Monday 9th October 2023

Hinterzaten to Hells Valley and back.

Another glorious day greeted us in the Black Forest with 25 degree clear weather predicted for our down and back trip to an aptly named Hollental ( Hell’s Valley) which incorporated the Ravina Gorge.

This is an area steeped in history. It was the route that Mary Antoinette at the age of 14 and her entourage of 30 carriages and 450 horses trod, despite its extreme difficulty, on her journey from Austria to France to marry Louis 16th.

In the years after the end of the Second World War it was an area where the French used German POW’s to reconstruct infrastructure their troops had destroyed in their retreat.

After a hearty breakfast, history meant little to us as we snaked our way steeply down the ravine with a creek ever present. The past was never far away with several old timber mills, still standing and operational, using water power to drive their saw’s.

The path tumbled along for ages with huge trees to one side and the railway high on the other side sloping down towards the bottom of the ravine, on a track noted as one of the steepest in Germany. If you looked hard enough you could see the tunnels amongst the trees.

After a good hour down hill we crossed under the main road to an historic site which in its day was a plant used for rope manufacture.

The track continued to follow the creek and several unused bridges and tunnels spanned the creek. Getting a picture was a balancing act, achieved with success but not much grace.

We were soon at the bottom of the ravine and in a little fairy land with a house sized Cuckoo Clock and a lot of modern buildings to satisfy the tourists, particularly the 100 or so Yanks off a Rhine River cruise. There were pumpkins aplenty in an early nod to Halloween.

Managed to time it right to capture the theatrics of the clock striking at both 1030 and 11 when the cuckoo and dancing couples did their thing.

There was also a wooden sculpture and a bike reproduction that caught the eye.

One particular sign showed just how far from home we had roamed.

Followed that up with a visit to the glass blowing demonstration and then to stand beneath the enormous railway viaduct which was reconstructed between 1945-47 after the war.

The still active railway viaduct 50 metres or more above, was amazing and it provided a fitting entrance for a trip to traverse up the other side of the ravine.

Having read the notes about the ascent we left with some trepidation. It all proved to be unwarranted as we walked mesmerised through a forest wonderland crossing wooden bridges, climbing metal stairs and snaking along narrow paths with a decent drop to the creek.

Most people were coping however one woman stood on her poles and appeared to announce to her partner” this is far enough for me , you pick me up on the way back”.

He may well have, as we passed him on his way down.

There were more old mills along the way again using water power to run their equipment.

Not sure if the logs were there by accident or design but several crossed the track and had us ducking.

Immersed in the beauty of the walk we were surprised when we reached the top of the hill and came across a self service food and drink locker, with an honesty box.

As the track flattened out we walked through some small hamlets with tiny cow holdings, cute firewood stacks and a fence which answered that old conundrum of ‘where do odd socks end up?” This farmer had a fenceful, along with a great shingle for his landscaping business.

Getting the cows to drink must have been difficult on the hilly terrain, so farmer Gunther solved the problem by bringing the water to the animals. Two cows had a bit of a push and shove so they could have a slurp.

We got a bit closer to our home town and passed more sculptures along with a private school which was set up by the same guy who created Gordonstone School in Scotland where both Prince Phillip and King Charles attended.

It was a magnificent building along with great sports fields and a running track suitable for short distance sprinters.

The track meandered through back blocks of town before heading past a Dreher mini brewery and then a huge common which stretched for kilometres. Unfortunately, our supposed access road was closed and we saw every inch of the common, along with a lot of weird sculptures whose meaning was only depicted in German.

Finally hooked back into town , again passing ski jump and private gardens of Adler Hotel, before lobbing at our hotel, which was closed for the day.

We freshened up and headed for a sportsman afternoon delight of Aperol, Irish Coffee and Apple Strudel before the obligatory Xmas decoration shopping.

The little tubby munchkins arrived home and promptly had a snooze before heading out for exactly what we didn’t need – another feed. As it was free, bar the drinks , we couldn’t disappoint the staff and ate what was on offer – the 3 course special.

Another slow waddle home , along our own common, and it was to bed to dream about tomorrow’s 15 Kms of undulating meadow walking.

Sunday 8th October 2023

Altglashutten to Hinterzaten

No need to worry about trains today or the first part of the walk, as we are retracing our trainless journey from yesterday to make our way to Hinterzaten , the local ski jumping venue in the Black Forest area.

Will miss the hotel , it had a real homely atmosphere and everything was spot on.

Amazingly the solo walk today over the same track had us constantly asking ‘ do you remember that’. Most times the answer was ‘no’ and it probably indicated how wrapped up in conversation we were.

There were more magnificent winter lodges and ski fields we missed tucked into hills. Animals were also more prevalent, including a little farm with a real mix of horses. Also plenty of benches to take in the lovely views.

