Soaking Up Culture (Bath, England)

Soaking Up Culture (Bath, England) - Graced with timeless Georgian design with its target excellent symmetry and straightforward magnificence and matched with a world famous Roman spa, bathtub is unquestionably one amongst England’s greatest travel wonders. On discovering natural hot springs, the traditional Romans designed baths and associated therapeutic qualities to the mineral-rich waters. They dedicated the positioning to Minerva, the goddess of knowledge.

As the Roman Empire failed, the springs were forgotten till the spa city was reinvigorated with the royal patronage of Queen Anne. Refined buildings were erected to deal with the stately and prosperous people of the day.

The Royal Crescent could be a very good semi-circular honeycomb-coloured limestone building of thirty homes with a lush lawn as frontage.

Equally very good is that the Circus, a masterpiece that forms a whole circle cut into 3 equal segments by roads that lead into the complicated. All roads face straight onto one amongst the segments. galvanized by the Roman colosseum, the 3 storeys showcase 3 classical columns – Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. several famous individuals have referred to as The Circus their home together with William Pitt (ex-Prime Minister), the painter Thomas Gainsborough and African explorer, David Livingstone.

The Pulteney Bridge remains as one of only four bridges in the world with shops across the entire bridge. Spanning the Avon River, near a small cascade, it is built in the style of Ponte Vecchio in Florence. To build an element of relaxed and refined living, the city forefathers planned parklands to run alongside much of the Avon River in Bath, encouraging people to stroll the river banks or sit and enjoy the city’s charm.

Nearby bathtub Abbey with its huge vaulted ceilings features a purpose of significance for Australians. it's the memorial to Arthur Phillip, the primary governor of the colony of latest South Wales on European settlement in Australia in 1788. Similarly, a memorial to Isaac Pitman who invented shorthand is within the abbey.

However, the Roman bathtubs are undoubtedly the highlight of Bath. designed below today’s town level, the read from the terrace offers the primary read over the baths. the foremost inspiring component of the baths is that the advanced engineering employed by the Romans to manage the water flow and management the heating.

Hot, heat and cold baths were all designed at intervals the general public bathing complicated. The sacred spring will be seen through the steam at intervals the complicated at the side of the orange-coloured deposits from the made mineral content.

If you would like to check the medicinal qualities of the water, a sample will be drunk from the running fountain within the elegant glass-domed Grand Pump space nearby to the Roman Baths.

It is my favorite English town with its relaxed magnificence and a treasure trove of travel wonders. Sip the waters, stroll the relaxed streets, fancy the placing Georgian design and be astounded by the ingenuity of the traditional engineers within the remarkably intact Roman Baths.

Visiting the Smallest Town in the World (Hum, Croatia)

Visiting the Smallest Town in the World (Hum, Croatia) - With a population variously quoted at seventeen, 18 and 23, the small medieval travel marvel of Hum on the Istrian peninsula in western Croatia is officially listed by the Guinness Book of Records because the smallest city within the world. Such a moniker swells this village of very little over a dozen gray stone homes with many guests within the summer months. The overcast spring day that I visited, there looked as if it would be no over twenty individuals within the city (and let’s face it, you'll see each streets standing in one place within the mini main square).

The size of the city belies its made history of around a thousand years. Its city walls and fortifications remind individuals of the regular battles fought over the centuries.

The Church of St Jerolim is richly adorned with fragments of brightly colored 800 year previous spiritual frescoes and is overseen by a formidable bell tower.

Hum’s main claim is because the final purpose on the Glagolitic path, a walking path through variety of tiny villages over seven kilometres with eleven vital points of interest that commemorates this ancient Croatian script. The Glagolitic alphabet was introduced within the ninth century by Saint Cyril to translate the bible into the native Slavic language. whereas this script has pale into obscurity, this same saint was related to and has named once him the Cyrillic alphabet (used by variety of languages as well as Russian, Serbian and Bulgarian).

