We’ve been waiting two weeks for snow and it finally arrived! (just in time for us to fly home…). However, we did enjoy one day of sledding down fresh, crisp snow in beautiful Germany.
Snow Day In The Black Forest Of Germany
I’ve been in Germany’s Black Forest over the holidays, a mountainous region in the German southwest state of Baden-Württemberg. It’s where my in-laws live and it has been our base during a relaxing and refreshing stay in Germany.
But one thing was missing: snow.
In fact, I had to chuckle that over the last two weeks on many days it has been colder and wetter in Los Angeles than here in Germany. How is that for irony?
We’ve waited and waited for snow and it finally came: a big storm that dumped a beautiful layer of snow in the mountains surrounding us.
Mind you, we still had to drive over an hour from the Basel area to reach it, but it was totally worthwhile.
I know snow is not that far from Los Angeles either, but life gets so busy at home that we never make the time to drive up to Big Bear or up north just for a snow day.
We spent the afternoon sledding up and down the hill, with the courage of my daughter and son increasing throughout the afternoon to the point in which both wanted to ride by themselves (we didn’t let one-year-old Claire Marie go down the hill herself).
My wife really wants to go skiing: I hope to be able to honor that request one of these years, though I am far more happy curling up in front of a fire and sipping coffee. I’ve actually never been skiing before, as my parents were not so inclined toward that sort of thing while I was growing up.
CONCLUSION
It was great to have one snow day as we prepare to return to Southern California. Germany is beautiful year-around, but the mountains are particularly gorgeous when covered with snow. It was a great.
Matthew, I am being sincere when I suggest that you and Heidi take ski lessons from Ski Dubai. It’s very safe as an indoor ski “resort” and you could review some interesting flights to and from. Of course, the experience would be like flying from LAX to SFO and then declaring that your know what it is like to fly from LAX to BKK via SIN. But, it would be a good foundation to build upon ahead of learning at a real ski resort.
Why on Earth would anyone go to Ski Dubai when there are so many nice real ski resorts out there?
My son is amused that your daughter has a pacifier that looks just like one he used to have when he was younger…
More importantly did you take your son to see the places where Germans less than 80 years ago exterminated over 6 million humans?
Far more important for anyone linked to Germany than skiing.
Yes, I actually did over the summer.
@Matthew: As a young German born after the fall of the wall, I applaud your willingness to engage with the history of your adopted home and to share this with your children as well. But may I suggest that you focus in your remembrance of the terrible, terrible things my forbearers did not only on the evil, but also on Germany’s willingness to look its own past in the eyes, from Chancellor Brandt’s genuflection in Warsaw, to the holocaust memorials in Berlin, to the Friendship with France and Israel, to the speech of President Weizsäcker from 8th May 1985 and to the yearly trips of schools to concentration camps on 27th January. This ability and willingness (!) to confront one’s darkest past is for me as a young German who bears no responsibility for any of our atrocities a recurring source of quiet pride, particularly since other nations fail to this day to remember their atrocities despite all their incessant lecturing that Germany ought to remember. This may be of benefit to your children, as many struggle deeply when being confronted with the evilness humanity is capable of.
Great to see that you guys enjoyed the snowy Schwarzwald! I hope you were able to finish of your snow day with a steaming mug of coffee / chocolate in front of a roaring fireplace!
Hi Max, I’ll actually be doing a story on this in the weeks ahead. I deeply appreciate the German approach of humility and responsibility. It is so refreshing and empowering.
Hi Matthew,
That is great! I am looking forward to reading it!
Here in Australia, we only have a very small area that receives snowfall in the winter. I remember holidaying there once as a teenager for a week. Despite snow on the ground, I waited patiently for a fresh snowfall that just never seemed to come. Finally on the last day, and with us due to leave around 2pm, my friend and I headed out of the Lodge for one last play in the snow. We had a snow fight, but since the snow had been on the ground for a week and there had been no new falls, the “snow”was more like hard ice that made snowball throwing a really painful affair. Finally, just as we were about to head back, the heavens opened up and suddenly snow was raining down! I remember picking up a handful and realizing that freshly fallen snow is as soft as a feather and throwing snowballs was actually fun because they no longer hurt when you were hit by one. So we had a magical 30 minutes playing in the snow and it was an experience I’ll never forget….
That very much looks like Todtnauberg. Enjoy! Always love the fresh powder snow and blue skies in the Black Forest. But when it rains it gets nasty. Will be there for quick visit next week.
Skiing is such a great family sport, and one that you can partake in until your last days (or near). I’d highly recommend it, especially at a young age they could learn quickly.