 |
|
|
Main
We had just a few hours the next day to finish up the important Strasbourg sights before training back to Zurich, overnighting by Kloten Airport and flying home to Chicago. We would have to move fast!
Never stepped foot in any of Strasbourg's museums: The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, The Palais Rohan (state apartments), Alsatian Museum, Zoological Museum, The Planetarium; and one that really would have been up our alley, Les Secrets du Chocolat Museum. This museum was devoted entirely to cocoa and its transformation into Chocolate. Don't know how we missed that one! There is the historic wine celler of Strasbourg Hospital, founded in 1395, with visits by prior reservations only. They even have a wine dating from 1472!
No time to visit any of the breweries. Heineken, Kronenbourg and Schutzenberger are all in the area and offer guided tours. Beer lover readers...don't miss one of these...
Continue reading "Finishing Up Strasbourg and Alsace" »
We finally made our way to the heart of Strasbourg and it's famous Cathedral. Over 466 feet high to the top of the spire, and completed in 1439. ...View image...The remainder of the cathedral was built between the 11-15th century and was the highest in Western Europe until the 19th century. You can't visit during Sunday services. Inside is an astronomical clock. For 1 Euro, you can watch the parade of the apostles before Christ every day at 12:30 pm. Buy a ticket at the door. You can also buy a ticket to take the long walk to the top platform, 332 steps up. The facade is magnificent with its lace-like work in stone. Of importance are the Wise and Foolish Virgins on the right portal. It was simple telling who the Foolish Virgin was but the others didn't look THAT wise.
The interior has an exceptional collection of stained glass windows with the oldest ones on the north side depicting princes and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire.
street leading to the Cathedrale of Strasbourg
Continue reading "The Strasbourg Cathedral and Other Sights" »
I chose the Hotel Pax strictly for its location, only a three-minute walk from the Strasbourg train station. It was a very unprepossessing hotel, old and nothing to write home about with the exceptiion of its very friendly staff and a great location. Too bad I didn't follow my own advice and check where our Hotel Pax room was located before evening. We fronted the street and the trams, bells clanging, didn't stop running until 12:30 am (according to ex-Marine). I stuffed ear plugs in my ears and we changed rooms the next day. The hotel was sold out and it was too late to change rooms before the noise-level dawned on me.
Strasbourg would be our last medieval city for many years to come and I was interested to see if it would measure up to my personal favorites up to now - Colmar and Riquewihr - both the ultimate in my book. Out to discover Strasbourg, the first thing I noticed was the city's excellent tram system with boards above each stop telling exactly how long until the next tram arrived. The two trams lines criss-cross the city and I just don't understand why our public transportation systems can't look like these.
sleek, Strasbourg tram
Continue reading "Visiting and Discovering Strasbourg" »
If you are a war buff and drive around Alsace, the 200 km/120 mile Maginot Line with its forts, blockhouses and shelters are not far away. The line was built in a number of phases from 1930 on. France believed that all these fortifications would provide time for their army to mobilize in the event of attack.
Northern Alsace also had many other attractions: troglodyte castles hewn directly out of rock, a feature peculiar to the region; a Romanesque Road passing through Altenstadt, Wissembourg and Surbourg; and the nature attractions that I was enjoying so tremendously. The Rhine, forests, a chance to stroll at your leisure and great panoramic views everywhere we went. Not finished with today's short hike, the walk continued on to the village of Schweigen (now in Germany) and Weintor, the beginning of the German wine road. Another adorable town with wine and tasting rooms (along with more tourists who had driven there) all around.
wooden wine presses and sculpture around Schweigen
Continue reading "A Little More Wissenbourg and On To Strasbourg" »
The excellent Office de Tourisme, Wissembourg (e-mail: tourisme.wissembourg@wanadoo.fr) had mailed me lots of information including options for day hiking around the area. We chose to do the Cross-border Vineyard Circuit today, about 8 kms/4+ miles with red ring markings the entire way. Wissembourg is almost exactly on the border of Germany and this walk would take us through a forest and vineyards to Schweigen, the beginning of the German Wine Road and then return to the center of Wissembourg on a different route. But first....breakfast!
