The Black Forest

"The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.  I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them.  I shall use my time." - Jack London

In Southwest Germany lies an area small in comparison with most regions of Europe. It is a cozy place where myths and fairy-tales are plentiful; roaming freely around the mind, and taking residence in the imagination. It is a place where history has routes so deep, they have routes of their own; and where people come to breathe in comfort, and exhale stress. Rich in majesty is this place in Southwest Germany. It understands you as you try to understand it. It goes by a simple name, yet perfect – The Black Forest.

Many towns lie within it's realm, but I chose Freiburg as my locale for experience. It is a medieval town with Gothic cathedrals, cobbled streets, trolley systems, old defense towers, and a spectacular above ground drainage system. The houses have a style all their own; different from anywhere else in Europe I've seen. They manage a dark-age look while utilizing welcoming, bright colors – and they pull it off; mores the wonder. Gargoyles watch down on people from the most peculiar spots, and one gets the impression they are being accounted for at every moment. Sure, it has become a tourist destination, as is the inescapable truth with areas so unique, but if one is careful, the masses can be avoided by staying off the main shopping expressways. Outside the town is a whole different story. The forest raps around the fringe of the city like an encroaching army of crows; ready to devour anything that drops. At first, it is an intimidating monster, but once in it, it becomes a loveable acquaintance; a reliable companion - it is a worst enemy who turns best friend. I experienced this from my camping ground, where I began my 16 km hike through the Black Forest to the town of St. Peter.

The terrain is no different than Virginia, with it's rolling hills trying desperately to obtain mountain status, and it's farms that dot the landscape in between stands of forest. The difference is in the vegetation; trees in particular. The Black forest owns an encouraging diversity of them. Deciduous trees are abundant (Beech, Oak, Elm, Larch), but also are enormous conifer trees (Spruce, Pine, Douglas Fir). The mixture gives the Black Forest a look like no other; bright green and embracing with dark green and rejecting. With a lack of thick underbrush, this makes a scene perfect for the tall tales of fairy's, dwarfs, and gnomes that are so common to the area. Hiking through the forest, I felt like I was being watched by one of these mythic creatures; though I had my doubts of it! What I knew was the woods had an allure that I've rarely felt before, and would be surprised to feel again – outside of the Black Forest.

At the dusk of my hike, I went walking through old farmlands, where the farmers I came across; wearing a mix of modern and traditional clothing, greeted me with “Gutentag!”. I felt so ensconced in the culture; like I was a farmhand on the way back from a trek to the next village for supplies; and neighbors, going about their daily chores, were kind enough to wish me on my way. Only if they had treated me to a cold German beer, would I have been happier. Continuing through to my destination at St. Peter, I kept a steady pace, and when I reached the cathedral in St. Peter; I had been hiking for a mere 5 hours. It felt a lot longer; it felt like days, but when I reached the town, I was ready to get back to Freiburg. I found the road and began thumbing for a ride, until coming across a bus stop. Someone there told me, in a wonderful German accent, that hitch-hiking died in the area a long time ago and that I should get on the bus – so I took his advice and did, though I maintain I would have been picked up shortly; when hitching, one gets a good sense of these things. Upon reaching Freiburg, I had dinner with a couple from a small town outside Frankfurt. We talked a long time about the differences in their country versus mine, and I learned more about Germany than any one American has the right to know. Do yourself a favor and look up the history of the German Region (as it did not become a nation until after three wars waged in the late 19^th century) and you will be anything but disappointed.

By and by, preparing for my exit of Freiburg, I felt like leaving a friends house . The Black Forest has become one of the best places I've visited. There is nothing wrong with it! The people are lovely, the scenery is gorgeous, the stories are incredible, the history is fascinating, and the food is great. I feel that, had I looked for days to find something negative to say about this place, I would have failed absolutely. Even as I was departing the town, trying to catch an early train at 7:00am., I couldn't escape the glorious culture. Across the street I was walking on, and through sleepy eyes, I saw what can only be described as wonderful; people drinking outside bars as if it were still mid-night! They were laughing, talking loudly and chugging beers like true Germans. I looked at the sky, and then my watch, to confirm it was the morning, and low and behold, it was. Magnificent.