Rainy Day in Rothenburg

Surprise, surprise… more rain! Most of the day was spent warm and dry, under the covers in our big bed at Gastehaus Raidel. We did get up to go to breakfast though! When we descended the first set of stairs, we found ourselves in the awesome sitting room of this 600 year old house.

And then we continued downstairs to the 'breakfast room' where there was a delicious morning meal waiting for us. Scattered throughout the room were a piano, a giant recorder, a trumpet, and several other musical instruments. Our host told us that he loves New Orleans jazz, and plays when he can!

Gastehaus Raidel Breakfast Room

My favorite part was the old fireplace and all of the pots and pans.

Gastehaus Raidel Breakfast Room

That and the seven pats of butter that came with breakfast. Apart from the two dry slices of rye bread, nothing went to waste.

Gastehaus Raidel Breakfast

When breakfast was over, I got to work journaling, and sent Tyler off to enjoy himself at the Medieval Crime Museum.

He came back an hour later with the following photos, and lots of gory stories.

Medieval Crime Museum

Apparently there used to be books instructing you on the correct way to torture someone. Wouldn't want to go overboard or anything…

Medieval Crime Museum

It was very important to put those thumb-screws on properly for optimal pain infliction.

Medieval Crime Museum

Only the 'bad guys' got tortured, though. Like those evil women people thought were witches (tortured if they denied the charges, tortured if they acquiesced to the claims, then burned at the stake no matter what), and of course, those dreaded bakers who had the audacity to create a loaf of bread "out of spec".

Medieval Crime Museum

Good times! When Tyler finished telling me about his solo adventure, I shut my laptop, and we headed into town together. As we were exploring the back streets, we saw a guy doing a puppet show over one of the many stone walls! I wish we spoke German so we could have understood what was going on!

Rothenburg Puppet

While we were out, we tried a schneeball. "Snowball" in German, these baseball-sized hunks of tangled-and-fried pastry strips are everywhere in Rothenburg! Each bakery has a window full of them, all with different colors and flavors. When the ever-present rain started again, we rushed inside and ordered an Amaretto schneeball. We ate it together while repeating the name over and over like schoolkids. Scheeeeball. Schneeball? SCHNEEBALL! It also lent itself to being sung to the tune of a Tom Petty classic: "Cause I'm SCHNEEEEE… SCHEEE-BALLL-EN!" All of this rain is making us a leeetle crazy.

Schneeball!

After we finished our tasty treat, we ran back home, our desire to sight-see quashed yet again by the soaking rain. Forget it.