Cold weather and a quick Saturday drive

Tony is still suffering from his cold, which has gone thru most of the senior missionaries here, it's just "his" turn!  Today is Saturday and we usually go somewhere fun but due to the Siberian blast of cold weather we thought we would just stay at home.  Around 3:00 Tony decided we should go for a drive (about an hour from Frankfurt) to a city called Heidelberg.  Because of the cold, we didn't get out of the car but just drove around and thought that this would be a great place for a Saturday in the Spring/Summer!  It's a lovely town and we will be visiting it again, just on foot!

I only took two pictures during our drive.  The first in crossing the river over this bridge.   This is called the Theodor Bridge, commonly known as the "Old Bridge" crossing the Neckar River.  It connects the Old City with the eastern side of the Neuenheim District of the city on the opposite bank.  This bridge was constructed in 1788.  The first bridge built here was destroyed by and ice flow in 1288.

 After we crossed the bridge we saw this HUGE castle that we could not see from the other side of the bridge because we were right beneath it and apparently too close and never looked UP!  When we saw it after we crossed the bridge, we were so surprised that we had missed it!  This castle ruin is one of the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.  The castle was struct twice by lightening bolts.  One in 1537 and another in 1764.

 Good-bye David and Paula Thomas.  Our dear next door neighbors are heading home to America!  We will miss them so much!  Not only are they our next door neighbors, separated only by one wall but they are our office next door neighbors, separated by one wall.  We have enjoyed them, traveled with them,borrowed an occasional egg from them, laughed with them and played Mexican train with them. They are such humble, delightsome people that we will forever be friends with.  Their home is just across the lake from us in Utah, about a 25 minute drive so we have promised them that when we get home ..... we will bring over some of my chocolate chip cookies (which David loves) and a game.  Even tho' we are sad to see them leave, I could not contain myself with all the excitement I felt for them to re-unite with their family and realize that soon, we too will be in their same situation where we will be leaving this wonderful place to return home,  forever thankful for this experience.  Good bye Elder and Sister Thomas, until we meet again...