Reached Barental and started off into the hills and forests, but not before a rarity on this trip – a grass path – which lasted all of 100 metres.

After that it was back into some very ‘undulating ‘ forest before eventually reaching a creek crossing at the bottom.

We encountered two young men at a bridge armed with knifes who were either going to rob us of all our worldly possessions or carve their initials into the new wooden bridge.

Thankfully it was the latter and we ambled up the hill and passed a farm owned by one Michel Hof ( not sure if he was an ancestor of the bloke from Bay Watch ).

He must have enjoyed longevity from life in the forest or drinking the stream water because his tombstone indicated he lived for almost 400 yests.

The existing farm was amazing with a great crop of ripe rosehip bushes, the flavour of an additive to one of our cocktails we enjoyed the previous night.

The path around the farmhouse was one of the few flat patches we enjoyed before a beautiful uphill walk through the forest, with me leading the way and Jane reading the instructions.

Seems we have over the years developed a system for me leading uphill and her leading downhill. The forest was being harvested in many parts and the trees logged were enormous. They often lay next to tracks awaiting the next step in the process.

We thought we were nearing the top when we reached a decision point on which track to follow. A signpost with numerous directional arrows tested our directional skills, but we eventually picked the right one that lead us to the top of the hill.

Here stood a chairlift at the top of a ski run which would delight my daughter Michelle’s family, but would have had me washing the undies at the bottom. After the first turn it simply disappeared steeply through the bushes.

We struggled down something designated as a path which zigzagged for a couple of hundred metres before finding more of the run- a little flatter but still as frightening to a non – skier.

Aftert a knee busting down hill we came to a lovely open pasture with a huge guesthouse where we dropped the backpacks and enjoyed lunch – totally unaware that we were about to switch back up the hill.

It was then off up the hill behind a conga line of weekend warriors for about 30 minutes, before topping the hill and skipping down the other side to reach another lake.

Like the previous day it could not be swum in due to ecological reasons. Interestingly we met two girls who asked us to take a photo. One had studied ecological science in Brisbane and she gave us an explanation which we could but accept despite wanting to cool down.

Circumnavigated the lake before heading out into more level ground. Passed a candidate for the worst stacked woodpile on trip before finding a very rocky path down into a nature park on the outskirts on Hinterzaten where we were staying.

They saved the best sign till last – Wolves are being re-introduced into the forests- glad we didn’t have to deal with that thought as well, on a trip that was difficult but magical in the sun filtered forests.

The nature garden had a great area for kids to play in, including a cubby house made from tree remnants. The church with the onion shaped dome which we had seen from afar was ironically adjacent to our hotel.

We managed to book into another great hotel on a common, in a town obviously set up for the winter ski season.

The famous ski jump was visible from anywhere in town. We visited it later in the day on our trek around town – those ski jumpers are a breed unto themselves.

We also passed the Adler Hotel which had an enormous private garden and it was a few classes above our accommodation. In actual fact the town had a sense of sophistication about it.

After our walk we enjoyed a quiet drink in the beer garden before a siesta and then off to dinner.

Whilst dinner was a tad plain,compared to previous days, it was tasty and plentiful, with it mainly being the traditional style of the area, albeit interestingly named. The entree especially, Lambs Lettuce, which was effectively a Caesar Salad. Dessert was a deconstructed Brownie served with a side of Crème Brûlée.

Just have to say this trip is a delicate balance between being fit and fat with latter probably just in front, if walking shorts are a barometer.

Saturday 7th October 2023

Altglashutten Round Trip via Feldsee

We woke to a 7 degree morning with crystal clear skies and a great forecast for our walk to the highest point in the Black Forest- Feldsee where you supposedly can see the Swiss Alps.

The quality of food for breakfast was as good as last night’s dinner , as was the service from staff, mainly family, dressed in traditional clothes.

Set off on the walk and ran into two English people on the same tour as us. He was a retired GP and she a retired Practice Nurse. Good insurance if we took a tumble- though he was blind in one eye as a result of a skiing accident.

All our worrying about trains yesterday could have been saved for today. With our walk supposedly starting with a short train trip we arrived at station to be told ‘ No trains today, there might be a bus”.

A walk up to town proved fruitless so we decided to walk an additional 4 kilometres to the start.

It was a wonderful stroll along a path hugging the mountain with views down the valley and up into the hills, where ski runs were cut into the forest.

Sighted our first cows for the day and they would have been fit living on this terrain.

The hills were dotted with lots of houses, all set up for winter with their inevitable tidy wood stocks. Seems there are still enough trees in those hills to sustain the usage.

With the little help of a local we got directed onto a mountain track that steepled upwards for about 2 hours. The only respite was a wetland crossed on a plank pathway. The ongoing conversation with our companions helped take the mind off the terrain.

