Ruth’s Diary

July 22, Saturday, from Heidelberg to Maulbronn. We got up at 6 — had breakfast, packed the bikes & left about 8:15. We are now entering Schwarzwald – I couldn’t see a great deal of difference in scenery only it is more hilly. (Wonderful view from Heidelberg castle. The music in the garden). We stopped this side of Bruchsal & the boys bought lunch, while us girls went along & selected a place to eat. We had an excellent lunch by the roadside – bread, cheese, & cold meat, tomatoes, plums, peaches, 2 kinds of pastry, & a sort of cheese custard pie, later in Bruchsal we bought some very good milk. The total cost was about 7 marks 7 pf. From Bruchsal into Maulbronn was one constant climb. Some stopped to go in swimming at a pool, but I went on. I got lost up what hills. I was exhausted when I got into the hostel. Then we all went swimming in a pond & I felt much better. The hostel is very crude. Our beds have straw mattresses & yet we have no blankets. We are in a small hotel – soup, potato salad, cold meat, bologna, wurst, & Rhine wine. The town is very quaint & looks quite dirty & there is an old monastery here. We stopped this morning to visit the Schloss garten at (Swatzlingen?) castle – beautiful grounds, statuary, fountains, & swans. The gardens must have been about a mile square. Roses – flowered paths, etc. a mosque as a chapel. To bed 9:45.