Une volée à Bâle et un voyage à Strasbourg

Hier, j’ai volé à Bâle de Londres.  Samedi, j’ai écrit au propre d’appartement dire lui a l’heure j’aurais arrivé à Strasbourg  mais je n’ai pas fait trouver une internet connexion libre.  Heureusement, j’ai eu son numéro de téléphone portable.  Il n’y avait pas guichet à la gare de Saint-Louis.  Donc mon premier utilisation de français a été demander un billet du contrôleur.  Il a demande ou j’ai monté le train.  J’ai dit que j’ai monté à Saint-Louis.  Le billet a été plus cher que si j’ai acheté sur l’internet. 

Publicite de la Ville

Le propre et sa femme m’ont accueilli à l’appartement.  Ils ont parlé très vite mais j’ai compris plupart ce que il a dit. J’ai devenu angoissé ainsi j’ai essayé trouver les mots donc j’ai pu demander lui quelque questions.  Enfin, je l’ai dit de la fenêtre qu’il paraissait casse mais il n’a pas été.  L’appartement est très gentil.  La travaille de femme, je pense !!  Ils ont donne un cadeau de vin de Alsace, un gewurztraminer.  Il était très bon!

Aujourd’hui, j’ai marche à Strasbourg Centre-ville.  Centre-ville est pour les piétons, aussi pour les trams.  Diffèrent à Londres et Hong Kong ou il y avait plus gens dans les rues.  Je m’ai amuse promenade dans les rues. J’ai trouvé Galléries Lafayette Gourmand où j’ai fait des courses; des vins, le lait, du fromage, du café, etc.

Aujourd’hui, le temps fait beau, le soleil brille et le température est environs 21°C.  Il est presque l’été. 

Gare Centrale

Andrew, il y a beaucoup des cyclistes dans la ville. Il y a voie de velo partout.  En fait, il est plus probable que je serai tuer par un cycliste que par une voiture je pense!!
Ce soir je mange les asperge de Alsace que sont blanc et grand, aussi je mange du fromage du Montagne des Vosges lequel est comme un brie ou camembert.  Il est très bon.

I need to practise my French hence the above for those of you who want to read a little bit of French.  It does take a bit longer than writing in English.

Un bateau sur le canal

Last night I went to sleep easily enough but at 3:30pm I was wide awake.  Thus I was ready early for the bus to take me to Terminal 5 for my flight to Basel.  I took the public transport system (much cheaper) and I got there at the same time as another group who taken the expensive option and they had left 15 minutes earlier than me.  I had checked in to get a seat yesterday so all I had to do was pick up my boarding pass and deposit my bag.  They use a similar system to that of Air New Zealand.  Terminal 5 is the new terminal that is used by BA.  Reminiscent of Hong Kong Airport and it was very easy to get through.  Security was slightly stronger than New Zealand but nothing like the US.  I tried to get onto the internet as I thought they had free Wi-Fi, but no it was not free and would cost an arm and a leg.  So I was not able to see if the owner of the flat had responded to me.  While in the terminal I went looking to see if there was a place I could get a strap for the one that broke on my camera case.  I did get one so I was very happy.

The plane left early. It was an A319 and it would have been lucky to be even half full.  No wonder BA is losing money hand over fist. The plane was very used and it had similar leg room to Air NZ long haul. 

I had a good view of the countryside although it was difficult to see much detail due to the European haze, which is sort of brown.  Not as bad as it is over China though.  Beneath me was a brown and green patchwork of fields.

At Bale I tried again to get on the internet but no luck.  Then I took the bus to Gare de Saint Louis.  My initial attempts at French were not good.  I then left my wallet on the bus.  Fortunately a man picked it up and returned to me.  We had a bit of a cross cultural lack of understanding as I was not sure what to say, except merci several times.  I think that I got a bit anxious and flustered.  Either that or he wanted some sort of reward.  I suspect I looked a bit tired as well.
There was no where to buy a ticket and I had not bought one on line in case I got there a bit earlier.  So it cost me about a third more to buy on the train.  I managed to do that all in broken French but I did understand the conductor.
I was able to walk quicker from the station to my apartment.  Fortunitously the proprietor and his wife were there and he emerged just as I was going to text him that I had arrived.  He was a very friendly man who spoke very quickly.  I got the gist of most of what he was trying to say.  But when it came to speaking my tiredness and anxiety slowed me down.  However we communicated sufficiently.  
Appartment has been recently renovated and is very nicely appointed with the hand of woman clearly apparent.  It is quite roomy and airy.  It is on a relatively busy street but it quietens down during the evening.  The apartment is quite noisy. There is a dog next door that barks every time I arrive and there are random noises from neighbours but not too intrusive.
Today the weather is very nice, warmish and a nice 21°C. I have been into centre-ville.  Very nice and a model for trying to be kind to the environemnt as it is set up for pedestrians and cyclists.  There are these lovely modern trams that glide around the city centre and further afield I believe.