added with the historical charm of the auditorium made one of my first events in Heidelberg a truly memorable experience. 

Pre-performance shot in the Alte Aula.

The Maestro himself.

A big reason why I decided to study abroad in Heidelberg was to do a lot of traveling.  One of my first trips while abroad was to Strasbourg, France.  Strasbourg is only a 2-hour bus ride from Heidelberg, and with 10 Euro bus tickets it’s definitely worth the trip.  The first objective of our Strasbourg trip was to see the cathedral.  Pictures do not do it justice.  It is still one of the most breath-taking sites I’ve ever witnessed.  The amount of attention put into every corner of a building that size is astonishing.  Every square foot of it is covered with detailed sculptures and engravings.   The inside is equally amazing, and for a couple more Euros you can climb to the top for an amazing view of the Alsace region.  Just be prepared to break a sweat.  It was the tallest building in the world for almost 230 years and it’s a bit of a workout to climb it.  

 Behold.

 A pipe organ fit for a villain. 

One of the alters, I believe caged in because of all the golden trim.

Just walking around Strasbourg and taking in the old architecture was interesting.  After a day taking in the sights, we headed out at night to a couple pubs and eventually found ourselves on boat that doubled as a bar.  The next day we had a lot of time to kill so we did some more exploring.  I visited the Alsace museum with a few people and learned a bit about the lives of Strasbourg residents, going as far back as the late middle ages.  After we got our fill of the museum is it was time to head home.

Rhineland style timber-framed buildings.

Resting at the museum.

Stumbled upon some French paint.

My second trip was a weekend spent in the Black Forest with the other German exchange students from UMass.  We stayed in a comfortable lodge-type hostel in the beautiful hills of the Schauinsland.  On that Saturday we went over classes, and then walked to an old cabin, first constructed in the 1400’s, that had since been converted into a museum.  The cabin had been a farm for hundreds of years, isolated among rolling hills, its inhabitants living a life of nonstop work, just to survive and maintain their property.  The wood pillars were black from smoke, which was a reinforcing agent that allowed them to be so preserved and remain so sturdy after hundreds of years.  

View of the Schauinsland mountains. 

The farmhouse's main room, just as it was back in the day.

          After the museum, we traveled back for the night.  We had a nice meal followed by some beers and got to talk with each other about our different programs.  This was where I really learned to appreciate Heidelberg for what it is, and I realized I had made the right decision in studying here.  Some other students and I got up early the next day to watch the sunrise.  Although few of my photos came out well the experience was not disappointing.  We later took a bus back to Freiburg and all got our respective trains home.  I returned to Heidelberg happy with a successful first month and excited for the next four to come.

Sunrise in Der Schwarzwald.

Auf Wiedersehen!