May 24, 2025

Weather sunny and 60’s

Apologies for this being late. Our morning was spent organizing packing for going on. We were not alone as that was everyone’s activity for the Morning. It is sad and at the same time hopeful to be going off this ship and on. I did a Speed test of the internet this morning and here are the results


Speed test

Our included tour left the ship at 2 PM and we drove 102 minutes into the Black Forest. It reminded us a lot of the Smoky Mountains back home. We took the long way there using switch-back roads and then took the Autobahn back in 48 minutes. 


Way going


Way back

Our destination was called Hofgut Sternen. It was a tourist complex with glass blowing, Cuckoo clock making and Black Forest cake demo.  Marie Antoinette stayed here on her way from Vienna to Paris to marry the king.


Marie Antoinette Mural and our guide

Bob, Anna, Shirley and Paul decided to take a 40 minute hike up to a waterfall while Loren watched the cuckcoo clock demo and Pam shopped. The hike was moderate to difficult.  It was so much like the terrain in the Smokies. But with better bridges.  In the Smokies they cut a log and laid it across the creek and added handrails.  The Germans engineered the fool out of their bridge.


The Bridge


Paul and Shirley on the hike


Shirley wondering about this bridge


Bob and Anna on the bridge

Shirley and Paul got as far as to be able to see the waterfall (very cool) but in front of them were 3 flights of stairs.  They turned around.  Bob and Anna soldiered on to the viewpoint. On the way down we passed under the Ravenna Gorge railroad bridge.


The Ravenna Gorge RR bridge

We then all went to the demonstration of how to make a Black Forest cake.  It was very crowded and really a non-event.  Back to the bus and to the ship and to dinner and sleep.

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