77702 gemut 2009-10-11 · intermission and resume in the evening, concluding about 10:30pm....

DEAR

SUBSCRIBER GEMüTLICHKEITThe Travel Letter for Germany, Austria, Switzerland & the New Europe

www.gemut.com October/November 2009

BADEN-BADEN

Exchange rates as of 10/10/09

1 euro = $1.47

1 Swiss franc = $0.97

1 gallon diesel, Germany=$6.02

Continued on page 6…



B

by Margie Gibson

Passion Play Tickets

by Sharon Hudgins

I

Remembering Berlin

Part of the lure of Europe’sgreat cities is their constancy. Theydon’t change much. Except for nor-mal maintenance, the major attrac-tions of Rome, Paris, Venice, Pra-gue and Vienna are much as theywere a century ago; the Eiffel tow-er, the fountains of Rome, PiazzaSan Marco, the Charles Bridge, themusic of Vienna, and so on.

But not Berlin. Consider for amoment the physical and politicalchanges over the last 100 years. Inthe 20s and 30s, as a glamorouscenter of culture and high living, itattracted some of the most famousnames of the century: Einstein,Gropius, the Vladimirs Nabokovand Horowitz, Dietrich, Brecht,Weill, Stravinsky, Billy Wilder, PaulKlee, Sol Hurok, Otto Klemperer,and, of course, Adolf Hitler andJoseph Goebbels. Then came warand near total destruction, followedimmediately by the stagnation andisolation of four-plus decades ofcommunist rule. Amazing changesin an amazingly short period oftime. But more were to come. Amere 20 years ago this November,the Berlin Wall, a desperate projectdesigned to keep East Germany’smost valuable human resourcesfrom migrating to the West, crum-bled. The breach was seen by mil-lions around the world on TV, amedium that undoubtedly contrib-uted to its demise.

Having ventured behind it sev-eral times into East Berlin and EastGermany during the 80s, the almostunbelievable pictures of that fear-some Wall being tamed by the verypeople it separated, stirred bothemotion and memory.

Nearly as fascinating to watchas that historic scene, has been theBerlin of the last 20 years. The once-isolated West Berlin and the drab,

n Bavaria, home of the annualworld-famous Oktoberfest,preparations are well under

way for a less raucous tradition that,except for rare exceptions, occursjust once a decade. In 2010, the

OberammergauPassion Play, first

performed in 1634 in the smallmountain town an hour’s drivesouth of Munich, will once moredraw visitors from around theworld. They will see an unforgetta-ble production rooted in a southernGerman tradition of bringing thestory of Christ’s crucifixion to thestage. Tickets are already on saleand advance planning is critical tosnagging a coveted ticket to a per-formance.

The 2010 Passion Play premiersMay 15. It will be performed five

days each week until October 3, atotal of 102 performances. For thefirst time in the play’s history, per-formances will begin in the after-noon, break for a three-hour dinnerintermission and resume in theevening, concluding about 10:30pm.Visitors attend performances in the4,700-seat, open-air theater built in1929, which has been outfitted witha roof to protect audiences duringthe frequent summer rains. Al-though viewers will remain dry,temperatures could be chilly. Evenif the sky is clear, evenings oftenrequire a sweater, so be sure topack warm clothing (including

aden-Baden: Even its doublename evokes a sense of ex-cess, a whiff of high-rolling

royalty and upstart nouveau richerisking fortunes atthe roulette wheel

or the race track, while their wivesand paramours gossip in gilded sa-lons or parade the boulevards in thelatest designer dresses.

Welcome to one of the world’smost-fashionable spas, historic play-ground of the rich and famous, fromEuropean royalty to Middle Easternpotentates, from wealthy industrial-ists to glamorous movie stars. Al-though its population includes thehighest percentage of millionaires inany German city, it isn’t necessary to

be one to enjoy the attractions ofthis elegant resort, once known as“the summer capital of Europe.”

The Romans were the first for-eigners to appreciate its potential.Attracted by the strategic positionbetween the Black Forest and theRhine River, as well as the mildclimate and the hot waters fromnearby springs, the Romans estab-lished a permanent settlement herearound 70 A.D. Later it was namedAquae Aureliae (Waters of Aurelius)after a 3rd-century Roman emperor;another Roman ruler, Caracalla,was said to have soothed his ar-thritic aches and pains here. Ruinsof the ancient baths built for Romansoldiers can still be seen near the

The famous spa continues to attract the world’s richest and noblest tourists. SharonHudgins’ report describes how mere mortals can also afford its healing waters.

Gemütlichkeit 2 October/November 2009

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decaying East Berlin, joined to un-dertake a gargantuan civic overhaulthat secured the city’s place onceagain among the great Europeancapitols. Though most of us areaware of the many extraordinarynew buildings, imagine problemspresented by more mundane unityissues, such as linking phone, sewer,and underground and surface trans-portation systems that had beenseparate for decades. In his book,Berlin Journal, 1989-90, Robert Darn-ton says the Wall so sealed off WestBerlin that rabies disappeared fromthe city. Rabid foxes carrying thedisease couldn’t get in. But within afew months of the Wall’s demise,dead, rabid foxes were turning up inWest Berlin and all dogs, east andwest, had to be inoculated.

Now in November Berlin willobserve, with typical style, creativity,and thoroughness, the fall of the Mau-er. The official date is November 9.

Unfortunately, I won’t be therebut on that day I’ll sort through afew Berlin memories.

In the years before this newslet-ter was even a gleam in anyone’seye, and we were making annualGermany trips, West Berlin was fardown my list of places to visit. Firstwas the problem of getting there—one had to negotiate the harassingborder crossings—then there wasmy mental image of the city as a

bombed-out husk. But it was Lizwho noticed how many Germanssaid, “Have you been to Berlin yet?You must see Berlin.” So, in 1981,having read all the warnings aboutnot stopping while driving throughEast Germany, not leaving the Auto-bahn, and keeping our speed at nomore than 100 kph (62 mph), we setoff for the Helmstedt crossing point,near Braunschweig. Except for aticket (10 West German DM, payableon the spot) for failing to re-bucklemy seat belt as we left the check-point, a stare-down with a youngEast German soldier (I blinked first),and the washboard highway, thethree and a half-hour trip was un-eventful. As we rolled slowly alongthe road toward Berlin, we glimpsedrotting villages and ancient, horse-drawn farm implements. We hadbooked a double room for about $40at the Hotel Am Zoo (currently $148to $414), close to the Europa Center,Ka De We, Zoo Station, and, ofcourse, in the very heart of WestBerlin action on the broad, excitingKurfürstendamm (in my opinionstill the town’s best street).

