Got my tax form into the Finanzamt this morning. Had to wait a while to see someone, but after that it was relatively painless. Looking back at the language problems I had trying to get my bank card when I first arrived, it's pretty remarkable to me that I managed to do the whole tax declaration thing in German. I even found out how to get a tax card for next year when I'm not here - unfortunately, I have to go to the BürgerBüro to arrange this, another thing on the list off stuff to do before I can leave.

Got some train tickets for Genova, but the station here wasn't able to guarantee Panoramawagen seats. All the places just come up as normal seats on their computers. I decided to book a window seat and hope for the best.

Last night I had dinner with Lena's family (Lena is my language partner, as you no doubt remember). The main course was Spätzle, a south west speciality. I had tried it in the Mensa before where it was mediocre, but Lena's father made an unrecognisably better version. The whole meal was excellent. The wine was a particular highlight. We had German prosecco to go with the pre-dinner nibbles, a dry Badische white whine to go with the salad and goats' cheese starter, a Spätburgunder to drink with the Spätzle, and a fruity dessert wine with dessert. All of the wines were very fine, but the prosecco was probably my favourite. Lena's father sells Badisch wine for a living.

I guess that last night's dinner will probably prove the high water mark for my German until I come back to Germany again. Several hours of conversation ranging over a large variety of topics, from wine to European immigration, with no option to drop out into English like you often have at university parties. It was a lot of fun. It's a little frustrating that I'll have to back to the beginning again with my Italian.

Before dinner Lena and I want to the Caracalla, the newer bath complex in Baden-Baden. It's very modern and has some novel features like a pool outdoors. The water is about 34 degrees, which is warm enough provided you swim about a bit, and then you can sit in a hot tub, also outdoors, and absorb some more volcanic minerals. They also have a large sauna complex, including some outdoors made of Schwarzwald wood that smell really good. And I tried the cold water bucket for the first and last time.