October 11, 2025, Heidelberg- Once I became a paying visitor, the wealth of heritage at Schloss Heidelberg became apparent. The castle is indeed one of the grander of its ilk, in central Europe at least. Although it is classified as a “ruin”, there are all the uses being made of Schloss Heidelberg as an event center, especially in summer. There are a couple of heritage rooms, available only on guided tours, which also hold fast to the docent locking the door behind, upon completion of the tour.
Here are some scenes of the interior of Schloss.
Chambers on the east end, Schloss HeidelbergMost likely used as a counting housePalace of Frederik V, the “Winter King”Symbolic guards of The Winter King’s palaceJupiter stands guard, above allLarge grinding stoneAn even larger beer barrelFrederik V, contemplating his guest list, perhaps.View from the top
My self-guided tour neared its end, and with it began the equally enjoyable visit to Old Heidelberg’s lower reaches.
October 11, 2025, Heidelberg- The older man was, for all the world, a penitente, walking short steps down the cobblestone hill, in flip flops of all things, determined to make the walk downward on his own. Nearby, a six-year-old boy was fussing at his mother, telling her to lift him up. The old man lifted his head, which had been focused on the steps he was taking. “Such a grand fortress up there. Maybe you aren’t ready to see it!”, he said softly to the unruly child. The boy gave one last shriek, then stopped squalling and got up on his own. He told his mother he was just tired and didn’t want to go uphill. They turned and went back down towards their lodging.
In 2014, I happened by this fascinating university city, on the way from Strasbourg to Frankfurt, as it was part of the train route. On that visit, I spent time at Heidelberg University and walked to the Neckar River. The castle, though, stuck in my mind and I was determined that it would be on the itinerary of a future visit to Europe. That visit came this evening, and will continue for a bit, tomorrow morning.
I had a small item of business to settle in Munich, this morning, and the requisite office didn’t open until 9 a.m., today being Saturday. This gave me time to look about the Karlsplatz District of the great Bavarian city. Here are some of the sights of that midtown sector.
Karlstadt Tower, MunichEighteenth Century meets Twenty-first, Karlsplatz, MunichReaching towards the sky, Karlsplatz, Munich Landgericht, (District Court Building), Karlsplatz, Munich
Finally, in Altbotanischegarten, there was an entirely different air about the city. Aside from a few people also seeking quietude, and a few animals, the Old Botanical Garden was giving a Saturday morning respite to the frenzy of Friday night.
South entrance to Altbotanischegarten, MunichHeart of Altbotanischegarten, Munich (above and below)Peterskirche Tower, from Atlbotanischegarten, Munich“Der Ring”, by Mauro Staccioli, Alt Botanischegarten, Munich
Munich, thus, was just a primer for my energy level. Once in Heidelberg, at the small but very comfortable and welcoming Lotte, The Backpackers Hostel, I set out for the nearby Schloss (Fortress) Heidelberg.
Here are some scenes from the exterior and gardens of the castle.
Tower of Schloss Heidelberg, from Lotte HostelView of Heidelberg, from the SchlossIvy-covered south wall, Schloss Heidelberg (above and below, with pink wig tree in the middle)A Baden-Wurttemburg AutumnSouth Tower and rampart, Schloss Heidelberg
The wonders of Heidelberg continue in the next post.
October 10, 2025, Munich- I went down the 327 steps this time, bidding farewell to the paradise called Monchsberg and its shining star, Stadtalm Naturfreund. I would gladly walk up the steps again and stay there for three or four days.
It was time to have at least a brief look at Munich and see how that city is adapting to the changes that surely would have shocked the reactionary forces who caused such mayhem there, nearly one hundred years ago.
First, though, here is a bit more of Salzburg’s centrum.
Ancient German god of natureInformation about Gherkins sculpture (seen below)Gherkins Sculpture, with Friedrich Schiller in the background. Schiller was one of Germany’s greatest Classical playwrights.
My breakfast companions had urged me to make mention of Sanktfranciskirche. It is the one church in Salzburg where anyone can find a safe haven, even if being pursued by police. It has not been put to the test recently, but there are many past examples of this.