Past Checkpoint Charlie aboarda tour bus, we made our first visit toEast Berlin. Guards boarded to checkpassports—no sunglasses— andemployed large, wheeled mirrors toexamine the vehicle’s undercarriage.Except for a visit to the PergamonMuseum, a brief look at the SovietWar Memorial, and a “refreshment”stop—warm beer and a few sorry

prepackaged snacks—we weren’tallowed off the bus. On its P.A. sys-tem, the uptight tour director main-tained a flow of useless statistics andblatant, laughable propaganda.

That night, back in the West, wedined at Fofi’s, a wonderful upscaleGreek restaurant whose owner, ac-cording to John Le Carre in The LittleDrummer Girl, “was a woman ofcosmopolitan wisdom.” A sense ofthe restaurant’s character can begleaned from this 1987 New YorkTimes excerpt on Berlin nightlife:

“Not long ago, at one of the mostfashionable restaurants, called Fofi’s,a small man in overalls came in,seated himself at the bar, placed aclown-style red bulb on his nose,then set up a rather elaborate easeland canvas and proceeded to paintthroughout the evening. No oneseemed to feel that this was anythingbut normal.”



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BADEN-BADEN


Baden-Baden Basics

Population: 54,000

Elevation: 528 feet

Visitor Information: Tourist

offices located at Schwarzwald-

strasse 52 and Kaiserallee 3 (in

the Trinkhalle), 76530 Baden-

Baden, tel. +49/7221-275-200

and 275-201, fax 275-202,

[email protected],

www.baden-baden.com

Driving distances:

Berlin 714 km/446 miles

Hamburg 663 km/414 miles

Frankfurt 182 km/114 miles

Freiburg 115 km/72 miles

Munich 320 km/200 miles

Nürnberg 288 km/180 miles

Stuttgart 113 km/74 miles

Vienna 768 km/460 miles

Zürich 235 km/147 miles

Nearest airports: Frankfurt

(187 km/117 miles), Stuttgart

(136 km/85 miles), Basel (166

km/104 miles), Strasbourg (72

km/45 miles). The new Baden-

Airpark (Flughafen Karlsruhe /

Baden-Baden) in Söllingen (14

km/9 miles) from Baden-Baden

has flights within Europe and to

some countries outside of Eu-

rope, but not North America

Rail service: The train station is

located in the Oos district , a few

kilometers from the city center,

accessible by bus or taxi. You

can also take public transporta-

tion directly from Karlsruhe to

Baden-Baden (20 miles).

Recommended guidebooks:

The Tourist Information office

has a helpful booklet (in German

and English), titled “Baden-

Baden,” with thumbnail descrip-

tions (and opening time) of the

major sights and activities in the

area. The tourist office also sells

several books (in German)

about specific aspects of the city

and its history. The novel, Sum-

mer in Baden-Baden (English

translation), by Leonid Tsypkin,

is a recommended fictional ac-

count of Dostoevsky’s honey-

moon there; buy it in the U.S.

city’s two large public baths.

A fast forward to the French Rev-olution in the late 1700s found scoresof aristocrats scurrying to safetyacross the Rhine and setting uphousehold in Baden (or Baths, theGerman name of the town since theMiddle Ages). Then when Francebanned gambling in the 1830s, Pari-sian casino owners moved their op-erations to Baden, adding anotherlayer of French flair and soon estab-lishing the city as the gaming centerof Europe. The French connectionlasted until after World War II, whenthe city (undamaged by war) be-came the headquarters of the occu-pying French forces in the region. Bythen, its name was Baden-Baden(meaning the city of Baden in thestate of Baden, the official designa-tion since 1931), and its luster hadalready faded.

The resort’s heyday came earlier,during the Belle Epoque of the 19thcentury; initially because of its casi-no, the oldest and largest in Germa-ny, and later for its thermal bathingtradition, revived in Baden to attracttourists after Bismarck closed thecasinos in 1872. Today one can stillluxuriate in a three-hour “Roman-Irish” regimen of progressively hot-ter and cooler pools at the massiveneo-Renaissance Friedrichsbad, apublic bathing palace of marblecolumns, painted tiles, allegoricfrescoes, and intricate mosaics,which opened in 1877. A totallynude bathing facility, the Friedrichs-bad has separate sections for menand women, with mixed bathingtwice a week.

A short walk away, the muchnewer, more modern Caracalla Spa(circa 1985), offers a more family-oriented, with-bathing-suit, experi-ence of indoor and outdoor swim-ming pools, hot- and cold-water grot-toes, whirlpools, solariums, and sau-nas. Both these large public baths alsoprovide specialized hydrotherapy,massages, cosmetic treatments, andother related services at extra cost.

Along the Oos River, the Kurvi-ertel park area features three largebuildings that have traditionallybeen the center of the city’s sociallife. At the colonnaded Trinkhalle(Pump Room, or Drinking Hall),visitors can sip the warm, sulfurous,rather foul-tasting natural mineralwater straight from a tap. (A TouristInformation Office is located here,too.) The adjacent Casino is an opu-lent gambling palace built in the1830s, with four magnificent hallsdecorated in 17th- and 18th-centuryFrench styles, plush red carpets,gilded mirrors, and enormous crys-tal chandeliers. (Guided tours in themornings; open for gambling dailyfrom 2pm until early the next morn-ing; dress code enforced.) Next dooris the neoclassical Kurhaus, which,despite its name, is not for “takingthe cure.” The building houses sev-eral elegant rooms used for publicconcerts, exhibitions, and other spe-cial events, as well as a restaurant.

