Sunday, 27 May 2018: Bad Endorf, Germany

We woke at 5:15 a.m. and checked out of our hotel.  Boxed breakfasts were waiting for us in the lobby, since it was so early.

Box breakfast from hotel at 5:15 a.m.

Then we rode by bus with the tour group to Tegel airport.   Our flight to Munich was at 9:00 a.m.  We were so delighted when we bumped into two of our favorite people  from the cruise. They had just arrived in the departure lounge to wait for their flight to Frankfurt, a few minutes before our flight left for Munich.

We arrived in Munich at 10:15, right on time, and picked up our Hertz car, a four-door Ford mini-SUV.

Our rental car at Munich Airport

On the way to Bad Endorf

Then we drove about 2 hours to Bad Endorf, and checked into our spa-hotel. Bottles of cold water and a basket of fruit were a very refreshing welcome.

Fruit and Mint infused mineral waters in the lobby

Fruit basket in the room

We had lunch outside, near the pond. I had a delicious shrimp salad, with rolls, and a large bottle of cold still water. It was such a relief to take a break from the exhausting pace of the river cruise, with all its excursions, deadlines, and time limits.

View from our table at lunch:  The pond and gardens at the hotel

Shrimp salad for lunch

Cold, refreshing mineral water

Around 3 pm, we headed off to the hospital to visit another friend, who had just had unexpected surgery. While it was sad that we couldn't do all the things together that we had planned, the important thing is that she was recovering very quickly from her surgery and the outcome was good.  And we still had a nice visit!  Her husband came and picked us up at the hotel and drove us to the hospital in Rosenheim, 15 minutes away. Despite a very serious operation five days earlier, she was up and able to walk with us down to the hospital cafe, for Kaffee und Kuchen!  Then we took a walk with her outside!  Hospital rules are very different in Germany.  It was very hard to leave her after so short a visit, but she needed to rest.  I am sad that we didn't get to swim together at the spa, like we had planned, but I hope we can meet again for a swim!