We arrived at Breisach am Rhein, the full name of the town, at 07:00. Our inclusive excursion today, which departed at 08:30, was not a walking one, but we were taken into the Black Forest to visit a glasswork factory and a Cuckoo Clock making factory.
The Black Forest is a mountain range in South-western Germany, with the lower slopes covered in Oak and Beech trees while the higher regions have forests of Fir trees, giving the area its name. Many of the Fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm are set in the Black Forest even though the essence of the story does not necessarily come from there. For example, Cinderella was borrowed from the French author, Charles Perrault. The whole area is almost fairy tale like with its romantic castles, ‘gingerbread’ houses and mist-filled woods.
Breisach is a small city located in one of the warmest parts of Germany and so is a good wine-growing area. It boasts the largest wine cellars in Europe with a storage capacity of 160 million litres. It is the 3rd largest in the world after W. Cape, South Africa and California, USA. The most prominent landmark of Breisach is the St Stephan’s Cathedral, built in the 12-13th centuries. Its spires are visible throughout the city and from the river.
As we drove through beautiful scenery and small villages, our guide told us the history of the people, their homes and lifestyles from the 13th century. Originally the homes were built entirely of wood as were the nails which were used. This meant that, frequently, there were fires due to the need for fire to cook and keep warm. As a result, every home had a dam to have water on hand to extinguish the fire.*
Two villages through which we drove, as well as a third one in the Black Forest, became Protestant following the Reformation and they introduced an interesting requirement. The women all wore hats, called Bollenhuts, decorated with pom-poms which were red for unmarried women and black for married women. Today they only wear them for special occasions though the employees of the Coffee Shop were wearing them.
After a 2-hour drive we arrived at a beautiful spot where there was the glass blowing and manufacturing shop as well as a large Cuckoo Clock factory and showroom. We were given the times for the Cuckoo Clock and Glass Blowing demonstrations and left to ourselves to wander around and attend if we wished. Some, including Trevor, decided to go on the walk into the mountains but we were warned that it could be quite strenuous, so I chose to stay on the more level ground.
I began by looking around the Cuckoo Clock shop, opposite the glassworks, where there were dozens of these and quite pricey as they were all hand-made out of local wood. Watching the demonstration was very difficult as the presenter was working on a bench which was not visible to more than those who stood in the very front of the group. As a result, I gave that up and admired the large variety of the finished products which were beautiful. I could tell you a lot more about these clocks, but the information is extensive and I would suggest that you click on the link to learn the full story of these unique wooden clocks.
From there I walked over to the glass blowing factory and shop. We had visited a similar place in Venice in 2022 and this one was the same, hot and busy making beautiful and varied glassware. There are a large number of glass blowers in the Black Forest and finding a really useful site with interesting information is not easy. Showing you some photos will tell a lot more.
There was a 3rd demonstration on the making of the Black Forest Gateau and this was excellent as the lady who presented this did so in an interesting and clear manner. Those who decided to buy a piece of cake said that it was divine.
At the start of the walk the group went on, was a railway viaduct, the Ravenna Viaduct which was completed in 1885. It is 58m or 190ft high and 225m or 738ft long. As it originally had a curve in it the max speed was 15km or 9m/p/h. The Germans blew it up near the end of the 2nd World War and rebuilt in 1947-48. On the walk the group was treated to some lovely scenery including bubbling streams and interesting plants.
This village has been in existence for 700 years as it was an important transport link allowing the vehicles of the day to avoid flood-prone Lȍffetal from 1309. To ascend the Alte Steige trail 6-8 extra horses had to be used reulting in the building of stables and having road maintenance crews available. Two inns were built, at the top and bottom of the ascent and so homes were built and traders set up business. When the new, modern road was built in 1857, the Alte Steige lost its purpose and the village gradually diminished. The biggest excitement was the visit of Marie-Antoinette in 1770, on her way from Austria to marry King Louis XVI of France, bringing with her 52 heavily decorated carriages.
We retuned to the boat via different route and arrived in time for lunch. In the afternoon Trevor and I walked into Breisach which is right on the river. As in most European cities it had a castle and a city wall of which there are still the remains. We tried to find the road to take us up to the castle but nothing seemed to go there. The houses looked small and were right on the road with a vegetable and flower plot directly opposite, some well maintained but most a mess. We found a lovely gift shop where we bought a magnet for myself and 2 thimbles for a friend. We also got a new cap for Trevor who had successfully managed to leave another one behind. He has left them on a bus, an aeroplane and, this time, on the Glacier Express.
