Trip to Germany: Black Forest, Cologne Cathedral... and France

I'm a terrible finisher.  But maybe I should actually wrap up this series, huh?  You know, before baby #2 arrives (due in 3 weeks!) and Christmas is upon us, and we have family visitors, etc.

On our last full day in Germany, we set out south for the famed Black Forest.  Then we, um, went into an entirely different country (France) and hung out there for awhile.  That part doesn't exactly fit into the Germany narrative so well.

We stopped for lunch in Baden-Baden.  Darling.  Yummy street food.  Pedestrian streets everywhere, which were popular with a certain toddler.

She strolled around like she owned the place.

These days the bump doubles as a shelf for Caroline to sit.


While Caroline took her afternoon nap in the car, we took a drive through the Black Forest.  Immense and amazingly beautiful, with rolling hills for miles in all directions.  Here's our best quick-take-a-picture-from-the-side-of-the-road-and-hope-the-toddler-stays-asleep shot.


That was when we headed for the French border, to check out a little town called Strasbourg just on the other side.


Cobblestones and street performers and an interesting mix of French and German architecture. 


And of course, another cathedral!




And a carousel.  She thought she was pretty big stuff and did NOT need her mother to hold onto her.

That night we went back to Erden and watched Michigan beat Michigan State.  Yes, it was a successful day for the Browns!

On our final day in Germany we had a few hours to kill before our evening flights.  So we drove up to Cologne to check out their cathedral.  Because we haven't seen enough of them in our two months living in Europe, obviously!  Actually, we both enjoy the experience so much, and the cathedral in Cologne is widely regarded as one of the most fabulous must-see buildings in Christendom.


Despite the grime and the scaffolding, it really is pretty impressive. Especially inside. Caroline thought that the little benches for kneeling were just perfect for a spot to sit.


So that concludes our trip to Germany - finally!  Despite a sinus infection and exhaustion-inducing pregnancy and not-quite-two-year-old in tow, it will go down as one of our more favorite vacations as a family of three.

In case you're curious, here are the previous installments to our adventures in Germany:

Part 1: Mainz and the Rhine
Part 2: Erden and our rental house
Part 3: The Mosel River and Burg Eltz