From the front of the Kurhaus,walk down Lichtentaler Allee, thetree-shaded pedestrian promenadeand park extending 2.5 miles alongthe river. Several museums are locat-ed on this route, including the ArtNouveau-era Kunsthalle, whichhosts changing art exhibitions; theultramodern Museum Frieder Bur-da, with an impressive collection of20th-century art; and the Stadtmuse-um, focusing on the history ofBaden-Baden from the Roman era tothe present.

Strolling is a favorite pastime inBaden-Baden, one of Germany’s“greenest” cities with numerousparks, gardens, and wooded areas. Aspecial self-guided “Fountain Walk”leads past 52 fountains, sprays, andother water displays. Or just wanderaround the pedestrian zone down-town, past all the fashionable bou-tiques, jewelry stores, antique shops,and sidewalk cafes.

Don’t be surprised to see manysigns printed in Russian and fre-quently hear the language spoken onthe street. Russians have been com-ing to Baden-Baden since the 19thcentury, when it was a favorite



Key Websites for the Traveler

• www.gemut.com Gateway site for travel-

ers to Germanic Europe, including car rental,

rail passes, hotel bookings, travel tips, and

past issues (free access to back issues for

subscribers; see log-on info on page 2).

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• bahn.hafas.de/bin/query.exe/en Ger-

man rail website, with train schedules

throughout Europe, as well as Germany

• www.sbb.ch/index_e.htm Swiss and

European rail schedules

• www.ski-europe.com Top Web resource

for skiers with much data on Alpine resorts

• www.myswitzerland.com Website of

Switzerland’s national tourist authority

• www.germany-tourism.de Germany’s

national tourist authority

• www.austria.info/us Austria’s nation-

al tourist authority

• www.historicgermany.com Website for

an alliance of historic German cities

• www.thetravelinsider.info Info on electronics

for travelers — cell phones, computers, etc.

EDIT

OR’S

CH

OIC

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haunt of such writers as Dosto-evsky and Turgenev, as well asmembers of the Russian nobility.The beautiful Russian Church,built in the 1880s, is open daily forvisitors. And the new Fabergé Mu-seum displays Europe’s largestcollection of masterpieces fromFabergé workshops, includingRussian imperial Easter eggs.

Though the relaxed pace of life inBaden-Baden is more Mediterraneanthan Germanic, the city offers manyactivities. Music lovers flock toworld-class performances at theFestspielhaus, Europe’s second larg-est opera and concert hall. They alsoenjoy the free concerts in front of theKurhaus every afternoon at 4pm.Between May and September, bet-tors head to the horse races in thesuburb of Iffezheim. And othersporting types play golf or tennis, orhike in the nearby Black Forest.

Whatever the chosen Baden-Baden activity, you’ll always befollowing in the footsteps of thefamous who’ve taken their plea-sures here, too—from 19th-centurywriters, painters, composers, and

crowned heads of Europe, to con-temporary politicians as diverse asMikhail Gorbachev, Vladimir Pu-tin, Angela Merkel, Bill Clinton,and Barack Obama. After all, thecity’s main industry is tourism.

Baden-Baden Hotels

Such a well-known spa has plen-ty of elegant hotels catering to therich and famous—or anyone elsewho wants to spend e200 to e575per night for a double room. Thecity’s most renowned lodging is thefive-star-superior Brenner’s ParkHotel & Spa, one of Europe’s finesthotels and the preferred Baden-Baden choice for royalty, heads ofstate, and other luminaries. TheDorint Maison Messmer Baden-Baden and the Steigenberger Eu-ropäischer Hof are the city’s otherfive-star properties, followed by anumber of four-star-superior andstandard four-star hotels. Nine milesaway, high on a hill in the BlackForest, overlooking the Rhine Valley,the Schlosshotel Bühlerhöhe is astunning five-star-superior beautywith a legendary past.

But it is still possible to stay atsome very good Baden-Baden hotelswithout breaking the bank. To expe-rience the relaxing aspects of thisresort, book a hotel in the centralpart of the city, then walk to all theattractions and not worry aboutparking.

Rathausglöckel

This new four-star property in ahistoric building dating from 1632,completely renovated in 2009, issmall, intimate, and family-run.Oddly enough, the German-born owner once lived in theUnited States and is an Americancitizen. He and his Ukrainian wifeare both fluent in English and espe-cially welcoming of North Americanguests.

On a romantic narrow streetclose to the Market Square andFriedrichsbad thermal bath, theRathausglöckel is just five minutes’walk from most of Baden-Baden’smajor sights.

Each of its 16 rooms (includingfour suites) is different, decorated intasteful Old-World style, with goodquality wooden furniture and well-chosen textiles. Suites and juniorsuite have two bedrooms and twobathrooms. Because of restrictionson structural changes to historicbuildings, there is no elevator, so beprepared for steep, though richlycarpeted, stairs. The hotel’s smalllibrary, and pleasant terrace are onthe top floor, with good views overthe city.

The breakfast buffet is served inthe adjacent Restaurant Rathaus-glöckel (see restaurant reviews).Last year, when the current ownerwas having the rubble cleared out ofthe 14th century basement to build awine bar, workers discovered twoRoman granite pillars still intact andRoman-era walls that were part ofthe ancient baths, all from 300 A.D.These have been incorporated intothe wine bar’s decor.

Daily Rates: Singles e85-100, dou-bles e110-135, junior suites e130-200,loft suite e160-300, all with breakfastincluded (reduced rates for longerstays), parking e8/day.Contact: Hotel & RestaurantRathausglöckel, Steinstrasse 7 – 9,76530 Baden-Baden, tel. +49/7221-90-610, fax 90-6161,[email protected],www.rathausgloeckel.deRating: QUALITY 16/20, VALUE 16/20

Hotel am Markt

Just around the corner from theRathausglöckel, this modest littlehotel faces the Market Square andthe Stiftskirche. Each of its 25rooms (11 singles, 14 doubles) of-fers a view of the square or thecity. Housed in a building con-structed in 1716, am Markt alsohas an elevator, two lounges, a TVroom, a light-and-airy breakfastroom, a small outdoor terrace onthe square, and a pleasant holidayapartment with kitchen. All roomsare decorated in a simple, modernstyle, and most doubles have asofa, chair, table, and satellite TV.