We finally reached the bottom of the chairlift and after adding on the extra kilometres early in the day decided to ride it up to the top rather than walk up the steep track.

Up at the top was a monument and a lookout with amazing 360 degree views. It included seeing a huge mountain tarn (lake) that we would circle on the way down.

For those with a penchant for heights and the stamina left in the legs, the 11 storey observation tower enhanced the view even more.

On this relatively clear day you could make out the outline of the Eiger and other prominent peaks in the Swiss Alps.

With a few stops for a puff I eventually made the top. Jane was smart enough to use the lift and enjoy similar views, but like me had difficulty stepping to the edge and looking down.

Nearby on a slightly higher hill was telco infrastructure and a myriad of paths-what they were used for is a mystery.

Back on level ground it was off for a trip back down the cable car to the bottom to start our long haul down the hill.

The four of us suffered a bit of a direction finding problem that was solved after finding the right sign out of a myriad appearing on the posts around the place. This place must be a bunfight in ski season,as on a sunny day in Autumn it was packed.

It was a steep rocky downward trip with hordes of people coming up and a few eager beaver groups pushing passed from behind.

On these surfaces it’s difficult to maintain your balance at the best of times and urgers don’t help. Poor old Hal with his diminished sight had a few near misses from a tumble as people pressed him to go faster.

It was after about an hour that we reached the tarn. Hot and sweaty.
Unfortunately, the existence of rare plants in the lake stops swimming. It was a matter of doing a lap and taking in its beauty, along with 30 other people.

Jane and I set off separately and enjoyed a bit of flat forest walking, before ending up at a huge guesthouse where people were picnicking as well as enjoying a cart ride with a traditionally dressed driver. The old horses just plodded along doing something they must do a 100 times a weekend. They looked in good condition so it can’t be doing them any harm.

We meandered through more forest, up and down, with signage giving very confusing distances , it was like a barn dance 1 km forward and 2 back. At around 4pm we found the town where the train should have left. Buggered after 7 hours walking we took a punt that the train replacement bus was working.

Hallelujah !! There were some people at the stop. A kind soul directed us onto a crowded bus and we were off.

Only two slight problems it was headed in the wrong direction and getting there alive was doubtful with the ex rally car driver giving everyone heart palpitations with his driving antics – he was obviously behind schedule.

We finally arrived at the terminus and immediately grabbed a seat for a ride in the right direction. After 30 minutes of our life we won’t get back , we arrived in the home township about a kilometre from home.

Just off in the distance we saw a few familiar faces from our hotel, taking what hoped was a short cut home. It turned out not and it was more than faces we ended up seeing.

Being caught out peeing can have unforeseen circumstances – one lady let us see more moon than Neil Armstrong saw and the other was last seen towelling down her jeans. We crossed paths with a smile , which was replicated at dinner when they turned up for a 60th birthday celebration.

Some time after 5pm we slumped into our bedroom chairs and reflected on a very memorable days walking and gawking.

All spruced up we headed for our 5 course dinner with matching wines. Like last night the food was perfect in taste, presentation and portion size. The wines were a great complement to the meal and service was great.

The menus are below.

Friday 6th October 2023

Basel to Black Forest – Altglashutten

Happy birthday to Mitch Hodgson my grandson back in Sydney.

Today was all about catching the right train at the right time to take us from Basel, through France, to our final destination at Falkau in Germany.

With first train not leaving till lunch time we grabbed a late breakfast and had a wander out through the suburbs circumnavigating the Zoo where we caught a glimpse of some monkeys and then down along a large canal back to home.

Off to the railway station to mingle with what seemed like a crowd going to the Grand Final. When looking at parking station most must have ridden.

We grabbed a bit of sustenance at CoOp where if you wanted mushrooms or a handful of banana’s it was there for your picking.

Found our platform and with no mention of our first point of change on the board . A few exchanges with locals and a guy in a fluoro jacket, who was probably less sure than us, we jumped on another fast train hopefully stopping at Freiburg.

We basically had the carriage to ourself to start with, but it slowly filled with University students , heading for Freiburg- we hoped.

The landscape changed pretty quickly and the plains turned into forested hills and vineyards. We could look in the opposite direction and see some of the peaks we had climbed last week.

Reached our destination and managed a swift transfer to the right platform to catch a slightly smaller Regional train. It was standing room only for the next hour with carriage full of local travellers, cyclists and the usual mutt.

It was certainly a long trip which finished at a small station in Titisee with one platform, smaller train and as many people. Thankfully the ride was only 10 minutes up through cuttings and tunnels to 750 metres to finish n Altglashutten.

What started off a worrisome journey was pretty uncomplicated and the final 500 metre uphill walk rewarded us with a great hotel with a magnificent view of the mountains. Sadly only half the height of what we will scale tomorrow or perhaps cheat a little bit with a short cable car ride.