Sankfranzikirche, Salzburg
Notice the open door below.
Salzburg Cathedral, my last stop before the Hauptbanhof and on to Munich.
The journey to the heart of Bavaria was uneventful. I had a bit of confusion, again because of WiFi loss, but finding The 4You Hostel was not hard, once I got bearings after stopping in a store for a couple of necessities. I even found a nice nearby hotel restaurant and enjoyed a good Bavarian dinner.
From what I have seen so far, Munich is every bit a multicultural and tolerant city-pretty much the opposite of what its leaders in the 1930s hoped to achieve. I will enjoy more of it tomorrow morning.
October 9. 2025, Salzburg- The world does not stop spinning for any one person’s agenda. That, and other people’s agendas, or lack thereof, can lead to quick changes in plans. I have had at least three hoped-for meetings with my fellow Baha’is come to naught, because of late trains and lack of WiFi.
Both situations are improving, but taking no chances, I headed back to Vienna for a few hours, this afternoon. There, after a false set of instructions from Google Maps, I was guided by a neighbourhood grandmother to the Baha’i Center of Austria. That she gave me instructions in German, and I got the gist of them, is progress.
At the Center, I was met by one of the staff, Sasha, and given a brief tour of the building. He also had positive news of our Faith in this country-which goes along with every other account I’ve heard on this trip, at least on phone conversations, if not in person.
The building itself was originally a haven for the Austrian Army, in the days before World War I. Theodore Roosevelt visited it, in 1910, after his Presidency had ended. He was given a royal welcome, almost as if his was a State Visit. With that level of honour in its energy field, the edifice is well-suited for a national Headquarters of the Baha’i Faith.
Baha’i National Center, ViennaGreat Room of the Baha’i National Center, ViennaGarden and play area for children, Baha’i National Center, ViennaSasha, a staff member at Baha’i National Center, Vienna. The poster celebrates 200 years since Baha’ullah’s birth.That anniversary took place in 2017.
Thus went my whirlwind visit to Vienna. I caught a train back to Salzburg, with little trouble. Before and after my visit, it was delightful to capture some of the essence of my host city. While descending 327 steps, I found these scenes:
A narrow passage on Monsbach, SalzburgGlimpse of Hohen Salzburg (Hapsburg fortress)Entrance gate, to Hohen SalzburgSalzburg CathedralOnce this was a moat, near Salzburg Cathedral
The above photos were taken on my way to the Salzburg Hauptbanhof. By the time I got back, it was dark, so I focused on climbing the 327 steps and found these night views of Salzburg, from Stadtalm Naturfreund’s patio.
View of Salzburg by night, from Stadtalm Naturfreund (above and below)
So, even with my self-imposed dash back and forth, Salzburg presented its essence in a fine way. I will have a bit more time to check out the public squares tomorrow, on my way to the Hauptbanhof, for a train to Munich.
October 8, 2025, Salzburg- “No taxi driver will go there”, the young driver said, referring to Monsbach, the area around Stadtalm Naturfreund, “it’s too dangerous”. Hmm, having not heard anything about crime in Salzburg, I decided to talk to the older gentleman in the next taxi, who had been listening. “It is a dark area, and the road is narrow. THAT is the only danger.” He then asked me how far I had come today. After hearing that my day had started in Zagreb, “Ibrahim” decided to drive me to the flat portion of the route to the hostel. He eliminated 323 steps-for the night. He was paid handsomely for his effort.
The day indeed started in Zagreb. I checked out of Mickey Mouse Apartment at the designated hour, and left the key in the black mailbox, as requested. When I got to the Train Station, my inquiry about getting to Salzburg was met with: “Go through Ljubljana. Maribor and Graz are out of the way. Ljubljana is more direct, then go through Villach!” This I did. The train was late leaving the Slovenian capital and even later going from the Austrian border to Vollach- a distance of 5 kilometers. Enough of a lag had been created that even the cleaning man at Villach Hauptbanhof (Central Train Station) shook his head at “the bureaucrats, always making an unnecessary mess for people.” Slovenia’s capital is a rather lovely place (it’s Lee-oob-lee-ahna), and I had a small lunch there, near the train station. I would grab another supper item in Salzburg, but it was a while later-eight hours later.
