Germany (part 1)

 The 22^nd of December was a special day: It was the summer solstice (Most sunlight hours in a day for the year). It also happened to be a full moon.  Of more significance, it was also a lunar eclipse, it was the first time all these stars had aligned in 2000 years!! Of equal significance to me, I was off on my maiden adventure to Germany. It was still surreal as we packed our bags to head off to the airport sweating in long pants and shirt in 30 degrees clutching our jumpers, scarf and coats in preparation for the weather that was awaiting us in Frankfurt!

The eight hours to Hong Kong was incident free with an amazing sunrise as we tracked North West extending the sun sitting on the horizon trying to lift itself up and over by around two hours!! Even at Hong Kong Airport there were only the hint of change with free internet everywhere and the aroma of noodles filling the terminal looking out over the smog hiding the city and mountains apparently behind. It was only as we approached the Lufthansa boarding gate to try and secure some exit row seats that the changes became apparent. Firstly, the entire population at the lounge seemed to have grown by two feet. Secondly, the hair color had lightened considerably, and lastly, a look of suspicion and determination was unmistakable as we all clamored for the sought after seats.

The Lufthansa Aircraft to propel us through the next 13hrs to Germany was probably once the pride of the fleet. 20 years on however it was showing its age with small screens at the front of each bulkhead barely viewable and table trays warn and almost unusable. The service and staff were friendly enough but it was obvious that some serious upgrading was overdue.

Sitting beside an animated Italian shoe designer living in China I was also distracted by the gripping finale of “The Book Thief”, which helped the hours drag by with bouts of sleep-deprived coma sprinkled throughout the flight.  Nevertheless, I enjoyed the thought of Inland China sliding by underneath us, and being served a tasty dish of diced chicken whilst banking left over Katmandu for the last leg into Germany!

By the time we touched down and secured the German stamp in my passport it was 8.30pm and despite an overwhelming sense of tiredness I was appreciating the blurred scenery from the back seat of Tamara’s Audi A4 as we hurtled down the autobahn at 180km per hour!

It was hard to believe that only twelve months ago Tamara and her sister Jacqueline and husband Sven and brother Marco had been with us sweating out a Brisbane Christmas as part of her adventure around Australia. Now here we were driving through the snow sodden terrain, her eyes sparkling and her enthusiasm infectious as she introduced us to Christian  her boyfriend.  Having met him on returning home from her trip, I had the feeling he had heard as much of us as we had of him and so the get to know you period was easy and relaxed.



My new friend Christian



Next morning we opened the window of our room to look out over a roof covered in snow to a valley as serene as it was white! Chimneys in the gaggle of steeply pitched roofs were releasing smoke wafting straight up in the calm morning grey. There was a stream meandering through the village on the other side of a snowy paddock at the base of a mountainside covered with pine trees hosting clumps of snow on the needles. There were no cars, people, animals, birds; just a peaceful quiet start to the day.

 It was way beyond my reality to be getting up at 8.00 with no hint of any sun for the foreseeable future, so after a shower it was time to meet our hosts and begin my first day of exploring!

Tamara’s Family is fourth generation owners of the Forelle (German translation; trout) guesthouse in the tiny town of Hundsbach in northern tip of the Black Forrest. Built in 1871 it is a popular guesthouse in summer catering for families hiking, riding, fishing and generally getting away for pleasant country weekends and relaxing holidays.  Harking back to a time when family holidays were spent in Germany its low ceilings and wood paneling was warm and inviting, surrounded by windows looking over the panorama mentioned above. On the balcony outside was a big fish tank housing large trout, some of which were bound to end up on our dinner plate before too long.



Forelle translates to Trout





Tamara at the Forelle



Our Hosts, Tamara’s family, Ingrid, Ralph, cousin Karen and Grandmother Oma were waiting for us when we emerged for breakfast, already the kitchen was in full swing and I was about to be introduced to my first of three weeks of German breakfast. We are not the usual cereal kind anyway, preferring an omelet for protein and sustenance, but this was certainly neither of the above. Laid out were a selection of cold meats, salami’s and Bratwurst with cheese and an array of bread only some of it I recognized. Still, it was delicious and under Tamara’s observation also included soft boiled eggs in a cane basket wrapped in a purpose made doona which reminded me of a tea cozy!  Coffee with cream was plentiful and was a treat from our usual routine. In particular the Laugen bread (imagine pretzel in a loaf) was worthy of being hunted down and consumed every morning and was great both with savoury and eggs as well as sweet with jam.

So began 5 days of being fussed over and spoilt rotten as guests nothing like I have ever experienced. It was a cross between living with the familiarity of family in a commercial hotel. English was barely spoken but we managed to figure out some basic communication whenever Eva or Tamara was unavailable to act as translators.

