I had a spare day and went to Meiningen on Easter Monday. The first view, walking from the railway station was of a run-down park and broken monuments and I immediately think: "This is Ukraine", whither I go every year to run a course in a very poor town. In fact, that was my only poor view of Meiningen. I wanted to see the Schloss but did not even know if it would be open. It was! As your other correspondents report, the staff was hyper-friendly and could not have been more helpful - and very patient of my many questions in rudimentary German. The cafe in the Hessensaal must have one of the most memorable ambiences in Europe and the 'Waffeln wie bei Mutterin' are delicious. Later, I find that the ticket machine at the railway station will not work. The ticket clerk had just closed her office and was about to go home. She opens again and prints a ticket for me. I need a wi-fi connection. The Sächsischer Hof hotel allows me to use its own and does not charge me. Why is this town not even listed in my Eyewitness guidebook? As for the waitress who had 'eaten a sour lemon', the fraulein who served my table was pretty and a delight in her conversation. Were I working in Meiningen or staying there for a prolonged period I would be enquiring whether she was spoken for and negotiating for a date! read more