Near Catez, SloveniaSava River, outside Catez, SloveniaDinaric Alps, through a dirty windshield, north of Bled, SloveniaDinaric Alps, near Jesenice, Slovenia
As luck would have it, the picture postcard views of Ljubljana were not to be found around the Train Station and I did not dare venture far afield, in the uncertain time frame presented us. So, the dirty windshield of the train was my only vantage point for Slovenia’s beauty.
Once we could view Worthersee, hopes went up for a quick arrival in Villach. There was an unexplained stop, though, just inside Austria-and it was not due to the Border Police. Something else led to about seven of us sitting in Villach Hauptbanhof for an extra ninety minutes. The silver lining, though, was that the young conductor showed me, at long last, how to access the heretofore elusive QR Code on the Rail Planner application. Now, I will not be the sore thumb senior, the only one who doesn’t get it.
At the end of the day, I was at Stadtalm Naturfreund, had climbed only six steps-to my dorm room and savoured the chance to get another decent night’s sleep. Salzburg’s wonders and some business in Vienna awaited.
October 6, 2025, Sarajevo- The vivacious young lady engaged all her patrons, in a charming yet suitably guarded way. She made us all feel welcomed and appreciated, but remained a bit of a mysterious presence. Her father, nearby in the kitchen, was watching all. Sebilj is a bit of Turkiye in Old Sarajevo. True, there are lots of bits of Turkiye in this city, but Kemal and Harina (not their real names) pack the house, with local regulars, day and night because of their Turkish welcome and the quality of their food.
I was very blessed to enjoy comforting split pea soup-not something I had associated with Turkiye before tonight, but it was golden, especially after a jarring day at Srebrenica. The shish was also well-seasoned and tender.
There is lots of resilience across Sarajevo. This evening, I focused on a swath of the Old City, the area that embraced Islam, the story goes, because the Ottoman Turks had a policy of not taxing those who converted to Islam. That story came from a man who has not embraced any organized religion, so who knows? I thought better than to ask any of the fervent Muslims I encountered here, as to such matters.
Here are some of this evening’s scenes.
Evening at the Edge of Old TownMinarets light the night. Harina lights our hearts.The Central Circle of Old TownBascarsija Mosque. Here worshipers were still very active, at 9 p.m.
Some streets were bustling; some were quiet. All were safe.
Old Town streets (above and below)A quiet alleyContrasting spiresA Mosque courtyard. The Imam only said “no worshipers!”. The empty courtyard was okay to photograph.
Old Sarajevo is filled with beauty-and that includes the lilting voice of the lady of the house, at Guesthouse Yildiz, as she offers her prayers in morning and afternoon. That includes the rug merchants, the shoppers haggling with the vendors, the children squealing with delight at their taste of ” Authentic Turkish Ice Cream”, and it includes people like Harina, who love what they do. Old Sarajevo was the perfect salve for the heart that was broken by what was shared in Srebrenica.
October 5, 2025, Sarajevo- The bus driver had a long face, as we all boarded his vehicle, in Split. I don’t think the man’s demeanour changed much, even after he had a sit-down meal at a nice roadside restaurant. The weather was equally gloomy, but I felt a comfort that transcended both the driver and the skies.
We went down the coastal highway, very close to tourist haven Dubrovnik, and then turned inland towards Mostar and Sarajevo. Here is a view of the Adriatic from Jesenice, the first major town south of Split.
View from cliffs near Omis, Dalmatia
At Brela, the wonders shifted to the mountains above the southern Dalmatian coast.
Limestone mountains above Brela, CroatiaHeading inland, near Ljubuski (Lee-oo-boo-skee)These lakes are near the well-known Kravica (Kra-VEET-sa) waterfall .
Passing through Mostar, a worthy stop in its own right (for me, maybe on a future Mediterranean visit), the weather was really getting nasty, but the mountains are always stunning.
