guess we have started to become locals, because in the grand tradition of taking one's city for granted, there are still major things in our own town we haven't done yet - have dinner at the Kurhaus (ok, my husband had a business dinner there, but we have yet to go together), done the couple's trip to Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme bath (I've been, but have yet to get up the courage to go on anything other than 'women's day') and most notably, we'd never ridden the Nerobergbahn funicular railway to the top of Wiesbaden - until now. 
A few weeks ago, we ended up with a free afternoon in the company of some friends and decided that it was a good time to take advantage of such a cool attraction right in our neighborhood. With only the slightest hint of drizzle and mostly sun pushing its way into the day, we headed out for a new adventure.
The Nerobergbahn is a sort of hillside tram that operates two cars at a time - one going up and one coming down. The one at the top is pumped full of water to make it heavier and thus more able to pull the secondary tram all the way up the hill. Like seemingly everything is Europe, it's been in operation since the late 1800s (aside from a brief shutdown during WWII and confiscation by those lousy Americans). Getting on at the bottom begins with waiting for the tram to dump all its water to lighten its load for the trip up. Then begins the leisurely ride up overlooking the Nerotal park and the surrounding area.
At the top, we meandered to the lookout spot for the view over all of Wiesbaden. Not a bad view, if I say so myself.
We decided that as late as it was, we might as well eat dinner in the restaurant at the Opelbad, the swanky swimming pool at the top of the hill. Dinner was surprisingly good and not nearly as expensive as expected, considering the setting. That evening I encountered yet another first - my first Aperol spritz. The ubiquitous Wiesbaden summertime drink, most notable for its nearly neon hue, is made with the bitter orange-tasting Aperol, Prosecco, a dash of seltzer and - can you believe it? - ice. Can't believe I waited so long - delish!
Unfortunately, we had lingered too long over dinner and the glorious view that we just missed the last ride down the hill on the Nerobergbahn, so we had to take the trail down. While it was a little bit mucky from the summer rains, it was a lovely little hike that reminded me how lucky we are to live with such beautiful places within walking distance.
*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische
