Today I learned that there is no problem that cake can’t fix.

You see, it finally happened. After a blissful few weeks of sunshine and rainbows on this Photo Tour, we were hit with some seriously awful weather.

Thunder, lightning, pouring rain… and me, in a sleeveless dress and strappy sandals.

In my defense, it wasn’t completely my fault! As we left Breisach today for our excursion to Titisee Lake, the weather was pleasant - a bit cloudy but definitely not stormy by any means. An hour’s drive later, this became a different story. Driving into the Black Forest, we found ourselves at the mercy of an ominous storm cloud that loomed high above us. Soon enough, it began to drizzle, and then it began to pour.

 “Looks like the Black Forest is especially black today,” joked our tour guide.

I chuckled nervously along with the other passengers, but I knew I was in some trouble. With no umbrella and no coat, I was well on my way to getting hopelessly soaked.

Luckily, the kindness of others came through for me again. With a single sympathetic look at my poorly-chosen outfit, Camille (the boat’s entertainer) lent me her umbrella and saved me from getting drenched in the flood of rain. The rest of the trip went surprisingly great after that. In spite of the stormy conditions, the town of Titisee was undeniably charming, and the lake was still beautiful.

And you know what? Like I said, cake saved the day. After a rocky boat ride around Lake Titisee, we were given some free time to explore town. Along with an American couple I met on board, we decided that the only logical thing to do was to hide in the warmth of a small café and indulge in big slices of Black Forest cake. Sipping on some hot coffee, scraping the chocolate crumbs off my plate, I didn’t mind the rain one bit. We can’t always control the weather when we travel, but we sure can control how we deal with it… and I would say we handled it very well.

And for the cherry on top of this Black Forest cake, something amazing happened during our drive back to Breisach. As our bus pulled through the winding roads of the valley, the clouds suddenly parted, the rain cleared and we were treated an impossibly picturesque drive home. Wispy bunches of clouds hung over the mountains, with rolling green hills stretching for miles and miles. It felt like I had walked into a painting!

And with that eventful day behind me, I must say: I am so excited for tomorrow because I will be returning to Strasbourg for a tour of the city. Having caught a few glimpses of it last week, I really can’t wait to explore further.

Update you soon from Strasbourg!

- Christina