Prenj Range (Pren-yeh), outside MostarNeretva River, near Donja Jablanica (Donya Yablanitsa), Hercegovina. It was near here that we stopped and the driver had his lunch. I opted to wait until Sarajevo. Below, are the rotating barbecue wheels at Lamb House.Old-style roasting spits, Lamb house, Donja Jablonica
About an hour later, we were in Sarajevo. I caught a taxi in short order, and that driver, from Libya, was determined to find Guesthouse Yildiz. He was very close, but it took asking around the immediate Old Town neighbourhood to get the exact spot. Now, he has another hard-to-find address on his phone.
I found a gem of a place, with a dear young couple from Turkiye, the owners. (Since we’re on a pronunciation binge- it’s Tur-kee-yuh). Here is how to spot Guesthouse Yildiz, on a short alley way off Old Town Sarajevo’s main road.
Guest House Yildiz, Old Town Sarajevo
Here is the junction of Yildiz’s street, with the main road through Old Town.
Intersection near Guesthouse Yildiz
I was in a comfortable place for the evening, and after a well-prepared dinner of Chicken Stir Fry and rice, settled in to get ready for tomorrow’s visit to Srebrenica.
October 4, 2025, Split, Croatia- Boris met me at the designated spot, which I found only by happenstance. This was another of those “We can’t help you because you have no Internet connection” catch-22s that Spectrum/Safari plays with abandon. (They are the ones denying Internet service, btw). I went to Pazar 1’s gate and waited just a bit-and there he was, telling me that I looked more like a Croatian local than he would have imagined. That felt good.
Pazar 1, Split
Our game plan was a full one: We walked through Pazar (the city market since Ottoman times, or longer.) The south and east areas of Diocletian’s Palace were next on the agenda. Diocletian was a native of this area, an Illyrian, born and raised in Salona, over the mountain, from what is now Split. He rose through the ranks of the Roman Army and became co-Emperor, at first along with Maximian in 286 AD/CE. This started the process of the Empire being divided into East and West. Diocletian built his palace at Spalatum, claiming the East for himself. Although he was an autocrat, Diocletian went along with Maximius’ plan to further divide the Empire, this time into four units, with Galerius and Constantius as junior co-Emperors. This arrangement actually helped the Romans defeat Persia, in 200, with the sacking of the Persian capital, Ctesiphon.
Diocletian carried out a bloody, but unsuccessful campaign to eradicate Christianity in the Empire. When the campaign failed, Diocletian retired from imperial duties, in 305. Co-Emperor Constantine, son of Constantius, recognized it as the official religion of the Roman Empire in 324. He lived out his days at this palace of Spalatum, now known as Split.
Pazar 1, east gate of Diocletian’s Palace and the Church of St,, Domnius
Domnius was sent, by the Apostle Paul to Dalmatia, the region that encompasses Croatia’s coast and the immediate interior, to preach the Gospel to the Illyrian people. Despite Diocletian’s imprisonment and execution of Domnius, in 304, Dalmatia became a steadfast Catholic region, under the encouragement of Constantine. Croatia is still a largely Roman Catholic country, as is neighbouring Slovenia.
Church of St. Domnius, SplitOriginal paving stones from the time of Diocletian
Here is a more complete view of the east and south areas of Diocletian’s Palace.
South courtyard of Diocletian’s Palace, Split
Diocletian’s Palace is the only place, outside ot Rome and Gizeh, that still has sphinxes (There are two here).
One of the two Sphinxes of Diocletian’s Palace, Split
We left this part of the palace, heading toward Marjan (marYAN) Hill. To get there, we had to pass through the “Street that can fit only one at a time”. Here I am, having gotten through it.
“The street that can fit only only at a time”.
The next photo shows the melange of architectural styles that can be found in Split’s oldest neighbourhood. These are Roman, Venetian,Ottoman, and Austrian.
Four styles of architecture, in one neighbourhoodThe place to be seen in the Split of the mid-Twentieth Century.A martyr for freedom from Fascism-and a Dalmatian
Vahida Magajlic was a Croatian Muslim, who fought the puppet regime that was installed by the Nazis in Croatia. She gave her life for the freedom of Croatia-and of all Yugoslavia.
