Tuesday 22 May - travelled by train (like a rail motor with only 2 carriages) to Baden-Baden in the Black Forest of Germany. Took about 1.5 hours and changed trains on the way at Appenweier which appeared like it was mainly a train interchange town. There were 9 platforms.

We had an hour stopover and so walked about 800 metres and found a hotel. It reminded us of an Australian country hotel. We had lunch here - the husband ( cook) and wife (bar attendant) spoke very little English but managed to order a venison goulash and alsatian noodles using hand signals and some lovely riesling.

We arrived in Baden-Baden and caught a bus to the Roman thermal baths that were built in the 1800s using the thermal springs.

At the baths you go through 17 different treatments in showers, massages, steam rooms and pools of different temperatures. Each has a specific time. It took almost 3 hours but we felt so relaxed but energised.

Map of the different treatment rooms

The old Roman baths prior to 1800s.

Baden- Baden streets reminded us of a Noosa'sHastings Street, Toorak or South Yarra but on a much larger scale - lots of designer shops and antique shops. It is the city where royalty and the rich from Europe go for holidays.

Buses travel through the mall in the city centre.

On the way back to Strasbourg we had a stopover of 45 minutes at Karlsruhe.

The station was across the road from the zoo.

pink flamingos