A day of adventure

Strasbourg and the Black Forest

Today was an early start. Up at 6:30 to an incredible shower! I don’t even know how to describe it, but I think the call it a rain shower. It’s a square in ceiling of the shower with dozens of nozzles that pour gallons of hot water over you. Wunderbare!!!

Today was the Cathedral at Strasbourg and then on to a tour of the Black Forest. After a tour of Strasbourg on the bus (all the weird pictures you see before we get to the Cathedral) ended with us walking “a short walk” to the Cathedral.The plaza was thronged with people including aggressive beggars and tourist souvenir shops. I was reminded of visiting the Taj Mahal in India, where the beauty of the building was destroyed by the commercialism and begging. We weren’t able to go into the Cathedral because Mass was being said. I would really have loved to spend some quiet time in prayer, but it was not to be. Maybe in Cologne.

As you can tell from the pictures in the album (if you go there,) the Cathedral is absolutely phenomenal. I think you could spend hours (or even days) and still not see all the detail etched on the three facades. Without our guide to point out the most salient tableaus I would have missed most of the meaning behind the imagery.

Our time at the Cathedral was short because we were headed to a tour of the Black Forest, about an hour and a half bus ride from Strasbourg. The terrain gradually changed from the Rhine Valley to the Black Forest (which is actually a chain of mountains.) Our first stop was for lunch, which was excellent, but paled next to my heartthrob. A vintage car club (Rolling Thunder) was touring the Forest and had stopped for lunch at the same restaurant. The red Alpha Romeo was the same year as mine, except mine was black. It was even a 1600 which was the “hot” version. Drool!

Lunch of Black Forest ham, smoked ham, sausage, etc was accompanied by a local beer which claims to be ‘the world’s best.’ Don’t know about that, but the rest of the tour seemed to really enjoy it. A later picture in the album shows the brewery.

Next we were on to The Cuckoo Clock Factory where the family has been making clock for generations (don’t remember how many.) The father and son have built the world’s largest cuckoo clock, literally the size of a home with dozens of figures. In addition to drooling over the dozens of clocks and the Hummel figurines we were treated to a large piece of Black Forest Cake. I’d love to say I’m sorry I ate whole thing, but unless it attacks me tonight, I’m really unrepentant.

From there we went to a historical farm museum, much like Fredericksburg’s. I chose to sit this one out and waited in front of the little cafe, where I was served by two delightful teenagers that volunteered they spoke English. (They should. The littlest one confessed they were from Australia.) In addition to a cold Perrier I succumbed to nostalgia again. They had the large salted pretzels that were my survival rations while my ship was dock in Bayonne Bay during my whitehat Navy days. Yes, once again, I ate the whole thing. Serious health work to be done when I return home.

That’s pretty much the day. Bunches of pictures which I have culled for the album. If you’d like to see them, click here.

If you’d like to share in my spiritual reflections, click here.

Off to bed. Another early morning tour...this time it’s a vinegar tasting tour. Was scheduled for a cooking class with the chef, but it was cancelled so I’ll have the afternoon free for a nap.

Blessings and peace!