A Year in Freiburg 2022

Throwback to the Year 2022 in Freiburg

  My first complete year was full of surprises and beautiful moments, I'll never forget. After moving to Freiburg last year, I had some time to get used to the new environment. This year, I wanted to spend my time to get to know more about Freiburg, but also to make new wonderful friends and to discover the surrounding nature in the Black Forest and Kaiserstuhl regions on beautiful hikes.

  At the end of January, I got to know Hussein, Clara and Aranza by joining a calm and enjoyable game night at Hussein's place. That was the start of our international friendship group, where - during the year - other friends joined. I quickly realised, that spending time with friends not only brings unforgettable moments, it was also great to relax and work on my work-life-balance after a stressful working week. 

  We were always finding new ways to spend time together, especially when it came to food. We often combined a cooking night with playing games, for example when we prepared homemade noodles and played Settlers of Catan. It was also always a pleasure to try Costa Rican food made by Aranza. Since my apartment in Göttingen was very small, I was rarely able to invite many friends to my place. But luckily, that has changed here in Freiburg, so I could also invite my friends to delicious brunches and cocktail evenings. Moreover, we also tested one of the many wine bars in Freiburg - others will definitely follow in the future. 

  As a fan of Borussia Mönchengladbach, it was great to see, that it's easy for me to visit a stadium in the city, where I live. I've never had the ability to get to a stadium so easily. Before, the clsoest cities were Hanover, Wolfsburg or Frankfurt and now I just need around half an hour by walking to the stadium. So it was obviously, that I went to the stadium with my colleagues and of course - Gladbach didn't lose, like always, when I was visiting the stadium. 

  Also at the end of January, I went to the Schauinsland again - with Hussein and Rebecca. We took the Schauinslandbahn from Horben Talstation to reach the top. For me, it was the third time on the Schauinsland mountain, but the first time in winter. Every time, I've been there, it was something special and this time, the landscape resembles a wonderful winter wonderland. Due to the ice and snow, the short hike to the Eugen-Keidel-Tower was very slippery. On the top of the tower, it wasn't possible to see far away because of the heavy fog, but nevertheless, we enjoyed a great time together. After having an after-hike-beer, we went back to Freiburg for having a coffee at the "Kolben Kaffee".      

  The spring in Freiburg was spectacular. The Seepark near my apartment was the best way for me to enjoy the changing of the seasons and the blooming of the cherry blossoms. In spring, I also started again to go jogging around the whole Seepark area and there, I discovered the Japanese Garden. The large rocks of the garden were selected at the Schauinsland and the stone lanterns are originals from Japan. The Japanese Garden, the vineyard, the Flückigersee and the Seepark Tower - all of these places are wonderful and make the Seepark to a special place to observe the nature and animals.

  The Saharan Dust is the dry dust of the Sahara that is blown by the wind and can travel huge distances in the earth's atmosphere as an aerosol. I could see this phenomenon for the first time in my life when the sky over Freiburg was coloured in a yellow-brown tone. It was bright and dark at the same time and while being outside, all the yellow sand particles flew around in the air and were attached on the clothes. It was breathtaking to do a little walk around the Seepark to enjoy this mystical sky.

  The sunsets in Freiburg are also really beautiful. In summer, when I went out for jogging in the Seepark again, I saw an impressive sky and sunset from the lake crossing bridge. Therefore, it was absolutely worth taking a break from running. Moreover, the Rose Garden was one of the highlights in the summer time. It smelled amazing and was obviously a treat for the eyes.

  After a long time, I hiked up the Schlossberg again to be able to watch the sunset from the top of the Schlossberg Tower and for enjoying a panoramic view of all parts of the city and its surroundings. Since it was a spontaneous idea, I had to hurry up with the ascent to see the sunset. When I reached the top of the tower, I was even more rewarded for it. Not only the view was a dream, in addition, a Columbian guy played music on his ukulele, which made the whole atmosphere unforgettable. Later on, after hiking down to the city, I could also see the moon in all its glory above the city. 

