Black Forest-Triberg

Living in Germany offers so many amazing travel opportunities. I like to take advantage of our weekends with mostly day trips right now. Saturday I wanted to go to Triberg and take a path up to a castle in the Black Forest. Well there was some miscommunication and Colby thought it was a lot closer then it really was, so we got a late start on it, much later then I wanted. It was also suppose to rain all afternoon, which it did. So it ended up being just a day trip to Triberg and we will have to go to the castle another time. 

When we first got to Triberg we headed right to the tourist office and that start of the trail for the Waterfall. We paid 2.60 Euro for all of us to see the waterfall. The path is all paved so we didn't have to worry about it being muddy even though it was raining. The waterfall was beautiful. Waylon enjoyed seeing all the water. We did not go to the top of the waterfall since it was raining and the kids were wanting a snack. 

Only about half of the waterfall

Our second stop was Cafe Schafer. I recently purchased lonely planets book "Europe on a Shoestring" and this was in the book under Triberg. The cafe is where the recipe for Black Forest cake originated. Colby and I enjoyed the cake very much and it was my first time having it. The kids shared a slice of a banana cake and they loved it! It was very quiet when we were there. The lady helping us did not speak very good english so I was very glad Colby has been really working on learning German and can communicate with people. I need to start learning it more as it really does help.

mmm cake!

There were a few things I knew I wanted to get in Germany/Europe before we even arrived. One of those things was a cuckoo clock from the Black Forest. I thought we wouldn't go until this summer or even next year so I would have to wait. Well we had some extra money thanks to some very generous people!! and Colby agreed that I could get one! Once we got to the store, House of 1000 Clocks in where we chose, I realized Colby and I had completely different ideas on what kind of clock we wanted. Colby can be very traditional and I can be sometimes too but I also like unique. I really wanted one with motion not just the cuckoo clock. The ones with music are nice also and we agreed on that. There was a very nice lady working that helped us and answered all my questions and even played several clocks for the kids and for me so I could decided. At first I was thinking the battery operated ones were better and of course Colby liked manual. I wasn't sure I wanted to have to pull it everyday to keep it going. Just to make Colby happy I had her show we a manual one and I quickly changed my mind. The cuckoo is what sold me. It is a cuckoo clock after all! The battery ones are nice but of course sound a little electronic. The sound of the manual is just so much more authentic to me and I didn't care how many times a day I would have to pull the chain, that sound was worth it. We were able to decide on one we both loved, even though it was a little more then we planned. We also found a stein for my brothers birthday (we are getting all male relatives steins for their birthdays this year) They were also kind enough to tell us they take VAT forms and I keep some in the car us for cases as this so we were able to save some Euro. 

We didn't think this would fit in the car or our budgets!

Our cuckoo clock…Yes the couple on the bench kisses every hour!

We had a great, rainy day in Triberg and will definitely be going back this summer for more hiking and to check out the world's largest cuckoo clock that we missed this time. Until we meet again Triberg