A cute little babies cot, along with some period furniture was outside our room- thankfully no takers.

The hosts were perfect,like the room and the delicious set menu meal we had for dinner. The restaurant was full with travellers and locals, I don’t think anyone would have walked away disappointed with the fare or service.

Thursday 5th October 2023

Basel

It was a somewhat red faced individual that stepped out of the bathroom this morning. Seems I have had a reaction to the’ Rock Your Body’ liquid soap and I have the face of a sunburned Pom on Bondi beach.

We still had plenty to see of Basel, so could not let a little rudiness  get in the way and we struck off early with the workers to find somewhere for breakfast. 

On the outskirts we found a nice little cafe and dined on both sweet  and savoury offerings and a good cup of coffee. Unlike last year in Turkey a cup of tea has not passed my lips on this trip.

Our main aim was to get to the riverside and do a little cruise on the Rhine. Unfortunately, only 5 hour cruises were available, so we quickly did some Dr Google,  at one of the free Wi-Fi points, and opted for a 2 hour bus tour instead.

Found the bus stop and embarked on a great trip, which despite limited photo opportunities,  gave us a great understanding of Basel’s  history and its evolution to where it is today, along with some stories of its prominent citizens.

We started out adjacent to a crazy looking fountain with sculptures by a local identity Tinguely. His works were also in a Museum dedicated solely to him which we passed later in the day.

The fountain apparently has a very different view in winter, the on-bus video gave me an chance to snatch a view.

Just on fountains every one in Basel has drinkable water,  so it’s hard to go thirsty.

Another favourite son of Basel was adventurer Johann Burckhardt who was an Indiana Jones of his day,  being accredited with finding the lost city of Petra and the Great Temple of Ramses at Abu Simbel. Interestingly he studied Islam then posed as a Muslim and changed his name to Ibrahim so he would be accepted.

We travelled around to the major railway station which apart from its grandness had a great role to play in WW2 when it housed thousands of refugees from Italy.

Next was the covered  market which was a centre of trade in its day, but when we went back later in the day found it was more of a food court for any food other than Swiss.

 On the way to the Jewish Quarter we passed the hotel where UEFA soccer federation was formed in 1954.

The Jewish Quarter over time was home to the likes of Anne Franck and the Coen brothers of movie fame.

Headed through the university precinct where there was a minor protest going on outside the University Hospital over abortion.

Then it was down along the riverside passing Les Trois Roi Hotel which is one of the most exclusive in Europe. It has a 3 Star Michelin restaurant.

With the ridiculous cost of living here I think one might need to sacrifice their first born to eat there.

Next point of interest was  the Town Hall which we walked to after the tour , it was pure opulence.

Headed out of the old town towards the business area, in particular the Novartis Campus, built on the site of an ancient Celtic village , and now home to  some 10000 people in the health science industry work. 

Interestingly it was 75 years ago that LSD was developed in these laboratories. Along the same lines, the Weedy Shop in middle of town satisfied all your modern day hash requirements.

Like Silicon Valley in US it has been nicknamed Bio valley. In total something like 70000 are involved in the industry.

We went down through the St Johannes Gate which led to the area where the Fish Markets previously existed, it is now the entry to the huge Rhine River port.

It’s the only port with direct access to the North Sea and moves about 15% of Switzerland’s trade.

The middle of the river marks the three way border of France, Germany and Switzerland. On land there is a large symbolic three sided pole.

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There is a modern bridge which replaced the old pontoon bridge destroyed by US troops in the 40’s.

Still in the industrial / business area we went to what used to be called the Beer Bottle , which was the area where all the brewery workers lived.

It is now an area noted for its ethnic diversity. Basel has 150 different ethnic groups living in the city.

Back towards the middle of the city we passed the Exhibition Centre which was designed by Hertzog  and Partners who were also responsible for Peking’s Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium.  

Then over the river on which the baths were located. Swimming is very popular and our friends floating downstream yesterday are multiplied 100 fold in Summer.

We saw our little punt from yesterday and found out they have no motor they just use the current and tiller to maker their way across the river.

Maintaining the water theme we passed the old paper mills which use to pollute the river in years gone by.

It was off the bus and into town centre for us to have kramsky and Prosecco, not quite a Bunnings Sausage sizzle.

Having dodged trams, buses, cars and bicycles for the last two days we decided to look from the other side with a twisting tram ride towards home.

Walked the remaining kilometre and had a little siesta before heading out around 630 to finish the visit with a dinner typical of town – good old pork snitzel. Add a wine and a homeward bound gelato and our day was done and we headed home to ponder the next 8-10 days traipsing through the Black Forest.