  The beauty of Freiburg is not only evident in the gorgeous old town, but also in the surrounding mountains with their magnificent landscapes and hiking trails. It's always worth taking a short break and going to hike in the nature. You don't even have to drive far away, because many great hiking opportunities start directly in the outskirts of Freiburg. From Vauban - via Merzhausen - I started a hike to the Schneeburg, a castle ruin located on the Schönberg. The castle was first mentioned in 1312 and was built by the Lords of Hornberg. It's not possible to date the destruction with certainty, but it is assumed that the castle was destroyed during the German Peasant's War around 1525. Since I did the hike in January, it was still very cold and muddy, the trees were still leafless, but the view of Freiburg was still impressive. I really want to do the hike again during another season of the year - maybe in summer with a glass of wine or in autumn with beautiful coloured leaves. 

  Another castle ruin can be found in Zähringen. The Zähringen Castle is a ruin of a hilltop castle on a foothill of the Roßkopf. It was a spontaneous idea to go hiking on a Sunday in April, when the weather was sunny. It was more of a relaxing walk then a real hike, but this way, I could listen to the chirping of the birds and perceive the nature without stressing myself. Arrived at the castle ruins, I climbed the steps of the tower to the observation deck, surrounded by merlons, to be able to have a wonderful panoramic view of the surrounding forests and the city of Freiburg.

  Also in April, I made a hike together with Hussein to the Kybfelsen with small remains of the Kybfelsen Castle, a spur castle about two kilometres away from the Günterstal monastery and about 500 metres above the valley. It's a popular excursion destination with a wide-ranging panoramic view that stretches from the Feldberg to the Schönberg in the west, to the Schauinsland in the south and into the Breisgau Bay. On the southern access side, it was protected by a wide wall, of which only small remains can be found in the ground nowadays. Nevertheless, the view was fantastic and by drinking a beer, we could rest and enjoy the atmosphere. Next time, I definitely want to go back for a sunset view.

  One of the amazing things about Freiburg is, that it's possible to go hiking in the Black Forest and Kaiserstuhl region easily. In May, I took the S1 to visit Burkheim for a short, but really beautiful hike. The Kaiserstuhl region is famous for its wines and vineyards. After hiking to the top of the hill of Burkheim, I enjoyed a breathtaking panoramic view of the municipality, surrounded by vineyards and the Vosges mountains in the background. I also took the chance to visit the historical old town, before continuing to the Burg Sponeck, the ruin of a hilltop castle above the Rhine, but nothing remains of the historic castle complex. The buildings that are still visible today, like the tower, are structural additions from the 19th and 20th centuries. Nevertheless, it was still a nice sight, which was completed by a leisurely walk along the Rhine, before heading back to Freiburg.

  Luckily, I could also take the 9€-ticket in June to go for a hike in the Black Forest region. I decided to take the train to Triberg, the waterfall city. The train station in Triberg is the starting point of the Black Forest Railway Adventure Trail, starting with the large steam locomotive 50 245, located at the forecourt. The trail introduces hikers to the history of the construction and ongoing operation of the Black Forest Railway between Hornberg, Triberg and St. Georgen. With a height difference of around 670 metres and a maximum incline of 20 per mile, the railway with its 39 tunnels is one of the most tunnel-rich mountain railways in Europe. During the hike, it was possible to enjoy impressive panoramic railway views and the wonderful smell of the beautiful forest. 

  Moreover, I passed the world's biggest Cuckoo Clock, an absolute highlight on the tour. No other cuckoo clock in the world currently extends in such dimensions. The cuckoo itself - made entirely of wood and painted by hand - is around 4,50 metres tall with a weight of around 150 kilograms. The 8 metres long pendulum has a weight of 100 kilograms. But despite of its huge size - according to traditions - the clock is powered purely mechanically by two pinecone weights. Two bellows produce the typicall cuckoo call and the little bird reports once every half an hour and announces the time on the full hour.