After the skimpy breakfast from yesterday, we did some major chowing down. Entire baguettes, croissants, yoghurt, fruit, meusli, juice and coffee. It's sunny today but a little on the cold side which makes it perfect walking weather. On the return, we'll take more time to take the circuit touristique and photograph the important landmarks. Leaving Wissembourg, we walked by House of the Friend Fritz, an old tanner's house on Faubourg de Bitche - an area that was once a swamp...
House of the Friend Fritz
Continue reading "Exploring The Wissembourg Area" »
Another cloudy, cool day but we are done with the long walks and heading to Wissembourg by train. First breakfast. Only bread, juice and coffee at Hotel La Cloche, the first semi-skimpy breakfast of this trip. Time for a last walk around Obernai and then dragged the suitcases about six blocks to the train station.
Just getting to Wissembourg required one train from Obernai to Strasbourg and then another TER from Strasbourg to Wissembourg, an hour-plus trip because the train made at least nine stops on the way. A 10-minute walk from the Wissembourg train station to the Hostellerie du Cygne (Swan), an extremely beautiful hotel made up of two adjoining houses. One from the end of the 14th century and the other from 1535 when it was already an inn. A huge bedroom and bathroom...and I'll overlook the fact that I instantly bashed my head on a big door knocker level with my forehead entering the building and then had to schlep the suitcase up two floors of very narrow stairs. There are only a total of 16 guestrooms in the buildings and after unpacking, it started to rain in earnest.
inside the regional TER train
Continue reading "Wissembourg on the France-Germany Border" »
Obernai is located at the crossroads of the three large regions in Alsace: vineyards on the wine route; the Vosges; and the rural plain which starts from the town gates. Obernai is an important center of wine and beer production (my kind of place). The vineyards date back to 680 and Kronenbourg beer is the biggest brewer in France.
Our Hotel La Cloche is a 14th century house under historical protection. If we don't tightly close the curtains in our room, every tourist walking by can look directly into the bathroom and bedroom even though we are on the first floor...a low first floor. This would not be a pretty sight... Obernai is also known for food. From traditional restaurants to typically Alsatian "Winstubs" wine bars to one-star Michelin guide restaurants...lots of choices.
Hotel La Cloche quaint restaurant
Continue reading "Exploring Obernai" »
I am getting very spoiled from all these delicious buffet breakfasts. There are usually croissants, kugelhopf, baguettes or hard rolls, eggs, cold meats - salami, ham, etc., plates of cheeses, jelly, jam, butter (not margarine but real butter), fruit, yoghurt, coffee and more. It would be impossible not to have any energy after eating like this and how am I ever going to go back to my Total Cereal with skim milk!
On the road, up past the castle above Andlau (closed for repairs), and past Landeck, another castle with many tourists since it is Sunday and OPEN. A French group even asked US if we knew the way to another location and after chatting a bit, we discovered their daughter is coming to Chicago as an exchange student! All together now...what a small world... Everyone we've spoken with on the route has been very surprised to meet some Americans on the trail and wanted to stand around and schmooze. Today was no exception. Many mountain bikers on the same hiking paths as us and two of them would have stood for hours talking to us.
new way markings on the trail -- one the symbol of "Way of St. James"
Continue reading "Andlau to Mont Saint Odile to Ottrott to Obernai" »
Today was our 30th wedding anniversary and what better way to celebrate (I'm being facetious) than by hiking 19-20k/12 miles to Andlau (every kilometer/mile counts when you are on your feet all day). It's cloudy and in the low 70's, good hiking weather.
Out of Chatenois and along the road for a while and up to Chateau Ortenbourg in ruins. Then through Dambach that originally belonged to the Lords of Bernstein, a branch of the family of Eguisheim-Dabo, parents of Saint Odile and the Alsatian Pope Léon IX. The names Bernstein (Barenstein) and Dambach (Tannenbach) explain the coat of arms of this small city: a bear fond of honey who puts his two paws on a fir tree. The city is the home of more than 30 wine growers. Dambach also has preserved its medieval enclosures with moats, doors and impressive towers.
