On the Monday afternoon (3rd) we headed further west into the Black Forest and it’s biggest city, Freiburg. I had visited here once before, on a school trip in 60’s – needless to say, my memories of that time are getting a little faint! We stopped at a Stellplatz on the northern outskirts of the city for two nights – basically a giant car park between the city football stadium and a small airport, but despite that it was surprising quiet at night. Most importantly, it was right next to a tram stop that gave us quick access to the centre.

The following day was spent wandering around Freiburg. Our first stop was the food court at the indoor market where I had an African dish and Sue went for a more traditional dish of Spaelzle (German egg noodle dumplings).

The city dates back to the 12th century and has a proud tradition of independance (it’s name translates to ‘free town’) and many of the historic buildings have survived despite heavy bombing during WWII (including, on one mistaken occasion, by the Germans themselves). In the 2nd photo below you can spot a unique feature – the Bächie – a system of gutters originally used to provide water to fight fires and feed livestock (never for sewage). Our visit was on a hot day and plenty of children were using them to cool off!

The most impressive structure is the Münster. This cathedral was started around 1200 and has a beautifully designed spire.