Colmar, France to Baden Baden, Deutschland (Germany)

I slept in as late as I could stand and watched the BBC world news for a while.  Just heard that the Fed took over Fannie and Freddie.  I packed and got everything in the car and then walked to the Colmar Centre Ville and walked around for a few hours.  The guy who built our Statue of Liberty, Frédéric Bartholdi, is from here as well as Voltaire, and Victor Hugo went to school here.  It’s a gorgeous town and if you didn’t know any better you’d think you were in Germany with the classic old German style and half timbered buildings.

I decided to stay another night and found the hostel but it didn’t open till 5:00 so I took a drive.  Before I knew it, I was in Germany and the Black Forest.  I have news.  The Black Forest really isn’t black.  I just wanted to dispel any rumors or misunderstandings about this you see.  Apparently it’s just very dense so it’s dark and so the locals dubbed it …

I was headed north toward Baden Baden which seemed like a good idea to me.  Sorry Colmar.  After a nice leisurely drive through the country again, I arrived and found the tourist information office and got a local map and directions to the hostel, just like I used to do in the old days.  I found the Werner-Dietz-JH Hostel at the top of a hill in the woods in an fairly affluent section of town.

You know, the Germans know how to do a hostel.  Every one I’ve stayed in Germany has been top notch.  This one is a newer modern building in a pleasant setting and the guy behind the desk was very pleasant as well.  I came to the hostel to start meeting people again, it’s been a while, and he gave me a room all to myself.  Oh well.  This room is bigger and nicer than the last two hotel rooms I stayed in and the bed is more comfortable.  For 50 euros ($75 USD), I got my own room with private bathroom, breakfast, lunch and dinner, for two nights. That’s not bad.

I went down for dinner and they had a fantastic salad bar with a good selection of veggies spread out and the mains were different types of pastas with different types of meat.  Not Italian style, it had a German flair.  I tried a little of each type and they were all yummy.

I finished up the night with writing and reading a little.

All the pictures in the below gallery are of Colmar except the Hostel and the road picture.

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