First Day in Act III

It's been an arduous task to get to Stuttgart. When packing for 8 1/2 months for four seasons, it is difficult to "pack light". Katherine and I arrived on April 14th (am) to Frankfurt. We took the train to Stuttgart, and fortunately the hotel, the Graf Zeppelin, was across the street from the train station. Tired, (after a 14 hour journey from Dallas), we hobbled across the street with two borrowed trolleys from the train station. The bellman (a welcome sight) , comendeerd our luggage. Our room was lovely, although not a luxury offering.The weather was overcast and 55 degrees. The main promenade was two blocks from our hotel.The park was beautiful, and we stopped for a cappuccino and watched the Germans on their Sunday stoll. Stuttgart is a manufacturing town - Porsche and Mercedes , so the population reflected this industry.The only two "cultural offerings " in Stuttgart, was the Porsche and the Mercedes museum. We chose the Porsche museum. The first Porsche was designed in 1922, and the current model designed by Frederick Porsche was "mass produced" in 1947 - 52 models of the "Carrera" - actually a Spanish word meaning "firery speed". The museum was pure Porsche and German - orderly, crisp, and of elegant design.

Tomorrow is a big day !! We tour the Mercedes factory, pick up our car, and head to Baden Baden!