In Hum, a large copper door guards the entrance to the main stone passage into the town. The door includes words of welcome on the large door knockers and twelve shields symbolising the calendar months. Through the passageway are a number of stone tablets with ancient Glagolitic engravings.


The small village pub offers a homebrewed aromatic brandy called humska biska made from an ancient secret recipe which incorporates a cocktail of herbs including white mistletoe. The locals claim is has strong medicinal qualities with curative powers for a whole host of internal issues including high blood pressure. It certainly provides a relaxing afternoon tipple overlooking the olive fields and vineyards dreaming of what life must have been in this little Croatian hamlet, now a modern travel wonder with the impressive billing of smallest town in the world.

Where's the Belgian pride? - Many years ago, travelling in Belgium, I heard a story in a very pub regarding Camel cigarettes. This happy-go-lucky life-of-the-party soul pulled a packet from his pocket and proudly said that the designer of this packet was a Belgian which he had left proof. I’m not a smoker however had a careful investigate the packet and couldn’t see something.

He asked me if I’d seen Manneken Pis close to the most sq. in Brussels. Like all tourists, I had wandered pass and brought the obligatory snapshot. I didn’t have the center to say that i used to be a bit underwhelmed because it was smaller than i assumed it might be and looked a bit worse for wear. Mind you, guests thronged around it and flashlights shot sort of a movie star was walking down the red carpet.

There seem to be variety of stories surrounding the origin of the statue. the foremost common holds that this tiny boy extinguished the fuses of explosives setup by an attacking army using the foremost natural of means that, thereby saving Brussels.

Anyway, there's a claim that the artistic artist behind the imagery on the packet of Camel cigarettes was a Belgian. He strongly disliked the pinnacle of promoting and to spite him, he hid a picture of the famous Belgian image within the higher front leg of the camel to forever highlight Belgium during this cigarette's most enduring image. the parents at Camel haven't confirmed this and think about it as nothing over people’s imagination.

I couldn’t see the image until it was pointed out to me. Having stated that, there does appear to be a strong likeness - the right arm on the boys' hip and the left arm directing the flow.

What do you think? Can you see a likeness? Is it beyond a coincidence?

Underground Fantasy (Skocjan Caves, Slovenia)

Underground Fantasy (Skocjan Caves, Slovenia) - Carved out over millennia by the broiling Reka River, Škocjan Caves is Slovenia’s most gorgeous natural travel marvel. This river disappears underground within the very little village of Škocjan and emerges some forty kilometres away, having carved its path through the rock over a few years.

A large space of south-west Slovenia lies on a limestone plateau. unbelievable caves and tunnels are eroded from the soluble limestone, leaving a fairyland of richly colored and unusually formed stalactites (the ones that drop from the roof) and stalacmites (the ones that grow from the floor). Out of all of those, UNESCO-listed Škocjan sits at the terribly pinnacle of those subterranean treasure troves.

Awkward to urge to, best may be a walk of a number of kilometres from Divaca rail station on a nice path to the hamlet of Matavun. the world contains some nice short walks (especially the tutorial Trail) through some native villages and around collapsed cave areas. there's alittle museum showcasing the cave’s history that helps pass the time until the guided tour is due.

The cave starts modestly through a longish tunnel and thru variety of chambers with a spread of typical cave decorations and formations, the foremost notable with the everyday imaginative names. Early on, the tour traverses Silent Cave, Paradise Cave and also the spectacular nice Hall and witnesses The Organ (which appearance a trifle sort of a church’s pipe organ) and also the Stone Forest.

As the tour exits the Great Hall a deep-throated rumbling can be heard from below. The Reka River lies around fifty metres below and is dwarfed by the immense Murmuring Cave – 300 metres long and over 100 metres high (which means that the Statue of Liberty or London’s St Paul’s Cathedral would fit inside). It lays claim to being the world’s largest underground canyon. Walking gently along a narrow ledge, the tour comes to the vertigo-inducing Cerkvenik Bridge (lead photo). Defying the considerable degree of edginess and shaky legs and leaning nervously over the bridge, it is beyond comprehension to imagine the raucous river below could have carved this cavern for giants by dissolving minute particles of limestone.

