Friday, September 9, 2011
This is our 6th weekend traveling, and I'm ready for France and wine, instead of beer! We are in the Alsace region, famous for marrying the best culture, food, and wine of France and Germany for centuries. Here's day one in our home base for the weekend, Strassbourg, France, just over the Rhine River. For those curious, we rented a car on Trip Advisor for the 6th weekend in a row and got a sweet upgrade to a VW Passat diesel, and we plan to explore Strassbourg, Colmar, and other stops along the way on the Route de Vins (Wine Road).
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| We arrived around lunch time and came around the corner and immediately smelled and saw a bakery that called all our names...Colin is above with his new favorite, Chocolate Croissant! |
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| Lots of tourists, most were French or Italian, and all had gray hair... |
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| We head into an are called Petit France in the old town center of Strassbourg. There are canals and a river boat that definitely reminded us of Paris and the Seine River. |
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| The half-timbered houses and buildings were really cool and very old |
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| It was a cookie sandwich with Nutella (one of my favorite things on the planet) and chopped hazelnuts on top...how could I not try it?!? It was also kind of hot and humid and very melty. It's hard work, but someone has to do it! |
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| Hand painted wine advertisement on the side of and OLD building |
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| Gorgeous Gothic Strassbourg Cathedral that looks like a smaller version of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral |
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| Amazing old building with working windows where some are still original. Notice how the upper floors butt out over the bottom floor? That's because back in the 1500's and on, owners were taxed by the square meters/square footage of only the bottom floor! So, people built up and out to avoid more taxes. |
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| Colin, PLEASE look with your eyes and not your little hands! |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strasbourg_Cathedral for more information...
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| Mostly new stained glass after the bombing of the city in WWII. |
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| Colin was really good--we told him that we had to be quiet and showed him all the signs saying you were supposed to be quiet and say prayers while we were in the church. |
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| the pipe organ |
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| We lit a candle and said a prayer--Colin was so precious. And then he wanted to light all the candles... |
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| Some nice Flying Buttresses... |
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| Outside a great shop where I did some early Christmas shopping! Website above if you want to order some fine Alsatian pottery, linens, art prints, jarred or bottled regional specialties, etc for yourself! |
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| A look back up the street at the Cathedral and all the very "kitsch" and more junky souvenir shops. |
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| We came out of the square and found this beautiful working antique (? yrs old?) carousel. |
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| A smile from Colin, but not quite the right direction...and we had to get a different place, the horse, way up there, please Mommy! |
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| The banners in the streets of the old town tell you what kind of shops are there. |
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| Fromage! |
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| An Italian shop with all kinds of fresh pasta in the case |
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| Pretty bridge in Petit France area of Strassbourg, France |
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| I don't know how old this building is, but it is crooked and really looks like it's about to crumble and fall down onto the building next to it. |
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| Petit France in Strassbourg |
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| Just to the left of the river is a row of cafes and restaurants where we will come back later in the evening to eat dinner...on the right is a... |
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| Playground! Colin get's to work doing what he does best... |
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| Cool view from the playground! |
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| View from playground. And, see the BIG tree on the far left of the picture? We end up eating dinner under that GIANT tree at a restaurant called, Au Petit Bois Vert. Some French humor! |
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| Signs are in both French and German |
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| We all get play time! |
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| CHASE! |
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| I hope Colin remembers all the playgrounds of his European Summer of 2011! |
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| See that Coke bottle in his hand? He went around beating it on the playground equipment and then kicking it...who needs toys? |
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| More gorgeousness around each corner |
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| Not a bad view if you this was your house |
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| Just a cool building...I'd like some super old and weathered, working, turquoise shutters please. We were hanging out under a bridge for a few minutes while the French devil beat his French wife. (I hope any reader of this blog understands that...devil beating his wife=raining while the sun is shining.) I recently had to explain to my know-it-all-trivia buff sister what that meant. |
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| Most of the buildings in the Petit France area have their names painted on the outside like this, in this same style |
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| Scott is pretty good now at getting us all in a decent shot with his own long arm. And, please know, anytime you see just Scott and me in a picture, we've asked Colin if he wants to take a picture and usually get a firm "NO!" |
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| A cool tiled roof |
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| Colin's dinner in the hotel room. What's not in pictures is the "accident" he had in the bathroom..so he's got clean clothes on and eating dinner now. He's having a "white meal" tonight...everything happened to be white! Peeled apple, yogurts, Pringles, Edam cheese slices, juice. Maybe not the best, not too bad...but surely not the worst dinner he's eaten since we've been on this adventure! We all spruce up and change to go back out for dinner, and Scott and I are hoping and praying for Colin to fall asleep in the stroller so we can enjoy a nice meal with no crayons or Angry Birds at the table. Colin hasn't had a nap today and if doesn't fall asleep, it's not going to be pretty. Fingers crossed! |
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| Heading out for dinner |
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| Even the construction isn't so bad if your building is as pretty as this outside |
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| Hope he doesn't hit a bump! |
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| Bike rental shop |
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| Strassbourg at sunset |
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| We were so hungry and with Scott's help, I polished off this salad before we thought to take a picture...it was a green salad with a lovely packet of chevre en croustillant (goat cheese in phyllo!). |
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| Salud! We have an inexpensive bottle of a local Alsatian crisp pinot gris. And they take credit cards, so we don't have to pinch our Euros and enjoy the splurge even more! |
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| Do I look happy? I am happy...a few reasons for the happiness of this moment: Colin is sound asleep in the stroller next to me. Scott and I are having an uninterrupted conversation and reflecting on some of the amazing things we've done in the past two months. We're enjoying some good local wine, al fresco. We are about to receive "un carafe d'eau", a bottle of tap water, which is free and expected in France. Not so much in Germany...taffelwasser is not free, so we just smuggle our own and drink it before and after dinner. And, see that very GRANDE tree behind me? This is the Au Petit Bois Vert restaurant that is pictured earlier in the post from across the river. Any of these one things would be great, but combined, it's just a really great evening to end a good day adventuring! |
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| Scott's pretty happy too...with a plate of ratatouille, grilled meats and two sauces. |
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| Colin asleep so hard. He has his leg crossed--so funny! |
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| Restaurant Au Petit Bois Vert, Strassbourg |
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| Time to stroll on home after our "family" date night |
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