We got up early for a day trip to the Black Forest where Udo vacationed when he was a child. We went for a ride on an electric boat. Jessi piloted.
Nearby is the huge St. Blasien cathedral.
There were very interesting, funny gargoyles.
The front doors.
The inside was huge and recently refurbished.
Big, beautiful!
And so much detail work.
I would have loved to have heard the organ if it had been played.
On the way back we detoured through France because there had been a lot of construction on the Autobahn on the way down. This was Strasbourg. Very cool architecture. And there were lots of amazing buildings down some streets that we only were able to glance at.
Just back in Germany we stopped at the official start of the German wine way.
Next day we went to Speyer - mostly to see the cathedral. It is 1000 years old.
The roman-style Speyer cathedral is the largest of its kind in existence. That tiny far door is over twice the height of a person.
And the building is tall. The bishop of Speyer was politically very powerful and the building emphasizes that.
In the crypt area was a great display of ancient books (in the form of very high quality reproductions).
The city hall across the plaza from the church.
Doors have come in all sizes!
