Last few 'snap-shots' and Views of the Black Forest region....

Old houses and interesting facades....

In the  "Altstadt" - the historic town center of
 LAHR

The small city, or town Lahr,
was owned by the House of Geroldseck around 1220
and received a city charter (Stadtrecht) around 1278.

The charter was renewed in 1377
and served as the foundation for municipal independence
through to the end of the 'Old Empire'.
The significant tax privileges allowed Lahr
 to quickly grow into a centre
of trading during the eighteen century.

And then during the 19th century
Lahr was highly involved in the printing industry.

Der Storchenturm - The stork or crane tower
- the 'logo' of Lahr -

The tower is a remnant of the former middle age water castle of the Geroldseck,
built in 1220, and remains together with parts of the old city wall.

Das Alte Rathaus - The old town hall, built in 1608

 

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"The Canadian Connection"

From  1967 until 1994, the Canadian NATO forces
maintained their headquarters in Lahr.

After the Canadian Forces left in 1994,
a small Canadian contingent,
about 200 of former civilian employees remained in Lahr.

Totem pole in the city garden of Lahr,
a gift of Canadian Forces

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In  ETTENHEIM
15 Km south of Lahr

Ettenheim,
located between the foot hills of the Black Forest and the Upper Rhine valley,
was founded about 700 AD.

In the Middle Ages it belonged to the Arch bishop of Strasbourg....

...and gained its charter (Stadtrecht) in 1392.

 A  baroque town with beautiful buildings
in the historical center, the "Altstadt"

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Heading into the Black Forest...

....passing vineyards on the west hill-slops of the Black Forest
in the "Margkgraeflerland"

The area of the so called "Markgraeflerland" (Margrave's land)
is the region between the Rhine and the southern end of the Black Forest,
stretching from Freiburg to the Swiss border at Basle.
The Margraves of Baden who ruled here centuries ago
gave this region its name.

The Markgraeflerland is often referred to as "Tuscany of Germany" -
due to its mild, sunny climate, gourmet food and fine wines.
The 'Baden Wine Road' goes for miles and passes by dozens of wineries
inviting you to some wine tastings.
The "Gutedel" grapes are typical for this particular wine region
and produce a light white wine - one of my favorites -
also known as Fendant in Switzerland or Chasselas in France.

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Der Belchen
"The King of the Black Forest Hills"

View onto the 'Belchen'
-1-

People call it the "King of the Black Forest Hills".
The Belchen sits between Schoenau and the Muenstertal in the Markgraeflerland,
it is only the third highest mountain in the Black Forest
but it is the most beautiful one.

-2-

crowned at 1414m with a Stone Cross that reaches into the heavens.

-3-
The views stretch out over the Vosges, the Swiss Jura and to the Alps.

The Markgraefler poet Gerhard Jung called it
the "Basilisa of Belenius",  the "Cathedral of the Sun God".

and
 Johann Peter Hebel (1760 - 1826),
a German short story writer and dialectal poet...

... was also fascinated by this "Peak of Peaks".
He once described it as
"the first station on the road between the earth and heaven"

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If you like to read more about the Belchen
and the wonderful Black Forest   here

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.....November grey and blue.....

At the foot of the "Belchen" lies the wonderful countryside
of the "Muenstertal".....
(unfortunately mainly covered in fog at my visit)

...with its majestic site of the former Benedictine abbey of  St. Trudpert.
The spiritual heart of this sacred place, however, lies hidden behind the Church:
it is the source of the spring, in the ornate pump room,
and the chapel built over it, that share St. Trudpert's burial site.

According to legend the saint,
who was probably an Irish-Scottish missionary, settled here around 604 AD.
His life as a hermit was, however, soon ended by a blow from an axe.
By the year 800 the first Benedictine monastery east of the Rhine
had been established on his grave.

Interestingly,
nearby, in Ettenheimmuenster, there was another Irish-Scottish hermit,
Landelin
read more in my post from April  here

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While the Black Forest valleys and the whole Upper Rhine valley
was shrouded in grey November fog...

...right up to 1000 meters to the open heights above the clouds
with their awesome views...

and... there was the sun and blue sky to greet us...

...bathing the mountain peaks...

...while the valleys disappear under a dense blanket of fog.

On the far distant horizon, like sitting on the clouds,
the French Vosges mountain chain. 

I could breathe freely...

...being closer to the heavens
and feeling the clear air!

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A beautiful old Black Forest house...

...built around 1750-60

 

retaining most of the original features

the facade still covered with the old shingles....

not inhabited but obviously looked after.

Certainly a lovely historical house,
one of the rare ones to find in its original state.

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One of my brother's houses,

an old former farm house from the 18th century, 
'under restoration' for years,
but now nearly finished....

'November-Rose' in front of the house

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My beloved Black Forest

Everything else seemed to be unimportant
compared to the endless freedom I experienced up above clouds,
surrounded by the beautiful mountains and pastures.

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I had a wonderful "Wallpaper-change"

and now I'm pleased to be back home...

...being greeted by a Perigordian blue sky and late autumn colors in our garden,

by my dear husband
and

- of course -

by Oskar...

La Pouyette is happy to have me back!

A bientot...

Remark:

images 1-2-3 from internet