The previous bridge and the remains of the earliest bridge can still be clearly viewed and paths to various other caverns and halls branch off for the professional cavers and scientists.

Moving along, the next section includes a mesmerising formation called The Bowls. A series of a over a hundred natural troughs of water have built up over time, filling and emptying into the bowl below, leaving tiny mineral deposits to construct the walls of these mini-reservoirs.

Soon after the eyes squint as the daylight streams through the natural cave entrance created when the roof of an area collapsed and onto a funicular to save the legs from having stagger back up the hill.

The world contains numerous limestone caves, all fascinating in their own way but Škocjan stands as one of nature’s finest travel wonders – a subterranean wonderland of unimagined scale, breathtaking chambers and magical formations.

Reindeer Paté, Cloudberry Pie and Sweat (Kuopio, Finland)

Reindeer Paté, Cloudberry Pie and Sweat (Kuopio, Finland) - In the centre of the country, Kuopio may be an ad for the travel wonders of Finland. Set among spruce forests and surrounded by sparkling lakes, Kuopio comes complete with ski-jumps, an orthodox church and also the world’s largest smoke sauna. mix that with fascinating native cuisine choices and Kuopio offers a wondrous, single day sample of Finland at its finest.

The best read of Kuopio is from Puijo Tower perched neatly on a hill of a similar name. It offers a panoramic vista showing the sprawling city with its varied lakes and thick forests. On this same hill are the ski-jumps. How folks stand on prime of those, ski down and launch themselves within the air for over a hundred metres defies comprehension and one's mental state. I clung on tightly for concern of obtaining even near the jumping zone.

With its harsh climate, the Finns are terribly sensible with food. each elk and reindeer feature in conjunction with an important stress on fish. If you'll take away the thought of munching on Rudolf’s relatives, reindeer is obtainable in numerous forms from steaks through to sausages. Not feeling too guilty concerning the well-being of Rudolf’s relatives, I had reindeer paté on an important rye bread and it absolutely was decidedly tasty. The reindeer promoting department are effective as 3 totally different Finns in conversation told me that reindeer was extraordinarily smart for you as its meat is remarkably lean, carrying solely 2 % fat.

I also managed to taste a slice of kalakukko which is simply fish baked in a loaf of rye-bread. Despite my description, it tastes quite divine and is very filling.

However, the highlight was dessert. In the short summer months with their long meandering days of sunlight, berries and mushrooms grow everywhere. And of the number of different varieties that grow, cloudberries are the Rolls Royce of Finnish berries. Their creamy, slightly sharp, semi-sweet taste is so popular that it is celebrated on the Finnish two Euro coin. Anyway, it certainly tasted damn good as cloudberry pie.

Jätkänkämppä, which fortunately you don’t have to pronounce to enter, is the world’s largest smoke sauna. It is an experience not to miss. Only open on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, it takes all day to heat and prepare. The smoke collects inside and is released before being opened to the public. With your entrance fee, you get some quick instructions and two towels – one to wear around your waist and one to dry off with at the end.

Simply undress (completely), shower and wander into the wall of heat, which smacks you in the face as soon as you enter. Normally, Finnish saunas are separate and nude, but Jätkänkämppä is mixed with the towel used for modesty. Through the steam and dim light, there is a very eclectic group of people. Several travellers, all looking warily around trying not to commit any social faux pas sit along side local families, couples and men and women of all shapes and sizes. One man the size of a beached whale (which is an unusual sight in Finland) tosses a ladle of water on the coals. There is a shot of steam along with a sharp hissing and the gentle aroma of wood (but no smoke!).

