Boat Ride along the Nekar

The IBZ, the organization that runs the guest house I am staying, organized a boat trip up the Nekar River from Heildelburg. About ten of us went along and it was great fun meeting people from Australia, China, Brazil, Iceland, Romania, Germany, and the US. This was a large boat with 100 or more passengers that had a upstairs and downstairs and a restaurant where I got lunch and ein Pils.

Both Mannheim and Heidelburg are on the Nekar, Mannheim where it meets the Rhine and Heidelburg where the terrain changes from flat farmland to hilly woods. Mannheim is more industrial and Heidelburg is quite lovely, smaller and more touristy. They are about 30 minutes apart by train. We took the train upriver to Heidelburg and then the boat a little ways further up river.

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This is the typical view from the boat.We went through two locks.
This is an ancient castle (schloss) along the way. The older one just "next door"is from the 12th century.There was some sort of rowing regata going on just down stream from where we embarked.
This is the magnificent Heidelburg Schloss. I will return and take pictures from within.

All of us in the group will exchange photos. Others took pictures of the members of the group. When I get these, I will post their pictures.