Chateau Ortenbourg sign
Continue reading "Chatenois to Andlau Via Dambach" »
Thankfully, no problems finding our way out of Hotel Touring in Thannenkirch since it was marked with GR5 signs all the way. Up through the forests heading in the direction of Chateau du Haut Koenigsbourg located in the Vosges mountains west of Selestat, on a high hill. This was a strategic location and used throughout the Middle Ages until the Thirty Years War. It was first mentioned in 1147 and was attacked and burned many times. It is a fairy tale castle, listed as a monument historique since 1862 and one of the most famous tourist attractions in this region.
German Emperor Wilhelm II started restoring the fortress at the beginning of the 20th century. ...View image... Inside is a museum of furniture and weapons from the Middle Ages and there were many tourists who had arrived by car to visit. If it had been a clear day, we would have been able to see (along with the Alsace plains) the Vosges, Black Forest and the Alps. Again, only on a clear day....you can see forever... Today was not one of those days. Haut-Koenigsbourg is open all year with the exception of holidays.
Chateau du Haut Koenigsbourg
Continue reading "Thannenkirch to Chateau du Haut Koenigsbourg to Chatenois" »
Tearing ourselves away from Ribeauville, it was time to find the GR5 (the main trail) out of town leading up to Chateau St. Ulrich. First we went one way through a forest...decided this was not right...circled back around a parking lot....this was right....and started up through many vineyards until the trail came to a dead end. Definitely not right. Back down through the vineyards to the extremely right-in-our-face-how-could-we-miss GR5 red and white blaze. We two dorks then headed up on the correct path to Chateau St. Ulrich.
The Chateau St. Ulrich is a 12th century castle, built by the Lords of Ribeauville. It still had a very impressive keep, large tower and seigniorial abode. There were quite a few tourists coming down who had probably visited Ribeauville for the day and took a hike up the mountain to see the three castles (or chateaus).
Chateau St. Ulrich
Continue reading "Finding The Way From Ribeauville to Thannenkirch" »
A great buffet breakfast at the Hotel Le Riquewihr, bags left at reception, admired the very old stove displayed in the lobby...View image... maps in hand, it was back through Riquewihr, out the Dolder Gate and on the road. Through the vineyards, we met two Chicagoans from the Lincoln Park area bicycling the wine route. They too had an organizer that took their bags from town to town and we're all having a great time on this very sunny day.
In one of the vineyards there were placards telling about the grapes, Riesling, grown in this particular vineyard. You could see the three ruined fortified Chateaus built by the Lords of Ribeaupierre in the distance, Ulrichsburg, Girsberg and Haut-Ribeaupierre, our destination later on.
Rosacker Winery
Continue reading "Leaving Riquewihr and Walking To (and Through) Ribeauville" »
There are so many other activities in the Alsace region. Canoeing, all terrain bike tours, quad biking in additional to the hundreds of kilometers of bicycle tracks. There is also an old train "touristique," The Ried Express...View image...that leaves from the restored train station (built in 1880) at Vogelsheim. This train goes to the San Souci pier where you board a boat for a 80-minute cruise on the Rhine with views of the Black Forest and 13th century Gothic Cathedral of Breisach. After that, the train takes you back to Vogelsheim.
There was still time for more walks through Riquewihr in the evening since the hotel didn't serve dinner. We walked back into Riquewihr and up and down the little side streets before eating. One street had a little family owned winery with their bottling operation set up right there on the street. One person putting bottles on the conveyor line, bottles filled with wine, corks pushed in, someone else taking the bottles off and sticking them in cases. ...View image...Interesting and hypnotizing.
Domaine Jules and Daniel Jung
Continue reading "Riquewihr to Thannenkirch via Ribeauville" »
Food is one of my favorite things -- eating and looking -- and Alsace had a cuisine specific to this region. A few of the typical Alsatian dishes were:
- Baeckeoffe: A casserole of potatoes garnished with a selection of meats marinated in white wine and cooked in a terraine (or casserole). The Baeckeoffe we tried was made with pork, lamb, potatoes and carrots. Tasted just like an ordinary beef stew to me.
- Choucroute (Sauerkraut): Sliced, fermented cabbage and potatoes served with a selection of smoked and salted meats (sausages). I love cabbage but have never really developed a taste for Sauerkraut.