We cast off from Breisach for our next destination, Kehl, at 19:00.
We arrived at Breisach am Rhein, the full name of the town, at 07:00. Our inclusive excursion today, which departed at 08:30, was not a walking one, but we were taken into the Black Forest to visit a glasswork factory and a Cuckoo Clock making factory.
The Black Forest is a mountain range in South-western Germany, with the lower slopes covered in Oak and Beech trees while the higher regions have forests of Fir trees, giving the area its name. Many of the Fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm are set in the Black Forest even though the essence of the story does not necessarily come from there. For example, Cinderella was borrowed from the French author, Charles Perrault. The whole area is almost fairy tale like with its romantic castles, ‘gingerbread’ houses and mist-filled woods.
Breisach is a small city located in one of the warmest parts of Germany and so is a good wine-growing area. It boasts the largest wine cellars in Europe with a storage capacity of 160 million litres. It is the 3rd largest in the world after W. Cape, South Africa and California, USA. The most prominent landmark of Breisach is the Cathedral, built in the 12-13th centuries. Its spires are visible throughout the city and from the river.
As we drove through beautiful scenery and small villages, our guide told us the history of the people, their homes and lifestyles from the 13th century. Originally the homes were built entirely of wood as were the nails which were used. This meant that, frequently, there were fires due to the need for fire to cook and keep warm. As a result, every home had a dam to have water on hand to extinguish the fire.*
Two villages through which we drove, as well as a third one in the Black Forest, became Protestant following the Reformation and they introduced an interesting requirement. The women all wore hats, called Bollenhuts, decorated with pom-poms which were red for unmarried women and black for married women. Today they only wear them for special occasions.
After a 2-hour drive we arrived at a beautiful spot where there was the glass blowing and manufacturing shop as well as a large Cuckoo Clock factory and showroom. We were given the times for the Cuckoo Clock and Glass Blowing demonstrations and left to ourselves to wander around and attend if we wished. Some, including Trevor, decided to go on the walk into the mountains but we were warned that it could be quite strenuous, so I chose to stay on the more level ground.
I began by looking around the Cuckoo Clock shop where there were dozens of these and quite pricey as they were all hand-made. Watching the demonstration was very difficult as the presenter was working on a bench which was not visible to more than those who stood in the very front of the group. As a result, I gave that up and admired the large variety of the finished products which were beautiful. I could tell you a lot more about these clocks, but the information is extensive and I would suggest that you click on the link to learn the full story of these unique wooden clocks.
In another building was the glass blowing factory and shop. We had visited a similar place in Venice in 2022 and this one was the same, hot and busy making beautiful and varied glassware. There are a large number of glass blowers in the Black Forest and finding a really useful site with interesting information is not easy. Showing you some photos will tell a lot more.
There was a 3rd demonstration and this was excellent, making a Black Forest Gateau. The lady who presented this did so in an interesting and clear manner. Those who decided to buy a piece of cake said that it was divine.
At the start of the walk that the group went on there was a railway viaduct, the Ravenna Bridge which was completed in 1885. It is 58m or 190ft high and 225m or 738ft long. As it originally had a curve in it the max speed was 15km or 9m/p/h. The Germans blew it up near the end of the 2nd World War and rebuilt in 1947-48. On the walk the group was treated to some lovely scenery including bubbling streams and interesting plants.
There were a number of other buildings including an hotel, a chapel and a few homes of those who lived and worked there.
We retuned to the boat via different route and arrived in time for lunch. In the afternoon Trevor and I walked into Breisach which is right on the river. As in most European cities it had a castle and a city wall of which there are still the remains. We tried to find the road to take us up to the castle but nothing seemed to go there. The houses looked small and were right on the road with a vegetable and flower plot directly opposite, some well maintained but most a mess. We found a lovely gift shop where we bought a magnet for myself and 2 thimbles for a friend. We also got a new cap for Trevor who had successfully managed to leave another one behind. He has left them on a bus, an aeroplane and, this time, on the Glacier Express.
We cast off from Breisach for our next destination, Kehl, at 19:00.
