Category Sites and Venues

Giving a Schwarzwald tour

Anna--The Adventurer

Woohoo!! My Grandfather came to visit me….and I marked off another item on my dream-list. I gave a family member a tour!!! Yes, it is true and I found it fun and exciting.

My Grandfather visited from Sunday through Tuesday evening here in Southwest Germany and willingly adventured with me around the area. We had so much fun!! I enjoyed being a tour guide more than I had anticipated. Grandfather was a great companion and we had so much fun together–I found it super nice and enjoyable to experience new coffee places as well with him–while going to some of my favorite places.

We went to the Monastary Ruins in Bad Herrenalb, the Kloster ruins in Frauenalb, the Schloss in Karlruhe and Ratstatt, and enjoyed the lovel art and architecture in St. Alexanders on Marktplatz in Ratstatt. A lovely fountain, bridge, and river tour in Ettlingen also had taken place, with coffee and lunches intermixed in our ventures–we used the tram and sometimes the car, making transportation very versatitle and easy.

All the places we went to gave us the beautiful sites and scenes of the Black Forrest, also being able to see the changing of the leaves this autumn–all in all, quite an event.

Want to check out some of the hot places we dined and enjoyed coffee?? The links and references are below.

 

Golden Mann Cafe Am Schloss Ratstatt

Schwarzwald Stub (Restaurant) Bad Herrenalb, Germany (no website) Kurpromenade 5, 76332 Bad Herrenalb, Germany

DLounge (Coffee shop), Karlsruhe, Germany

Täglich (Restaurant), Ettlingen, Germany

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Drinking from a fountain, Karlsruhes Downtown

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The River Alb, Running through downtown Ettlingen

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Schloss Karlsruhe Statue Tours

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The River Alb, Frauenalb Germany

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We stopped at a local Bakery for snacks and coffee, a German classic

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Taking a break from touring the Black Forrest at the DLounge, Kronenplatz, Karlsruhe, Germany

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1000 year old ruins at Frrauenalb, Germany, in the heart of the Black Forrest

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My grandfather in Frauenalb, standing next to a very old, established trees by the ruins.

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Grandfather and I riding the trams to adventure together

The Verranda on Schloss Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe,

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The Crest of the Markgraf Wilhelm von Baden Baden, primary resident of the Schloss Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Baden Wurtemburg Germany

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Exquisite Cappucinos at the Cafe Am Schloss, Ratstatt, Germany http://www.goldener-mann-rastatt.de/kontakt/

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the Tour guide (me) outside of St. Martins Church, Ettlingen, Germany

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Grandfather crossings the Lockets of Love Bridge, Ettlingen, Germany

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The flood water marker on St. Alexanders Cathedral, Marktplatz, Ratstatt, Germany

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Wooden Pews and grandfather, St. Martins Church, Kirch platz, Ettlingen, Germany

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Roman Ruins, Bad Herrenalb, Germany

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Grandfather and I, Kloster Ruins, Bad Herrenalb, Germany

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Dropping postcards in the post for loved ones back in the States

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Roman Ruins near the Protestant Church (1650) Bad Herrenalb, Germany

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A tradtional German lunch at Schwarzwald Stub, Bad Herrenalb, Germany

 

Riding the lines

Anna--The Adventurer

The view of my tram

The view of my tram

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The ‘stop the tram’ button

Adventuring is so much fun, easy, and convenient while using the tram.

I rode the rails today to view the country side during this love autumn season and the changing of the leaves in the Black Forrest.

I stopped off in Bad Herrenalb and enjoyed a lovely breakfast at a Backerei–and warmed my hands with cup of coffee—

I hopped back on the tram and headed towards the Karlsruhe Hauptbanhof, where I could get other trams to other areas, while I waited for another tram, I enjoyed yet another coffee (Coffee Crema) at Dlounge on Kronenplatz–an easy walk to the tram platform where the s41 tram would arrive and transport me through wonderous landscapes.

I learned something new today–while the concept of ‘regions’ within the tram network system is not an unfamiliar concept, I discovered that the tram stops in smaller towns and villages have yellow signal boxes, often seen on posts in the cities to allow pedestrians to cross the street (pushing a button ‘alerts’ the system that people want to cross.)

Well, this same style yellow box, with a button, is required to get the tram to stop on such said platforms, an error that I made as I watched the tram blow right past me. So, my ignorance cost me a 35 minute wait—but I did get to see the sunset in the heart of the Black Forrest in Autumn—with my river below me and the sunset on the horizon…breathtaking.