Family-run for two generations,

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5 days in 2 months $598 $507 $3896 days in 2 months $648 $551 $4208 days in 2 months $749 $634 $48410 days in 2 months $845 $716 $54715 days in 2 months $1071 $911 $697

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1st Cl 2nd Cl 1st Cl 2nd Cl 2nd Cl4 days in 2 months $351 $307 $307 $271 $2325 days in 2 months $391 $341 $341 $301 $2586 days in 2 months $432 $377 $377 $332 $2837 days in 2 months $473 $410 $410 $360 $3138 days in 2 months $513 $448 $448 $394 $3419 days in 2 months $554 $483 $483 $426 $36610 days in 2 months $595 $519 $519 $454 $396

FRANCE-SWITZERLAND PASS1 Adult Saver* Youth1st Cl. 1st Cl 2nd Cl

4 days in 2 months $376 $319 $265Avg. Extra Rail Day (6 max.) $ 42 $35 $29GERMAN RAILPASS

1 Adult Youth Twin Pass*1st Cl. 2nd Cl. 2nd Cl. 1st Cl. 2nd Cl.

4 days in 1 month $340 $260 $216 $267 $195Avg. Extra Rail Day (6) $ 46 $31 $15 $30 $21

AUSTRIA-GERMANY PASS1 Adult Saver* Youth

1st Cl 2nd Cl 1st Cl 2nd Cl 2nd Cl5 days in 2 months $390 $332 $332 $285 $2856 days in 2 months $429 $365 $365 $315 $3158 days in 2 months $510 $433 $433 $372 $37210 days in 2 months $593 $504 $504 $433 $433

GERMANY-BENELUX PASS1 Adult Saver* Youth

1st Cl 2nd Cl 1st Cl 2nd Cl 2nd Cl5 days in 1 month $405 $305 $305 $247 $247Avg. Extra Rail Day (5 max.) $43 $33 $33 $24 $24

GERMANY-FRANCE PASS1 Adult Saver* Youth

1st Cl 2nd Cl 1st Cl 2nd Cl 2nd Cl4 days in 2 months $430 $388 $388 $350 $3015 days in 2 months $475 $428 $428 $386 $3336 days in 2 months $520 $468 $468 $418 $3668 days in 2 months $611 $550 $550 $479 $42810 days in 2 months $701 $632 $632 $550 $496GERMANY-SWITZERLAND PASS

1 Adult Saver* Youth1st Cl. 1st Cl 2nd Cl

5 days in 2 months $458 $390 $3226 days in 2 months $505 $430 $3558 days in 2 months $597 $510 $41910 days in 2 months $691 $590 $486

ITALY RAIL PASS1 Adult Saver* Youth

1st Cl 2nd Cl 1st Cl 2nd Cl 2nd Cl3 days in 2 months $244 $199 $208 $169 $161Avg Extra Rail Day $30 $24 $25 $20 $19

AUSTRIA-SWITZERLAND PASSAdults Saver* Youth1st Cl 1st Cl 2nd Cl

4 days in 2 months $366 $311 $257Avg. Extra Rail Day (6 max.) $ 41 $35 $28

SWISS SAVERPASS & SWISS PASS1 Adult Saver* Youth

1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2ndClass Class Class Class Class Class

4 consec. days $369 $247 $314 $210 $277 $1868 consec. days $534 $357 $455 $305 $401 $26815 consec. days $646 $430 $550 $366 $486 $32322 consec. days $746 $498 $634 $424 $560 $3741 month $821 $547 $698 $466 $616 $411

SWISS SAVER FLEXIPASS & SWISS FLEXIPASS2 or more Adults* 1 Adult

1st 2nd 1st 2ndClass Class Class Class

3 days in 1 month $302 $201 $354 $2364 days in 1 month $365 $244 $429 $2875 days in 1 month $423 $282 $496 $3316 days in 1 month $479 $322 $564 $377

SWISS CARD1 month - 1 round trip $242(1cl) $173(2cl)plus 50% discount on rail tickets

SWISS TRANSFER TICKET1 month - 1 round trip $183(1cl) $121(2cl)

Product # Days 1st or 2nd Class Circle one Passenger Name (First and last as on passport) Country of Residence PriceMr./Ms.

Mr./Ms.

Mr./Ms.

Mr./Ms.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Prices on this pagesubject to change. Orders over $449 shipped freevia Fedex/DSL. Canceled orders refunded 85%oftotal charge. Handling fee for cancels is $25.

Special Considerations (Specify countries for countries chosen forSelectpass, additional car and/or rail days, etc.)__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Method of Payment (Visa MC AmEx Diners)

Card #:___________________________Exp. Date_________Est. total amount: $_______

Name ________________________________________

Street________________________________________

City__________________ State____ Zip____________

Daytime Phone_____________U.S. Depart. Date_______

Order online atwww.gemut.com orphone 800-521-6722

Fax form to 541-488-8468 or mail to:288 Ridge Road, Ashland OR 97520

(*Prices per person, based on two or more traveling together atall times. **Junior & Youth fares apply only to passengers under26. Where senior fares are offered, 60 is qualifying age.Children4-11 pay half the adult fare including Saverpass fares exceptSwitzerland where kids under 16 are free with a parent.)

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT PRICES: The US dollar prices on thispage are based on the euro and are subject to change withcurrency fluctuation. Pass orders will be processed in dollars, butamounts charged may vary from prices shown on this page.

AN IMPORTANT WORD ON BUYING RAIL PASSES IN ’09

Because of currency fluctuation, rail pass prices aresubject to change. At www.gemut.com you cansecurely buy the listed passes, as well as dozens ofothers. Or, for current prices or to place a rail passorder, call 800-521-6722x3, though we no longerbook individual city-to-city tickets by phone.However, you can do that at www.gemut.com. Fromthe main page at our webstie, click “Buy a EuropeanRail Pass” to go to the rail page. To make just a seatreservation, go to http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/point_to_point/passholderrequest.htm.” ForEuropean timetables go to www.bahn.de, chooseEnglish in the upper right corner.If you still have rail questions, call us at 800-521-6722x3.