When you feel well-cooked, quickly slip on your swimmers and dash for a quick plunge along a short wooden jetty and into the nearby lake. Don’t get me wrong – the lake is ridiculously cold even in the midst of summer – but the contrast of the water’s temperature gives you a sensational burst of tingling freshness right through your body. In winter, a hole is cut into the ice on the lake. The locals tend to sit outside on a bench for a few minutes relaxing and chatting. This was where I learned about the value of reindeer meat among other broad and varying topics. This exercise is repeated another couple of times until you simply feel great. It is time to settle on the benches outside for one last time and enjoy a therapeutic, cooling, but expensive beer.

Fortunately, English is widespread with quite a number of visitors in summer. Finnish is probably the most incomprehensible language I have heard anywhere in Europe. Sadly after a number of days, my Finnish only extended to sauna (pronounced SOW-na) and kiitos (thank you). As much as I like to learn a few words of the local language wherever I travel, when a local told me (and wrote down) that “hello” was said as hyvää päivää, I simply resigned myself to relying on the English skills of the locals.

Finland tends not to feature on many European itineraries as it is a little further away and a little more mysterious. It is an extraordinary place of friendly, spirited, proud people keen to share the natural beauty and rich culture of their country. Any nation with more saunas than cars must be worth a visit. And Kuopio is a small town that captures Finland so well and should be on a future travel plan.

Note
Source: Cloudberry Photo

Photo of the Week - Notre-Dame du Haut (Ronchamp, France)

Photo of the Week - Notre-Dame du Haut (Ronchamp, France) - Perched on a hill and inbuilt the mid-1950s in japanese France, this uneven chapel is one among the world's fashionable architectural travel wonders. Designed by a man named Le Corbusier, it options a wall with several irregular, completely different sized windows that provides a unprecedented lighting result particularly with the stained glass within the interior. The roof seems galvanized by a crab shell and appears to float on top of the building itself. Apparently when it rains, the water pours off this roof making a powerful natural fountain.

"Space and lightweight and order. Those are the items that men want simply the maximum amount as they have bread" - Le Corbusier

Germany's Black Forest is home to cuckoo clocks, shimmering lakes, rich cherry chocolate cakes and small half-timbered villages frozen in time (such as Gengenbach). It is also home to Germany's best known waterfall in Triberg Falls. Tumbling in small steps down a rocky path, the setting in verdant green forests creates a soothing scenic image.

At the start of every month, Travel Wonders highlights a special drink from my travels around the world. Visiting the French Alps in winter, I recall drinking a spicy warm red wine that the French call vin chaud. Since then I learned that it is similar to glühwein in the Germanic nations and called mulled wine in English.

It is easy to make at home which I have done several times. Simply take a bottle of cheap (or corked) red wine and add a few cinnamon sticks, several cloves, two thinly sliced oranges (or lemons) and a quarter of a cup of honey. Heat slowly, letting the wine mixture simmer but not boil. Serve nicely warmed and enjoy the relaxing and spicy drink. The aromas are simply superb.

Vin chaud originally revived wine that had gone off - a far more regular occurrence in times past with poorer wine corks and storage.

A favourite in the winter snowfields, vin chaud is an excellent end to a day of skiing or hiking in the mountains. Salut to all!

Photo Credit: Image

Previous Drinks Around the World include Bloody Caesar from Canada, a Pisco Sour from South America, Singapore Sling, Belgium's Chimay Beer, Scotland's smoky Talisker Scotch Whisky and the Czech Republic's Becherovka.

A small bright yellow train with cherry red trim has meandered its way through the French Catalan Pyrenees in the Languedoc Roussillon region near the Spanish border, connecting remote and isolated mountain villages for over 100 years. Popular with travellers, le train jaune tracks through dramatic alpine scenery over towering bridges, tunnels gouged through the mountains and a number of viaducts.

The train departs from the travel wonder medieval village of Villefrance-de-Confluent. Before boarding the train, a short walk to Fort Liberia that stands guard over the town helps stretch the legs. Offering a stunning view of parenthesis-shaped Villefrance, the view shows the tightly packed stone houses, narrow streets and intact (and UNESCO heritage-listed) medieval defensive walls that protected the small town for centuries from Spanish sieges. The village has lots of witches and broomstick models dangling from doorways and shop windows, protecting the population from the evil mountain spirits.

