Day 8: A Change in the Tracks

I knew I'd look back on last night's entry and feel stupid. Like I have bipolar or something. I don't. I'm just a little over the top sometimes. Everybody could probably stand to get a better grasp of their emotions. Last night, I broke down after our horrible day and that journal entry. My very kind, very patient wife picked up the pieces yet again. It's probably not fair to her, and I recognize that. But she does it anyway, and I love her for it. And by the way . . . it stopped raining at about 10 am this morning.

Today was great. It turns out Strasbourg is incredibly nice and clean (despite the yellowish brown haze of unfiltered cigarette smoke everywhere in Europe). French people, in a French city . . . being nice! It was incredible. True to form, the train station was dirty, but that was it for Strasbourg. The creepy cathedral and La Petit France were delightful. And S-bourg's tram was excellent, and city layout very cool.

We started the day at the train station swithcing our tickets to bypass our reservation in the arctic, snowy Swiss mountains. The SCNF (French rail) lady, Danielle, helped us out and was the nicest woman we've met on the trip so far. We should send her a thank you note or something. Now we go to the Cinque Terre tomorrow and stay for an extra two days. We'll miss Gimmelwald and the Schwarzwald in Germany. It's on to better weather and more days even better than today.

After tromping around touristy Strasbourg as the only Americans there (everyone in Paris kept asking us "Why you go to Strasbourg?"), we checked out the EU headquarters part of it and the university and we ate at some cafe where I was actually able to use some German. Being on the border, most people in S-bourg speak French and German. I was surprised, and Jo was a little impressed, at how I did.

Tonight Cathia (our hostess) took us to a friend's restaurant. I can't pronounce the name correctly, but it's down there in the pictures. We've packed up our stuff and now we're ready to move on out of France and into sunnier places.

aboves: Strasbourg's cathedral really rivaled, if not bested Notre Dame

staiend glass window bigger than most in Europe

the pillar of angels inside the cathedral

La Petit France. Very quaint.

again

i'm not being puritanical. these people really were going at it. they were going at it good.

down the river from the EU hq

this is for dad. i want you to know, dad, that jo spotted this and it was her idea.

i kept saying it "La Cower dess Chassers." that was incorrect.

ghetto internet access in the Strasbourg train station