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am Markt is nicely located, offersgood value, and is popular withguests (rated #1 byTripadvisor.com among 51 Baden-Baden hotels), some of whom stayfor two or three weeks in the holi-day apartment. The friendly own-ers speak excellent English.

Daily Rates: Singles e32-50, doublese64-85, holiday apartment (for twopersons, five-day minimum) e72-80Contact: Hotel am Markt, Markt-platz 18, 76530 Baden-Baden, tel.+49/7221-27-040, fax 27-0444,[email protected],www.hotel-am-markt-baden.deRating: QUALITY 11/20, VALUE 16/20

Bad Hotel Zum Hirsch

Offering old-world elegance atcompetitive prices among Baden-Baden hotels in its category,the historic, four-star-superiorZum Hirsch, is run by theRussian-owned Heliopark Group.The building dates from the 1600s, ison the city’s cobblestoned pedestrianzone, and was reopened in 2008 fol-lowing a e17 million renovation.Each of the 59 rooms and 12 suites isdifferent, but all include antiquefurniture, custom wallpaper, andbeautiful textiles; some also havechandeliers, oriental rugs, and mar-ble bathtubs with taps connecteddirectly to the spa’s thermal waters.The ornate Crystal Restaurant, oncethe ballroom for Baden-Baden’shigh-society soirées, offers a selectionof more than 100 wines.

Daily Rates: Singles e115-245, dou-bles e155-325, suites e325-630Contact: Heliopark Bad Hotel zumHirsch, Hirschstrasse 1, 76530Baden-Baden, tel. +49/7221-9390, fax939-111, [email protected],www.heliopark-hirsch.deRating: QUALITY 17/20, VALUE 15/20

Note: The Heliopark Group alsooperates the more modern, four-star,business-class Heliopark HotelQuellenhof, located in the centralcity, with 52 comfortable, spacious,tastefully furnished rooms andsuites with contemporary decor, andan old-style Cafe Vienna coffee-house on the ground floor

(www.quellenhof-baden-baden.de).Singles e110-160, doubles e150-200,suites e180-300

Aqua Aurelia

The brand-new, ultramodernAqua Arelia Suite Hotel opened in2009 on a prime piece of land acrossfrom the Caracalla Baths. The build-ing’s Bauhaus-style facade contrastsstarkly with the city’s opulent 19th-century villas. Most of the 46 rooms,all designated as suites, are decorat-ed in the same minimalist style, withsimple, modern furniture, matchingred plush chaise lounge and swivelchair, and flat-screen TV. A nicebreakfast buffet (with superb coffee)is served in the chic little restaurantarea on the ground floor, but if theweather is nice, you may want tolinger over breakfast on the spaciousterrace overlooking the park andthermal baths.

Daily Rates: All rooms are classifiedas “suites,” which sleep two people,with prices ranging from e165-250.For single occupancy, the juniorsuites charge e35 less than the stan-dard rate. Breakfast is an additionale16, garage parking e15/day.Contact: Aqua Aurelia SuitenhotelBaden-Baden, Vincentistrasse 1,76530 Baden-Baden, tel. +49/7221-18-330, fax 18-3318,[email protected],www.aquaaurelia.deRating: QUALITY 16/20, VALUE 10/20

Gasthaus Auerhahn

For relaxing accommodationsjust 10 minutes from the city center,drive to the suburb of Geroldsau,where the popular Gasthaus Auer-hahn has been run by the friendly,hospitable Schindler family formany years. Located in a three-storyold Black Forest building, with gera-nium-filled window boxes, this tra-ditional German Gasthaus epitomizesgemütlichkeit.

The ground floor houses twobeautifully decorated dining areas(see restaurant reviews), with a beergarden in front. The Auerhahn’s 20bedrooms are all oversize and com-fortable, with traditional wooden

furniture (a few of the beds areeven four-posters, hung with sheercurtains) and pleasant sitting ar-eas; some rooms have balconies.The hearty breakfast buffet isserved in an elegant room lookingonto a pretty garden. A bus stopnearby makes for easy commutingto the city center.

Daily Rates: Singles e62, doublese79-94. Reduced room rates for morethan one-night stays, up to e10 less/day for seven overnights.Contact: Gasthaus Auerhahn, Gerol-sauerstrasse 160, 76534 Baden-Baden, tel. +49/7221-7435, fax 7432,[email protected],www.gasthaus-auerhahn.deRating: QUALITY 15/20, VALUE 16/20

Baden-Baden Restaurants

The city offers a wide range ofeating places, from small beer gar-dens to elegant dining rooms. Lateafternoons find the pastry shopspacked with people enjoying thetraditional break for coffee andcake. Try the elegant Cafe-Kondi-torei König (Lichtentaler Strasse12) or the Conditorei-Cafe Beeg(Gernsbacher Strasse 44), both ofwhich serve elaborate house-madepastries and confections. Cool offwith some excellent ice cream atthe Eiscafe Capri (Sophienstrasse1-b), or indulge in rich handmadechocolates at Confiserie Rumpel-mayer (Kaiserallee 1).

Le Jardin de France

One of two Michelin-starredrestaurants in Baden-Baden, LeJardin de France earned its singlestar a decade ago and continuesto be highly-rated amongthe region’s eating estab-lishments. Located in theinner courtyard of the Art Nou-veau “Goldene Kreuz” building,the small restaurant has an indoordining room housed under a glassroof and a pleasant open-air sec-tion for dining in good weather.

Alsatian-born chef StephanBernhard and his wife Sophiecharacterize their restaurant as “alittle corner of France inside Ger-many.” The menu changes with

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caps) in case the weather is notcooperative.

