We crossed from Switzerland into Germany at a town called Konstanz where we were welcomed by border guards who politely searched our bags thoroughly looking for dugs. With nothing found we then waited for a bus that would take us over Lake Constance on a ferry and then on to the town of Ravensburg.
We would be staying here for a couple of nights with Esther and Jonas, friends of mine who I had met when they visited New Zealand a few years earlier. They lived in a small village a short distance outside Ravensburg in a very pretty countryside. I still remember how nice it was to look out of the kitchen window and see lush fields.
Inside the Basilica St Martin
Ravensburg was not bombed or damaged during World War II has a really well preserved medieval town centre. The town was historically a rich trading city and the buildings in the town centre reflect that with lots of old warehouses and trade buildings. There are a bunch of old towers and historic gates scattered around the city. We climbed up to the top of one beside the town square for a nice view.
The town square with the tower that we climbed in the background
The people we met in Ravensburg were all really nice. At a restaurant a waitress even went out to the local butchers to get a traditional breakfast sausage that they usually only served on weekends for us which was really cool. We had dinner one night at the local restaurant in Esther and Jonas's village which was an experience. I think we both had sausage salad which sounds odd but was actually really good. It was basically a plate of chopped sausage, cheese slices, and a vinegary dressing. The owner of the place was really friendly (although we couldn't understand anything he was saying) and gave us both a pinch of snuff after dinner. Not wanting to be spoilsports we both had it. I can confidently say that that will be the only time I try that...
A panoramic view of Ravensburg
We also visited a town called Lindau which was a short distance away in Bavaria, close to the Austrian border. Lindau is located on the shore of Lake Constance with the old town out on an island. It was a beautiful day and was nice to spend time by the water.
Lindau Harbour
Our two days in Ravensburg were great fun and Esther and Jonas were great hosts. It was cool to hang out with some locals and do other less touristy things like go rockclimbing and watch a football game between Germany and France. It was nice to be a bit more relaxed for a couple of days too.
After Ravensburg is Heidelberg.