I was in Europe last summer and was traveling light and not doing much souvenir buying. My wife wanted a cuckoo clock so I decided I would make that purchase in Rothenburg. I looked in a few shops and ended up making my purchase at the Friese shop. I am so glad I did. Anneliese is a kick in the pants and it was a real delight. The box arrived home before I got back and we enjoy the clock every day.
Jeff Holt
Im glad to read this! I'll be in Germany in a few months and I know beer steins and a cuckoo clock are big on my souvenir list, but I dread lugging them through Europe for weeks. May I ask- what was the price range on cuckoos? Also, what was the cost to mail it home? I'm trying to figure out my souvenir budget in advance, as generally as I can anyway. Thanks!
Lisa
Good to know! Was it expensive to mail back home?
Rankster, since I know you will be going on the 21 day tour you will likely also be going to St Goar on the full day you are in Bacharach. One of my fellow tour members purchased a cuckoo clock across from the ferry dock in St Goar and had it shipped back home. He also compared prices as he went and found he had gotten his a bit cheaper than ones he saw later in his trip. The shop also shipped it, and as he requested, delayed the shipping for a bit since he was traveling for a while. Many also bought steins in St Goar, Bacharach and Rothenburg.
Cuckoo clocks actually come from the Black Forest, not Rothenburg or St Goar.
The biggest collection of cuckoo clock shops (and what claims to be the biggest cuckoo clock shop in the world) is in Titisee, in the middle of the Black forest.
Shipping wasn't bad, but you will part with some real money if you want a clock that is of a decent size.
They didn't have the largest selection, but several shops all carried similar ones, that I saw. I'm not a shopper, I'm a hunter, and didn't spend a ton of time looking for the perfect one.
We enjoy it every day...
Jeff
Pricing, it depends, my total bill with shipping and several other things with shipping was about 800 Euro.
I chose what I would call a middle of the road , but nicer, one day run time clock.
3 day run time clocks ran another 200-400 Euro.
Jeff
Good info. We're planning on purchasing a Cuckoo clock as well (on our 21 day tour). I priced them on Annaliese's website so I have a general idea of what they cost. I have my heart set on one that plays music too so those are a little higher. We will definitely have it shipped home......along with other goodles like beer steins and maybe a Hummel :) I would recommend checking out some of the websites so you have an idea of how much these treasures are going to cost, Lisa.
My question is regarding discounts. From the RS Germany book it states that many of those shops offer a 10% discount if you show your RS book. Do you have to have the actual paperback or would showing the digital version suffice?
I carried all my books on my iPad and just showed that I had the book(s) there.
But I only depended on the discount in Rothenburg.
Jeff
I also purchased a cuckoo clock from the Annaliese Friese shop in Rothenburg. Mine was expensive because I wanted an 8-day mechanism. If I remember correctly, she took off the 18% (at that time) salestax and added the shipping. I was happy to not have to cart the clock the rest of my trip. It arrived nearly 3 weeks later in perfect condition.
My clock was around 800 Euros all together but again, it was because I wanted to wind it once a week, not once a day. It's a chalet style, with dancers, a water wheel, and a lady pulling a rope for the bell. The ones you wind once a day are much cheaper.
If it is shipped directly from the vendor then the VAT is removed. Historically we have found with the more expensive items that the VAT savings will equal or excess the VAT. So, one way of think is that the shipping is nearly free.
