Hello, Good Morning: on the Philosophers' Way

Heidelberg, Germany

"Guten Morgen” rang out from one of the three older ladies who passed me by on an early morning walk on the Philosopher's Way. I can vividly remember feeling how friendly everyone was. This was the Germany I knew from years past.

For more than 250 years, Heidelberg's philosophers and university teachers have walked and talked along the "Philosophenweg" (Philosopher's Walk,) inspired by a beautiful view of Heidelberg.

The weather was cold, not yet freezing, but with a bite in the air. The previous evening a light rain fell, leaving walkways and steps still wet. It’s hard to imagine, that less than 48 hours before this I was in 100F heat in the desert near Phoenix; I hadn’t seen rain in months.

I had left my hotel in the Altstadt early in the morning, intending to get a view of the old city from a distance, to get a sense of how the Altstadt was laid out. What I found was more than a view that I sought, but also a feeling of warmth from the people I passed on the way. It was a memorable way to begin my trip to Germany.

I began the walk by following the Neckar River, on the northern bank, after crossing the Alte Brücke following the road until I got to main streets of Neuenheim. From there, I followed the street signs and my map to the beginning of the Philosophenweg (Philosopher's Way).

The path follows through a residential area, while climbing the side of the mountain. After a short distance, you leave the residential area and the path takes on a more park-like atmosphere.

The greeting I received stayed with me the rest of the day; I felt a sense of friendliness in it and couldn’t help but believe I would not have received such a greeting back in Arizona.