*South Africans will understand when I say that I was reminded of Jacob Zuma’s fire pool at his Nkandla mansion. For others, this ex-President tried to claim that the swimming pool at his home, built with taxpayers’ money, was not a luxury. It was essential in case of a fire.
We arrived at Breisach am Rhein, the full name of the town, at 07:00. Our inclusive excursion today, which departed at 08:30, was not a walking one, but we were taken into the Black Forest to visit a glasswork factory and a Cuckoo Clock making factory.
The Black Forest is a mountain range in South-western Germany, with the lower slopes covered in Oak and Beech trees while the higher regions have forests of Fir trees, giving the area its name. Many of the Fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm are set in the Black Forest even though the essence of the story does not necessarily come from there. For example, Cinderella was borrowed from the French author, Charles Perrault. The whole area is almost fairy tale like with its romantic castles, ‘gingerbread’ houses and mist-filled woods.
Breisach is a small city located in one of the warmest parts of Germany and so is a good wine-growing area. It boasts the largest wine cellars in Europe with a storage capacity of 160 million litres. It is the 3rd largest in the world after W. Cape, South Africa and California, USA. The most prominent landmark of Breisach is the Cathedral, built in the 12-13th centuries. Its spires are visible throughout the city and from the river.
As we drove through beautiful scenery and small villages, our guide told us the history of the people, their homes and lifestyles from the 13th century. Originally the homes were built entirely of wood as were the nails which were used. This meant that, frequently, there were fires due to the need for fire to cook and keep warm. As a result, every home had a dam to have water on hand to extinguish the fire.*
Two villages through which we drove, as well as a third one in the Black Forest, became Protestant following the Reformation and they introduced an interesting requirement. The women all wore hats, called Bollenhuts, decorated with pom-poms which were red for unmarried women and black for married women. Today they only wear them for special occasions.
After a 2-hour drive we arrived at a beautiful spot where there was the glass blowing and manufacturing shop as well as a large Cuckoo Clock factory and showroom. We were given the times for the Cuckoo Clock and Glass Blowing demonstrations and left to ourselves to wander around and attend if we wished. Some, including Trevor, decided to go on the walk into the mountains but we were warned that it could be quite strenuous, so I chose to stay on the more level ground.
I began by looking around the Cuckoo Clock shop where there were dozens of these and quite pricey as they were all hand-made. Watching the demonstration was very difficult as the presenter was working on a bench which was not visible to more than those who stood in the very front of the group. As a result, I gave that up and admired the large variety of the finished products which were beautiful. I could tell you a lot more about these clocks, but the information is extensive and I would suggest that you click on the link to learn the full story of these unique wooden clocks.
In another building was the glass blowing factory and shop. We had visited a similar place in Venice in 2022 and this one was the same, hot and busy making beautiful and varied glassware. There are a large number of glass blowers in the Black Forest and finding a really useful site with interesting information is not easy. Showing you some photos will tell a lot more.
There was a 3rd demonstration and this was excellent, making a Black Forest Gateau. The lady who presented this did so in an interesting and clear manner. Those who decided to buy a piece of cake said that it was divine.
At the start of the walk that the group went on there was a railway viaduct, the Ravenna Bridge which was completed in 1885. It is 58m or 190ft high and 225m or 738ft long. As it originally had a curve in it the max speed was 15km or 9m/p/h. The Germans blew it up near the end of the 2nd World War and rebuilt in 1947-48. On the walk the group was treated to some lovely scenery including bubbling streams and interesting plants.
There were a number of other buildings including an hotel, a chapel and a few homes of those who lived and worked there.
We retuned to the boat via different route and arrived in time for lunch. In the afternoon Trevor and I walked into Breisach which is right on the river. As in most European cities it had a castle and a city wall of which there are still the remains. We tried to find the road to take us up to the castle but nothing seemed to go there. The houses looked small and were right on the road with a vegetable and flower plot directly opposite, some well maintained but most a mess. We found a lovely gift shop where we bought a magnet for myself and 2 thimbles for a friend. We also got a new cap for Trevor who had successfully managed to leave another one behind. He has left them on a bus, an aeroplane and, this time, on the Glacier Express.
We cast off from Breisach for our next destination, Kehl, at 19:00.
*South Africans will understand when I say that I was reminded of Jacob Zuma’s fire pool at his Nkandla mansion. For others, this ex-President tried to claim that the swimming pool at his home, built with taxpayers’ money, was not a luxury. It was essential in case of a fire.