- Kougelhopf: The name means "raised dough (with yeast) in the form of a ball..." Kougelhopf was omnipresent, large and small, everywhere we looked and ate. Some was delicious...some not. Kougelhopf was displayed and sold in almost every bakery and is another symbol of Alsace, food-wise. It's made of leavened dough and available in sweet and savory versions. Looks like a big hat!
Kougelhopf
Continue reading "The Food of Alsace" »
Filled to the brim and overflowing with tourists. Riquewihr was once called Winzerdorf (wine village) and served as a trading hub for Alsatian and German wine ( Riesling and other great wines produced here). It looks exactly as it did in the 16th Century. Riquewihr is a fabulous little medieval city situated between mountains and vineyards, but only 7 miles from Colmar and minutes from other famous Alsatian villages like Ribeauville, Hunawihr, Eguisheim and Kaysersberg.
Riquewihr is also classified among the "Most Beautiful Villages in France" because of the half-timbered houses dating back to the 15-18th centuries and the amazing Dolder Gate. ...View image...By now, ex-Marine and I were trying very hard not to become blase with dates of 1100, 1291, 13th century, etc. In Chicago, anything older than 100 years is destroyed and as a result, all these medieval villages were nothing short of miraculous to us.
Dolder Gate
Continue reading "Riquewihr, The Ultimate Medieval Village" »
Continuing from Kayserberg to Riquewihr was the most difficult section of the day. Up to the Chateau, very steep, and closed for repairs. Many more ups throught forests, dodging fallen trees and it was interesting how instead of removing some of these trees, they were just left there...sometimes with little ladders to climb up and over them. Not easy to squish under a huge tree, wearing a pack.
More ups through forests with chestnut trees, the hairy chestnuts all over the ground and on the trees. At first glance, they look like little sea urchins. I carefully picked one up because the spines on the nut casing are very sharp. There were also wild berry bushes everywhere. I think they were wild blackberries...because they weren't furry like raspberries...and these bushes were killers with sharp thorns. It was impossible to dodge all the thorns and both ex-Marine and I walked along, blood dripping down legs and arms. In the 20+ years we've been hiking around Europe, this was the first time we've ever seen such a plethora of wild berry bushes and chestnut trees.
furry green chestnuts still on the tree
Continue reading "Continuing The Walk From Kayserberg to Riquewihr" »
The day started cloudy and overcast with rain forecast but up to now, no rain. Back to Hotel Les Vosges for breakfast, brought the suitcases down for transport to Riquewihr, and out the front door of Hotel des Deux Clefs early. Left Turckheim through the Brand Gate per instructions, and up the hill through the many, many vineyards to Niedermorschwihf. (We never even attempted to pronounce most of these towns...impossible for us.) From there to Ammerschwihr, a picturesque village dating from the 16th century but badly damaged towards the end of World War II between 1944-45. Onwards and upwards until Kayserburg, putting on rain jackets...taking off rain jackets...each time the drizzle became hard enough. Took off the backpacks, pulled the jackets from the large trash bags inside the pack (keeps everything dry), and put them on, threw the backpacks on..and....the drizzle stopped again...drove us nuts.
The vineyards were a vivid green, completely symetrical with the rows of grapes climbing every hill and dominating the landscape. Walking through the little villages, there would be signs and/or displays on most houses advertising a regional wine for sale. From this point forward, we'll show a little more respect when drinking wine now that we recognize how extremely labor-intensive the wine growing business is.
walking through the vineyards with Turckheim in the distance
Continue reading "Walking From Turckheim to Kayserberg" »
The very ancient Hotel des Deux Clefs was directly opposite the church and the church bells drove me crazy all night, ringing on the quarter hour without fail. No looking at a clock necessary. I just had to count the gongs. Tonight will definitely be an ear plug night...that's for sure!
If you base yourself in Colmar, you have two possibilities of visiting cute medieval villages. Turckheim is 5k/3.1 miles from Colmar. You could bike, walk, drive or take the 12-minute train ride. Another great place would be Eguisheim, 5k/3.1 miles southwest of Colmar. Eguisheim is considered to be the birthplace of wine growing in Alsace. The Romans planted the first vines in the 4th century. Eguisheim was built in concentric rows and, in the center was an 18th century Chateau where Pope St. Leo IX was born. The streets along the former moat have a picturesque promenade and views of the ramparts. We didn't visit since our time in Alsace would take us through many more of these villages.