We passed a great mural of the famous rock stars outside a cafe pumping out music from all era’s.

We will miss this lively town, but credit cards might be smiling.

A few more photos of the day

Wednesday 4th September 2023

Basel

Another no boots transition day, this time from Colmar in France to Basel in Switzerland.

Farewelled Little Miss Happy on reception whose attitude did not change from sign in to sign out – obviously a young lady who needs to rethink her career in a people facing job.

Just 50 steps and we were on the queue to buy our tickets. Train was due in about 30 minutes and there was little change in it’s length for what seemed an eternity.

A sudden spurt of productivity had us ticketed and on the platform ready for another speedy train ride.

Within 10 minutes the landscape changed and vineyards gave way to field of wheat – guess they need something for all that bread.

In no time we were pulling into another ultra modern train station that was not far off an international airport with all of its shopping facilities.

We managed to sort out a problem with a train cancellation on one of the legs to the Black Forest, then headed to our nearby accommodation. Pretty ironic that we left land of storks to end up in an Ibis hotel.

No early access but at least the staff member was ultra pleasant. Interesting that she was French and said that the Swiss don’t take on the menial jobs in hospitality because of the cost of living – we found out a bit about that later in the day.

Armed with the City Map and Map Me App we headed into town , dodging the myriad of trams and buses which we as visitors could use for free with our Basel Card.

No where near as many tourists in the town, it just seemed like a major city getting on with life.

It was surprising how hilly the town was even close down near the Rhine.
We wandered down past the Cathdersl which was closed for prayers. Like many here it had a sundial out front.

We ran into another church with a lovely mural out front. Inside was a full orchestra preparing for a concert. We waited for 15 minutes but no music emanated from any one of the wide selection of instruments.

Out the back of Carhdral was a lovely tree filled park which offered great views up and down the river.

We got down onto the river and crossed to the other side and in one park watched another competitive game of either pétanque or boules.

The river was a passing parade of cruises, barges , small pleasure craft and believe it or not several people floating down the river with flotation devices, dodging bridges and watercraft.

Lots of people wete lining the riverbank lolling back on the stone banks taking in the sun and enjoying lunch. We managed to join the group with a little feast from the local deli.

One surprise boats was a punt who ferried people across the river in a craft tethered to a wire high above the river. For a couple of Euro’s we could not resist the opportunity.

Headed back into the Cathedral area and managed to get a viewing along with 10 little kindergarden kids who were being herded like cats by the teacher.

When you think of how the church espouses peace the sculpture out the front of a soldier spearing a dragon didn’t quite fit the bill.

Headed home, through the main town gate whch still had old wooden gates intact, along with a nasty looking iron grille with cerrated edges.

Also passed a couple of interesting shops, one the weirdly named Ass Bar and the other a toy store where the French and Swiss penchant for cycling showed up with Match Box Toys in the image of a tour De France riders.

Managed to find our way home and book into our postage stamp sized room.

Went out for dinner and Jane talked me into the Cheese Fondue. It was delicious but I reckon they need to serve it with a defibrillator as a side dish.

With a 1/2 bottle of wine and a couple of desserts we needed to mortgage the house to pay the bill.

The area around the railway was a microcosm of society, with first signs of homelessness, buskers, plus a couple of heavily drug affected types.

On the way home I was accosted by two young gypsy looking guys at the railway. They were jostling me and getting very handsy , obviously feeling for wallets etc. I politely told them f… off.

We made it home with no further incident. Oh the joys of big cities!!

Tuesday 3rd October 2023

Colmar

Another day of being a tourist started with a late breakfast and a short walk down a now well beaten track into town, to arrive when the major attractions opened.

After yesterday it was inevitable to start at the Bartholdi Museum. We must have been looking a bit old and haggard because it was the first time we were offered an aged concession ticket – a whole Euro off the price of entry.

The museum rambled over three floors with an array of his paintings and sculptures done in various materials. The premier sculpture was the miniature model of the Statue of Liberty and also a 5 metre version of a horse in battle which had a 30 metre equivalent elsewhere in the country. A couple of pieces from the famous continents fountain decommissioned by Germans were also there.

Another notable piece was the model , life size , for the ear of the Statue of Liberty. There was also a picture of the practice version they assembled in Paris, for which they charged people 50 pence to scale the scaffolding to help finance the project

The museum had also been home to Bartholdi at some stage and displays of his study, music room and studio were represented. There were so many examples of his work it was difficult deciding which ones to capture after sorting the great from the excellent. Interestingly it had a plate display attached to the ceiling.

We left understanding why he had been such an influence in French/USA relations.

Whilst this visit was a sensory delight the next one tested the taste buds. Having come from a long line of confectioners, with a penchant for making chocolate delights, it was a no brainier we visited the Museum of Chocolate.

