In Anticipation: Germany

Every traveller has those places they are just dying to visit, sometimes with inexplicable fervour. For me, those places are Germany and Israel. The German thing rose from many late nights spent reading fairy tales by Hauff and the Grimm Brothers as a child, as well as developing a crush on Michael Ballack during the 2002 Soccer World Cup. As for the Israel thing – I guess that literally came from nowhere. 😉

Naturally, as soon as I found out I would be transiting in Frankfurt on the way back to Chicago, I decided to extend my stay in the city by a few days. This is not only to further indulge my obsession with interest in all things German, but also to explore the beautiful Rhine Valley, which is dotted with majestic castles overlooking lush forests – a perfect setting for daydreams. In particular, I want to go to Burg Eltz, a medieval castle nestled between the Moselle River and an ancient Roman trade route. The trek from Frankfurt seems painfully complicated – two trains followed by a two hour hike through the forest, but all should be worthwhile when this view greets you from the mountain top.

We will also be visiting the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) via its gateway – Freiburg. Ever since reading Wilhelm Hauff’s short story – The Cold Heart,  I dreamt of seeing the densely forested mountains, century-old conifers, and the ancient arts of clock-making and wood crafting with my own eyes and inhaling the magic of its folklore.  Knowing that this dream will come to fruition next month sends shivers down my spine, and I cannot wait to cross Germany off my travel bucket list.

For those of you interested, you can read the brilliantly written The Cold Heart here: http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/46451/

But if you happen to be bilingual, try the Chinese version of the story: http://soft.cnber.com/article/article_391_1.html

I first read it (and many times since then ) in Chinese and can guarantee that this version truly captures the essence of the tale.