My River, Near Kirschbaumwasen, Germany

My River, Near Kirschbaumwasen, Germany

 

Breakfast in Bad Herrenalb

Breakfast in Bad Herrenalb

Cafe Crema

Cafe Crema

A Sunday Drive Home

Anna--The Adventurer 1 Comment

Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going to fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.

Eddie Cantor

Driving to Freiburg was a simple, direct drive on the Highway but…
the adventure began as we drove home, the ‘back’ roads, meandering through small towns and villages along our way.
Sure, the drive home required more time to get to our final desitination…and yet, we thoroughly enjoyed the scenic route, laughing, joking, and eating italian ice-cream along the way. What is not to love than sharing fond memories, making new memories, and laughter with your sweetheart??
We made a pit-stop in  Lichtenau, a small town at enjoyed great ice cream at Eiscafe Paradiso Lichtenau (see photos below). A young boy was riding his bike around the plaza and visually became distracted, crashing into a feature item in the plaza, got up, danced about for a minute, and continued to ride his bicycle like nothing had occured, which made Thomas and I roar with laughter.
On the Sunday drive, we witnessed a German corn harvest (see the Combine in the video), lovely towns, funny kids, and the beautiful German country side on our way home.

Corn Harvest

Eiscafe Paradiso Lichtenau

Eiscafe Paradiso Lichtenau

Eiscafe Paradiso Lichtenau

Eiscafe Paradiso Lichtenau

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Thomas and I being silly and cracking jokes on our way home.

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Eiscafe Paradiso Lichtenau

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Eiscafe Paradiso Lichtenau

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Coffee and Postcards in Freiburg

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Farm Machinary on the way to the field

Eiscafe Paradiso Lichtenau

Eiscafe Paradiso Lichtenau

Großherzogliche Grabkapelle Karlsruhe

Anna--The Adventurer

Tucked away in the Northwest section of Karlsruhe, Germany, this lovely cathedral is a hidden treasure…Thomas and I used our Schloss Card to locate this wonderful cathedral. We would have never known about it otherwise…. The Schloss Card (Baden Wurtämburg Province) has been absolutely amazing and has allowed us to gain access to places we would have never dreamed possible before–and all for the low cost of the Schloss Card.

It is a ‘newer’ addition to Karlsruhe, being built between 1889-1896.

I hope you enjoy the video tour I made.

 

 

Dead Sea Spa and Relaxation

 

Dead Sea Spa and Relaxation Tour

Built Around 1200

Anna--The Adventurer

Dining and Adventures together!! A splendid nook not known to many but well worth visiting–the views and ruins are amazing (and no, I did not go inside and break any rules–it is allowed!!)

Learn the History

Schloss Bruchsal, Bruschal, Germany

Anna--The Adventurer

The German word ‘Schloss’ has many meanings in English, it can mean ‘castle’ ‘Manor’ ‘Estate’ and so many more things!!! This particular ‘Schloss’ was residence of some nobility and a politcal statement of the noblemans success. The upper floor also hosts an amazing array of musical playing devices from the late 19th century and early 20th century. Well worth a visit and the self guided tour (audio head set is an option) is well worth it.

Thomas and I so enjoyed our day. Our schloss card is really paying off–what a way to adventure on a dime–mutiple venues for one flat price

Treasure hunting is so much fun–and it is helping to create great and awesome products on my eBay.

The Legend of…St. George, the dragon slayer

Anna--The Adventurer

St. George, a top a fountain, slaying the dragon.

St. George, a top a fountain, slaying the dragon. Ettlingen, Germany

St. George, doing his slaying, Karlsruhe, Germany

St. George, doing his slaying, Karlsruhe, Germany

According to the Golden Legend, the narrative episode of Saint George and the Dragon took place somewhere he called “Silene”, in Libya; the Golden Legend is the first to place this story in Libya as a sufficiently exotic locale, where a dragon might be found. In the tenth-century Georgian narrative, the place is the fictional city of Lasia, and the idolatrous emperor who rules the city is called Selinus.[7]

The town had a small lake with a plague-bearing dragon living in it and poisoning the countryside. To appease the dragon, the people of Silene fed it two sheep every day. When they ran out of sheep they started feeding it their children, chosen by lottery. One time the lot fell on the king’s daughter.[8] The king, in his grief, told the people they could have all his gold and silver and half of his kingdom if his daughter were spared; the people refused. The daughter was sent out to the lake, dressed as a bride, to be fed to the dragon.[7]

