Germany (2): The Black Forest

From Stuttgart, we traveled by train to the small town of Triberg in the Black Forest. Unfortunately upon arrival at the tiny station, we found ourselves stranded. Walking to the hotel I'd booked wasn't feasible (due to steep terrain, drizzle, and lots of luggage!), and without wifi, we couldn't look up the bus schedule. We called a number for a taxi, but they hung up on us after realizing we didn't speak German. Finally, we "asked" (using lots of gestures) a kind woman to help us call our hotel and send a taxi to get us. Thankful to arrive, we checked in to our 2-bdrm suite at Best Western Plus and enjoyed a lovely German dinner in the hotel's restaurant.

Excited to explore this charming village, we welcomed the first day with a lovely morning hike at Triberg's famous waterfall. Our kids played at the base playground, and we bought nuts to feed the chipmunks, though sadly there were none. We ate pizza for lunch then browsed thru shops along main street. Our favorite was the Haus der 1000 Uhren, famous for its hundreds of cuckoo clocks in every style imaginable!

The next day was a bit rainy, but we didn't let that stop our fun! We sailed through the trees on a high ropes course, then warmed up inside while exploring a bit of history at the Black Forest Museum. My kids had fun seeing the clockmaker's workshop, feeding euro to the model train, exploring the mining tunnel, and making their own music on a barrel organ. After, we hopped down the street to enjoy a slice of the original, world-famous Black Forest Gateau at Cafe Shaffer--delicious!! (Our kids were asked to enjoy chocolate instead, as the cake is infused with large amounts of cherry brandy.)

Our late afternoon snack left us feeling full and sleepy, so we headed back to our room to enjoy some downtime. The view from our balcony was enchanting, and while kids stayed inside, Adam and I enjoyed the cool evening with wine and a good book. Later, we walked down the steep hill in search of dinner. Traditional favorite dishes included spätzle, schnitzel, and goulash, and the fresh river trout was truly amazing!