Triberg Waterfalls - Black Forest

For Thanksgiving we planned a long weekend in the Black Forest. Last year was so much fun that this year we wanted to include our favorite people, The Severt's and The Townsend's (sans Jon who was scheduled to leave for a year long deployment to Afghanistan). The initial plan was made in August with all 3 families staying in a large house in Schonwasen. Two weeks before our stay we found out that Jon wasn't going to have to leave until the Saturday AFTER Thanksgiving. We did a quick change of plans...staying here for turkey dinner together at our house. It was bittersweet. We were happy that he could stay for the holiday but not happy knowing that this was the last time we'd all be together for a full year. We all shed some tears before the day was over :(

Friday morning we woke up, packed up the van and headed to Triberg, a city with some of the tallest waterfalls in all of Germany (second only to Rothbachfall). It was a great day for some hiking. The weather was great...on the warm side for fall and not a whole lot of tourists considering over a half million tourists visit the falls each year. 

My camera battery died before our trip and I had to order a new one though Amazon. Of course it didn't arrive in time so most of the photos in this post were taken by my friend Jamie. She's a great photographer who also has a blog: Delightfully Coconuts. (Thanks, Lady for letting me use your photos!)

photo courtesy of Delightfully Coconuts

The Severt Clan
Jamie & Drew
Brenna & Moe

photo courtesy of Delightfully Coconuts

photo courtesy of Delightfully Coconuts

photo courtesy of Delightfully Coconuts

photo courtesy of Delightfully Coconuts

Drew gets a shot of Gabe "surprising" Jamie...LOL!

photo courtesy of Delightfully Coconuts

 I love this photo...we look so European! 

After the falls we walked through town, checked out the tourist shops and then drove over The House of a 1000 Clocks...

This photo makes me very happy! As you may already know, I have a slight obsession will all things "Largest" and must have my photo taken next to it. Largest cuckoo clock...CHECK!

photo courtesy of Delightfully Coconuts

photo courtesy of Delightfully Coconuts

This is the "WT" version of a cuckoo clock. Looks like a motorcycle junk yard...

Taken with my iPhone :(

If you put 1€ in the coin slot the large cuckoo clock on the backside of the building plays "Edelweiss". I love how Moe and Brenna couldn't help it...they had to dance...or was it Gabe and Drew who were moved by the music??...LOL!

After all the excitement in Triberg it was time to check into the house we rented for the weekend. Thankfully The Severt's had their Garmin GPS because our Navigon GPS took us down a dirt road, nowhere near where the house is located. When we got there we were greeted by the lady who owns the property. She was very sweet, gave us a quick tour and the keys. The house sleeps 12 so there was more than enough room. The adults enjoyed unplugging (the internet was intermittent, to say the least). We played cards and watched Christmas movies and the kids enjoyed playing board games and checking out the animals on the property, geese, donkeys, sheep, dogs, etc...

http://www.ferienhaus-schoenwasen.de/

On Saturday we drove 25km to Europa Park. It was the first day of their Christmas Market and the park was totally decked out for the holidays. The market wasn't anything spectacular but the park itself was pretty amazing. I loved all of the decorations and they had little bonfires throughout the park (just another obvious sign we were't at an amusement park in the U.S.) This was the first amusement park that my boys had ever been to. I know, even Brenna couldn't help but gasp! We are terrible parents but this is the first year that I thought both boys would be able to appreciate it. They are tall enough to ride the rides and I didn't have to worry about a stroller! Besides, neither Gabe or I are huge fans of roller coasters....or so I thought. I actually went on one this trip...Blue Fire! What a blast! Roller coasters are much smoother than they were 10 years ago. Dylan loved it too. He went on it twice and probably would have gone 10 more times but the park closes at 7pm and we had to leave. I can't wait to go back...Memorial Day??

Jamie will probably hate me for posting this photo...she HATES flash but I wanted to post one of Gabe and I with all the fun Christmas decorations behind us.

What a fun weekend. Great food, great friends and very relaxing. Can't wait to plan another trip with the Severt's....Oh wait, we already have...Legoland and a Disney Cruise...LOL!

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