While chilly at first, the train includes two open carriages (they were referred to as les bains or the bathtubs) that gives the full effect of the fresh mountain air and the engineering marvel (built before World War 1) of getting a line through this mountainous countryside. The track bends and curls between mountains, ploughing into the inky darkness of a tunnel when no other paths are available. At several points on the journey, the train travels high via bridges and viaducts over the forested valley floor including the vertigo-inducing Séjourné Viaduct with its dramatic double-decker arching.

Tiny stations whisk past, the train only stopping at more major stops unless signalled by a passenger to stop. The lion’s share of travellers stay on the train for the entire return journey. The village of Olette features tall narrow houses that cling to the cliff edges with the confidence of mountain goats. Several of the villages appear frozen in time, their grey stony houses having weathered centuries of harsh winters.

The train is powered by an electric current along a third rail, produced by a hydro plant from a nearby dam (so it is a green train too!). And the train needs all its power too as it climbs to Bolquère-Eyne, France’s highest rail station at almost 1600 metres, with all the spirit of the “I think I can” children’s story.

More reassuredly, as the little yellow train crosses a plateau and tumbles down into the final stop at Latour-de-Carol, is the news that the train boasts three separate braking systems each capable of stopping the train alone. The train travels through lush farmlands, dotted with caramel-coloured cows and large rolls of hay readying for the harsh mountain winters.

It was strongly recommended to get off at Bourg-Madam (a hotel owner reassures me “Latour-de-Carol is boring”), three stops from the end, walk through scenic surrounds for around half an hour (up hill) across the Spanish border to the quaint town of Puigcerdà with its historic belltower and return in time to pick up the train on its return leg.

Operated by French rail (and so available on rail passes), the Yellow Train offers a refreshing and relaxing day among stunning mountain scenery and tiny medieval villages of yesteryear.

Notes
Photos: Séjourné Viaduct, Gisclard Suspension Bridge.
Map courtesy of SNCF (French National Railways).

Languedoc-Roussillon Vacations

The tiny travel wonder of Luxembourg, precariously sandwiched between France and Germany at a European crossroads has a woven web of hiking paths that crisscross the country. While the city features excellent historic walks such as the Wenzel Walk, the northern part of Luxembourg offers a tremendous array of walking and hiking options. With maps available from tourist offices and clear signposts with blue triangles marking the paths, hiking is one of Luxembourg’s most popular leisurely pursuits (after all, one-third of the country is forested). And there is no better place to walk than the grandly named Little Switzerland. While there is nothing alpine about this lowland region, the dramatic landscape gives some credibility to its moniker.

Start from the country’s oldest town of Echternach with its sprawling abbey credited to St Willibrord (a wily Yorkshireman who the locals believed cured epilepsy in the seventh century). With little thought over a strong steaming coffee, I selected E1 (see map), a suitable sounding walk of twelve kilometres. After a short but strenuous climb, a nice viewpoint (Troosknäppchen) offers fine vistas of the abbey and town.

The path follows the Müllerthal Trail (the miller’s path named from the numerous watermills that once existed on the river) quickly leading to densely wooded forests, lush verdant valleys and spectacular rock formations. Left over from the Ice Age, roughly hewn rock steps and ladders weave a narrow, twisting path between towering 20 metre high rock walls at times only wide enough for a single file of walkers.

This ancient landscape generates its own steamy microclimate of high humidity producing vegetation unique to Europe with moss coating everything in a carpet of green and ferns sprouting from small rocky crevices.

The trail leads through the evocatively named Wolfsschlucht (the wolves’ lair - top photo) that apparently sheltered wolves in times past. Continuing along a tiny brook, through the Labyrinth and past the giant single rock of Perekop, the trail leads to Hohllay. This is an old cave where traces remain where millstones were cut. Regular performances still run at the nearby amphitheatre, a wonderful natural location for plays, theatre and music.

