Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Rothenburg obT's billed as the best-preserved medieval city in Europe. We stayed in a little, old (very creaky floorboards - no sneaking in and out there unnoticed) guest house inside the city walls. Our room was full of old, painted furniture and I just have to tell you about German bed linen protocol. Double beds tend to be singles pushed together but each with completely separate bed linen. Separate fitted sheets and there's a neatly-folded individual duvet at the bottom of each bed but what's most interesting is what they do with the pillows. They're the large European ones which they stand up on its side and then enthusiastically karate-chop it right down the middle so it looks like you have a pair of giant ears at the head of each bed. Most bizarre!



Rothenburg itself is lovely - a very attractive place of half-timbered buildings, magnificent churches and covered ramparts - parts of the town hall date from 1250. You actually quite quickly get blase about the age of things - "puh, that's not even 500 years old"! Went to the Criminal Museum, supposed to be the only one of its kind in Europe. The collection gives an insight into the laws and punishments of medieval days. All pretty brutal - chastity belts, shame masks, a shame flute for bad musicians and even a cage for bakers who baked bread too small or too light. And you certainly didn't want to be a witch!

Huge numbers of tourists there and at least 75% of the shops must be souvenir/gift shops, including several Xmas shops. Apparently traditional German Xmas decorations are very popular all around the world now. The local specialty is Schneeballen (snow balls), billed as "round, sugar-coated pastries, fattening but delicious". They are huge, about the size of a base ball and look really good but are, in fact, horrible. However else we get fat this holiday (and believe me we are putting considerable focussed effort into it), it won't be by eating Schneeballen!