Wednesday 30th Dezember

This morning we went to the local, very new swimming pool. Its design is a cross between an old fashioned spa and a modern Olympic pool. You move through a series of doors into your own tiny change room before being ejected out the other side into the water.
The swimmers were very sedate: every single one breaststroking languidly, stoically, grimly along. No-one's hair got wet except at the edges, no showing off jocks powered past, there was no lane range aimed at slow swimmers.
The key to your room came with a bracelet to wear while you swam - no need to hide it in your towel or stick it in your togs. They had thought of everything.
The showers were 'all in together girls, never mind the weather girls' (just don't check me out quite so obviously, OK?). The Germans don't seem to be worried about privacy or modesty. Meredith tells me that the famous Frankfurt kitchen sometimes included a toilet.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and we are invited to a party. On New Year's Day we fly to Florence for 5 days where temperatures are expected to reach a balmy 11 degrees. Tropical.