Eguisheim map
Continue reading "A Day Hike Around Turckheim" »
A big breakfast, schlep with suitcases to the train station and a 12-minute train ride to Turckheim. Our hotel for the first two nights was supposed to be Hotel Les Vosges**. Greeted at the Hotel and told that our accommodations had been moved to the Hotel des Deux Clefs*** two blocks away from Hotel Les Vosges but all meals would still be a the Hotel Les Vosges. Don't know why they moved us but we're not complaining. The Hotel des Deux Clefs (The Two Keys) is an ancient hotel, first mentioned in 1583 but the building itself dates from 1540 and is considered a Maison Historique (historical house). The former name was "The Black Eagle."
Turckheim (pop: 3,594) is best known for its surrounding medieval wall, the only one in Alsace. The wall has three doors: The Munster Door; The Door of the Brand (the Route des Vins starts here); and the Door of France. The Munster Door (or gate) was called the "gate of sighs." People sentenced to death passed this gate to be executed and 26 witches were burned between 1572 and 1626. Ah...the good old days...
Munster Door/Gate, Turckheim
Continue reading "Turckheim Sightseeing" »
In the heart of wine country, it was time to learn a little about the wines of Alsace. (We just like to drink it and knew next to nothing about it.) They have been growing wine in this region before the Middle Ages and reached its zenith in the 16th century. The Alsace wine route spreads along the plains and up the foothills for over 170 kms/50+ miles with over 26 trails that can be driven, bicycled or walked through the vineyards and villages.
You can also visit the many inns, and wine cellars with tasting rooms. Usually, the producer himself is proud to have you taste his wines. They could be independent growers, producer-merchants or grower-members of cooperatives. Visit the website of Alsace Wine wine site for more details. Colmar happens to be the geographic center of the wine region and the capital of Alsace wines. The Maison des Vins d'Alsace had a wine school and infinite information about Alsace wines.
one variety of grapes
Continue reading "The Wines of Alsace" »
It is sunny and hot. A big buffet breakfast to stoke ourselves up for lots of walking. The Hotel Turenne is full every night during the season (right now) and the dining room was filled with bikers, tourists and walkers. Colmar's big appeal is the typically and whimsically Alsatian houses. Crooked, half-timbered, painted, leaning to one side - all extremely pretty and very touristy. (I'm a tourist and proud of it...) The modern city is outside this area on both sides of the train tracks. Most of the town center is pedestrian only but you still had to dodge an occasional car barreling through. FYI: One of Colmar's most famous natives is Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904) whose work included our Statue of Liberty.
A visit to the train station to buy tickets for Turckheim tomorrow. Only 2.40 Euros for two tickets (it's only 3 miles away) and lots of time to read the plaques at every important monument in three languages telling about their history on the way back. The Maison des Tetes is one of the most beautiful houses in Colmar. ...View image...
Maison de Tetes
Continue reading "Another Day Visiting Charming Colmar" »
The United flight to Frankfurt was packed with no upgrades available (United changed equipment to a smaller plane) and our well-thought out "good" seats in economy with a litle more leg room in the Premier section were not to be. After reclining my seat a meager 3", the man behind me jammed my seat back in an upright position. I reclined....he jammed... When a flight attendant came by, I explained the situation and she handled it beautifully, explaining I had a right to recline, it didn't make any difference if he had too little leg room, yadda yadda. There happened to be one other empty seat in the bulkhead and that's where he decided to sit for the rest of the trip. All I could think of was ..."Who needs this? Another trip from hell?"... Oh well...
An early arrival in Frankfurt, transferred to the Lufthansa flight to Zurich and we were almost there. In Zurich's super-modern terminal, we bought tickets to Colmar and set off on our train journey. One hour from Zurich to Basle on the border with France. You get off the Swiss train, walk through the custom's area door marked "France" (with no one there) and now you are on French soil. Onto a regional French SCNF train (known as TER's) and a mere 30 minutes later, Colmar.
Colmar map
Continue reading "On The Way To Colmar, France" »
|
