Travel Series: Heidelberg
After Paris, Zurch, Paris again- we were worn out. We decided to spend the next weekend staying put and doing a day trip for this next weekend. Somewhere that still had some appeal to it but ensured we were back in our beds that night. Heidelberg it was! I wanted to see the castle and we were going to see it. This was also the day after I found out I was pregnant with our third boy. While Europe is peppered with castles, Heidelberg was actually the only one I explored. We packed our weekends so tight with adventure that it was hard to see all the castles Europe had to offer. Ok that's a bit of an ambitious goal and I probably could have fit in a few more but this one was pretty good. Oh wait, does Versailles count as a castle? What's the difference between a palace and a castle anyway?
The views from Heidelberg were quite stunning and although it was cold and cloudy, we were kind of used to it at this point. In the cellar of the castle there's a food area with beer and wine and pretzels and cheese and all sorts of deliciousness. It was also really wide open so it allowed the boys room to run around (ensuring naptime when we drove back). It was also very drafty and when they discovered that their voices could echo in there, we decided it was time to go!
We needed that more relaxed weekend. While we wanted to pack in as much traveling as we could and just be go go go- it ended up wearing on us quite a bit. It's funny how we always have all this ideas and then life kind of laughs at us and gives us reality. I guess we could have pushed through but then we would have been pushing through and cranky! Nobody wants that anyway. And it's not like exploring in Germany is really a downer, I mean, it's Germany! Matt wants to get stationed there while I'm a little more apprehensive. I love to travel and there's still so much for me to see and do in Europe, but the logistics of having young ones in Europe makes me crawl back into my shell and desire American living. It's sad I know. I didn't really expect that out of me either. Is it wrong to want to push a European tour a few years, perhaps when Henry is at least 4 or 5 which would put Charles and Thomas at 8 and 7? I feel like I could manage that better, but then when they're actually that age, there might be a part of me that says oh my goodness it was easier when they were younger. Who knows- life works that way sometimes doesn't it?
Wherever our next assignment ends up being, if we go to Europe, I think I'll still be happy and excited. I'll have to work on making sure I don't get weighed down by the dread of planning a trip that involves working around baby/toddler/pre-schooler schedules. I need to show more gratitude in the fact that we have an opportunity to live in a foreign country and the *means* to travel around and experience other cultures. Why should I care that I might not be able to just go to any restaurant because I have a stroller? Or fear a tantrum in a museum; why should that stop me from exploring and traveling? Sure it's a lot of work and it can get stressful, but is that what I'll remember when I look back on thing? Is that what I remember now? Ok yeah I remember it was hard, but would I take that experience back to save myself the effort I expended? NO! Of course not. I think I just talked myself into being ok with an assignment in Germany. We should find out where we're going next in a few weeks....I'm ready to move!
The views from Heidelberg were quite stunning and although it was cold and cloudy, we were kind of used to it at this point. In the cellar of the castle there's a food area with beer and wine and pretzels and cheese and all sorts of deliciousness. It was also really wide open so it allowed the boys room to run around (ensuring naptime when we drove back). It was also very drafty and when they discovered that their voices could echo in there, we decided it was time to go!
We needed that more relaxed weekend. While we wanted to pack in as much traveling as we could and just be go go go- it ended up wearing on us quite a bit. It's funny how we always have all this ideas and then life kind of laughs at us and gives us reality. I guess we could have pushed through but then we would have been pushing through and cranky! Nobody wants that anyway. And it's not like exploring in Germany is really a downer, I mean, it's Germany! Matt wants to get stationed there while I'm a little more apprehensive. I love to travel and there's still so much for me to see and do in Europe, but the logistics of having young ones in Europe makes me crawl back into my shell and desire American living. It's sad I know. I didn't really expect that out of me either. Is it wrong to want to push a European tour a few years, perhaps when Henry is at least 4 or 5 which would put Charles and Thomas at 8 and 7? I feel like I could manage that better, but then when they're actually that age, there might be a part of me that says oh my goodness it was easier when they were younger. Who knows- life works that way sometimes doesn't it?
Wherever our next assignment ends up being, if we go to Europe, I think I'll still be happy and excited. I'll have to work on making sure I don't get weighed down by the dread of planning a trip that involves working around baby/toddler/pre-schooler schedules. I need to show more gratitude in the fact that we have an opportunity to live in a foreign country and the *means* to travel around and experience other cultures. Why should I care that I might not be able to just go to any restaurant because I have a stroller? Or fear a tantrum in a museum; why should that stop me from exploring and traveling? Sure it's a lot of work and it can get stressful, but is that what I'll remember when I look back on thing? Is that what I remember now? Ok yeah I remember it was hard, but would I take that experience back to save myself the effort I expended? NO! Of course not. I think I just talked myself into being ok with an assignment in Germany. We should find out where we're going next in a few weeks....I'm ready to move!
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