The most reliable, perhaps leastexpensive, way to book tickets isthrough the Passion Play’s website(www.passionsspiele2010.de), whichensures that ticket scams are avoid-ed. Expect to buy a package (Ar-rangement) that includes a room andmeals as well as a ticket for the per-formance. Tickets alone, withoutroom and meals, are intended onlyfor people living within an hour ortwo of Oberammergau and alreadyare virtually sold out.

Keep in mind that for residents ofOberammergau, the Passion Play is aserious religious commitment andthey make every effort to maintain anatmosphere that enables visitors toparticipate in their experience. Thecareful organization of visitors’ timein the town allows for a sharing of

the seasons, emphasizing fresh in-gredients and innovative prepara-tion (but still solidly grounded inclassical techniques). Prices matchthe cuisine’s high quality, so thebest bargain is the “businesslunch,” a e29 three-course, set-price meal offered at midday,Tuesday through Friday, or theSaturday three-course lunch menuat e39.

A lunch menu last summerconsisted of an appetizer of bonedchicken rolled around foie gras andserved with a small salad, fol-lowed by fried duck breast sea-soned with gingerbread spices,and a dessert of apricots withblack currant juice and pistachioice cream, all beautifully present-ed. As at most restaurants of thislevel an ameuse gueule—a tidbit ofthe chef’s choice, not listed on themenu—is often served betweencourses.

Individual dishes ordered á lacarte are considerably more expen-sive, but a wider range of thechef’s art can be tasted by selectingone of the other fixed-price multi-course menus (also offered in theevening), which range from e49-105, some with matching winesincluded.

Contact: Le Jardin de France, Lich-tentaler Strasse 13, 76530 Baden-Baden, tel. +49/7221-300-7860,[email protected],www.lejardindefrance.de. OpenTuesday-Saturday, noon-2pm, 7-9:30pm.Rating: QUALITY 17/20, VALUE 15/20

Kurhaus Restaurant

Baden-Baden’s Kurhaus restau-rant serves classically-prepared,French- and Italian-influencedcuisine in its elegant indoor diningrooms and on the more casual ter-race in front of the Kurhaus. Thebest deal is on Monday evenings,when a fixed-price “two-for-one”menu for e23.50 (e11.75 per per-son, drinks extra) is on offer.

A recent dinner began with anameuse gueule, followed by a firstcourse of frothy zucchini soup

with chanterelle mushrooms, amain dish of braised lamb inthyme sauce with fresh vegetablesand rosemary-seasoned potatoes,and panna cotta garnished withfruit and a profiterole for dessert,all accompanied by a bottle of 2008Spätburgunder Rosé (e12.50/bot-tle extra). Regular á la carte pricesrange from soups and appetizersat e5-13, meat and fish main dish-es at e15-24, and desserts for e6.

Contact: Kurhaus RestaurantBaden-Baden, Kaiserallee 1, 76530Baden-Baden, tel. +49/7221-90-70,fax 90-7150,[email protected],www.kurhausrestaurant.de. Opendaily, 10am-midnight.Rating: QUALITY 14/20, VALUE* 15/20(*based on the two-for-one price)

Restaurant Rathausglöckel

In the hotel of the same name,Restaurant Rathausglöckel is acozy, nicely decorated, old-styleGasthaus serving standard Germanfare. Each month the menu fea-tures a different specialty, such aslamb or Kobe beef. Soups, salads,and appetizers range from e4.50-12.50. Some of the latter are largeenough to be main courses, as arethe lighter meat dishes such asbacon pancakes with salad (e8.50).Pastas are e8.90-10.50, and meatmain dishes, such as pork filet inmushroom cream sauce, are frome12.50-22.50, with fish main cours-es at e16.50-18.50.

Contact: Restaurant Rathausglöckel,Steinstrasse 7 – 9, 76530 Baden-Baden, tel. +49/7221-906-100,[email protected],www.rathausgloeckel.de. Open dai-ly, 5:30pm-11 pm. The basementWeinkeller and Bar (separate en-trance) is open daily, 5:30pm-1am.Rating: QUALITY 10/20, VALUE 10/20

Gasthaus-Restaurant Auerhahn

Dine on well-prepared, tradition-al German dishes in the GasthausRestaurant Auerhahn’s cozy, rus-tic, wood-paneled Stube, or in theelegant dining room, or under theshade of spreading chestnut trees

in the beer garden, with thesounds of a nearby gurglingstream. Appetizers and salads (in-cluding large salads garnishedwith meats) range from e4.80-15.80; house-made soups aree4.80-6.80. Meaty main dishes(e12.80-24.80) include specialtiessuch as the Baden versions ofMaultaschen (hefty German “ravio-li”) accompanied by a big salad(e12.80), and Sauerbraten withSpätburgunder wine sauce. If youprefer fish (e16.80-21.80), try thefresh Black Forest trout with al-monds in butter sauce. Dessertsare as ample as the other courses.Occasionally the restaurant alsohosts a Grillabend, an eveningwhen a variety of meats are grilledoutdoors in the beer garden (checkfor dates and times). Fresh game isoffered on the special autumnmenu.

Contact: Gasthaus Restaurant Auer-hahn, Gerolsauerstrasse 160, 76534Baden-Baden, tel. +49/7221-7435,fax 7432, [email protected], www.gasthaus-auerhahn.deRating: QUALITY 14/20, VALUE 15/20

PASSION PLAY




local coverage, asserts that U.S. saleshave been severely hurt by the eco-nomic problems this year, but thePassion Play Office says U.S. salesare going well.

Individual tickets for Saturdayperformances only, set aside for locals,are already extremely scarce and ac-cording to Greifelt, are for all intentsand purposes no longer available.

Tourist offices and hotels in theregion expect more guests than usu-al next year, so even people travel-ing in the area but not attending theplay will contend with higher pricesand a smaller selection of rooms.

Tickets returned several daysbefore a performance will be dis-tributed according to a waiting list.Greifelt said that getting a ticket onthe day of a performance is highlyunlikely.

