Autumn in Strasbourg, France

I rarely write details about sightseeing, but then I usually have a companion to share my journey. So this post will be a little different, more or less a sequential travelogue.

I plan to spend a week in Strasbourg and Colmar, Alsace, France, along the border with Germany. Then I’m heading to Dijon in Burgundy to take a barge/bicycle trip for a week with about 20 strangers. As usual I am having trouble posting photos. If you want to see any I’ll post them on my Facebook page instead. 

Now I am in a train halfway across France with exactly three euros to my name. I found these coins last week lying on the bottom of my suitcase from our last trip to Europe. I expected to get money from ATMs but the only ones I saw at Orly airport were broken. And I saw neither a bank nor ATM near the big train stationing Paris when was I  headed to Strasbourg. I wonder how long I can get by with only a credit card.

I have been more or less awake and in transit for 24 hours and this is when I need to be super careful and not lose anything between here and the hotel.

It  is easier to travel with a partner who has your back and makes sure you don’t leave cell phones, passports, and more somewhere  inappropriate. I really admire people who travel alone. I used to do it. I went to Europe alone when I was about 20, then several years later I traveled around the world on my own. But then I had the fearlessness of youth, certain that I was immortal and nothing bad could possibly happen to me. Somehow I lost that along the way. Now there are so many ways to get injured. Ride a bicycle on cobblestones without a helmet? Can’t do that anymore. The illusion then I am immortal has been shattered along with a lot of broken bones.

My first destination is Strasbourg, in Alsace Lorraine across the Rhine from Germany. There was no particular reason for me to come here, other than nice architecture.  There are numerous ancient timbered buildings and a gothic cathedral. But Strasbourg is consistent with my interest in smaller cities, where I won’t find hordes  of tourist buses. I plan to sit in cafes and and stroll the cobblestone streets, admiring architectural details. 

I picked a hotel across the street from the train station which I think was a brilliant idea. It was easy to get there, and in a small walking city I will eventually see every street in town anyway. I am glad I am not one of these people I see dragging their luggage over cobblestones. 

EATING

Alsace is just across the Rhine river from German so the food has a strong German I influence. That said, the regional specialties here are flatbread pizza (called a flambée), mostly topped with onion. However, escargot flatbread was on the menu at lunch. Other local dishes are pretzels (much like our soft ones) or sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is a real big deal here. I had my first one tonight with duck. The cabbage is more finely shredded than we usually do it, making the dish less crisp . Oh, and foie gras is very popular too. I had a salty creme brûlée’ made with foie gras that practically made me faint. I am sad that I will never taste that again. 

The local white wines pack quite a wallop. I don’t know the alcohol content but fortunately they use small glasses. None of those huge goblets here.

I am in Strasbourg to walk picturesque streets (10 miles yesterday), experience my middle European roots, and enjoy the architecture. 

This city has passed back and forth between France and Germany for centuries. Street signs and menus are bilingual. I believe I could walk to Germany from here. But can’t get Siri to give me an accurate number of miles. 

Today I discovered I can visit every museum in town for a total of eight euros so I am having an orgy of museums on my last day here. 

Unfortunately the art museum is closed so I had visited the archaeology museum, the city Museum, Alsace-Lorraine museum, which was surprisingly interesting, and the museum of beautiful rooms filled with decorative furnishings. 

Next stop, Colmar, Kaysersberg, and Riquewehr, three of the prettiest towns in France, all in one day. At least that is the plan. We’ll see how it works out.