Not only did it give a great history of how chocolate cultivation and production evolved over time, there were a couple of eat all you want tasting stations. We didn’t gorge ourselves, but suffice to say we didn’t need a big lunch.

Interestingly Ivory Coast is the world greatest producer of cacao beans which are the basis for chocolate production.

Some great works of art including cabaret costumes, Statue of Liberty and a life sized 1927 Bugatti all made from chocolate were on display.

The end of visit culminated with a gingerbread infused hot chocolate.

Followed this up with a visit to the Hanzi Museum. The artist nicknamed Hanzi is famous for taking the piss out of Germans before, during and after both World Wars. The Germans charged him with treason and incarcerated him as well as seriously wounding him in WW2 , which led to his ultimate demise.

He was also known for his rustic paintings of little children which feature on a raft of souvenirs.

Another walk through Little Venice where we picked up a few snacks and a new chapeau for Jane.

Headed home and did some chores before a quick siesta and then back into town, passed the still inoperative carousel , to buy a couple of presents for the tiny tots which will likely delight them and cause the parents some angst, before dinner in the Hansi restaurant.

One last walk home to get ready to farewell France for a while and head to Switzerland .

Monday 2nd October 2023

Bergheim to Colmar

It’s time to pack the boots away and have 4 days seeing the sights of Colmar and then Basel before heading off to the Black Forest.

Trading our country retreat for the big city atmosphere we jumped in a cab , without Jane’s hat, which is probably sitting on the head of a different local cab driver. Soon reached the regional capital of Colmar , it is a city of almost 70k people which is a tad different to the towns with 1-2k we had been staying in recently.

We ended up in an aptly named Grand Hotel which was across the road from the major railway station and only a 10 minute walk to the city centre.

No room was available and Little Miss Pleasant on the desk suggested we come back after 3pm. At least we had a ‘left luggage’ room to drop everything off.

Headed into town with a lot of grand old buildings around the place before reaching the tourist precinct. Tourist was the operative word with the place absolutely packed- just the sort of big town experience I detest.

Looks as though Asia has now discovered Europe along with a healthy smattering of Yanks. The Asians were madly clicking their way through town, with hardly a photo opportunity not being occupied by them taking selfies.

The town has a strong attachment to the US mainly by virtue of one of Colmar’s most famous residents Auguste Bartholdi being responsible for design and construction of the Statue of Liberty New York. As a renowned sculptor he left his mark throughout the town.

His famous statue above ,depicting 4 of the major continents , was dismantled partially by the Germans in WW2 and then reconstructed in 1958.

The Cathedral was again a major stopping point for tourists and like many in France it was under renovation on the outside and had a large queue to visit inside.

The architecture was again the dominant feature of town with the Phister house one of the oldest and grandest. Last time I heard that name was the US tennis player Hank.

The old converted Customs House was as old but nowhere as grand. Being in the wine region the industry was well represented by the La Sommeliere building, where the treats could be sampled and purchased. Bartholdi even had a Museum we hoped to visit tomorrow

The tourists here take their animals everywhere and in different forms of transport . The variety of dogs is particularly amazing.

A lot more kids here around town, than in the wine region and they seemed to be enjoying the city as much as Mum and Dad. I found one little fellow calmly washing his bike in a fountain, under the distant but watchful eye of his parents.

Our major port of call was the renowned Little Venice which was similar to the area in Strasbourg .

The tanneries and fish merchants plied their trade through history and then their buildings were converted into picturesque canal side residences. The local school playground even abutted the canal.

Quasi Gondoliers motored tourists up and down the canals in punts. One was full of an Islamic group who all ducked into the praying position to miss hitting heads on the low level bridge.

Another ran right up next to where we chose to have lunch where Jane had the meal of the trip – a tasty seafood stew.

After lunch we took in more of the town, including an obligatory visit to the Xmas Shop where Jane got a photo opportunity with a local identity.

We stopped and listened to a couple of talented street musicians and on crossing one of the bridges in town came across the tradition of lovers attaching locks to them.

Also took in some more Bartholdi sculptures including two wine inspired ones. One depicting a soldier who vanquished the Hungarians and supposedly introduced the Tokay grape variety back here and another of one enjoying his wine.

The last part of the day was simply taking in the beautiful buildings around town before wandering back through large parks, one with a huge water tower, to the hotel to book in and have a rest.

We headed back out in the evening in search of a light meal and to see the city in a different light. We were also keen to see if the 1900 carousel might have been working so Jane could have a ride and overcome a childhood fear. Sadly it didn’t open on Monday like many other places.

The city outskirts were almost deserted with the majority of restaurants and shops closed. It was different in the middle of the city with the minimal bars and restaurants that were open overflowing and people being turned away. We managed to make a booking for tomorrow night before finding an outside cafe to have a dinner comprising an Aperol and some ice cream dessert. Light but not particularly healthy.