For further information andbooking information, check thePassion Play website. Ticket pack-ages can be purchased via the siteslisted below:

1. www.oberammergau-passion.com/cms/front_content.php?idcat=14&lang=2

From the list on the left side of thescreen, click on How to Book for ticketinformation. At the next screen, select 1 or2 night packages. This will bring you totours offered by U.S. operators, but theseprices are higher than if booked throughthe German site below.

2. www.passionsspiele2010.de

General information about the Pas-sion Play in German. This is also yourstarting point to make a booking inEnglish. Click Arrangements to go towww.passionsspiele2010.de/index.php?id=88). The following choiceswill be listed (our English translation is inparenthesis). Check these pages and makeyour booking using Buchungsformular.

1 Übernachtung (One night package)

2 Übernachtungen (Two night package)

Unterkunftkategorien (Accommo-dation categories correspondingwith categories on the price list )

Preisliste (Price list)

Spieldaten (Performance dates)

Sitzplan (Seating plan for theater)

this sense of solemnity and an avoid-ance of excessive hucksterism.Though the visitor may lose someindependence as far as meals andhousing is concerned, they will enjoya small, Alpine town surprisinglylacking in chain-style, heavily com-mercial tourist accommodations.

In order to attend a performance,visitors traveling from North Ameri-ca have three choices, all availableon the Passion Play website:

• The first, easiest, and most ex-pensive option is to buy an extendedpackage tour that includes the per-formance through a recommendedU.S. or Canadian tour operator(www.oberammergau-passion.com/cms/front_content.php?idart=130);

•The second is to purchase a one-or two-day package on the PassionPlay’s English website sold by a rec-ommended U.S .or Canadian opera-tor (www.oberammergau-passion.com/cms/front_content.php?idart=148). Thesepackages are similar to those on theGerman language Passion Play web-site and include a theater ticket, aroom and meals. However, they aresold through a U.S. tour operator.You will be conducting the transac-tion in English but you will pay ahigher price for the service than youwould if you booked through theGerman site. Wilcox Travel inAsheville, NC, for example, offers atwo-night package that includes two-nights’ accommodations and perfor-mance ticket for $1,275.

(Editor’s Note: Available throughGemütlichkeit’s travel service via ourpartner Nonstop Travel in Los Angeles,are one and two-night packages men-tioned above. They are priced from E199to E839, plus a $100 per person servicefee. The higher the price, the better theaccommodations and tickets. It should benoted that you can purchase these pack-ages without the service charge via thePassion Play German-language websiteas described below.)

• The third option is to order aone-or two-day package (Arrange-ment) which includes tickets fromthe Passion Play’s German website(www.passionsspiele2010.de/

index.php?id=88). This option isoffered directly through the Office ofthe Passion Play in Oberammergau.The package provides a ticket for theperformance (on a Sunday, Tuesday,Thursday or Friday), meals, and aroom. If the overnight accommoda-tion is not in Oberammergau, it willbe within 20 kilometers of the townand the package will include a shut-tle to and from the theater. Pricesfor the one-night package rangefrom E199-575. The two-night pack-age, which provides for a more re-laxed experience, costs betweenE275-839. Visitors are able tochoose the accommodation catego-ry, which ranges from luxurious tosimple, in hotels, B&Bs, inns, “Few-os” (holiday apartments) and pri-vate residences. Those who buy themore expensive Arrangements willhave better seats, although the the-ater has excellent acoustics andgood sight-lines, so a cheaper seat isnot necessarily a bad seat.

Requesting a specific hotel on thebooking form will reduce chances ofgetting an Arrangement for your re-quested date. However, a number ofrestaurants and hotels in the areahave formed Total Lokal,(www.ammergauer-alpen.de/de/oberammergau/total-lokal-bei-dies-en-gastwirten-wird-regional-gekocht-mit-produkten-aus-den-ammergauer-alpen.html) in an effortto feature local products and hospi-tality. If a preference for a Total Lokalaccommodation is noted on the tick-et application form, the ticket officewill make an effort to honor the re-quest, although this is by no meansguaranteed.

Nicole Greifelt, who handlesbookings for the Passion Play Office,says that the Arrangements are beingbooked quickly. She added that afterthe ticket office receives the bookingform (available on the website), itmay take up to four weeks to con-firm availability. If U.S./Canadatour operators return unsold tickets,more accommodations could bereleased by spring. The likelihood ofthis is a matter of debate: An articlein the Münchner Merkur, a Munich-based newspaper with extensive



We RecommendThis listing of good value, mid-priced hotels in popular destination

cities is intended for fast reference. Additional hotels and links to

hotel websites is in the “Hotels” pages at www.gemut.com.

Hotels are arranged in price order, higher to lower.

Berlin

Hotel Art Nouveau, Leibnizstr. 59, tel. +49/030/327 7440, fax

327 744 40, [email protected], www.hotelartnouveau.de

Hotel Domus, Uhlandstrasse 49, Germany D-10719, tel. +49/

030/882041, fax 882 0410, [email protected]

Bern

Hotel Bristol, Schauplatzgasse 10, CH-3011, tel. +41/31/311

0101, fax 311 9479, email [email protected]

Hotel Kreuz, Zeughausgasse 41, CH-3000, tel. +41/031/329

9595, fax 329 95 96, [email protected]

Lucerne

Hotel Wilden Mann, Bahnhofstrasse 30, CH-6000 Luzern, tel.

+41/041/2101666, fax 2101629, [email protected]

Hotel Cascada, Bundesplatz 18, CH-6003 Lucerne, tel: +41/

041/226 80 88, fax 226 80 00, [email protected]

Munich

Hotel Exquisit, Pettenkoferstr. 3, tel. +49/089/ 551 99 0, fax

551 99 499, [email protected].

Hotel Acanthus, An Der Hauptfeuerwache 14, D- 80331

München, tel. +49/089 / 23 18 80, fax: 2 60 73 64, e-mail:

[email protected]

Hotel Kraft, Schillerstr. 49, tel. +49/089/594823-24, fax 550

3856, [email protected]

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Reichs-Küchenmeister, Kirchplatz 8, Rothenburg o.d. Tauber,

Germany D-91541, tel. +49/09861/97 00, fax 97 04 09,

[email protected]

Hotel Hornburg, Hornburgweg 28, D-91541, tel. +049/09861/

8480, fax 5570, [email protected],

www.hotelhornburg.de

Salzburg & Environs

Schloss Haunsperg , A-5411 Oberalm bei Hallein, Hammer-

strasse 32, tel. +43/06245/80662, fax 85680,

[email protected]

Hotel Struber, Nonntaler Hauptstrasse 35, Austria A-5020 tel.