 Eva had booked a hair appointment with another of her Australian guests from the nearby town of Buehl so after dropping her off, Tamara and I headed through the fog, winding our way through Sasbachwalden, a beautiful town complete with classic Tudor houses which the Black Forest is famous for. With visibility still limited we continued up and into sunshine and Mummelsee, a tourist mecca for the well healed a long time ago. Rumour has it that the lake beside the hotel was filled with mermaids who were looked after by King Neptune who delighted in filling the guests with rich’s and prosperity. This however was abused by patrons who took advantage of the lovely water creatures causing the king to be angry and cursing the building. It managed to survive several fires and WW2 bombings and is a popular hotel to this day. Many Divers have perished trying to recover the rumored wealth lying at the bottom of the very deep lake. On this day it was frozen over and our goal was to stay on our feet over the ice!



Mummelsee



 



Looking over a sea of fog  to France



We proceeded up the mountain to Untersmatt, a little ski field sitting at around 1300m and far away from the commercial operations I had ever experienced. It also had a clubhouse for a motorcycle club to take advantage of the winding, undulating roads perfect for a two wheel adventure in the warmer weather.

Looking back over the valley I began to get a feel for the geography. The black forest itself sits in the South West corner of Germany and is a rectangular area of around 200kms by 60kms covering 12,000 square km’s with an elevation of 1500m at its highest peak. The Western length of the forest drops down into the Rhine Valley, a lush area perfect for growing grapes and farming in general. The natural border between Germany and France is the Rhine River, in itself a hub of commercial shipping and activity between the two countries with the landscape being mirrored on the French side of the border and perhaps more famous for its wines than the German counterparts. From my feet at the base of the ski field laid a thick and flat sea of fog with the French Alps rising from the serene expanse in the distance. 



 

Christmas Markets

– A German tradition and one which I had heard lots of! This was to be my day of reckoning!!  We wound our way down the mountain to Baden Baden, where the festive atmosphere lead us to a large parkland brimming with music and lights under which rows of stands were set up completing the ambience with the aroma of BBQ Bratwurst, fresh bread, cheese and food I could only guess at!  Interspersed were vendors selling Gluehwein. Traditionally, a warm red wine infused with spices, perfect for the environment we were in. Over time it has evolved with plenty of variations to work our way through!  About this time I felt the need for a quick pit stop, so excusing myself I ducked into the Casino and headed for the rest rooms, not usually a place to come unstuck I confidently entered the signed area to be confronted by two doors. On one there was the letter” H “and on the other “D”!  This was a new one for me and I was a little thrown, where was the plaque of the little man or woman to give me a clue?  I waited a while thinking some one must surely exit and point me in the right direction but as usual when in the situation NOTHING!  Things were getting a little more pressing so a decision had to be made. I reasoned that I had been practicing Herr (Mr) Fischer (Eva’s dad) so my punt was H for Herr! Somewhat gingerly I walked up and peeked through the door ready to beat a hasty retreat if the H was for her… With great relief I had indeed picked the correct door and a new lesson had been learned!



Now thats a BBQ





Getting friendly with the locals!!





And a beer with Santa



Returning to the fray we enjoyed a wonderful night of bustling Christmas cheer, exploring further into the town where the bars and buildings were filled with Christmas cheer. Of particular note was the bar set out as a winter garden with ornate displays of all things Christmas including Santa stopping for a well earned drink where you could join him and one of the 6 star restaurants by the markets with the advent countdown calendar lighting up the front rooms!!

The town of Baden Baden was obviously a wealthy town and I discovered that there a more millionaires here per capita than anywhere else in Germany. Most of them are Russian mining tycoons. The Russian Orthodox Church is also renowned for its gold and lavish décor although I never actually visited it.

It also has a Catholic church that I did visit and the foundation stone was laid somewhere between the 8^th and 10^th century!!

staying warm in Baden Baden

Baden Baden literally translates into bath/bath and was where the Roman’s, recognizing the healing power of the thermal springs came to ease their aches and pains. Caracalla, the Roman emperor even came here to relieve his arthritic aches.

Although taking a pounding in the 1500’s and 1600’s and severely pillaged at that time by the French, it was rediscovered in the seventeen hundreds as a spa town and was visited by the queen of Prussia in the early nineteen hundreds to improve her health. At that time it also became a popular place for celebrities attracted by the hot springs, casinos and luxury hotels along with its race horses and gardens. In the 1850’s and 60’s it came known as the European summer capital. As luck would have it, the town escaped bombing in the first and second world wars and remains as a showpiece of history, culture and beauty today.



Baden Baden Thermal Bath



Littered throughout the Black Forest, the natural warm springs are a popular place for locals and tourists alike to escape the winter cold and relax in another world. I would like to expand on these further later on but it was fascinating to lay eyes on the incredible structures blowing stream into the cold night air and see the old Roman bricks on display showing the remnants of such historical significance! I had never actually laid eyes on anything so old in my life before and my imagination began to run wild at the thought of men in tunics and feathery battle hats running over the same cobbled stones I was standing on!

