Tubingen

My friend Marcus Engel has a cottage about 30 kilometres south of Stuttgart and near his place their is a university town called Tubingen. I like these kinds of places so he and I and Monika drove out to look around on Monday afternoon. We started at the Schloss Hohentubigen which is the Württemberg dukes' Renaissance successor to an eleventh-century castle, as the 1604 triumphal arch with their coat of arms at the entrance attests. A couple of viewpoints on the outer perimeter offer fine views over the red-roofed Altstadt, while inside much of the Schloss houses university departments.

Small steps, narrow alleys and pointed gables shape the silhouette of old Tübingen on the way up to the castle. We drive up and walked down to the city. Marcus graciously went back to get the car at the end of our tour.

The Swabian university town of 87,000 inhabitants and 22,000 students combines the flair of a lovingly restored medieval centre of town with the colorful bustle and typical atmosphere of a young and cosmopolitan students' town.

Even though it was a holiday you could tell there were numerous sidewalk cafes, wine taverns and cozy students' pubs, special shops, restaurants and taverns invite visitors to stroll around and to pause here and there. Taking a boat trip in a famous "Stocherkahn" – the boat exclusive to Tübingen navigated by a long wooden pole – offers a scenic view of the picturesque Neckar waterfront with the famous Hölderlin Tower. This is yet another place I could come back to when time allows. 


Life is good  ... enjoy


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