On
Monday September 1st, seven members of the Reno Jaguar Club and a tour guide
departed on a thirteen day trip that included stops in Germany, Austria, and
Italy. After arrival in Frankfurt we gathered to collect our rental cars and set
out for our first hotel, a fifteenth century Castle in the quaint village of Hirschhorn, Germany located on a hillside above the Neckar River. This was our
base for three nights. From here we explored the Sinsheim Museum that held
hundreds of unique cars, airplanes of all types, military, farm, railroad, and
earth-moving equipment. It is one of the most amazing collections anywhere. We
also took a tour of Heidelberg Castle, a twelfth century work of art. We walked
and dined in historic University Square in Heidelberg, the oldest University in
Europe. We spent some time driving, walking, and hiking around the small
villages around our hotel taking in some local flavor of both the culinary and
frothy types. And the bakeries! We had some wonderful meals at our hotel and in
our travels.
On
our way to our next hotel we drove over some of the most breathtaking alpine
roads around. The small villages clustered on the hillsides are a must see. The
decorative style of the Black Forest homes is both beautiful and functional. We
took a tour of these in Gutach Vogtsbauernhof, an Open Air Museum detailing life
in olden days in the Black Forest. Also on the drive was a stop in Triberg,
Germany, home of the famous Black Forest Cuckoo Clock shops and Germany's
highest waterfalls. And Black Forest Hams! And did I mention the bakeries? We
made a quick stop in Furtwangen at the Great German Clock Museum. Clocks from
all over the world, ancient, awesome, and some as big as large rooms!
Our
next hotel was in a great little lake village called Titisee Neustadt, Germany,
our next stopover for two nights. Again the food at the hotel was first rate. The beer wasn't bad either! While in Titisee, some of us made a trip to
Mulhouse, France to visit he Fritz Schlumph Auto Collection, the most
prestigious in the world. This is the most complete collection of Bugatti's
anywhere. A total of 123 of the famous autos make their home here. Makes also
included Mercedes, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, and many others. Another side trip was
a drive to the Haut Koenigsbourg Castle located in France, dating from the
1500's. The rain dampened our windshields and hiking boots, but not our
enthusiasm for exploring the castle. We also sampled the cuisine of France,
drove the scenic Alsace Route du Vin, (wine route), that twists and winds its
way through villages, wineries and houses and churches with storks on every
other roof.
On
Monday September 1st, seven members of the Reno Jaguar Club and a tour guide
departed on a thirteen day trip that included stops in Germany, Austria, and
Italy. After arrival in Frankfurt we gathered to collect our rental cars and set
out for our first hotel, a fifteenth century Castle in the quaint village of Hirschhorn, Germany located on a hillside above the Neckar River. This was our
base for three nights. From here we explored the Sinsheim Museum that held
hundreds of unique cars, airplanes of all types, military, farm, railroad, and
earth-moving equipment. It is one of the most amazing collections anywhere. We
also took a tour of Heidelberg Castle, a twelfth century work of art. We walked
and dined in historic University Square in Heidelberg, the oldest University in
Europe. We spent some time driving, walking, and hiking around the small
villages around our hotel taking in some local flavor of both the culinary and
frothy types. And the bakeries! We had some wonderful meals at our hotel and in
our travels.
On
our way to our next hotel we drove over some of the most breathtaking alpine
roads around. The small villages clustered on the hillsides are a must see. The
decorative style of the Black Forest homes is both beautiful and functional. We
took a tour of these in Gutach Vogtsbauernhof, an Open Air Museum detailing life
in olden days in the Black Forest. Also on the drive was a stop in Triberg,
Germany, home of the famous Black Forest Cuckoo Clock shops and Germany's
highest waterfalls. And Black Forest Hams! And did I mention the bakeries? We
made a quick stop in Furtwangen at the Great German Clock Museum. Clocks from
all over the world, ancient, awesome, and some as big as large rooms!
Our
next hotel was in a great little lake village called Titisee Neustadt, Germany,
our next stopover for two nights. Again the food at the hotel was first rate. The beer wasn't bad either! While in Titisee, some of us made a trip to
Mulhouse, France to visit he Fritz Schlumph Auto Collection, the most
prestigious in the world. This is the most complete collection of Bugatti's
anywhere. A total of 123 of the famous autos make their home here. Makes also
included Mercedes, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, and many others. Another side trip was
a drive to the Haut Koenigsbourg Castle located in France, dating from the
1500's. The rain dampened our windshields and hiking boots, but not our
enthusiasm for exploring the castle. We also sampled the cuisine of France,
drove the scenic Alsace Route du Vin, (wine route), that twists and winds its
way through villages, wineries and houses and churches with storks on every
other roof.