Seems our day was centred around Bartholdi and there is more to see of him tomorrow.

Sunday 1st October 2023

Not much of a sleep for either of us with Jane aggravating a sore back with a slip in the bath. My cracked ribs making for uncomfortable laying down and also impossible to use my poles when walking.

Despite all that we woke to another cracking day with 26 degrees and sunny weather predicted.

Fabulous breakfast where WW3 nearly started during discussions with a French lady who taught English. Jane made some innocuous comment about the local food and her response was along the lines “ visitors need to be careful about having opinions on local food as it may not be well accepted .

That sort of ended breakfast table conversation.

It was probably a good segue into our uphill trip to visit a German War Cemetery.

We passed loads of walkers, runners and dog walkers heading both ways on the hill – could not look at the rear end of a dog after yesterday.

A campervan parked in front of a directional sign had us off in the wrong direction for a while, but finally worked it out and headed back to take the right path and head further upward.

After about 30 minutes we reached a doorway that led into the cemetery. It was a bit daunting to be confronted by more than 1500 white markers where 5300 German soldiers remains had been placed. No matter which country a fallen soldier represented it’s pretty sobering to see men aged between 17 and 58 lost to war.

This is a resting place for many soldiers who were killed in the late 1944 push by French and US troops to take back the Rhine Valley.

When you look back down the valley now full of vineyards, it’s difficult to imagine it as a theatre of war.

We quietly sat and took in the view then set off downhill, again across vieyard roads towards St Hippolyte.

We now seemed to have abandoned the forests and most of the walking is on gravel or tarmac. Another little geographical misadventures was cured with the help of a Ukrainian woman- ironic someone whose country is currently war torn to now be here in an old war zone.

We gradually found the town , again dominated by winemaking and tourism. The town was smaller and as Jane put it ‘ with a lot less lipstick’.

It was however one of the towns Pilgrims walk through on the Way of St James and his scallop shell direction shell was sprinkled along the way.

Being Sunday the locals were out and about with a group of 4 playing pétanque or boules in the local park near where we took lunch.

It was a burger lunch for us. Mine was a medium rare piece of beef served on two potato cakes (not bread) with Munster cheese and side salad- can’t imagine the Macca’s Cheeseburger would match it. It also had hand crafted chips.
It was interesting that our beer bottle and the glasses in which it was served had matching labels – seems it is a bit of a trait over here. As photo showed the restaurant had a real orange feel about it.

Again the passing parade was cycles and a throng of motor cycles. Our restaurant seemed to readily accept walkers and cyclists but not bikers.

We decided against the walk up to the castle and also a bus ride back to Bergheim and decided on a vineyard route of 4 Kms. The walk allowed us to pass the famous red, white and blue cock statue. The French maintained it in parochial colours as a sign of defiance to the German during annexation .

We also chanced to gaze the 20 Kms or so over to the hazy Black Forest mountains which we will tread next week.

As we walked out of town into more modern estates we realised fairytale towns don’t last forever and architectural wank’s are an inevitability.

We soon found our way back to our home town, passing the ramparts and moat before winding our way through the streets to the hotel.

We dropped the backpacks off, freshened up and headed off for a walk around the ramparts which circled town, but not before another visit to the famous lime tree and it’s slightly less number of oracles sitting beneath it.

Some magnificent old homes sat inside the ramparts with a former moat as their backyard. Several were undergoing major restorations and retaining their heritage.

We wound our way through town where locals were out in the street using mini public squares as a backyard. There were again some quaint houses and fountains in these backstreets.

We finished the stroll with a visit to a winery owned by the hotel, where we tasted and bought a couple of bottles of wine for later consumption.

It was then back to the hotel for a spa and a swim.

We ate in and watched an abysmal Aussie Rugby team beat minnows Portugal pretty unconvincingly.

That end this walk and now it’s to Colmar and Basel for 4 days before the next walk in The Black Forest.

Kayserberg to Bergheim

Saturday 30th September 2023

What a difference a day makes with people. Went to breakfast and the Lady of the House ended up our best friend engaging us in conversation about yesterday and our plans for today. Well at least it lasted till we were due to leave , when 3 times she questioned our mini bar usage- a whole 2 bottles of beer- and even sent the cleaning lady in to do another audit.

Today was a taxi transfer from Kaysersbrrg to our stating point in Riquewihr, about 15 minutes away.

Dropped off outside the gates to the City and guess what another fairytale town which was already bustling with tourists. Again the patisseries , ice cream stores, wine tasting dens and bar /restaurants were flanking the cobblestone road. Many of the buildings had floral displays hanging from the window sills , all with vibrant colour displays. Of course there was the fountain or five.

