We left the Black Forest after going on the Merkelbahn cable car outside Freiberg.
The longest cable car in Germany it is 3:5 kms long. The views were amazing but the air was very cool as we were up so high .So after cake and coffee it was down the mountain and off to Lake Konstanz.
A traffic jam added an hour to our trip and when we arrived at Konstanz we found it to be a mad house with people everywhere. No parking in any street was found or in the Shelplatz, so we moved on and stopped at a small town called Bodman.
After some rude Germans spoiling our day, the day improved with a beautiful dinner at a restaurant on the lake and then time in town at a festival with beer and music.
We decided to stay an extra night with a good Shelplatz with power and a loo 150 metres away.
We spent the day on a ferry on the lake and cruised to four spots before disembarking at Uberlulingen which also had a festival happening along with markets and food stalls everywhere. After 3:5 hrs we returned by ferry to Bodman.
The next day it was a showery morning so we decided not to spend time visiting more lakeside towns and took the inland long route towards Stuttgart. Our only stop Lichtenstein castle built in the 1840s by count Wilhelm of Wuttemberg and late Duke of Urach, again the views from the castle amazing.
Still owned by descendants it stands on top of a rock face , its neo- gothic architecture built to resemble a medieval knights castle.
Inside where no photos were allowed it had stunningly painted walls and periodic furniture and armoury.
Even though a few showers were present the view into the valley was magnificent.
Stuttgart
Our camp in Stuttgart was just near the Mercedes museum our main reason to visit Stuttgart.
The next morning was showers of rain again and after washing and hanging everything around the van that wouldn’t go in the dryer, we walked the 1:7 kms to the Mercedes museum which took hours to see . Seven floors of information, German and world timelines and heaps of info on the development of cars by Karl Benz and Gottlieb Dampier.
The name Mercedes came from the daughter of one of the rich salesman.
The first car was in the mid 1880s and was an engine in the back of a horse carriage and a million other types right up to a prototype modern version.
Then a bus and a tram ride into town for a late lunch and saw the palace square (sclossplatz ) but could see much as the site was Barracked off and scaffolding everywhere.
We photographed landesmuseum, the old castle and a few statues in the main squares before taking a bus journey in two directions back to camp.
Heidelberg
We arrive to the Shelplatz at midday and after sorting out the trams caught the 26 to the old town. We had coffee and apple crumble pie and walked the town seeing the markt square at the end of the walk .
A big gothic church which was uninteresting but dominated the square and the castle and ruins were up in the hill overlooking the town.
We bought a few Xmas decorations and walked down to the old stone bridge and tower and gates. The weather was showers and sometimes heavy rain but I managed to get into the hairdresser for a colour but he didn’t have time for a cut , still looks much better than the grey regrowth.
Back to camp after a Turkish meal in town. We were going to go to the hill over looking the town the next morning before leaving but it was pouring rain again so off to Wurzberg.
