Blogs from Alsace, France, Europe - page 44

Family Snaps Beatrice showed us copies of the collection of family photos she has, which relate to Rob’s family which originated in Alsace. We also visited the cemetery where Rob’s Great, Great Grandfathers brothers family are buried, along with their children. 10/10/05 - Maison Trois Epis We visited what was the family holiday home at Trois Epis. It is now a convent and was sold by the family back in 1950 to the Sisters of Charity (you know the flying nun variety of nuns). It is a grand maison and must have been a very elegant place in it’s time to spend a vacation. From the house there are wonderful views back to Colmar and beyond. On a good day you can see a long way into Germany. Trois Epis is the starting point of many ... read more

2/10/05 - 7/10/05 Encore à Alsace Arriving in Strasbourg was a relief in many ways. Paris is a wonderful city, but after seven days we are in need of some relative peace. We were only in Strasbourg one afternoon, night and morning, before collecting our lease car. Our hotel had huge rooms, which was a surprise, but unfortunately next morning we found out there was no hot water. So, you can imagine how impressed we were (especially Lorenza). We collected our brand, spanking new, Renault Scenic and made it to Niedermorschwihr without causing any major traffic incidents. Although I am sure the red coloured, tourist plates on the car scream a warning to keep well clear of our vehicle! Niedermorschwihr (Try saying that village name to a taxi driver when you are drunk! “Driver, please take ... read more

Today we drove from Holzgerlingen, Germany to Strasbourg, France. We drove through the beautiful Black Forest, famous for cuckoo clocks and Hansel and Gretel. Every February the small Catholic towns surrounding the Black Forest celebrates German Carnaval. The men in every town dress in traditional costumes and the women dress as witches to 'chase away the ghost of winter´. At the end of the festival a scarecrow is burned in the townsquare to symbolize the end of winter and the beginning of summer season. Because of the tradition, the Black Forest is commonly associated with witches--hence the creation of the famous fairytale: Hansel and Gretel! In Strasbourg we visited the Alsace Historical Museaum, La Petit France, the famous Notre Dame cathedral, the European Parlament, the Council of Europe, and the European Court of Human Rights. ... read more

Markstein Moments Première expérience de surf pour JP et pour moi seulement la troisième fois après un peu d'entrainement au Canada donc c'était assez douloureux pour nous et plutôt dangereux pour les autres! Mais nous avons passé un moment de détente très agréable en prenant une pause pour manger des petits gâteaux en buvant du thé. ... read more

115km south west of Heidelberg is Strasbourg, located in the Alsatian region of France. It’s considered to be the capital or Europe and it’s where the European Parliament and Council of Europe meet. Upon arrival we headed straight for lunch at La Cloche A Fromage (“The Cheese Cover” or “The Cheese Bell” depending on how you translate it). Virtually everything on the menu contains cheese. I indulged in the Lentil Soup, a cheese place containing 7 cheeses and a soufflé containing munster and plums. Delicious! After lunch we visited the Strasbourg cathedral. The cathedral was complete in 1439. Inside is an Astronomical clock. This was the first I’d ever seen. Then it was off for a bit of shopping and walking around the city. ... read more