In April/May 2018, Debra and I cruised the Rhine River for eight days on the Viking Mani. We sailed from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with port stops in Germany, France and the Netherlands. Click HERE to read a short introduction about this fantastic cruise.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day in Breisach, Germany, the first port of call on our cruise.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day in Breisach, Germany, the first port of call on our cruise.
Breisach, Germany (April 28, 2018) The Rhine River flows 765 miles in a mostly northerly direction from Switzerland through Germany and the Netherlands before it empties into the North Sea. Our eight-day cruise covered most of this distance, starting with a short segment last night – we sailed a mere 40 miles from Basel to Breisach, where we docked early this morning. The pace was leisurely – less than five knots per hour. Neither Debra or I felt any motion as the Viking Mani made its way north, and we woke this morning refreshed after a great night’s sleep!
|
|
We had a surprise when we looked out our cabin window – another Viking longship was tied up alongside the Mani. “Huh,” I thought, “tandem docking – a rather novel approach!” And how did the passengers on this ship get to shore? By crossing through the Mani, of course!
Debra and I had a full day of sightseeing ahead of us – a motor coach tour in the morning and a walking tour in the afternoon. We looked forward to both – new sights, new experiences, and certain-to-be new memories. First things first, though – we started our day with a hearty buffet breakfast, certain to hold us until lunch!
Debra and I had a full day of sightseeing ahead of us – a motor coach tour in the morning and a walking tour in the afternoon. We looked forward to both – new sights, new experiences, and certain-to-be new memories. First things first, though – we started our day with a hearty buffet breakfast, certain to hold us until lunch!
"Tomorrow morning, very early, let us take the two children out into the forest
where it is thickest. There we'll light them a fire and give each of them an extra
piece of bread, then we'll go off to our work and leave them on their own. They
won't find their way back home, and we'll be rid of them. "
~ The Stepmother in Hansel and Gretel, by the Brothers Grimm
where it is thickest. There we'll light them a fire and give each of them an extra
piece of bread, then we'll go off to our work and leave them on their own. They
won't find their way back home, and we'll be rid of them. "
~ The Stepmother in Hansel and Gretel, by the Brothers Grimm
Germany’s Schwarzwald
It was drizzling and a cool 55 degrees when we boarded the motor coach to begin our excursion. We joined 80 fellow passengers on an hour-long scenic drive easterly from Breisach to the village-resort of Hofgut Sternen. This was not just any scenic drive, mind you. Rather, it was a picturesque journey into the dense, mountainous woodlands known as Schwarzwald in German and Black Forest in English – a name that was coined by the Romans (“Silvia Nigra” in Latin) when they occupied this area in the first century. The 2,300 square mile forest was (and still is) dominated by numerous types of dark-colored pine and fir trees that appeared black to the Romans, thus the name.
It was drizzling and a cool 55 degrees when we boarded the motor coach to begin our excursion. We joined 80 fellow passengers on an hour-long scenic drive easterly from Breisach to the village-resort of Hofgut Sternen. This was not just any scenic drive, mind you. Rather, it was a picturesque journey into the dense, mountainous woodlands known as Schwarzwald in German and Black Forest in English – a name that was coined by the Romans (“Silvia Nigra” in Latin) when they occupied this area in the first century. The 2,300 square mile forest was (and still is) dominated by numerous types of dark-colored pine and fir trees that appeared black to the Romans, thus the name.
There was more to see than pines, though, as the bus navigated its way through the fabled Black Forest. We hugged the Dreisam River and skirted Niederrimsingen Baggersee and Opfinger See (“see” is lake in German). We drove past several vineyards and farms, the latter with large rolled bales of grain in the fields. And we motored through a handful of picturesque villages and towns, including Ihringen, Gottenheim, and Freiberg. Debra and I loved taking rides in the countryside when we traveled, and this countryside ride was fabulous!
|
|
The Black Forest was also home to many German fairytales, including these well-known stories by the Brothers Grimm: Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Snow White. We couldn’t help but wonder whether the Big Bad Wolf lurked behind one of the trees we passed, ready to pounce on Little Red Riding Hood!
