Strasbourg and Metz (Thursday and Friday)

We had a lovely train ride from Reims to Strasbourg, having waited at the station in Reims for quite a while because 1) we were there reeeealy early and 2) the train was late. But we were there without having to run for it, by god. Once in Strasbourg, it was an easy ride on a bus + a short walk to our Airbnb. Our hostess had instructed us to go to a wine shop to get the key. The guy there said that someone came by that morning to ask them to hold a key for someone who would be picking it up!

Strasbourg is beautiful, and we have this view of it from our bedroom window:

Strasbourg is a town that has been here forever and has changed hands several times. The most recent switch was when the Germans got it after the Franco-Prussian War, and the French won it back in WWI. In WWII, the entire town was evacuated until the surrender of France; by the time the Strasbourgians returned, the Nazis had taken over. Obviously, it returned to the French after the end of the war (and did you know that the Axis surrender - the first one - occurred in Reims?).

It’s beautiful and, of course, has a huge Cathédrale Notre Dame. Dan will have better photos, but here is mine...  

I was impressed by the pipes. 

We spent Thursday afternoon walking around, boating around (on a tour) and taking in the sights. 

Friday started early (we were catching a 7:49 AM train to Metz and so we had to be at the station way ahead of time because I caused us to almost miss our train out of Paris), but we had time to stop for a Starbucks on the way. Yes, a Starbucks. You know why? Because for the same amount of money, you get a  decent-sized cup of coffee. No it’s not better. It’s just more and sometimes more is better. 

The train was late - again. I’m wondering if there is some work slow-down happening in anticipation of  the announced train strike that begins on April 2. However, we made it with plenty of time to walk  (and walk and walk... over 20,000 steps today) . We saw lots of sites: 

Another carousel

Dan on the carousel

After I took these photos, I stopped to send them to Flora.  Dan seemed impatient. Really? After all of the times I’ve waited for him? Oh no he didn’t. I don’t think so.

The inspiration for the carousel: A Graoully. 

Cathédrale Saint Étienne de Metz

 

 

This is an altar from the 9th century.

Things that the Romans used to scrape themselves clean. Uh, no thanks.

Roman burial urns

Roman coins that would completely screw up a vending machine...

My lunch: Quiche Lorraine. What else do you eat in Lorraine???

Dan’s lunch... Assiette d’Alsasce.

Desserts at the Marché Couvert... We each had a pistachio éclair.

Below is a clown store...

There was, of course, a medieval tower, of course, which had a double stairway, described below. Basically, one set went up and another went down - in the same tower!

This tower was included in one of the old town walls. On one of the buildings facing the river, a carving included a resemblance of the town mayor of the time, with his drawers at his ankles and his butt pointed at any potential intruders. Dan got photos, but here is a drawing of it (and the explanation):

Ended our time with a cocktail, drinking what our friends, Reginald and Teresa Dalle, might drink at Le Giro!  

    

I neglected, in the Reims posting, to share a photo of Charlemagne’s talisman that we saw in the Palais du Tau. In case y’all don’t know, Charlemagne was King of the Franks in the late 700s and was Holy Roman Emperor from 800 until his death in 814. The stone in the center is a replacement, but the rest of it is original.