We took many steps up Marjan Hill. (Mar YAN).View from first overlook, Marjan Hill
Boris enjoys coming up here, when he needs peace and quiet.
Boris at Marjan Hill’s Botanical GardenThe Adriatic, from atop Marjan Hill
Orofessor Humbert Girometta was the man who spearheaded both this park and the promotion of hiking and wilderness training in the Split area. He was a mentor of Boris’ mentor.
Memorial to Dr. Humbert Girometta, Marjan Hill, SplitThe Adriatic, from the third vantage point on Marjan Hill, SpliJewish Cemetery of Marjan Hill. Jews have been in Dalmatia since shortly after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, by the Romans.
We next had a delectable Croatian lunch, of beef in marinade, with a side of gnocchi and beet salad. Ice cream, dipped in chocolate, at Split’s oldest ice cream parlour, followed.
Next were the northern and western sides of Diocletian’s Palace
The exterior of the north side of Diocletian’s PalaceArchway, north side of Diocletian’s PalaceEntrance to North CourtyardAgain, three styles of architecture in one building.The grand north courtyard, Diocletian’s Palace
Here is the most astonishing view: The vestibule of Diocletian’s Palace, which once led to his living quarters.
Vestibule, Diocletian’s PalaceUnderneath the palace
We closed out this extraordinary day with a visit to Split’s Athletes’ Walk of Fame. Many of Croatia’s stellar athletes came from Split.
Toni Kukoc, “The Croatian Sensation” of NBA fameGoran Ivanesevic, a great tennis player
With a few more views of the Walk of fame, I bid farewell to my friend, Boris and headed back towards Hotel Pax, and a restful night, before the next leg of the journey: Bosnia and Hercegovina. Split will long shine in my heart.
September 27, 2025, Berlin- Today was a momentous day, for both me and for Berlin itself. After breakfast at St. Christopher’s, I headed over to Berlin TV Tower. From the observation deck, on the 21st floor, I had a panoramic view of about half of Brandenburg. The great city never should have been divided, but since it was, there are remnants of the Wall barely visible from this vantage point. Brandenburg Gate is also discernible, to say nothing of the prominent buildings, like Berlin Cathedral (I saw the exterior), St. Nikolai Kirke (also could only view outside) and the Bundestag (off-limits, for the reason I will mention in a bit).
Once down from the tower, I headed to Berlin’s oldest neighbourhood, Nikolai Platz. I spotted the original spelling of the name of some extended family members, attached to the name of a museum, in what is described as Berlin’s oldest standing house, built between 1759-1761. Knoblauchhaus, the creation of Johann Kristian Knoblauch, a merchant of hooks and sockets, and of his builder sons, Carl and Christian. The family business continued, and thrived, under Carl’s watchful eyes. He became friends with several other prominent Berliners, including the brothers Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt, whose surname graces the city’s prominent university.
View of Berlin TV Tower, from St. Christopher’s InnView of Old Berlin, from Observation Deck, Berlin TV TowerView of River Spree, from Observation Deck, Berlin TV Tower
I was able to spend time in Marienkerke(St. Mary’s Church), as the planned demonstrations had not begun to form.
Marienkirche (St, Mary’s Church), BerlinInterior of Marienkerke, Berlin (above and below)Statue of Martin Luther, near St. Mary’s ChurchRotes Rathaus (Berlin City Hall), about a block south of MarienkerkeSt. Nicholas’ Church, in Nikolaiplatz (Oldest Berlin neighbourhood). You can barely see the guard at the door to St. Nikolai’s. He was there to turn away visitors.
I could not enter St. Nikolaikerke. I was able to visit Museum Knoblauchhaus. I got a lot of insight into one of Berlin’s oldest families, who were merchants, builders and patrons of art and science. They knew the brothers Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt, for whom Berlin’s great university is named. (Carl Heinrich) Eduard Knoblauch was an eminent builder in Berlin, in the mid-19th Century, designing and initiating the building of Berlin Synagogue, along with dozens of family homes.
One of the branches of my extended family has a variation of the name, Knoblauch.
Museum Knoblauchaus (Oldest house still standing in Berlin)
I also could not enter the great cathedral, nor could I visit the greater portion of the Museum of German History, because of this: 50,000 people, give or take, were taking part in the largest protest march I have ever witnessed.
