Day 4
Our day began with travel to the Black Forest to visit an open air museum and indulge in a piece of authentic Black Forest cake. After our tour we continued on our way towards the Alps with our bellies full of cake.
The Black Forest open-air museum is home to the Vogtsbauernohof farmhouse which was built on site in 1612 and many other original buildings that were transported for reassembly on the museum grounds. On our guided tour we learned about typical buildings and lifestyle of a farm located in the Black Forest. For example we were able to view traditional dress for a young lady on the farm, including a head covering that signified a young lady was ready for marriage.
At the end of our guided tour we were given time to continue exploring the open-air museum and grab lunch at the train station outside the museum before continuing towards the Alps. We enjoyed German beer and brats, followed by authentic Black Forest cake for dessert. Nica surprised our group with a cake to share and introduced us to it's maker, who is part of the family who built the original farmhouse on the museum property.
One long bus ride later we finally arrived in Murren. After a cable car ride from the valley floor we stepped into the breathtaking village of Murren. The whole village smelled like burning firewood, crisp winter air and... faintly of marshmallows; I wish I could have bottled that smell! The beauty was breathtaking and left you unable to draw your eyes away from the scenery. Our arrival into Murren is one I will never forget. Nica provided us with a quick orientation to the village, consisting of the high road and the low road, then we headed for our hotel to enjoy a group dinner filled with fondue.
With our bellies full of fondue we drifted off into the best night's sleep of our trip, the cold crisp air blowing in through the open window and the jingle of hundreds of cow bells lulling us to sleep.
Copyright 2016 Karly Eller