Ahh Baden-Baden. I cannot believe Rob and Dave had kept this place hidden from me for so long. I’ve been to Germany 6 times and this is the first time I’ve been to Baden-Baden. This great city, which translates to Bath-Bath, is home to some great European thermal spas and a James Bond-esque casino.
We stayed in a beautiful hotel in the heart of this incredible town. The streets actually have red carpet throughout and the architecture is magnificent. It’s where the wealthy Germans and Europeans go to unwind.
Our first night we celebrated Rob’s birthday at a great little restaurant. We all got dressed up and after dinner ventured over to the casino. You need your passport at the casino and you have to register and become a member (membership is free) and you get a membership card (I love that mine says “Frauleine Erika”). The floors have deep red carpets throughout and the noise level is hushed. The walls and ceiling have gilded chandeliers and ornate decorations. You get the feeling that the high rollers are making bets along the lines of “I see your Google and I raise you Microsoft.” Dave and I found a room that didn’t have any games, it only had a long ornate couch at the end of the rooms with curtains on both sides. Above the couch hung a portrait of Marie Antoinette, whom with I seem to have much in common. Dave and I decided that was the room in which we would hold court, and Rob and Diana could approach us, only after asking for permission. Dave and I both believe we were born in the wrong era. And in the wrong class.
Our first night we celebrated Rob’s birthday at a great little restaurant. We all got dressed up and after dinner ventured over to the casino. You need your passport at the casino and you have to register and become a member (membership is free) and you get a membership card (I love that mine says “Frauleine Erika”). The floors have deep red carpets throughout and the noise level is hushed. The walls and ceiling have gilded chandeliers and ornate decorations. You get the feeling that the high rollers are making bets along the lines of “I see your Google and I raise you Microsoft.” Dave and I found a room that didn’t have any games, it only had a long ornate couch at the end of the rooms with curtains on both sides. Above the couch hung a portrait of Marie Antoinette, whom with I seem to have much in common. Dave and I decided that was the room in which we would hold court, and Rob and Diana could approach us, only after asking for permission. Dave and I both believe we were born in the wrong era. And in the wrong class.
The next morning I woke up early and went to Friedrichsbad, the full on thermal spa. This spa is nothing short of grand. It is an enormous facility, tiled and ornate. It was an incredible experience. It starts by disrobing (yup, all the way) and going into the shower room. After you shower you move through a series of dry saunas. Each room indicates how long you should stay (usually between 10-15 minutes) and each room gets hotter and hotter. The third of the saunas is a wet sauna, with steam and water dripping from the rocks. After you’re fully sweated out, you head to the first pool. The water is warm and full of minerals. It felt like silk. I think I spent double the time just floating around in this pool. I then moved through the rest of the pools, each getting a little cooler and refreshing. The final pool is a “quick dip” and as I stepped in, I got no further than my toes, when the icy temperature told me I was absolutely not submerging myself in that water. No way, no how. In between the pools and saunas, there are messages and showers. In the final room, you are wrapped snuggly, like a cocoon, and you nap for about 30 minutes. The room is shaded, not totally dark (that would be creepy), and has a very quiet meditation soundtrack on. I was out like a kitten. When I was done, I went out to the main area, still mind you, in nothing but my birthday suit, and the German woman running the show insisted I go through it again. The place was empty, so I didn’t mind, and through it all I went again!
It was a great experience, and I’m admittedly glad I was the only one there. I’m not that comfortable being nakey in front of a bunch of strangers, but I figured I’d regret it if I didn’t try it.
It was a great experience, and I’m admittedly glad I was the only one there. I’m not that comfortable being nakey in front of a bunch of strangers, but I figured I’d regret it if I didn’t try it.