Berlin speaks out
The focus was on Gaza and the ongoing military operation there. Yes, I stayed on the sidelines and minded my business. Besides,the Berlin police were there, peacefully, in force. It remained a peaceful event, from all accounts, but I focused on making my way back to the hostel, after an insightful two hours at two special exhibits of the Museum of German History.
Berlin Cathedral, on River Spree
The first exhibit pondered the question, “What if things had turned out differently, in the decades leading up to and during, World War II? ” It presented the causes of the Fascist takeover, and the various events that occurred under Hitler, as well as the long aftermath, up to German reunification. It asked several questions: “Suppose someone other than von Hindenburg had led Germany after the Versailles Treaty was signed? ” “What if Hitler HAD been assassinated?” “What if Patton HAD gone all the way to Moscow?” “What if there had been no policy of Ostpolitik, in the 1970s and early ’80s?”
The second exhibit showed various aspects of the Nazi occupation in Europe, with a particular focus on Poland, the former Czechoslovakia and France. There was no sugar-coating of what was done, so this exhibit made for a tough, but well-crated, prelude to my coming visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Back at St.Christopher’s, there was little talk of the march downtown. The focus was all on soccer and rugby finals. I enclosed myself in my own world, and focused on this blog-and on my e-mails. Those were enough, after a momentous day.
September 26, 2025, Berlin- “Well now, that is certainly a rude awakening”, the burly leader of a group of German tourists huffed, as the news came over the loudspeaker that one of the cars on our train to Hamburg, from Kolding, DK, had broken down and that those of us (including me) who were scheduled to be on that train would now either have to ride in Standage or wait for a replacement car. He gathered the group, and held a brief consultation, while looking at me. A minute later, he told me that, as one of their group had dropped out of the trip, there was a seat in their cabin, and I was welcome to take it.
It turned out to be a most pleasant two hours. I even was offered, and accepted the no-show’s sandwich, which had been purchased, freshly made, from a delicatessen in the Aarhus area, earlier in the morning. Chicken salad with bacon is a favourite in Denmark and Germany. It was divine.
The day had started with my walking the .9 mile from Roberta’s Society Hostel to Aarhus Train Station. The challenge came onboard, when I had to remember how to call up the Rail Planner application on my phone, which contained my actual ticket to Berlin, with the seat reservations only supplementary. The conductor, at one point, wanted to see a QR code on the RP page, but was overruled by her supervisor, who saw that as a waste of time. Good thing, as Rail Planner doesn’t provide QR Codes for its Rail Pass system.
With that behind me, one of my seat mates on the first leg (Aarhus to Kolding) opined that she had never heard of a QR code for a train ticket. She was Gen Z, so that pretty much settled the matter. Kids can pretty much do any transaction on a phone that can be done.
Once in Hamburg, I bid farewell to the German tour group and settled in for a smooth, non-eventful final leg to Berlin Hauptbanhof (Central Station). It took my usual fussing at Spectrum’s stingy Internet service (non-existent outside North America) and scrambling to find a shop or cafe whose WiFi I could use to get directions to St. Christopher’s Hostel from Central Station, over a period of thirty-five minutes, before I settled on the S-bahn (Streetcars). I ended up at Alexanderplatz, where a Tourist Office worker gave me directions for walking the rest of the way. I found the hostel, which has a bar and grill attached, in short order (no pun intended, especially as John Belushi would have either groaned or thrown something at me). St,. Christopher’s and Belushi’s are teamed up in various cities around Europe. Chain hostels, including Generator (my Copenhagen digs), are quite the rage.
The Berlin hostel is in an old building, so it has its challenges, but I like the vibe here. The Rugby championships and various soccer matches are on the TV screens, so it wouldn’t be a dull 1 1/2 days, even if I opted to sit in the hostel all day. That is not happening. I will be out and about, exploring Berlin’s oldest neighbourhood and possibly seeking out remnants of the Berlin Wall-a reminder of what happens to attempts to separate people on artificial grounds.
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A Sagittarian Seeker 