Willkommen in Wiesbaden!

Well, now that we've had some sun that has allowed us to get out and take some pictures, I thought I'd briefly introduce you to the city that will be our home for the next 5 1/2 months.  Elsa, Clara and I took Erik on a little tour yesterday to show him where he has "lived" for 2 weeks (but knows very little about).

Tour guide Elsa

I had planned to write a little overview of Wiesbaden that went beyond what I've observed or read in The Rough Guide to Germany (since that and Wikipedia are about all we knew about our new home prior to moving here), but I'm too tired. So, bear with me, here's what I know.  Wiesbaden is the capital of the state of Hessen, which also includes Frankfurt, and is actually connected to Frankfurt by commuter train (which allows for easy and convenient transport from the airport, potential visitors!).  It was settled by Romans back in . . . those Roman times . . . sorry, my historian is currently en route to the U.S. Oh, thank you Wikipedia- in about the 6th century.  It became somewhat important for some ducal residence stuff, but really became popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries because of its numerous thermal spas (to which I will be going, for an entire afternoon, after Erik returns) and attracted lots of rich European aristocrats.  These thermal springs pop up all over the town, giving it a slightly sulfuric, Yellowstone-y odor. Elsa is pictured standing in front of one of those springs with its yellowish sulfur deposits.   

So yes, Wiesbaden is a spa town, which makes it feel kind of fancy and grandiose.  It is also located along the Rhine, which means that it is in the heart of German wine country (the Rheingau region, if you are a fan of German wines) and surrounded by hills on three sides, which my Cambridge and Wolfenbüttel (and just plain out of shape) running legs feel no matter which direction I run from my house.  It is also home to a US Army base, which we discovered a few days before moving here. This means that there are around 14,000 Americans in this city of 275,000 people, and traces of this can be seen here and there (a lot more English signs, an American sports bar, etc).

Erik's institute is actually across the Rhine in Mainz, where we originally thought we would live but couldn't find an apartment. However, despite a rocky beginning, I think we're going to like it here.

Kurpark, which feels like a mini Central Park. A lot of duck feeding potential

Kurhaus- I'm still not totally sure what this building is for but it's on all the postcards. A casino maybe?

What we get these days when we say, "Elsa, smile!"