Baden-Baden is Good-Good

Nestled among the rolling hills of the Schwartzwald Baden-Baden has been a resort favored since Roman times.  I went there today.  The name Baden will, of course, tip you off as to the presence of hot springs, but you may wonder why one has to say it twice.  Baden is the name of the city.  It's also the name of several states in the Holy Roman Empire, so one had to specifiy which Baden one meant--hence the echo effect.
But for one thing the Black Forest isn't black but dark green, and if you want to explore it Baden-Baden would make a good base.  The historic center is beautiful and elegant.  It reminds me of the wealthier parts of Paris with all the fancy wrought iron and graceful buildings.  There is a huge casino  to cater to the gambling crowd and several spas to cure folks of their over indulgence.  Clearly we are on the stomping grounds of the Haute Bourgeoisie.  Maybe my friend Sartorias can supply the German term.
Truth to tell I would not not mind going back there with a clear credit card and plenty of time.  It would be a great place to stay in a swank hotel and spend a day being pampered at a spa to be followed by a fine evening meal in one of the fancy restaurants around.
For the ordinary day tripper--i.e., me, it was a pleasant day out.  There are no great museums or grand historic sights to see.  But it was fun wandering around the town and visiting the parks.  I did try to see the old Roman Bath, but it was closed.  I peeked through the windows and saw enough to satisfy me.  I was also disappointed to find the drinking fountain closed where one could take the waters out of order.  The pedestrianized streets were crowded, and tourists outnumbered locals.  Street musicians played, beggars begged, and I came across a troupe that included Hungarian Dancers.
I did not have enough time as usual.  I walked down the pretty Lichtentaler Alle along the flowing Oosbach, but I did not have the time to follow the whole route.  I also suspect the presence of woodland walks
Be warned the the hills above the town, which I would have appreciated as it was a very hot and humid day historic center is quite a ways away from the train station, and you'll need to take a bus.  You will also need to figure out the ticket machines--hey I did--so anyone can--because there's no ticket office.