Sharing lunch with a couple of hikers, climbers clambered up the sheer rock walls, the occasional yelp of a slipping climber being caught by his ropes breaking the peaceful forest ambiance.

Turning back along a small creek with tiny waterfalls, the path toured via Zig-zag Gorge (photo below right) and an atmospheric cavern called Räuberhöhle (thief’s hideout - photo left) before tracking the Sûre River back to Echternach.

It seems an accident of history that this tiny country exists as an independent country with its history of battles and wars. Indeed, the castles that litter nearly every rocky outcrop, gorge and small hill is a strong reminder of how many battles have been fought over the years for this scenic centre of Europe. It is a gift as the feisty and proud population of the self-promoted “Europe’s smallest big country” offer superb trekking through well-preserved forests broken only by the occasional muffled greeting of moien in the strange sounding German-like dialect.

Other Benelux Posts
1000 Years in 100 Minutes (Luxembourg City)
A City of More than Sex and Drugs? (Amsterdam)
Belgian Pride
Drinks Around the World: Chimay Beer

Note
More details available from the Müllerthal Trail website.

Since 963 when Count Siegfried first built a castle on a rocky outcrop overlooking a sharp bend in the Alzette River, various European powers have battled for control of the tiny state of Luxembourg. At times, the Burgundians, Spanish, French, Austrians, Prussians and Germans have all held sway over this scenic nation wedged between France and Germany. Despite a tumultuous history of almost permanent siege, this pint-sized nation has survived to modern times and now is one of richest per capita countries in the world. Luxembourg boasts excellent walks including the city-based Wenzel Walk and a superb nature walk in an area called Little Switzerland.

The delightful and well-signposted Wenzel walk (either guided or self-guided with a pamphlet) in the main city of Luxembourg and named after a 14th century duke captures elements of this history and culture, leading past ramparts, fortresses, tunnels, towers, bridges and walls, intermixed with bustling streets and panoramic views. The narrow valley gorges plunge sharply and deep from the rocky plateaus of the city, connected and spanned by various bridges and viaducts, ingeniously protecting and guarding this challenging terrain.

The walk starts at Bock Promontory and the scant remains of Count Siegfried’s Luxembourg Castle that started this rich history. The view from this point includes the Alzette river slicing the ancient district of Grund into two. Jacob’s Tower includes an audio-visual display describing the history. Underneath the Bock are a warren of tens of kilometres of damp tunnels (Bock Casemates) that allowed soldiers access to different parts of the city without surfacing and held provisions in past times. The various invading forces extended and added to these fortifications throughout the years and were utilised as recently as World War 2 as bomb shelters. Accessible for less than two Euros, they make for an eerie passage with a combination of small natural openings, weak electric lights, twisting staircases and occasional dead ends. These remarkable fortifications earned Luxembourg the title of Gibraltar of the North and have earned UNESCO heritage listing.

Some defensive openings to allow for guns or cannons offer stunning vistas of the Luxembourg countryside, the picturesque Old Town or river valleys.

The walk leads via the Corniche lined with stately pastel-coloured historic houses, through old protective city gates, over a medieval footbridge to the impressive Wenzel Walls and its moat. These fortifications were part of a three-ringed system of walls guarding the prized higher parts of the city and major crossing of the river.

The walk finishes near the city’s oldest parish Church of St Ulric with a walk along the green waters of the Alzette and the remains of an old lock system that could be used to dam the rivers as an extra obstacle for invading forces.

Descriptively promoted as 1000 Years in 100 Minutes, the Wenzel Walk, in under two hours, unveils part of Luxembourg’s historic battles for domination and the ingenious defensive fortifications built to protect this strategic historic city.

Note
The tourist office has an excellent self-guiding brochure.

