Freiburg

Up on the observation tower, I can see where I'm heading. To the south, beyond the immediate hills speckled with dark green evergreens, which characterize the "Black Forest," are taller hazy gray mountains with speckled white peaks. Although the view is amazing and the high altitude breeze is refreshing, I can't help but feel the soreness in my shoulders from wearing my stuffed backpack not designed for hiking. The sight of the distant mountains resembles my goal and my obstacle. Still, I can exhale because I'll be in the city of Basel by tonight and have two days to relax there.

Back down in the city, the Altstadt of Freiburg is not very impressive (I can be sort of a snob on European cities by now, right?). Many of the streets are too restricting for pedestrians: they wind around with few connecting alleys, 4-story buildings tower over you on either side, trolley tracks run down the center, making crossing difficult, and there are very few places to sit, even in the occasional plaza. The area near the university is sort of hip and I found a cheap Turkish cafe where they had all-I-could-drink black tea for 50 cents. Surrounding the city center are quite neighborhoods with nice, old houses and churches. Here is where you see the reputable private gardens and fancy balconies of Freiburg. I also had a sense that it's quite ritzy and conservative. Freiburg also has a reputation of being on the forefront of solar technology in buildings but the evidence of that must have been further on the outskirts.