Christmas traditionally in Germany is celebrated on the 24^th of December with Saint Nic and has only recently been confusing children with the American “Coca Cola” invasion of Santa coming on the 25^th .  On this 24^th we woke to a thick layer of snow covering everything outside our cozy perch in the lodge!! The tiled Roofs were now white as was the road leading into town. I was surprised to see the trout in the fish tank on the balcony huddling around the air filter, the only thing stopping the tank from freezing over!  I could hardly concentrate on my Breakfast as the snow continued its endless pursuit of covering everything whilst we ate. By the time we had filled our stomachs the driveway was barely visible and seeing our generous hosts busy trying to clear the driveway we decided this was our opportunity to combine being useful with my desire to get in some exercise!  After 2hrs of shoveling snow I was drenched with sweat underneath my waterproof clothes and with a shrug of defeat I retreated without any evidence of our labor on the driveway!  From that time on I reduced my expectations and decided I would take the role of only clearing the guest entrance by the front door.



fighting the losing battle to clear the driveway



By early afternoon and without any break from the snow Eva, Christian and I headed out for a walk around town and managed to combine it with some tobogganing down the deserted roads and pathways! Whilst our hosts cooked and slaved over Christmas preparations, I settled in with hot chocolate and Lindser Torte only breaking to set the table for the feast ahead.



Hundsbach



Last year I had been the only Australian from a table of eight people sharing the traditional German Christmas feast prepared in 30 plus degree Queensland heat and consumed surrounded by fans to both cool us down a little and keep the flies off our meal. This year I was again the only Australian in the group of 14 for this gathering. How different it was though this year. With the snow relentlessly tumbling down outside and the heaters working overtime to keep our 150yr old building warm, the roast Goose, red cabbage and Knoedel all seemed somehow so much more appropriate and I decided there and then that our next Christmas in Australia was going to be conducted our way, with cold meats and salad!!

Having made the mistake of consuming too much of the main meal, I was stuffed beyond comprehension getting through the most wonderful array of sweets served for desert!

Another German tradition I struggled with was that of opening presents in the evening after the meals was finished. Presents were served out in the way we would but by ten in the evening for me the energy had got up and gone to bed where I was looking forward to going. It seemed such a shame that after all the thought and effort that had gone into them they weren’t appreciated in the way I was accustomed to.  It was really nice to speak to my son Cooper on the phone though and I have to admit to being thoroughly content after helping Christian dig out his car and tucking myself into bed.



Out Forelle's front door



The 25^th stumbled into light still snowing and I sat by the window appreciating both my Australian heritage and the vista before me in the quiet of our Christmas morning far from home as the snow flakes continued to dance past my window and nestle onto the piles of its comrades outside.

After breakfast we set out to meet Sven and a heavily pregnant Jacqueline at their house. We agreed that we would drop in by the local ski field to check out prices on the way through in preparation for the next days skiing. Having arrived however, the whole area was covered in beautiful powder snow with the bordering pine trees drooping under the burden of so much snow. I could hardly control myself and so Eva and Tamara left to visit family leaving me with several years of pent up excitement and the most perfect conditions you could imagine!  Booking in I was charged 20 euro’s for the skis and when I went to buy a 4hr ski lift pass the attendant asked why only four hours? “Because its 11.00 and the ½ day pass doesn’t start till 1.00”

“Close enough for me” he commented, so another 15 euro’s later and I was let loose spending the day alternating between the groomed runs on soft dry snow and busily negotiating my way between the pines with only the tips coming up every now and then under the knee deep powder until ten o clock that evening where the gang had congregated in the glass bar at the bottom of the hill busily dinking their Gluehwein from the warmth of their vantage point. After joining them for a few drinks to ease the pain of my ripped up ankles I noticed that my German really improved with the restrictions of my fear of not getting it wrong and offending anyone dulled by the drinks “I had to try whilst I’m here”.



Sampling the local with Svewn and Marco



My second day on the mountain was glorious. We woke to blue sky and the dazzling reflection of snow everywhere. Another 100 photos later and Eva and I headed out again with perfect visibility and fresh, groomed snow. From the top of the lifts the view was spectacular looking out over the Rhine Valley and over to the French Alps so clear in the distance. We spent the day skiing and eating at the café who’s walls were covered in the horns and skulls of different animals mounted as trophy’s. Truly a taxidermists pride and joy! 

It was such a joy to share both the skiing and experience with her that by the time we had stripped off the boots and ski gear and were back to Forelle I was a bubble of joy and contentment.

This was going to take some beating.  As the German banter washed around me I struggled to even look interested in keeping up with our most generous hosts. As I checked outside one last time before bed it was snowing again!



Buehl town centre



Our last morning here in Forelle and it was time for me to step up to the plate! We bid our sad farewell to Ingrid, Ralph and Nan and met the rest of the clan at Peters Café, their preferred bakery before catching the train to Eva’s Fathers for the next stage of our adventure. It was here that the magic of Buehl came to life. Covered in snow and dazzling under the sun with clear blue sky as a backdrop another 100 photos still couldn’t do the place justice. Having had the luxury of everyone ordering for me it was time! I confidently grabbed my wallet and ordered my cappuccino and Berliner in my best German, paid and waited as the patient waitress filled my order. The coffee might have been terrible and the orange cup an assault to the sensors but there it was, my first order and I was so proud!! Never mind the waitress shaking her head and everyone laughing at me, I was on my way.



It wasnt great coffee but it was my first German order!



Stay tuned for the continuing adventure as we head down the French, German, Swiss border.