It's a city where gingham and hearts reign supreme and sourkroute sowerkroute sauerkraut and bratwurst are the local specialty. It's a city full of brown and white half-timbered houses in the Petite-France district with unevenly speckled shingle rooftops.
It was unlike anything I've ever seen. Before belonging to France, Strasbourg was part of Germany and that influence is visible around every corner.
A relatively large city, Strasbourg is the capital and principal city in the Alsace Region of France. Strasbourg is home to the official seat of the European Parliament and the Court of Human Rights. It is famously known for its sandstone Gothic Cathedral, which houses the first astronomical clock, and the renowned Maison Kammerzell restaurant is only a stones throw away. The River Ill runs right through the city and if you follow it long enough, the Petite-France districts comes out of nowhere and you can't do anything but stop and take it all in.
I arrived around 10 on Friday morning, checked into my hotel and immediately climbed the 330 steep, winding steps to the very top of the Cathedral for the most incredible rooftop view of the city. On clear & sunny days, they say you can see the Black Forrest of Germany. I took a glass-top boat ride down the River Ill for a different perspective of the town. I toured the Alsace Museum, rented a bicycle, and ate my way through this magical city.
On Saturday morning, I hopped on the tgv for a half day trip to the neighboring village of Colmar, where its La Petite Venise district is the closest I'll come to the real thing on this journey...but hey, I'm all for a good reason to come back to Europe!
It was the perfect getaway weekend to see something opposite the typical Provence scenery. I have just 13 days of my internship left and only 2 more weekends. I head to Rome for the first, and the second I'll be packing up the apartment I've called home for 6 months before heading to London, where at Christmas was surprised to learn my mom will join me.
So until my feet are back on American soil, I'm going to soak in the time remaining and reflect on how thankful and blessed I am to have had this season of life!
Here's a flashback to my weekend in Alsace...
SO MUCH GINGHAM. SO MANY HEARTS.
Yeah...this happened. Life's too short to be embarrassed, right?
The Petite France District
Here's a glimpse into the coldest day of my life spent in Colmar...
