Going Cuckoo? Me too.

For many, the words black and forest are synonymous with two things, cake and ham.   When you visit the Black Forest, the locals will be sure you understand that there is no place in the world that competes with their namesake. That aside, there is another claim to fame that puts the tiny towns of the Schwarzwald on the map; cuckoo clocks.  The streets chirp in unison on the hour and half hour,  and the stores are brimming with the sought after clocks.

The character of the clocks is as unique to the craftsmen as it is to the shoppers. With a smile, we accept nostalgia as its history. Their origin or who the original craftsmen were are just a legacy.  Regardless of the past, they are the design of a genius when you think that hundreds of years later they remain popular.  What we do know today is that were   popularized in the Black Forest region of Baden Wurttemberg Germany in the 1800’s.

The tiny town of Schonach im Schwarzwald, Deutschland claims to be home to the world’s largest cuckoo clock. It was built using the blueprints from a smaller clock and is  60 times the size of it’s original design.   When you arrive, you find yourself at a quaint Bavarian home with an invitation to come in.

A walk inside is a lesson in clock-making and the dynamics behind the operation of something that is usually to intricate to see.

It chimes twice an hour so its fun to watch it from inside and out.

The Black  Forest is a magical, fairytale-like place to visit, regardless of your interests.  Just ask  those locals, they will point you in the right direction every time.

Thanks for stopping by.

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