Spa Day One

Well known as 'Reha' or Rehabilitation in Germany, nowadays used primarily to get people back into normal life after an operation or illness, thus freeing up acute hospital beds. Concentrates on getting one physically & mentally fit. So for instance after a stomach/gut operation there will be an emphasis on diet with lectures but also sessions in a kitchen cooking food. Broken limbs - lots of physiotherapy etc.

Until major reform by Germany's Labour Party around 1990, these generally 2-4 week stay,s in hotel-like facilities almost all with swimming pools & located in lovely rural surroundings, were largely accepted as being a free holiday every 2 years. Just needed a good GP to prescribe it. Notorious also for chance to have a holiday "flirt' as one generally went alone.

My GP had applied for me to have one in February after my lung operation, mainly for the physiotherapy needs of getting my muscles working again. National health insurance turned it down at the time & GP prescribed two sets of physiotherapy workouts at a local business. They did a great job.

So it was a surprise when in June a letter came from the health insurance that I was booked on a 4 week Reha visit in August. I said to my GP I wanted to cancel it as it now felt like fraud as I was fit enough. She said - take it up nonetheless. So I did.

My 'clinic'/hotel was in Bad Dürrheim on the edge of the Black Forest. Like most spa towns, everything there revolves around these Rehabilitation patients. While clinics have a daily regiment of courses one had to attend, there is a LOT of free time until the nightly  curfew at 10pm. If you don't obey the rules, you can be kicked out & forced to pay the costs yourself.

Took a leisurely drive there along Lake Constance arriving at lunchtime. Having checked in, we new arrivals were instructed on the way self-service meals worked. Then had lunch. Wasn't bad but as it was only us newbies and suspect a few extra bits to trick us into thinking it was always that way. 

Then afternoon appointment with a 'doctor ' to discuss my profile & have thoughts on my 'treatment.  Was a very nice old Indinesian guy and we got on great talking about British & Dutch colonialism! That was my day.

Room slightly aged, with an adequate bathroom, balcony & TV. I had brought along a strictly forbidden large car/mains fridge, so that side was taken care of. It was going to be a hot week and the clinic bar unbelievably closed at 6pm.

After evening 'dinner' snack, drove off to a supermarket to fill up on food and drink.