Monday- Tuesday July 25- 26: Lost in the Black Forest

Monday morning we took a 6 mile roundtrip hike through the vineyards to nearby villages of Hunawihr and Zellenberg, which was excellent exercise.  While relaxing in the shade of the church courtyard in Zellenberg we met a young couple from Washington DC, spotted by Chris because of the baseball cap and "Columbia" T-shirt that the guy was wearing.  It's important to note, that Europeans are not big ball cap wearers. This is mostly an American accessory!

Later in the day, Alan was able to get free access into the nature park outside of Hunawihr for the sole purpose of securing a valuable (not really) stork feather.  He scored 2 feathers, which are now his most prized posessions!

About 30 storks roaming freely in the nature park:

Our evening adventure took us to the Kintzheim area, in the foothills of the Vosges, where an old castle ruin had been converted to an "aviary" for raising and training large birds of prey and vultures. Several times a day these birds were paraded out of their cages and forced to do tricks for the spectators.  While it was kind of cool being in such close proximity to these amazing birds, it was also rather disturbing to see them when they had to be put back in their cages.  They had their legs literally tethered to a chain, and they could only move a few feet to their water bowls. That was it. No ability to fly around at all- except for during the show. And that was only for a few of the lucky, well trained birds. The others were doomed to sit propped on display for the endless stream of onlookers. Well, judge for yourself the educational value versus the animal rights considerations.

A live American Bald Eagle- restrained:

Tuesday was a fantastic day from start to finish.  Our goal was to drive back across the Rhine value to  Germany, and enter the Black Forest.  Think of these as kind of like the Smoky Mountains, only way better.  The forests and high meadows were stunning, and the multitudes of farms and farm houses were all immaculate.  No junky, run down farms with rusted pickup trucks here!

Typical Black Forest Valley:

Gorgeous Farm House:

Front View:

Although we knew the basic direction of travel, with a few villages in mind, we decided to consult with the first Rathaus (town information office).  The attendant, fortunately, spoke some English, and provided us with maps and we were on our way.

Our first stop was a Benedictine Monastery,  Saint Trudpert in Munstertal in the Black Forest. Unbelievable in size and quite ornate! Today it is still in operation, but is now the home to the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Marc. St. Trudpert brought Christianity to this area in the year 607AD.  In the year 815AD, the Monks built the Monastery in his honor and lived there from 815AD to 1806.  It is an exceptional property with beautiful gardens, spotlessly clean and well preserved.

Inside the chapel of St. Trudpert:

Our next stop was the Belchen overlook, a 4000 foot summit accessible only by gondola. Our expectations were high, hoping for a truly memorable experience within the Black Forest.  The driving was tough at times, with roads that continually twisted and turned, and occasionally allowed for only one car width.  We got disoriented (some would say lost) at several points, but eventually found our way to the gondola stop and the peak, which was worth the ordeal of an hour long drive climbing higher and higher.  The pictures might capture the majesty of the location, but to be there and feel the hot sun, and crisp breezes is hard to capture in a photo.  Our high expectations were met at the top, with an incredible 360 degree view of 3 different countries.

The House at the top of Belchen:

View from Belchen to the West. Vosges Mountains (France) in distance:

Beautiful flowers at the top:

Serious German at the top:

Lastly we found our way to Triberg, the Cuckoo Clock capital of the world.  This was a special place for a Cuckoo Clock Geek like Alan- it resembled Disney World in some ways. A bit touristy, but one of a kind, and still pretty cool.  We went in several shops, and received a lesson from an authentic Cuckoo Clock maker on the differences in craftsmanship that exist between different products.

Downtown Triberg: