Today I took a trip to Germany. I thought a visit to the grand Baroque town of Baden Baden would be a change of gear from the cuteness of yesterday’s wine villages of Alsace. I know Germany also has cute villages but Baden Baden is renowned as a spa town and I thought I might take to the waters and get nude with the Germans! 

So off I went on the train,  having to change trains as we hit Germany. I was then squashed like a German sardine with the holiday campers. Oma and Opa and all the kiddies were taking all the seats. The parents must be working.  The little German princes took most of the seats and their rather large Omas and Opas took the rest. I had to stand squashed with the left overs as they sang and chatted all the way to Baden Baden.  

 

   Not a great start. Then I had to get the bus and once again super crowded and standing for 15 mins. My poor feet were already tired. I had to recover in  the nearest cafe with coffee. 

Headed straight to the mountain look out and fortunately had done my internet homework as the tourist office was not to be found. I knew which bus and about the combined bus and funicular ticket –  even the bus driver had to make a call to find out how much it was. But Trip Advisor had me all informed and it was a smooth trip to the funicular and up the top of the mountain. The views were magnificent. 

  
    
 A dear little Oma took my photo after snapping about 106 of her little prince. She was very sweet though and offered when she saw me standing looking out.  Up the mountain there was sun baking and hiking ( with sticks of course). I chose looking. 

After returning back to Centre Ville I went to the day spa. There are 3. I toyed with the idea and went in and collected the brochure. It all looked very smart. Modern and very blue and white. But it was a mixed day all nude, and I wasn’t sure I could cope with all those German bodies male as well as the females  ( or if they could cope with me) I decided I’d be too lonely on my own and went and had a nice lunch nearby and watched people coming and going from the spa. For 40€ I could have an hour and a half moving through a series of ‘stations’ hot shower , steam, hotter shower, scrub, hot shower, plunge and so it went , through all 12 stations till the final plunge and lay in the sun. I thought it would be fascinating and certainly I wouldn’t run into anyone I knew ( no Jann Scott I know you think I always know someone). But I decided no! 

 

 
Still the lunch was delicious. And it did me for dinner as well. 

I wandered around the town and it’s beautiful parks and gardens. Went to the Casino and window shopped ( very expensive). Missed Steve…….. And went to the Faberge museum. More expensive trinkets.  

 Edit   
Then for the return! I was hoping for a seat on the bus and two trains as by now my left foot was aching! Bus -tick a seat. First train fortunately the happy campers were missing but the workers were on it.  Imagine. Hot summers day , hard workers, crowded train = BO. Though I did have a seat. Then a change of platform ( which involves a 7 min walk to another train station, in the middle of nowhere.  Well it’s hardly a station. Just 1 line,  no seats, and confusingly called 9!)  Blaring sun. Train didn’t come. I’m on the platform with an assortment of men. Tourists, bike riders, some who looked like refugees, and me! Train was 15 mins late. Uncertainty is a bonding experience as after 10 mins when our train notice had disappeared from the board most of us started to chat. I was the only English speaker. Finally limped back to the hotel for R&R by 6.15 and rested up till I went out to a concert at 8.30.  

Steve , I know you’ll be sad when you hear how good it was. A trombone concert in the Cathedral. Great program. Great sound. Great seat. Four great trombonists. Enough said. 

Had a glass of chanti at an Italian wine bar on the way home and now ready for bed. 

I have some great photos but they won’t all load. I’ll try tomorrow.