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The Swabian Sea – a Veritable Treasure BoxBy Caroline M. Jackson
Our base for three days was the town of Constance which is situated on a peninsula between two watery inlets, the Uberlinger See and the Unter See. Upon arrival we had to decide whether to stay in the Swiss part of town, known as Kreuzlingen or in the official German part which is Constance proper. Caught in a conundrum, we opted to spend a few nights in a Pension adjacent to the Swiss/German border which divides the train station. Passing back and forth between the two countries was no problem as long as the officials had a glimpse of our passports.
On our first morning, we purchased a combination boat/garden entry ticket from our Pension and took one of the white ferries over to the Island of Mainau in Germany.
On our return train journey, we stopped at the medieval town of Stein am Rhein.
Nearing the end of our sojourn, we spent our last morning walking in the lovely bucolic countryside around Appenzell which lies an hour southwest of Constance. The icing on the cake was a visit to the medieval town of St. Gallen which is a UNESCO world heritage site. Renown for its late Baroque Benedictine Abbey, the library is world famous for its rare manuscripts from the Middle Ages. Visitors are welcome and we were given special soft slippers so that we would not damage the exquisite inlaid floor. Although Zurich Airport was only an hour away by train from our base in Constance, I felt I had truly stumbled upon a cultural treasure trove which is not frequented by many North Americans. Like all treasure hunters, I shall be back for some more. Travel tips:Bikers: a 270 km bike track surrounds Lake Constance. Boaters: Favorite half-day ferry trips include Constance to Bregenz (Austria) and Konstanz to Stein am Rhein. Gardening enthusiasts should visit Mainau outside of peak season as it is very popular with German visitors. www.mainau.de Switzerland Tourism: www.MySwitzerland.com German Tourism: www.cometogermany.com Rail Europe: www.raileurope.com Swiss Rail: www.rail.ch British Airways flies London/Zurich www.britishairways.com Images by Hamish M. Jackson Email: crestlyn@axionet.com |
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TM
After
exploring the highs and the lows of the Swiss Alps by gondola, cog-railway,
funicular and a pied, I decided to give my creaky knees a rest and head
north for more level terrain. While studying my map, I spotted a cerulean
sea tucked into the northeast corner of
Switzerland,
a place where zigzag rail lines were replaced with gentle curves and
four-digit elevations were non existent. As our train
headed northeast, we chugged through rolling open countryside dotted with
cows, goats and pink pigs. As we neared the lake, I knew I had hit the
jackpot - there wasn’t even a molehill in sight. The Rhine glacier had
obligingly gone before me and flattened nearly everything except for some
long gentle lakeside hills clothed in vineyards and orchards. This was the
perfect recreational area for walking, cycling and boating. 
Soon I had my first glimpse of Lake Constance, Europe’s
third largest lake after Lake Geneva and Lake Balaton. Over the centuries,
it has been known by many names; the Romans called it the “Golden Bowl”
while the Alemannians named it the “Swabian Sea”. The area has a fascinating
history and today Lake Constance (German: Bodensee) is shared by three
countries. Germany has 174 km of the northern shoreline, Austria to the east
has 28 km, while the Swiss section to the south has 72 km. 
Once a summer residence, this exotic
45-hectare tropical paradise is a feast for the senses. Views from the
terraces of the Italian rose garden are breathtaking and the Baroque Castle
and Church with its adjacent Palms House are picture-postcard perfect. A highlight for me was the Butterfly house with its plethora of
delicate winged insects which could be seen at close quarters.
To round off our day, we took a 20-minute ferry
crossing to the picturesque town of Meersburg situated on the north shore of
Lake Constance. This was certainly my idea of a perfect
medieval village complete with an intact 11thC castle. Those with creaky
knees can amble along the lakeside promenade and enjoy a cool drink in one
of the many cafes beside the town gate. The Upper Town, however, is well
worth the climb with its half-timbered houses, the Bible gallery and town
square.
The following day, feeling that that we now had a sense
of the area, we used our trusty Swiss Rail Pass for a one-hour train journey
to Schaffhausen which is also accessible from Constance by boat along the
Rhine. Our main purpose was to visit the spectacular Rhine Falls, the
largest waterfall in Europe which crashes down a 23m drop. Nothing could
have prepared me for the excitement of seeing and hearing the power of these
roiling, turbulent waters from the viewpoint at Schloss Laufen. Visitors
with a strong faith can take one of the little flat-bottomed boats right out
to the falls and be dropped off at one of the steep rocky islets. My adventurous spirit won over my fear so my memory is etched with
the drama of perching atop the rock beside the Swiss flag while surrounded
by the earsplitting surging waters. 
History speaks for itself in the
attractive facades, 16th C. frescoes, oriel windows, gate towers and
fountains – just the scene you would expect to find on jigsaw puzzle boxes.
Photo aficionados will not be disappointed.