  Another highlight of the trip were the Triberg Waterfalls, with a descent of 163 metres and seven cascades steps one of the highest waterfalls in Germany. It was a brilliant loop trail to explore all parts of the waterfalls from many perspectives. After the hike around the waterfalls, I took a dinner break with drinking a beer, before taking the train back to Freiburg, which was an adventure too because of the full trains.    

  The hike at the Ravenna Gorge was one of the best hikes, I've done so far while living in Freiburg. We went to Hinterzarten by train and started hiking in the direction of the Ravenna Bridge, a railway viaduct on the Höllental Railway line, which crosses the Ravenna Gorge. The path to the bridge was great, but after the bridge, the real adventure in the spectacular nature started. By crossing several wooden bridges and passing many waterfalls, I really felt like in another world. It was a soothing feeling to listen the water flow while enjoying a beautiful view of the forest. Along the stream, there are also still some water mills visible.

  Aftr the hike around the gorge, we continued our way to the Hinterzarter Moor, the largest marshland in the southern Black Forest. The nature reserve is possible to visit via a short trail and gives an insight of the flora and fauna of the area. The vegetation looked quite interesting, wild and beautiful. It was a perfect end of the hike, because from there, the train station of Hinterzarten wasn't far away.   

  In August after my Costa Rica trip, Hussein, Maike and I went to Basel for a one-day trip. For the most part we visited the places, I saw in Basel at the beginning of the year. Nevertheless, Basel was super beautiful in summer too. But my highlight was the Botanical Garden, which was still closed in February. Founded in 1589, it is the oldest botanical garden in Switzerland. We took a leisurely stroll through the beautiful flora of different countries. I also liked the Namibian garden as it made we want to travel to Namibia again - maybe in 2023. 

  We also took some time, walking through the Basel Minster and along the Rhine river, which was super amazing with the sunshine. Coming back to Basel in summer was definitely worthwile. The only sad thing was, that the most restaurants of the Market Hall only opened really late, so that we skipped eating there. But it might be a chance for going to Basel again next year and then we can stay there til the evening.     

  In October, my friends Sebastian and Martin visited me in Freiburg for a long weekend. The two arrived on a Thursday and we first went for a relaxed beer at the "Feierling" restaurant. Then, we had a short walk around the city centre and across the Minster Square. Nevertheless, the real action started on Friday. 

  On Friday, we started with a cozy breakfast before heading out to enjoy the beautiful sunshine. We decided to explore the Schauinsland in the autumn season, so we went to Horben by tram and took the bus to the Schauinsland - Talstation, from where we took the Schauinslandbahn. We were quite impressed by the beautiful autumn colours. The view from the gondola itself was outstanding. Later, when we arrived on top, we hiked to the observation tower, which was unfortunately closed due to repair work, but there were also wonderful vantage points on the hiking trail. The sea of colours was a feast for the eyes. The panoramic views were overwhelming, but when we went to the forest, it also got really calm and peacefully. We enjoyed the silence around us and we also found many beautiful mushrooms like well preserved fly agarics and yellow boletuses.

  After we went back to the Schauinsland mountain station, we took a little break with eating a piece of Black Forest cake in the restaurant. Then, we went back to my place, getting two new beers per person for watching the sunset at the Seepark and for chilling a bit at the lake. Now, it was time for dinner, so we went back to the city centre, finding some Afghan food at the market hall, before we went to the "Uni Café" for drinking cocktails. We had the glorious final of the day with getting some shots in the "Shooters".  

  The Saturday was also planned with activities and with eating or drinking  Freiburg delicacies like a "Lange Rote", a special kind of sausage, Stefan's cheese cake and a "Kalte Sofie" at the Alte Wache, a sweet and icy wine drink. My personal highlight was climbing up the Cathedral Tower, as I had never done it before. We visited the bell tower and afterwards the observation platform, from where we had a marvellous view of Freiburg. In the evening, we met some other friends of mine for bowling, darts and a final cocktail session at my place. Unfortunately, the weekend was too short again, but it was amazing.