Yes, the Black Forest had much to offer Debra and me as first-time visitors: Dark secrets, magic, and spells! A centuries-old history. And, of course, beautiful scenery – mountains thick with trees, half-timbered hillside chateaus, farms and red-roofed farmhouses, and more.
Yes, the Black Forest had much to offer Debra and me as first-time visitors: Dark secrets, magic, and spells! A centuries-old history. And, of course, beautiful scenery – mountains thick with trees, half-timbered hillside chateaus, farms and red-roofed farmhouses, and more.
|
|
|
The rain stopped as we reached Hofgut Sternen. The centerpiece of the village was a life-size cuckoo clock – perhaps 20 feet high – that was billed as the second largest in the world. (The largest cuckoo clock was in Sugar Creek, Ohio.) Every half hour, the cuckoo sounded and the figures danced. It was charming to see. The first cuckoo clock in the Black Forest region was crafted (1730) by Franz Anton Ketterer in the village of Schonwald.
Our tour guide offered two options for our 90-minute visit: attend a presentation on cuckoo clocks or trek into the forest. While it might be fun to learn more about the best-known icon of this region of Germany, we were in Hofgut Sternen to see and experience the Black Forest up close and personal, and this is what we did.
Our tour guide offered two options for our 90-minute visit: attend a presentation on cuckoo clocks or trek into the forest. While it might be fun to learn more about the best-known icon of this region of Germany, we were in Hofgut Sternen to see and experience the Black Forest up close and personal, and this is what we did.
|
We walked through the woods – actually, we strolled – for three-quarters of an hour along a path that meandered slightly uphill from the village alongside a creek. It was an easy walk, perhaps a mile to mile and a half, on a well-maintained, hard-packed trail. As we approached a wooden bridge that spanned the creek, we slowed our pace to separate ourselves from our fellow tourists – better the opportunity, we thought, to truly experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the Black Forest. We were glad we did!
|
|
We loved our “alone time” in the forest, where we were surrounded by thousands of trees, including oak, birch, pines and firs. There was a slight breeze that blew through the leaves and created a rustling sound that engulfed us. We heard – but could not see – birds that were perched in the trees. They called to one another…and maybe to us, as well. Was it an Alpine Swift we heard, or maybe a woodpecker or finch? Likely, it was all three. We inhaled the lovely smells of the forest – the sharp, sweet, and refreshing scent from the conifers, the aroma from the damp earth and trees, and the fragrance of wildflowers. And as we walked further into the woods, we heard the unmistakable sound of falling water – a slight babble at first and then a splash as we stood in front of a small waterfall that ran from high ground to low through and over rocks and boulders. The Black Forest – soft, gentle, and inviting – was a feast for our senses. Debra and I were enchanted by and grateful for our experience!
|
|
|
Back in the village, we visited the working glass studio where we watched a craftsman demonstrate the art of glassblowing. He gathered a glob of molten glass on the end of a blowpipe, which he then blew in to inflate the glob and shape it into a small vase. Debra and I have seen similar demonstrations many times before, yet we were again awestruck by this artist’s ability to turn an amorphous mass of molten material into a beautiful shape!
|
|
Glassblowers and glassmakers plied their craft at this studio. Their finished pieces included vases, bowls, masks, figurines, jewelry, and more, and all were available for purchase in the studio’s store. We did our part to help support the community of artisans – we bought a decorative plate constructed of blue glass. With its raised edges, it was intended to hold a candle. It was be an excellent addition to the arts and crafts that decorate our home, and a lasting memory of our visit to Hofgut Sternen.
|
|
The “Breakwater” Town
We walked into Breisach after lunch on the Mani. As you see in this photo, we shed the warmer jackets we wore this morning, as the early afternoon temperature was in the upper 60s and the sun painted the sky a lovely shade of blue. It was picture-perfect weather for our walk around town.
