Kim Richards

Today I want to cover the other pictures posted yesterday which are part of our trip into the Black Forest last Saturday.  We stopped in  Frieburg because we saw the cathedral spires and both were thirsty. I’m so glad we did.

Frieburg is close to France and Switzerland. The internet tells me it was laid waste in World War II, apparently bombed by accident. We saw a lot of nice architecture but the greatest find was the cathedral.

Munster Urnserer LiebenFrau zu Freiburg means Cathedral of our Beloved Lady.  Construction began in 1200 and finished in 1515. It is still in use. There’s a chapel area off limits to tourists where people can go to pray. I was allowed to pray there.

 Most of our pictures are very dark because flash on the camera is not allowed. Let me tell you, the majesty and beauty of this cathedral overwhelmed me and I cried at the awe of standing among it.  I felt so small in comparison.  How could my faith not be stroked when similar faith inspired the creation of this in others?  My God, these people worked for 315 years to build this place. I truly felt honored to be one of those lives it has touched.

We drank coffee in a square outside the Munster while I got myself together. Thankfully William isn’t one to make fun of my faith. I appreciate that in him immensely. We watched fat pigeons walk among the people and laughed as little boys chased them. We saw street musicians play solo performances. The first played the accordion and the second, the bassoon.

Then it was off to Strassbourg, where we ate dinner at the Hippopotamus restaurant. Straussbourg (as it is called by the French or Strausborg by the Germans) is on the Rhine River where the Ill river joins it. It borders France and Germany so we actually ate dinner in France. Woohoo!

The waterways and long streets bordered by houses or shops in our pictures are Strassbourg.  One of them is of an alligator statue placed in the water. LOL!  There are a few cathedral pictures which were taken at night. Don’t confuse those with the Freiburg Munster, those are the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Maybe we can go back at some point and go inside.