Strasbourg et Colmar

Un autre jour qu’il fait beau, comme hier.  Hier, j’ai marche à centre-ville ou j’suis allée en un bateau voir vieux Strasbourg par rivière.  La cite est très beau, beaucoup des vieille bâtiments et immeubles.  Nous sommes allées deux écluses et quelque les veilles barrages.  Apres un circuit de la ville le bateau est allé à la place d’Européen Parlement, Conseil Europe et le Palais de Droites de l’homme.  Les bâtiments ont été magnifiques. 

Centre- ville Strasbourg from Cathedral

J’ai eu un sandwich jambon que j’ai mangé proche de rivière.  Il était très bon s’assoir dans le sol.  Puis, je suis allée à la Poste acheter quelque des timbres.  J’ai dit la serveuse où je voulais envoyer mes cartes postales laquelle elle a compris !  Je suis été très excite.

Un peu tard je suis monte la tour de cathédral.  Il est très haut,  66 mètres !  La vue de Strasbourg a été très magnifique. 

Aujourd’hui, j’ai pris le train à Colmar.  Il est une belle ville, avec un quartier appeler Petit Vénice.  Il y avait beaucoup touristes visitaient la ville.  J’ai promenade dans le quartier historique aussi j’ai visité une musée qui a eu le retable d’Issenheim.  Le jour a devenu très chaud et la température fait  environs 27 dégrées. 

Andrew, il y a un bâtiment pour stationnement des vélos proche de Gare de Strasbourg. J'ai été très surpris lorsque je l'ai vu.

Stationnement pour les velos

 

Yesterday started off cool but by midday had warmed up considerably. My daily routine tends to be get-up walk the fifty metres to my local Boulanger and purchase a demi baguette for breakfast.  The baguettes are different from the west and south of France with a texture that is closer to the baguette that we get from Bordeaux bakery in Wellington.  My walk to centre-ville takes about twenty minutes and then another 20 or so minutes depending on where I am going.  I think I have the navigation of the city centre reasonably well understood and so far have not really got lost. 

As I noted in my last blog one needs to watch out for cyclists.  I have had a few close calls but they don’t tend ride fast around the place unlike around the Wellington waterfront.  The streets are paved with cobblestones so that probably means a slower ride anyway.  The other hazards are of course dog pooh, and the occasional tram as they are quite quiet when going slowly.  

My first activity was a boat trip around the city called the Grande Ile, with the river called the L’Ill.  It has been much modified over the centuries and is now well controlled by humans.  It was a good way to get a sense of that part of the city.  The boat I was on was full as were most of them for a good part of the day.   We went down the river a bit as well to the European Parliament buildings and the European Court Human Rights.  Magnificent modern buildings!

I had a wonderful lunch, baguette with lovely ham.  As I wanted to get some stamps I found La Poste and had a conversation with the server explaining in French my needs.  She understood even asked me a question or two and we settled on ten stamps.  I came away feeling rather pleased with myself.  My next use of French was to get a ticket to climb into the spire of the Cathedral, using words I now know!  No subjunctive needed for those who were wondering.  It was quite a climb up to the viewing area, 66 metres they said and it felt like it.  The steps had many people on them because you could see where they had worn and new pieces fitted in. 

Enjoying  the afternoon sun in Petit France

It was hot work and needing something cooler to slake my thirst I headed down to Petit France where I ordered a nice cold beer and watched boats and people wander by.  Very pleasant!  It is surprisingly warm and I wish I had brought lighter clothing with me as I was thinking it would be more like a Wellington spring; cold.  The weather averages suggested that also.

Today I took a train to Colmar, another town with a significant historic area called Petit Venice.  It was very pretty also, lots of half-timbered houses.  There were many tourists around.  I had a meal at a place looked quite nice but the pork filet was a bit overcooked so not a great French meal. I then spent a couple of hours wandering around the area.  In my walks I found a libraire where I was able to get a bit of stationery.  I wanted a notebook so I found a server and asked her to help me. She kindly did so and our entire interaction was in French.  More excitement on my part!!

Petit Venice

The other highlight was a visit to the local museum where they have this magnificent Altarpiece that is a carving surrounded by these paintings that fold out to provide a story about the Jesus.  Appropriately it is displayed in an old Dominican Monastery. 

The day was even warmer than yesterday, reaching about 27°C.

I have decided that the new electronic tablets or the like are going to be very useful.  It means that one does not have to take lots of books but more importantly you can download documents and not have print them out before one goes away.  I am almost persuaded that for my next trip I will need to get an iPad or one of the competitors.