Musings of a Middle-Aged Mom: Day Nine

Our tour bus had to drop us off several blocks away and our tour guide was a FAST walker! We started off with grey skies, lots of clouds, chilly temps, and maybe a light drizzle but once again, we plowed ahead. Even on a grey day, the scenery was beautiful.

I've said this over and over but I love seeing the various architectural details around the world.

We arrived at the first stop - Piazza Broglie. The opera house was to our left as we walked up.

This is the monument du Marechal Leclerc. General Leclerc led the French Second Armored Division to liberate Strasbourg in 1944. I think I mentioned this earlier, but it was very interesting to hear the Germans speak of the war - they were very matter of fact - this happened, that happened, etc. When our tour guide in Strasbourg spoke, you could hear the emotion in her voice. She had close family members who died in a concentration camp.

I turned back around and was able to snap a photo of the Opera House. The upcoming performance banners were advertising operas/plays that would be right at home in the U.S.

Around the piazza were giant posters about WW2. It is so weird to see a giant photo of Hitler and realize he was there. This is one of the reasons I love traveling - the history lessons I've learned take on even stronger meaning.

Our guide was telling us some factual information . . .but I cannot remember exactly what she was telling us. She is pointing at a map . . .

We happened upon town hall at just the right moment. One of the many weddings of the day was just ending and we saw the bride and groom and their families. The only marriage that is recognized in France is the marriage performed at town hall. You can only get married at the town hall where you or your future spouse lives, or where your parents live. It is possible to have a religious ceremony immediately following the town hall ceremony, and some couples opt to do this. The mayor performs the weddings!

More cool architectural details

The streets were not crowded, but there were lots of bicycles -- not as many as Amsterdam, but quite a few.

It would be cool to live in the apartment with the bigger balcony!

I think she was reading the wine list of this shop to us.

or maybe the store sold spirits in general - but I am thinking it was wine, though the bottles below look like an assortment.

Bakeries everywhere - top shelf to the left -- one of the favorites for families to eat on Saturday (or maybe she said Sunday?) mornings!

Below is a closer picture - it looked like a giant upside down muffin - most of them had nuts.

yummmmm!

The cathedral in Strasbourg was the WORLD'S tallest building from 1647-1874. It is one of the finest examples of Ramanesque architecture, but it also has architecture from other periods of time, too.

We quickly realized that you could see it from almost everywhere in town . . .which helps when you need a guidepost!

We couldn't go inside because church (worship) was in progress!!

I love a red door on a church!!

It is big!

There was a tour where you could go inside and climb to the top, but we didn't have tickets for that nor the time.

There was a cool bar on this street where several folks spent some time.

The Carousel of Place Gutenberg in Strasbourg, which seems to have been magically placed, has been around for more than thirty years. It's not exactly old, but it's not young either; it carries its three decades gracefully and maintains an impressive appearance. This carousel stands out because of its unique faceted panels. There are horses and storks, and a pink car! Notably, this pink car, easily distinguishable among others, holds a unique backstory. It was discovered at a flea market and dates back to 1930.

Gutenberg himself . . . so he did a lot of work while he was in Strasbourg, but the legend goes . . .he didn't pay his rent . . .ever. He was evicted and left Strasbourg which means Strasbourg didn't get to be famous for the printing press. According to Wikipedia: In Germany, around 1440, the goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable-type printing press, which started the Printing Revolution. Modelled on the design of existing screw presses, a single Renaissance movable-type printing press could produce up to 3,600 pages per workday, compared to forty by hand-printing and a few by hand-copying.

There are pictures around the base of the statue showing the printing press and people from various countries. There was a big group of folks from a company that sold printers . . .and I suggested they have their photo taken in front of the statue . . .which they did!

Look - the sky is beginning to clear and it isn't grey anymore. This is another view of the carousel.

Gutenberg . . .houses facing the square.

We were still on a walking tour when we saw these buildings . . .I think they had something to do with a church, but I can't remember what. (see below!)

I'm so smart -- I took a photo of the sign on the building -- Martin Luther. There was a huge Lutheran church to our left -- The church has something that music lovers will appreciate -- a 1741 Silbermann organ that was played by Mozart in 1778.

We finally made it to the section of Strasbourg that we had seen online!

The French section of Strasbourg with the colored houses is called La Petite France. This historic quarter is known for its picturesque canals, footbridges, and well-preserved, colorful half-timbered buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries.

The area was historically home to tanners, millers, and fishermen and later became a place for housing soldiers with syphilis, which was colloquially known as the "French disease".

Look at all of those flowers!!

The colors were beautiful and the timbers are amazing. Many of the buildings are beginning to sag (but they are old old old!).

It was truly beautiful.

Little heart locks placed there by lovers . . .

Our selfie skills continue to improve hahaha!

More locks along the fence (below)

There was a flea market in town and I am a sucker for a fresh fruit/veggie stand. We didn't buy anything, but I did look. The locals were in town buying groceries and supplies for the upcoming week.

This Christmas shop was packed and I did NOT fight the crowd - but isn't it cute??

Look at the beautiful designs on the building . . .

Somewhere on one of these streets was a special bakery. We ate a gingerbread muffin made with no sugar, only honey, and organic wheat flour. I wish I had bought a case and shipped them home. It was so delicious! I actually bought our youngest granddaughters stuffed gingerbread girls in Strasbourg!

It was mid to late October and there were still flowers blooming in the cold.

Look at the front of this building . . .so pretty!!

The public bathrooms were down below this plaza. Oh my goodness - very European - even to the point that when the line for the women's restroom was too long, they just sent a line of women into the men's room . . .while the guys were standing at the urinal.

Someone had a MASSIVE BUBBLE BLOWER and they were in the square. It was so cool!

Look at these bubbles! This gave me such joy!!

We headed back to the warm boat and as we were leaving I looked out our window and saw a million swans!

We had seen Tarte flambée, or flàmmeküeche in the Alsatian dialect, in the windows of bakeries in Strasbourg and our tour guide had told us about this dish. It is a speciality of the region of Alsace. The dish is quite like a strange version of pizza, and consists of a thin bread base, covered in crème fraîche, pieces of smokey bacon and onion. The base is very thin - almost cracker like. When we returned to the boat, we grabbed a late lunch and I was able to order it!

It looks like we were headed into another lock!

Yes! Yes, we were!

It is so cool how the lock fills with water until you rise to the water level on the other side.

After lunch, the crew set up an ice cream bar in the lounge. I was only taking photos - not eating!

I grabbed a quick photo of Mark's bowl before lots of toppings . . .

. . . and after lots of toppings!

We loved these young women - Kim and Caristi.

Mark had returned to the room and another traveler was walking around asking folks for their phones. She would take your picture and hand it back! They jumped in the photo with me. I have no idea where Mark was - maybe taking a nap??!!