As we worked our way up through town we came across a patisserie with an enormous array of macaroons and decided to fill up the treats jar for the day with a 100g assortment.

A not so alert watch dog stood guard over the shops fare and this mutt was a precursor to what turned out to be a day about animals, as well as castles.

Jane is forever on the lookout for Christmas decorations and midway through town she found a shop with a reasonably small facade which evolved into IKEA once she got inside. Me the bull in the China shop was consigned to bag minding out the front.

After an eternity she returned with a booty which will test our packing skills and the care factor of airport baggage handlers.

Whilst waiting I read the directions and was not surprised that our next stretch was uphill on a road for a kilometre. Unlike the Italians the French love to build their villages at the bottom of the hill.

I waited by a town fountain whose water was previously used as a quality control device for the size of wine casks.

The next 300 hundred metres up the hill, behind a local walking his dog. set us a conundrum we are yet to solve. Fido had a bag of marbles tied at the very top of his tail which with every step rattled and banged on his bum and own marble bag.

Would welcome advice from any Dr Harry on what it’s for. Could not get too close so one might need to zoom in on the photo . I will never look at dogs the same again.

At the top of the hill we caught our first glimpse of the 3 castles we had an option to visit, it was still a decision to consider having seen 3 ruins before.

A bit of huffing and puffing along roads that wound through the vineyards we soon arrived at Humawir.

Another small pretty town but not as popular with the tourists, best demonstrated by minimal shops and no open bars or restaurants. The church , with a cemetery inside a rampart, was beautiful and enjoyed a great view north up the valley.

Out of town and on our Dr Doolittle visit to the nature park where they are enjoying great success increasing the stork population, which had almost vanished back in the 80’s. Numbers are now closer to 1500.

They migrate to Africa annually and this year left 3 weeks early due to the dry weather – even the birds are acknowledging climate change.

The sanctuary is also trying to increase otter numbers. Not too much evidence of that other than one who was very adept at backward somersaults of a rock – he had all the kids wide eyed and giggling.

The rest of the park was very kids orientated so we headed for the next animsl or more correct insect sanctuary, where there was 100’s of beautiful butterflies flitting all around the plants in a heat controlled room – emphasising the heat – it was like a Christmas Day in Darwin.

They were difficult to catch in all their splendour so I left that to Jane to capture and she gratefully shared her photos.

Then it was off to Ribeauville, with its kilometre Main Street which we walked both ways to make sure we took it all in. Bigger and as bright as the other towns we had visited it obviously attracted more tourists, especially on a weekend.

Having been on the road for 5 days and gradually working our way through the clean clothes eagle-eyed Jane remembered reading about a laundry in this town. We soon found it, but unfortunately it was an open air one which had not worked for centuries.

There were some quaint shops including the smallest book store I had ever seen, along with an assortment of fountains. In one was a display of the local products of the field.

We stopped in the middle of town next to an intetesting musician statue in a bar to feast on a charcuterie board , beer and a wine.

The diversity of tourists is amazing French, German, Alscience , Yanks, English, Irish, Japanese and a sprinkling of Aussies.

Whilst there were a few walkers we were outnumbered 10 to 1 by the cyclists and bike riders decked out in Lycra and leathers. Most of the cyclists had electric versions and unlike us made easy work of the uphills.

Attire on the others ranged from high end fashion to tee shirts and thongs. One guy must have been a shopkeepers nightmare – he was probably 32 short from the bum down and 48 short from the belly button. It’s not a critique just an observation from someone who has endured fat jokes all his life.

We still had 4-5 Kms to go before reaching Bergheim , our resting place. But two interesting things caught our eye heading out – an automated bear blowing bubbles and a wine tasting room with a very appropriate name.

The next part of the journey traversed the hillsides through the vines and if the annual crop is lower than expected I think I know the culprits – they will remain unnamed. It was interesting that most of the absolute roadside vines were devoid of grapes which migh indicate we were not the first to taste the crop.

The 20th century Haut Koenigsbourg castle, which has apparently been magnificently restored , was constantly in our eye on the way. Still undecided whether we visit tomorrow when we are about 5 Kms away, up some very steep trails or catch a shuttle when we move to Colmar.

We finally got a downhill run into town and walked past the famous 13th century lime tree under which sat 8 old souls and a couple of younger advisors solving the problems of the world .

Then it was through the grand main gate of the town which has an almost complete ancient rampart around its perimeter. For the observant, Jane was hatless all day long after leaving her hat in the taxi- an unintended gift.

Our hotel was magnificent, an old converted winery and we had a lovely first floor suite including lounge kitchen and bedroom. The mine host was the antithesis of the previous day , explaining everything you wanted to know, including the fact they had a laundry service and a pool and spa.

By the time we settled in and changed it was time for another great dinner and a little tipple.