Fun Facts

• Triberg, Germany, is a charming small town that lies in the center of the Black Forest. For a quaint town, Triberg is home to the world's biggest cuckoo clock, Germany's tallest waterfalls, and the BEST Black Forest Cake. Contrary to poplar belief, Black Forest Cake is not named after the Black Forest - Schwarzwald - mountain range, but rather from the specialty liquor of the Black Forest region, Schwarzwälder Kirsch. This liquor is distilled from tart cherries, and is what gives the cake its flavor.

• Triberg Wasserfälle – The Triberg Waterfalls boast a height of 534 feet and are a landmark in the Black Forest Region where the Gutach river plunges over seven cascades. The Triberg Waterfalls have a secret - they are not actually Germany's tallest waterfall, but rather the Röthbach Waterfall in Upper Bavaria is. However, the Triberg Waterfalls are the most accessible among the large waterfalls. Breathtakingly beautiful!
  
• Signs of Fastnacht – The streets of Triberg were decorated for Fastnacht which begins on the 6th of January of each year. In the Black Forest region, Fastnacht is about reflecting on the simple life of old. The celebration occurs during the year when the evil winter spirits reign over the region bringing darkness and cold. Fastnacht is about hunting down the bad spirits and expelling them from the area so that Spring may be ushered in. Although we did not see any parades, it was delightful to see each small towns flag garlands hung in celebration of Fastnacht. 

• Oli's Schnitzstube – In the early 1600s, the first cuckoo clocks were made in the Black Forest region – made exclusively from wood, including all the movement mechanisms. Being able to purchase a genuine German cuckoo clock had me giddy. After researching, I decided upon Oli's Schnitzstube owned by Oliver Zinapold. Warmly greeting us, Oliver showed us around his store and told us stories of the clocks. Oliver studied three years to receive his woodcarver degree, worked eight years as a woodcarver, then studied two more years to receive his masters degree. Oliver, Kacy, and I ended up designing a unique clock which now hangs in my living room. His work echoes his talent!