Gengenbach Viking Rhine River Cruise

Tour around Gengenbach with a guided tour.

 The small town of Gengenbach is tucked away in Germany's picturesque Black Forest. This town is famous for its Advent House.  Gengenbach is on the western edge of the Black Forest.  I saw this in the window during our tour.

Thought this looked like a nosey lady looking out the windows 

On top of a fountain, there was a statue of a knight.

this metal plate was in the cobblestone street to direct you to this statue.

Alemannic "Fasnacht", ("Fasend"), is a kind of historically influenced celebration of carnival, where tradition is followed, from wearing costumes with carved wooden masks to clapping with a "Ratsche" (a traditional-classic wooden "sound-producing" toy). 

The numbers represent the current year. Thus, 20 letters 20 means = 2020. The letters are the initials of Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, the three wise men. Though more often it represents the blessing for the building. The blessing is done by carol singers that are sent by the catholic church. Those are usually kids dressed as wise men. They usually come on January 6th or around this day. 

Most Cellars are on the outside of the house 

Window shopping and spotted this clown flipping around. 🤣

Stork Nest Storks come back every year to the same nest.

World’s biggest Advent calendar! Gengenbach also boasts a picturesque, traditional, medieval town center ("Altstadt"). The traditional town of Gengenbach is the proud owner of the world's biggest advent calendar. The 24 windows of the 18th-century town hall represent the 24 "windows" of an Advent calendar. 

This is the gate that historically kept the city safe at night

Time to check out the Christmas market and have some food and beverages.

Time to get some nice warm beverage of ghulwein and a Raclette sandwich. It has been nice getting to know Kenn & Carol from Houston Texas. 

Vendor making raclette with ham.

  Yummo

The advent is starting and we are going there to watch the opening of window 18.