Breisach (pop. 17,000) is located in southwest Germany across the Rhine River from French Alsace. Its name is Celtic for “breakwater,” a reference to its location at a bend in the river that was, at one time, prone to flooding.
The town was charming - cobbled streets, a cathedral high atop the Munsterberg (the name of the hill), several historical buildings, and many shops and restaurants. This present-day charm, though, belied the fact that Breisach was largely destroyed when the Allies crossed the Rhine in the last weeks of World War II. Fortunately, the town was rebuilt in the old style.
We walked into Breisach after lunch on the Mani. As you see in this photo, we shed the warmer jackets we wore this morning, as the early afternoon temperature was in the upper 60s and the sun painted the sky a lovely shade of blue. It was picture-perfect weather for our walk around town.
Breisach (pop. 17,000) is located in southwest Germany across the Rhine River from French Alsace. Its name is Celtic for “breakwater,” a reference to its location at a bend in the river that was, at one time, prone to flooding.
The town was charming - cobbled streets, a cathedral high atop the Munsterberg (the name of the hill), several historical buildings, and many shops and restaurants. This present-day charm, though, belied the fact that Breisach was largely destroyed when the Allies crossed the Rhine in the last weeks of World War II. Fortunately, the town was rebuilt in the old style.
We started our tour in the lower part of town – that is to say, at the base of the Munsterberg. There we strolled along tree-lined avenues, where we saw a mix of residential housing, including this stately three-story home with its prominent red cupola. We turned onto Neutorstrasse (“strasse” is street in German), a pedestrian-only street that was lined with shops, where we did a bit of window-shopping. From a storyboard in front of a building on another street, we learned that the original building on this site (the left-hand photo) was a restaurant-brewery built in the 17th century and destroyed in World War II, and that the present-day building (right-hand photo), also a restaurant, was built with a similar appearance in the 1950s.
|
|
We spotted a sign that directed us to a stone staircase that led to the upper part of town. We found the most famous landmark in Breisach near the top of the staircase – St. Stephen’s Cathedral, set high above the town in Cathedral Square. The original structure was completed in the early 13th century, and then expanded and remodeled in the 15th century.
The cathedral sustained a lot of damage in World War II and was largely rebuilt following the war. We saw the still-visible signs of artillery fire on a section of the wall that withstood the bombing. Unfortunately, the cathedral was closed for interior repairs.
|
|
|
|
From the cathedral we walked to the Rathaus, or townhall, also located on Cathedral Square. The original structure dated back 500+ years. It was rebuilt several times, most recently in the 1950s after it was destroyed in World War II.
|
|
|
We followed Radbrunnenallee (a mouthful of a name for a street!) a short distance to the treadle wheel well tower. Inside the tower, the spoked wheel sat over a well shaft that was almost 130 feet deep. The original tower, built around 1200, had served many purposes over the years - town hall, courthouse, and torture chamber with prison.
Debra and I were curious about the homes in the upper part of town and scratched that itch as we wandered a few more streets. The homes in these photos are representative of what we saw: one-, two- and three-story houses in many colors, with high-pitched tile roofs and plenty of windows to let in the sunlight. We saw several that we thought we would be comfortable living in! |
|
|
|
Before we left town, we stopped at a corner café, where we sat on the patio and enjoyed a glass of Rothaus bier, a German style (what else?) pilsner. It tasted great!
Back on board the Mani, we joined our fellow passengers for early evening cocktails (we soon learned that this was a daily ritual!) and then a presentation on our next port. We enjoyed a relaxing dinner and then retired to the lounge to listen to music of France and Germany. We had a wonderful evening, befitting an awesome day in which we went on a storybook journey in the morning and walked about a historic town in the afternoon. It was a great start to our cruise!