Baden Baden Spa Spa

Well, if I wasn't relaxed before, I will be now that I am in Baden Baden. The question is whether to go to the naked spa or the one where you wear swimsuits? Now, I understand that "when in Rome, do as the Romans" but I think it will take more than that saying to convince me to give up deep seeded near paralyzingly modesty for the sake of acting like a local. So, it's to the swimsuit spa. It's newer and bigger anyway.

Life Without Wifi

What in the world did we do before wifi?! It's been 24 hrs without it and I couldn't last another minute. Since my last post I have traveled from Bruges to Bacharach, Germany, and am now in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the Franconia (aka Bavaria) region of Germany.

Bacharach was a sleepy and charming (and small) Town along the Rhine. I enjoyed my two nights stay (with a balcony). Of course, I did the obligatory Rhine cruise. The area is known for it's many castles along this well used river and it's white wine. The vineyards are locally clinging to the sides of the mountains as are the castles!

Vineyards along the Rhine river.

Rheinfels Castle, St. Goar.

Me, on my Rhine cruise.

Stahleck Castle in Bacharach.

Getting to Rotenburg was challenging. Four transfers with five trains! I missed the first one because it never came (BTW it was 0705 in the morning!). Who said German trains were reliable? After a bit of panic and help from a nice station attendant who barely spoke English I managed to catch a train 30 minutes later with different connections. Now that threw me in all kinds of a dilemma because I only had one itinerary and you need to know which train to catch at each station. I mean the trains are identified by their final destinations and departure times not by the stops in between (where you may want to get off). But I actually caught up to my itinerary three trains later thanks to a delayed train from Frankfurt station. 

My hotel in Rothenburg.

A real Iron Maiden!

Shame mask for quarrelsome women
(Not my description!).

Entertaining Nightwatchmen Tour,

 

House between two gates.

Neck violin for quarrelsome people.

Touring Bruges

Today was busy with a city bus tour followed by a short but wet (rain) canal cruise. The town is compact and very busy on an August summer day. There is a festival going on in Bruges this week and the church bells outside my hotel have been ringing now for more than 5 minutes. Not sure what that's about as it is 6:45 in the evening. Must have something to do with it being Sunday. . .

Had a nice chat with friends at lunch time. Ah, the wonders of FaceTime. . . It really helps to boost the spirit!

A moment of sunshine on a day of intermittent rain and shine.

Fidel - the most photographed dog in Bruges!

In Bruges

First day in Brugges, Belgium. My hotel and some quaint pics of the city.

My hotel.

The canal on a sunny Saturday morning.

View from my hotel window.

Museum Day

So, the Anne Frank House was a bust today. I went twice but the line was still more than two blocks long. The Museumkaart did not work. Still had to have a reservation. However, the Van Gogh and Rijks museums were great! I felt like I surely walked at least 10 miles today. At least that is what my feet are telling me! Here are a few of the better pictures from Museum Day in Amsterdam.