Weather Sunny but cooler
Euro at $1.34
Today I took the train from Paris Gare de L'est to Strasbourg on the German Border.
I am fascinated with this area for many reasons, FOOD, history (was French, German, French German, French), people, art, etc.
First a few notes about train travel.
I took the TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse = Train of High Speed). The train travels about 200 MPH! It has cut the time from 6 hours to 2.15 for this trip.
I bought the tickets on line and printed them out, it was $60 RT and half of that is in first class! If you buy them in the station it is about $200 for the same! They allow you to print out tickets. So you get to the station, they have a big sign with all the trains # listed. About 20 minutes before your departure they list your track. You have on your ticket the car you are in and the seat #. You need to self validate all tickets at the little yellow machines in the station before you leave. But with the electronic ticket you do not, they scan it as you enter the car.
I cannot tell you the feeling of being hurtled through the country side at 200 mph. You cannot read the signs of the stations as they pass, it is that fast!
In 2 hours I was in Strasbourg. I hopped on the local Trams (very modern street cars) and in 4 stops I was at my hotel next to the cathedral in the old town. The hotel is a 3 star and cost about $70 a night! CHEAP! Hotel Gutenberg... He lived here in exile...
My room was not ready so I left my bag and went to the cathedral to catch the Sunday mass. It was what it was... but the cathedral is amazing, one of the tallest in the world. I then walked along the island quai to an area of the main island called, Petite France. This is an area of original timber sided homes and canals, really French with a German accent. I stopped and had an amazing lunch! The place was called, Lohkas at 25 rue du Basin aux plante. It does not have an outdoor patio, that is why it called to me, didn't seem very touristy. I had a glass of local sparkling wine (Cremant d'Alsace), a salad of cold sauerkraut, a sausage of pork fatback (Lardon) with potatoes, leeks, chives and carrots on a bed of lentils, washed down with a 1/4 pitcher of a local pinot blanc, a fresh potted cheese with berry kirsh and a coffee. This meal was A-Mazing! And all for 38 euro tax and tip included. I must mention that the waitress here was a cranky Lesbian, but the rest of the staff was pleasant.
I stumbled out onto the street and was instantly approached by an older French man asking for directions. I said, in French, that I am not from here, but I had a map. We figured out that he and his wife were staying in the same hotel as me. We walked together, their room was not ready mine was....
I took a shower and headed off to see some sites. Honestly I was more interested in walking to the border with Germany. I would not recommend it, you walk through a slightly blighted area and then Germany, well, let's just say it was very modern, bombs (WWII). I walked back over and hopped on the nearest tram for my hotel. I decided to take the tram around the loop of old town. It is so cute... Very oldie worldie French.
I got back to my room to rest and check out tickets for tomorrow's destination (a secret for now). I went downstairs and asked the girl at the desk for a dinner recommendation. She suggested two places, the first was at the cathedral and seemed to touristy. The other however, was amazing! Chez Yvonne 10 rue du Sanglier. I had another glass of local cremant, an onion tart, a young chicken roasted with spatzle, with a 1/4 pitcher of local gewertzaminer, a fresh pear tart with a glass of Tokay (YUM!) and a coffee for 45 euro with tax and tip! Towards the end of the meal I noticed or should I say they noticed me, my hotel mates, now named, Claude and Margarette. We talked a bit, they are from Versailles where she grew up and were here for the first time to see what is able to be seen. They were loving it as much as I.
OK off to bed... Here are some links and photos to follow:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strasbourg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strasbourg_Cathedral
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alsace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TGV
(L-R: Gare de L'est, TGV, Sign with Tracks, Ticket Validation Machine)
(L-R: They are proud, at 200 MPH close, at a distance, the modern station in Strasbourg {covers an old station})
(L-R: See the Tram? Tall Cathedral, Petite France, Wooden Timbers)
Lunch here, why is the "S" gone????
(L-R: Now Leaving France, Now in Germany, The Rhine, Blah Blah Blah in German, the Cathedral can be seen from everywhere...)
