Baden Baden and Cologne

It was a perfect autumn weekend in Deutschland this past weekend. Temps. In the low 70's in the afternoon with warm sunshine and foggy chilly mornings in the 40's. A colleague and I made lofty goals. Saturday to Baden Baden and a hike in the Black Forest, which is a couple of hours drive each way. Return to home base for the night and off to Cologne on Sunday, which is about 3 hour drive each way.

It is a work hard/travel hard type of existence.

Baden Baden means bath bath. It is a charming spa town up in the mountains, surrounded by, what else, other than gorgeous WOODS. I have not been in area in Germany where there is NOT gorgeous woods.

The spa has been around for many years, how many, I am not sure,but old enough for Mark Twain to have visited along with many of the rich and famous types including Presidents and writers and Hollywood types. The day I was there it was full of just regular interesting people who spoke English, German, Italian, Japanese and French. Downstairs were whirlpools, jacuzzis, swimming pools, saunas, sunrooms, etc. and upstairs were even more saunas, dry, wet, steamy, calming rooms and you could even go outside for more sauna cabins. There were also all types of bodies to go along with those languages. There were young, buffed and beautiful bodies, old and saggy, young and saggy ... I could go on and on... It was amazing and afterward I felt so relaxed and thirsty!

I slept well Saturday night.

We also hiked in the Black Forest which begins in the area of Baden Baden. It is the Black Forest because the trees are so thick, the sun can't really get through. It is eerie but also magnificent. The Black Forest is the home of the cuckoo clocks. I have no desire for a cuckoo clock but I am not opposed to purchasing one if someone expresses an interest.

Cologne had fantastic art museums, a great train station, tons of cafes, a Lindt Chocolate Factory, lots of shopping, the promenade along the Rhine River with barges and passenger boats cruising along. The crowning glory was the twin spired cathedral which is the LARGEST in Germany. I have now been to the oldest and the largest cathedrals in Germany. When we walked in a Mass was being celebrated, and it was so magnificent it brought tears to my eyes.

There were lots of people out enjoying the mild sunny weather. Oh, and the popular drink is bier called Kroln with one of those funny things over the 'o'.
They are served skinny six ounce glasses and they were DELOSH, or DELUSH!

enough for now. Enjoy the photos.