![]() He wove in a lot of history with the architecture and current day government and economy. The buildings are very old – from the 1300’s, and again the guide was very knowledgeable and interesting. When we returned to the ship we had our mandatory safety drill with our lifejackets in tow, had a nice lunch and had just enough time to get back on another bus for our next excursion – a walking tour of the old section of a nearby town called Colmar. We made it back in time to meet dad for the cake assembly – and although we didn’t indulge in any there, we got the recipe they use so we could share with you! And no, we didn’t buy a cuckoo clock, but above you can see a picture of the largest one in the world – it’s the whole side of the building! Our only complaint about this excursion was there was just not enough time to do and see all we wanted! The forest was beautiful, and mom even got a post-worthy shot with her phone.īlack Forest Mountain Village – Hofgut Sternen I was on the lookout for some of my long lost German bear relatives, but apparently it’s a lot easier to spot goats that bears in these hills. Mom and I ventured into the forest.īlack Forest Stream – photo credit Maria Gustin Dad, always on the lookout for a good shot stayed behind walked around for just the right subject, angle and light. “Stern” is “star” in German, so it was like “the light at the end of the tunnel.” This settlement was our stop in the Black Forrest, and it is still an inn, but also restaurant, and local craftsmen have shops here.īlack Forest Mountain Village – Divide and ConquerĪt Hofgut Sternum there were several options – we could see the cuckoo clocks being assembled and shop for clocks, we could go on a hike through the forest, we could see the glassblowers and shop there, and we could get some Black Forrest Cake and see the demonstration of how that’s put together. Past that section there was an Inn called Hofgut Sternen where travelers would seek refuge and rest from their difficult journey. There was a portion called “Hell’s Valley” where travelers would often get robbed because there was no escape – the sides of the valley were so steep, and the road was very narrow. ![]() The area has a history rich with folklore and legend. The Black Forest region in Germany got its name from the Romans that were daunted by the thick forest growth and its difficulty in allowing passage. She was very knowledgeable about the region, and was able to answer many spontaneous questions that were not necessarily on her “spiel.” After boarding our bus we were introduced to our guide, Sarah who lives in the nearby town of Freiburg. They randomly assign your party to a bus, give you a card with that bus’s number, and you just follow the signs and the tour guide with that number. Their system for getting people where they need to be is pretty simple. We do, however need to let them know when we come and go. No big lines, not a lot of security screening or metal detectors, etc. One nice thing is we can just walk off the ship and right into the town. There is a very different feel to this cruise than those we have done before. We have a full ship, but that is only 190 passengers. ![]() After a quick breakfast we were ready for our excursions.Ĭhurch Overlooking Rhine River in Breisach, Germanyĭrive Through the Quaint Germany Countryside We had docked in the city of Breisach, a small German town which was an important fortress in the Middle Ages. Guten Morgen! When we woke up this morning we were greeted by this beautiful scene.
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