Today was primarily a travel day. Robyn did a little shopping in Heidelberg before we headed to the train station. Our train was not until 1:15 and it was a three hour train trip so we didn't get to our hotel until after 4:30. Nothing thrilling or exciting happened on the trip, no dead bodies, no adolescents screaming 'Scheize' (see 2012 trip train trip from Salzburg to Munich), just a nice calm ride.

Our only activity for tonight was going to see Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville' or as Buckwheat sang (as played by Eddie Murphy on SNL) the Babah ob Dabill. When Robyn bought these tickets there was standing-room-only tickets remaining. You don't think that there would be standing room only tickets at an opera but there are assigned spots to stand based on the ticket purchased. Getting to the National Theater in Residenz Platz was a bit of an ordeal as I had to orient myself to how the U-Bahn and S-Bahn trains work. We finally stumbled our way to the theater. The theater is next to the Residenz where the kings of Bavaria lived for 400 years. Inside we had to go up four levels to the third tier and we found our standing spots, which is kind of strange because it is behind regular seats on a raised platform with a rail to lean against. We also could see only half the stage--the half without any action of course. This is an Italian opera and the translation board was obviously in German. I could read about two-thirds of the German so I understood what was going on. However, Robyn was on her own. It was surreal watching an Italian opera with German translation. The music is very familiar but as I was listening to the overture all I could think of was the Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd Barber of Seville cartoon. Yes, I am dripping with class. The music overall was beautiful and I wish we had seats(preferably with a view!) because I would have loved to see the action. The first act is about an hour and a half long so when it was "half-time" we left. Besides, it was hotter than Hades standing in close quarters at the top.

So that was our day. I have attached pictures of inside and outside the National Theater. Tomorrow we go through the Residenz Museum and head out to Nymphenburg Palace which was the summer residence for the Bavarian Kings.

P.S.

The search for a belt continues but the belly is having no trouble holding up my pants.