Monday's Lessons In Patience

Monday morning we were awoken at about 4am by some very noisy and persistent birds. Sleep was a bit disruptive until about 6.30, when the alarm went off. From then on it was easy to sleep a bit more probably because of the earlier disruption. The Alleehaus has a great breakfast and good, well needed, coffee. After breakfast we wandered up to the information center and then to the post office for post card stamps. From there we wandered through the market and finally bought some apples and very juicy oranges.

After stopping for another coffee, au fresco on the Munsterplatz, we decided to take the cable car up Schauinsland to the top. The true source of patience was that on the way up the car stopped about 3/4 of the way up for about 15 minutes. I was so proud that Steph dealt with the time suspended up on the line so very well. Up at the top we wandered up toward the tower, which I climbed and Steph made a wise decision not to do. It wasn't overly high up there, but there were shadowy areas that still had little bits of snow trying to hang on, as well as on the higher peaks. We had a great walk up there, especially the time following the young boy with the intense crocodile tears. It was truly surprising that he was able to keep it up so continuously without taking deeper breaths. The hope was to go back to the restaurant at the cable car facility at the top, but it was undergoing intensive renovations and thus we were unable to have anything there. It was hoped that we could enjoy a drink while overlooking the western valley in front of us - too bad, so sad. On the way down the car stopped again, this time for only 5 minutes or so, but it just seemed par for the course Monday.

Upon coming back from Ruf's bakery, such a great place to be based on where the hotel is.   We looked at scarves for Steph again, picked up a wee nipper of scotch and then went to dinner at Martinsbrau, which is more varied in beer choices. We enjoyed sitting au fresco for dinner and some nice dark and light weizen biers. After dinner the next step was to go for a long walk up to the small botanical garden and then along the shoulder of the Black Forest without climbing into the higher reaches of it.