Black Forest, Rhine Falls and Arrival in Lucerne

Today we left Heidelberg and drove south toward the Black Forest. While on our way our guide, Carla (who is Italian but studied in Germany -- jury is still out on if she is a really good guide) gave us a bit more German history. Bullet points again (Carla is a bit of an ADD historian so pardon this skipping around...I'm too tired to organize it) :

• Germany has only been a unified country since 1871
• Prior to 1871 there were many separate states (such as Bavaria) and each state has a prince that elected an emperor of the German empire. Generally speaking they elected someone from the Hapsburg family so that person also served as King of Austria and Hungary
• Traveling back in time the area that we are now traveling in came under Bavarian rule after the fall of the Roman empire in 476 AD UNTIL the French King Charlemagne restarted the Roman Empire and it became the HOLY Roman Empire since he was Christian and wanted his empire to be recognized and crowned by the Pope.
• Charlemagne split his empire between his 3 sons (some did good, some not so good)
• France
• Central Europe (including Germany)
• Southern Europe 
• Germany is the most inhabited country in Europe with 82 million people
• There are 16 regions
• They have a federation style government with the Reich Stag (parliament) being in Berlin.
• Each region also has their own parliament
• Unlike other European countries the regions select their holiday times so they are staggered therefore the whole country isn't off the month of August 

Carla talked about Eastern Europe prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. It reminded me in many ways of our guide in Russia who spoke of St. Petersburg before and after the fall. It took quite some time for those very used to communism to learn the idea of capitalism (including you have to work hard to be appreciated and nothing is free).

We stopped for a visit in the Black Forest to see how coo coo clocks are made (not all entirely different from any other clock), grab a quick bite and take a quick hike. Wendy and I took a VERY quick hike making our Apple Watches very proud of us. But we were rewarded with great views to share with you!

We left the Black Forest headed on toward Switzerland. After crossing the border we stopped by the Rhine Falls to see where the Rhine River meets the Rhone River (which is the only European river to flow north toward the North Sea).

We had a little bit of drama on the trip with one of our fellow travelers from Texas fell ill. My cousin Jamie put her nursing skills to use to help calm her down until we got her to a local hospital. After being checked out she is fine and will continue on our trip.

We ended the day with arriving at our AIR CONDITIONED hotel right in the heart of Lucerene. Tomorrow we head UP THE MOUNTAIN!

I have tried for 30 minutes now to get my SD card to read on my Chromebook. It won't work. It is 12:05 p.m. and I am tired. Sorry!! Will have to hope it works tomorrow like it did yesterday!