   

  I always had the dream of visiting the Christmas market at the Ravenna Gorge.This year, I also had the chance to go hiking there twice - in summer and in autumn and I have to say, that the gorge in the autumn colours was even more fascinating than in summer. We decided to go for a spontaneous Sunday hike in the golden October with a lot of sunshine. This time, I also took my good camera with me to take better pictures and I didn't get disappointed. The Ravenna Gorge - the name is probably derived from the French word "ravine" which means "gorge" - shone in a sea of colours. It was simply amazing and we took the same path, we hiked in August, but every place looked completely different. I felt so comfortable in the colourful nature. I also recognized some more waterfalls along the path to the gorge. The whole day was - once again - a perfect day completed by a self made ramen soup from Rebecca and a glass of wine. How could the day have been better?   

  When my father visited me at the first weekend in November, we wanted to make a little tour to the Alsace region, since he hasn't been there before. For me, it was the third time after visiting Colmar and  - during the Vosges trip - Kaysersberg and Riquewihr in 2021. So we decided to visit Eguisheim first and have a look at the community. For me, every place in the Alsace region is unique and special. When I was still living in Göttingen, I was dreaming of going on a trip there and now, I can't get enough of the beauties of the Alsace.

  The next destination were the Three Castles of Husseren-les-Châteaux - from north to south called Dagsburg, Wahlenburg and Weckmund Castle. The castle towers were built in close proximity to one another, but not at the same time, on a low hill ridge in the Haut-Rhin department. Since the sky was relatively clear, it was also possible to see the snow-capped Alps in the backgrounnd.

  At the end of the day in France, we made a short detour to Colmar to see the beautiful Petite Venise, one of the most scenic places I've seen so far on all my trips. Even if we had just a short time in Colmar, it was worth it to show it to my father who was really impressed too.

 Since I couldn't go to the Rise Against concert in Düsseldorf, I decided to get a ticket for the concert in Stuttgart. I combined the trip with a short sightseeing adventure, since I've been to Stuttgart only once before. In general, I have to say, that I didn't like the city that much. Especially, after arriving at the train station, there is a big construction area which directly took away any joy of exploring the city. Nevertheless, when my friend from Göttingen also arrived, who wanted to join the concert, we went to the New Palace, only ten minutes away from the train station. The Christmas market was just set up there. Even if the official opening hadn't taken place yet, a few stands were already open, so we stocked up on some mulled wine against the cold. After a short lunch break, we circled around the castle and enjoyed the nature of the various castle gardens, actually invited to relax despite of the rain. 

  One of my favourite places was then the Japanese Garden. Even if the garden was really small, the beautiful colours - especially the red of the Japanese maple - also called "Fullmoon Maple" were really fascinating. Since the garden was close to our hotel, we decided to bring our stuff there. When we stayed in the hotel, we found out, that there was a "Christmas Gardens" event at the Wilhelma, the zoological-botanical garden of the city. It was the perfect start into the evening. We spent almost two hours there and saw impressive and beautiful light shows with a Christmassy and fairytale accompaniment. Finally, after we finished the round tour, we took the subway and went to the concert of Rise Against which was absolutely amazing and the real highlight of the weekend.

  At the end I would like to thank my friends again for an incredibly and amazing year. We have experienced a lot. Our games and cooking evenings - including the pizza nights- were always a highlight of the week. Also a wine, beautiful sunsets, ice cream or a delicious brunch couldn't be missing. With you it was a wonderful year that was crowned with a visit to the Christmas market in the Ravenna Gorge and the New Year's Raclette. Thanks a lot and I'm looking forward for the upcoming adventures in 2023! Cheers!