+43/0662/843 728, fax 843 728 8, [email protected]

Hotel Jedermann, Rupertgasse 25, Austria A-5020, tel. +43/

0662/873241-0, fax 873241-9, [email protected]

Vienna

Hotel Römischer Kaiser, Annagasse 16, A-1010, tel +43/01/

512 77 51 0, fax 512 77 51 13, [email protected].

Altstadt Vienna, Kirchengasse 41, tel. +43/01/526 3399-0, fax

523 4901, [email protected], web: www.altstadt.at

Pension Aviano, Marco-D’Aviano-Gasse 1, tel. +43/01/512

8330, fax 512 8330 6, [email protected]

Zürich

Hotel Florhof, Florhofgasse 4, Switzerland CH-8001, tel. 41/01/

261 4470, fax 261 4611, [email protected]

Hotel Arlette, Stampfenbachstrasse 26, Switzerland CH-8001,

tel. +41/01/25 20 032, fax 25 20 932, [email protected]

Frankfurt Airport

Steigenberger Esprix Hotel Frankfurt Airport, CargoCity

Süd, D-60549 , tel. +49/069/69 70 99, fax 69 70 94 44,

[email protected]

Hotel Birkenhof, von-Eiff-Str 37, Hanau-Steinheim, D-63456,

tel. +49/06181/648 80, fax 64 88 39, [email protected],

www.hotelbirkenhof.de (25-minute drive from airport)

Hotel Dreieich, Frankfurter Str. 49, Langen , D-63225, tel.

+49/06103/91 50, fax 52 030. [email protected]

Munich Airport

Daniel’s Hotel, Haupstrasse 11, Halbergmoos-Goldach, D-

85399, tel. +49/0811/55120, fax 551213, info@hotel-

daniels.de, www.hotel-daniels.de

Hotel Hoyacker Hof, Freisinger Landstrasse 9a, D-85748

Garching b. München, tel. +49/089/326 9900, fax 320 7243,

[email protected]

Zürich Airport

Mövenpick Zürich Airport, Walter-Mittelholzerstrasse 8, CH-

8152 Glattbrugg, tel. +41/01/808 88 88, fax 808 88 77,

[email protected]

Hotel Fly Away, Marktgasse 19, Zürich-Kloten, CH-8302, tel.

+41/01/804 4455, fax 804 44 50, [email protected]

We went to Fofi’s each time wewere in Berlin, but just after unifica-tion, she moved to the Mitte where,experts said, the glittery crowd wouldsoon relocate. Unfortunately, the tim-ing was wrong and her new restau-rant closed for lack of business.

The next time we entered EastBerlin, it was on our own via theFriedrichstrasse S-Bahn station, thelast on the line before the West Ber-lin border, celebrated for its spytraffic. The one-to-one exchange of afew West German marks for EastGerman ones was mandatory, eventhough they were difficult to spend.From one of a handful of desultoryshops on East Berlin’s showplaceboulevard, Unter den Linden, webought a poorly-cured leather wal-let that stank so bad we threw itaway. At a café thick with cigarettesmoke, most of the menu itemswere unavailable.

Hotel Art Nouveau, owned byChristine and Gerd Schlenzka, whobecame friends and introduced usto the incomparable Rogacki andother restaurants in their neighbor-hood, including Tavola Calda, wasa 1997 discovery. For us, Art Nou-veau will always be the place tostay; high ceilings, tall windows,wood floors, homey and welcom-ing—but of course I’ve long sincelost objectivity when it comes toArt Nouveau.

Since that skeptical first visit in1981, Berlin has become an impor-tant part of my life. Despite all thechanges, much endures. Take, forexample, the goose-down comforterwe bought at Ka De We (Kaufhausdes Westens, the famous depart-ment store) and shipped home.Pretty pricey at around $500, but weslept under it every night for 28years, only retiring it last springwhen goose feathers began floatingaround the bedroom. The new onewill never takes its place.

So, on November 9, raise a glassto “Bear-lean,” back on top again.Who knows what’s next?—RHB

Buchungsformular (Package applica-tion form. Download and complete,then submit via mail or fax, see below)

Kreditkartenformular (Credit cardform—gives the Passion Play officepermission to charge your account.)

AGB (The fine print)Telephone: +49/8822/923 10Fax: +49/8822/ 923 152Email: [email protected] Lokal: Hotels and restaurants

offering local products:www.ammergauer-alpen.de/de/oberammergau/total-lokal-bei-dies-en-gastwirten-wird-regional-gekocht-mit-produkten-aus-den-ammergauer-alpen.html

Frankfurt Fan

Great article about Frankfurt inSeptember's issue. Good airport,good transportation system, numer-ous people speak English and, if youknow where to look, good restau-rants. And a great hotel to stay, theHotel Florentina on Westendstrasse,within walking distance of theHauptbahnhof (main rail station).When we fly to Germany it's alwaysto Frankfurt Flughafen. Then to therail station for connections to any-where in Europe via the rail systems.

Of course my secret for lovingFrankfurt is 24 months stationedwith the U.S. Army in Frankfurt.

ED PARR

VIA EMAIL

Baden-Baden’s Christmas

Market

There are many Christmas Mar-kets all over Germany, Austria andother parts of Europe. Though mywife and I are big fans of these mar-kets, we have often been disappoint-ed when we discovered with someof the big city markets how many ofthe "local handicrafts" turned out tobe made in China.

Baden-Baden is one of those mar-kets where, among the 65-70 stalls,one finds mostly local handicraftsmade in the Black Forest area—andSanta arrives by a hot-air balloon!

HEINZ NIEDERHOFF

VIA EMAIL

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