Christmas is normally a time for family gatherings, but to those miles away from home like my friend and myself, Christmas is just another holiday. We spent the time in Heidelberg, a small city with plenty of medieval flair. I have heard of Heidelberg a long time ago. To those of us in the field, it’s famous for its biomedical research; and whenever there’s someone from Heidelberg presenting a seminar, one will get a chance to see the same picturesque view of the city. Now I can finally see the real thing for myself! We spent the first day (24 December) strolling along the Main Street of the Old Town and making ad-lib forays into the many adjoining laneways. It was so relaxing without the massive crowd of tourists; we could have a good look at the churches and medieval buildings, and take as many photos as we liked. Reaching the end of the street, we ventured uphill to the Heidelberg Castle, to enjoy the view of the city and walk through the many buildings of the castle. The castle act