Germany Part 1

They had massage chairs in the airport. For two euros you can get massaged for five minutes. We tested the massage chairs out and determined all airports need these. 

I am sad that I didn't get a picture of Andrew and his rental car.  There wasn't anything special about it but I have taken a picture with all our rental cars b/c there's usually a lot that happens within them especially when driving around Europe. The first year we almost got divorced b/c there was no Garmin and international data plans and I didn't know I was going to be the navigator.  I am not a navigator. I suck at right and left let alone what direction the cities are on their highway signs. I haven't even heard of majority of the cities on their highway signs so when they don't post the cardinal direction of the highway exit it makes it even more difficult. The second time we ended up driving through a farmers field in Italy unsure whether we'd make it out alive. This time there wasn't much exciting about the car ride except or that I can remember except that the car rental reservation I had made was for an airport an hour and a half way.  Thankfully the car rental worker helped us with minimal increase in cost.

An hour an a half after getting our car we arrived at the castle outside of Heidelberg.  The castle dates back to around the 15th century.

The castle overlooked the river and a lock and dam. It was a sad lock and dam compared to Lock and Dam 19.

My favorite breakfast. I don't eat Nutella at home but a hard roll and Nutella makes my heart sing with happiness.

The purpose of the trip was to celebrate Kent Herron's 75th birthday.  He's influenced so many people during his life and it's an honor and a privilege to be able to celebrate with him.  It is also great to meet and catch up with other people who he has influenced over the years.  Thomas and Petra organized the trip at the castle as they live about 20 minutes away in a small village.  They organized a dinner for everyone Wednesday night and told us all to meet on the castle terrace at 10:30 the next morning.  No one really thought much of being told to be somewhere at a specific time so minimal questions were asked.  We pondered in our small tables what we might be doing and some predicted hiking or learning about the area but no one predicted a wedding.  We were eating breakfast on the terrace when Andrew spotted Petra dressed in an "old fashioned dress".  They had planned to get married at 11:00am in the castle chapel area.  Everyone was so overwhelmed with emotion.  What an amazing surprise and another great event to celebrate.

They had a reception after the ceremony.  The ceremony was in German but it didn't make it any less special to be apart of.  There were so many people crammed in every nook of the room.  

They had invited their friends and family as well.  During the reception their friends provided an opportunity to send good wishes to them.  They had two vases. Each vase had water from the village they were from and red and pink rose petals. Everyone was encouraged to step forward and provide well wishes and then put a red petal in Peta's vase and a pink petal in Thomas' vase and when everyone was finished they combined the two vases of water and petals into one large vase.

After the reception, Andrew and I trekked up the castle's tower stairs to the top and admired the view.