Eking out the last of our time in Gernsbach, we piled everything in the car,, bid farewell to Lachenackerweg, and drove to Baden Baden.  Our goal was the ruins of the Alte Schloss, perched high above the town, and built into the sheer cliffs. 

The ruins are a labyrinth of stairs, arches, courtyards, walkways, towers, and underground rooms.  Exploring it was a lot of fun.  We estimate the entire building covers about 15 storeys, and the numerous sets of stairs take you all the way to the top.  I made it about 2/3 of the way before I had to quit, but Ian kept going.  We could see Baden Baden far below, emerging from the mist.  The next hill across, the Merkur, is where the funicular railway goes to.

We are now in Blaustein, just west of Ulm, after a nondescript drive on the freeway, bypassing Stuttgart.  We are again on a hillside but its nowhere near as steep.  We’ve left the Rhine River behind, and now have the Danube flowing past at the bottom of the hill.