Cuckoo for Triberg!

But wait, there's more!
So after a lovely Christmas in Eislingen with relatives and great friends...we took a train into the Black Forest to see my roommates hometown: Triberg!

Gospel Choir concert going on for Christmas!

I have to tell you that every stereotypical thought I had long ago about small towns in Germany were realized here. Beautiful forests, towns nestled between mountain-ish hills, and even Cuckoo clocks and dirndls. In fact, Triberg houses the biggest Cuckoo clock in the world, and claims its fame from being home to these magnificent woodwork clocks. And! For just hundreds of Euros! You could be the proud owner!

Small festival!

 We got up early Monday morning...and took a train to Triberg. And by one train, I mean 4....and by four trains...I mean little baby trains with only two cars! I never realized the trains that small were carrying people, too. Well they are; they are just traveling to unknown places deep in the black forest. I wish I had pictures from the train ride there, because the views were phenomenal. I forgot how beautiful the landscape is there. You think Harry Potter was pretty...Harry potter was not in the Black Forest.

Wouldn't be the same without Glühwein...or Glühwie!

So we got in, took a trip down to the waterfalls where we were surprised to see an elaborate celebration going on. There was an American gospel choir singing inside. Then we headed toward the famous waterfalls and stopped at the small festival to view the thousands of lights on the hills. It was a villiage made of lights...just like home!
After we looked at the lights and enjoyed the Glühwein, we walked up the loooooong path toward the waterfall. There was a fireshow going on, though! We watched from  distance behind hundreds of toursists as an apparently famous fire-breather did a show literally on top of the waterfalls. I believe he was from some European talent show...but he was breathing fire, so its all the same to me.
We walked around end enjoyed the show and the sights until we could no longer feel our extremities and then went back to Ellys for a home cooked meal. Ellys mom likes to cook. A lot. A lof of food. She made us a mixture of German and Bosnian food....and we ate... yes, a lot.
That night we went to Ellys friend Katas house. Between all of the people there, we had two Americans, one German, one Russian, one French(wo)man, one Spaniard, several Bosnians, and a few others from Croatia. We could speak 8 languages, and some of us were unable to actually speak with one another...but it made for a great night. Multi-kulti/ethnic Deutschland is a reality in my life.
We had a great time at Ellys home, and I loved spending time with her and her family. She has a twin brother, too, Elvir (yes, for those of you paying attention, thats Elvira and Elvir...twins).
We left for home late the next day in order to rest up before our big trip to Prague. All in all...another great trip.

You might not see the firebreather...but the resulting fire is there.

The waterfalls!

Five young women, five different passports!

Elly and Elvir!

Ridiculously large cuckoo clock. We did not wait the 40 minutes to see it go off...

Harry Potter-like steam engine that pulled up as we waited for out first train home.