Saint George by chance rode past the lake. The princess tried to send him away, but he vowed to remain. The dragon emerged from the lake while they were conversing. Saint George made the Sign of the Cross and charged it on horseback, seriously wounding it with his lance. He then called to the princess to throw him her girdle, and he put it around the dragon’s neck. When she did so, the dragon followed the girl like a meek beast on a leash. The princess and Saint George led the dragon back to the city of Silene, where it terrified the populace. Saint George offered to kill the dragon if they consented to become Christians and be baptised. Fifteen thousand men including the king of Silene converted to Christianity. George then killed the dragon, and the body was carted out of the city on four ox-carts. The king built a church to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint George on the site where the dragon died and a spring flowed from its altar with water that cured all disease

(text is from Wikipedia)

A day in Ruins, Waldkirch, Germany

Anna--The Adventurer

Waldkirch, Germany

Marktplatz, the town center square where a lot of hubbub occurs, a great place to drink coffee and people watch

Waldkirch, Germany

The country road view of Waldkirch, a quaint small town

Waldkirch Church

A lovely church with lyrical bells chiming

Fortress--noble ruins Waldkirch, Germany

Fortress Ruins on the hillside above Waldkirch. Closed today but still beautiful. Just everyday life in Germany.

 

A day ‘ruined’ when taking an alternate route back to my abode. Absolutely Stunning!!!  I never found this place on a map for tourists or anything but with some digging, some history was learned and stumbling upon some ruins is a treasure—life off the beaten path sure has some old perks.

The people in this small town are also very friendly, it seems the further away from big cities, the better the atmosphere.

Treasure hunting is so much fun–and it is helping to create great and awesome products on my eBay.

St. Martins Church, Ettlingen, Baden-Wartümberg, Germany

Anna--The Adventurer

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One lovely, very sunny (and thus hot day), I leisurely went into St. Martins to enjoy the shade and for prayers.  The church was silent, in reverence of peace and quiet–the church being void of other humans.

I bolted upright from a very bizarre sound, not from the ding dang dong of the musical bells, for it was only 10:12 in the morning. Thinking something amiss, I searched for the source of the disturbance and was but awoken by the reverberations of my own rumbling snores echoing off the walls.

 

St. Annas Potthoffs 2780Martins Church, located in downtown Ettlingen (Kirchplatz) is a lovely place to visit–the church has different periods of construction (having been destroyed at points during previous wars.) The Spire is original and is easily seen from about anywhere in town.  Annas Potthoffs 2777

Upon looking up (once inside) the painting on the ceiling will fascinate as it is not rendered in the traditional sense.

The wooden, standardized pews are a lovely way to sit, relax and enjoy the divine presense of our Lord Saviour.

Treasure hunting is so much fun–and it is helping to create great and awesome products on my eBay.

Kirch & Kloster (Ruins) and town of Bad Herrenalb

Anna--The Adventurer

Video Link

A fellow tourist summed it up perfect (excerpt from German Eagle)

The Cistercian monastery, origin of the town, was founded in 1149 by Berthold III von Eberstein and his wife Uta. It became economically successful, in the 14th and 15th century it prospered. However, the end came soon: In 1525 farmers plundered it, as a result of the Reformation it was closed down in 1534 and turned into a school. In the 30-years war the Swedish troops burned it almost completely down.

So, not much is left of the monastery buildings. The still existing choir of the former monastery church was incorporated in the construction of the ev. parish church. Best preserved is the so called “paradise”, the entrance hall of the former monastery church (pics 1 – 3). The “paradise” was built about the year 1200, in 1462 the beautiful gable in Gothic style was added. Portal and windows are still in Romanesque style. Inside are some old epitaphs.

The monastery grounds are still the heart of Bad Herrenalb. But nowadays you find things like the Kneipp bath (pic 4) and a monument (pic 5) on the grounds. Relics from the Cistercian era are also the parsonage and the adjoining house, some remains of the walls and a barn.

Access is free, always open. For the ev. church see separate tip.

Directions: Central location in town

Treasure hunting is so much fun–and it is helping to create great and awesome products on my eBay.
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Inside the church.Photography by Anna Potthoff.

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.Photography by Anna Potthoff.