Map (without red lines): © Service des Sites et Monuments Nationaux / Luxembourg City Tourist Office

As a child, I recall reading Mark Twain's wry and witty account of travelling through Germany, Switzerland and Italy in A Tramp Abroad. It was one of the books that captured my interest in travelling the world. Twain spent three months in Heidelberg mystified by the world's largest wine barrel and including a wondrous description of the semi-ruinous castle and its stunning location overlooking the Neckar River and the city itself. It goes as follows:

A ruin must be rightly situated, to be effective. This one could not have been better placed. It stands upon a commanding elevation, it is buried in green woods, there is no level ground about it, but, on the contrary, there are wooded terraces upon terraces, and one looks down through shining leaves into profound chasms and abysses where twilight reigns and the sun cannot intrude. Nature knows how to garnish a ruin to get the best effect. One of these old towers is split down the middle, and one half has tumbled aside. It tumbled in such a way as to establish itself in a picturesque attitude. Then all it lacked was a fitting drapery, and Nature has furnished that; she has robed the rugged mass in flowers and verdure, and made it a charm to the eye. The standing half exposes its arched and cavernous rooms to you, like open, toothless mouths; there, too, the vines and flowers have done their work of grace. The rear portion of the tower has not been neglected, either, but is clothed with a clinging garment of polished ivy which hides the wounds and stains of time. Even the top is not left bare, but is crowned with a flourishing group of trees & shrubs. Misfortune has done for this old tower what it has done for the human character sometimes improved it.

Deep in the bowels of Heidelberg Castle is the world’s largest wine barrel. The Heidelberg Tun or Grosses Fass holds over 220,000 litres (58,000 US gallons) and stands an impressive six metres high. To encourage partying, a staircase leads to a dance floor installed on its top so people could drink and dance all evening!

With elegant deceit, the path through the castle leads past a smaller barrel at around a fifth of the volume (beautifully made with no hoops to hold it together) that could easily be taken for the famed Heidelberg Tun.

The sad news is that the barrel spent most of its long life empty. Originally used to hold taxes (paid in the form of wine) from the local winegrowers - the idea of such a mixture of wines brings a headache at the very thought! Savage axe marks remain in the barrel from where Napoleon’s soldiers attempted to access the golden liquid inside. They were unsuccessful but ironically, the barrel was empty anyway.

While the focus of this battered fortress is its wine barrel, the panoramic views over the red-roofed university city of Heidelberg, the old bridge and the meandering Neckar River are glorious and highlights the prestigious location of the castle.

Along with the ancient cooper’s tools and a strange clock, opposite the barrel is a statue of an Italian man, Perkeo. As a dwarf and an odd-looking character of amusement, he was appointed as the court jester and Keeper of the Tun. For a man of such short stature, Perkeo was legendary for his incredible consumption of wine. It is strongly rumoured that he only drank wine in his adult lifetime. On being ill nearing his eightieth birthday, the royal doctor advised him to drink water and refrain from wine. Despite his protestations, he drank the water and died that evening in his sleep.

In Mark Twain’s epic A Tramp Abroad, he eloquently ridicules the large empty Heidelberg Tun as follows: It is a wine-cask as big as a cottage, and some traditions say it holds eighteen thousand bottles, and other traditions say it holds eighteen hundred million barrels. I think it likely that one of these statements is a mistake, and the other is a lie. However, the mere matter of capacity is a thing of no sort of consequence, since the cask is empty, and indeed has always been empty, history says. An empty cask the size of a cathedral could excite but little emotion in me. I do not see any wisdom in building a monster cask to hoard up emptiness in, when you can get a better quality, outside, any day, free of expense.

Perched on a grassy hillside overlooking Heidelberg, the castle dominates the city. Its war-torn history, splendid views, semi-ruinous state and adventurous stories make for an entertaining couple of hours exploring this grand castle. The focus on large barrels merely adds to the intrigue.

Other Germany Posts
The Fairytale Mining Town (Goslar)
A Timeless Promise (Oberammergau Passion Play)
Peering from the Eagle's Nest (Berchtesgaden)
Bacon Beer and Bishops (Bamberg)
The World's Largest Advent Calendar (Gengenbach)