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In the afternoon, we set off for Germany. Our destination was Cologne. We planned to visit the renowned Cologne Cathedral after dinner at an Indian restaurant called Rangoli. Sunset in Europe is quite late in August, so we could go sightseeing even after dinner. Since it was the holiday season in Europe, there wasn’t much traffic either. We reached the restaurant by seven, after a four-hour drive. After dinner, we took a leisurely walk to reach the Cologne Cathedral.

     The following day, we were to travel across Germany through the Black Forest and reach the Rhine Falls (waterfall) in Switzerland and then to our hotel, Seadamm Plaza in Pfaeffikon, Zurich. The drive was through the mystique Bavarian Alps with misty mountains and fast, lane-observing traffic. The weather was cold and overcast. We left at eight in the morning, towards the Black Forest. While negotiating the scenic mountain windings in the Bavarian Alps, I kept nostalgically recollecting my good old days in the thick of those absorbing musical instrumentals of my all-time favourites streaming in a sequence on my mobile. I was reminded of the best scene of Dr Zhivago when Omar Sharif runs up to the room above, and breaks the glass pane to have one last glimpse of Julie Christie from the window as the image of the sledge pulled by horses, carting her, starts diminishing in the snowy surroundings. This is when the melodious ‘Lara’s theme’ fills the ambience in the movie theatre. This is followed by the ‘Love theme’ from Romeo and Juliet, by Dutch violinist Andre Rieu, and then comes the famous Scarborough Fair (some call it a hymn) by British flautist Adrian Bret. What followed was the fond memory of the great Richard Burton and his famous Alistair Maclean movie ‘Where Eagles Dare’, which had so much to do with the Bavarian Alps located in Germany and Austria.

      The Black Forest in the German language is called ‘Schwarzwald,’ which is famously known for the Cuckoo Clock Industry, Cloud Fisheries Industry and the Black Forest Cake.

    We reached the car park of the Cuckoo Clock factory at about 1.45 PM local time. The place is known as Titisee-Brietnau, where clocks are manufactured. It also manufactures glass toys. We were given a live demonstration on how clocks are made. We also saw a live show of a Cuckoo Clock that squeaks and chimes at two in the afternoon, and the dancing dolls come out to dance with their partners. In the deep recesses of Germany, we had a rather sumptuous lunch in great style and variety. We were served Dahi Vadas, Veg Pulao, Grilled Chicken, French Fries, Cutlets and Pastries. The group shopped to its delight and was all for the traditional Cuckoo Clock.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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