Day 5: Army Exchange, Strasbourg and Irish Pub

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Day 5

We started the day off by going to the Exchange on the Army base.

Lori showed us where her son’s school is located and where she works on base.

She signed us into the base and we went and ate at the Food Court. We browsed the shops and made a few purchases.

They have lots of shops at the Exchange. One is shop has German ornaments, nutcrackers, clocks and lots of other wood working. There is a nail salon, a barber shop and a bunch of kiosks that have things from Japan, India and Germany.

Lori bought a drindle to wear to Octoberfest when she goes with friends in a couple of weeks. A drindle is one of those German dresses that you see in the movies.

We get done shopping and then we head to France.

Strasbourg, France

Driving in Germany and France is not for the faint of heart. Lori drive us everywhere and without her we wouldn’t have made it out of the neighborhood.

We have taken several trips on the Autobahn. People think you can go any speed on the Autobahn. You can in some sections but not all. The speeds fluctuate between 80 to 100 to 120 to no speed limit in a split second. Lori said they have cameras everywhere and it you are speeding they will mail you a ticket. She said her and all her friends have gotten tickets. When we were driving home one night we passed a camera and it flashed red and Lori is pretty sure she got a ticket. She will know in a couple of weeks. We told her we would open a GoFund me for all her tickets this week.

We drive the 2 1/2ish hours over to France. Crossing the boarder into France was not that exciting. Just like driving into Georgia or any other state.

We drove about two miles in and you could see an immediate change in the architecture. The old stone buildings with flower boxes in the windows and old cobblestone roads every where. It was breathtaking.

We luckily find a place to park right by where we out boat tour will be. We had to buy our ticket in the town center. I cannot explain how beautiful the Strasbourg Cathedral is.

Strasbourg Cathedral

In a book I bought about the Cathedral it says that the first mention of a bishop in Strasbourg is in 346.

Over the years war, fires and storms has damaged or destroyed the Cathedral. I think there was also something to do with the Protestants and Catholics.

I didn’t research Strasbourg at all so I am not really clear on the history. I bought two books about the town and the Cathedral. I will read them later.

You are able to walk in the church for free. The stain glass windows, the columns and every little architectural detail is beautiful.

If I could spend a couple of days in Strasbourg I would do it.

Boataroma

Lori took us on a boat tour that took us on the canals throughout the city.

The town was founded by tribes of fisherman and hunters.

The boat tour starts out with a story about the first bridge we went under. The recording we are listening to states that this bridge is where most executions were carried out. They would hang the criminals from the bridge and they would push them off the bridge and they would drown hanging from the bridge. Well welcome the Strasbourg!

The boat tour took about an hour and we learned a lot of history about the city. The city has changed hands from Germans to French to Germans and back to the French.

You can tell in the architecture there is a little bit of a German influence but then sometimes you see a very French building. There are also some very new contemporary buildings.

After the boat ride we walked around the city center again and did a little shopping. The shops never end. We could have browsed for days.

Everything was closing at 7pm and our meter time was running out so we got back to the car and headed back to Stuttgart.

The Auld Rogue

Lori and Jason took us to an Irish Pub down from their house. Yep, it’s an authentic Irish Pub in Germany.

The decor and atmosphere are very Irish and super inviting.

We just stayed for a couple of drinks and then we headed back to the apartment because we have an early day tomorrow.

Later,
O.

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