Little France on the Ill

Our train left the station at 9:07 and so we headed out about 8:00. We walked to the station and grabbed some drinks and food on the way. The train ride was very easy with one train change on the way in the town of Appenweier. We had about 45 minutes to wait and all were a bit hungry, so we walked into the village area and found a nice little coffee shop. The town is small and really only known for growing horseradish. The pastries were delicious, and we then worked our way back the train station and headed on our way to Strasbourg.

Strasbourg is a wonderful city. Strasbourg history goes back into when the Romans came through the area. The Ill River flows through the city and just adds to the beauty and special elements that make it the wonderful place it is. So much history that goes back over 2,000 years. The current city was so impacted by WW2. The Germans captured it and forced the German language and culture on the city’s citizens during their occupation. By 1945, when the city was the last French city to be liberated, it was a confusing mush of German and French culture. The city was heavily damaged during the war, and it was a long process to rebuild. Much time was spent to try and restore some of the historical buildings back to their glorious beauty. The people of Strasbourg did a great job.

We walked around and saw the area they call “Little France” and along the different parts of the Ill River that flow through the town. We eventually found a Restuarant built into the bank of the Ill River and had lunch. Jamie very much enjoyed watch the river flow by the window. We then headed off to tour the last remaining, currently working, wine cellar that is the basement of a hospital. There used to be many hospitals with wine cellars as this was a way for people to pay for their medical care. They would sell wears from their vineyards to the hospital to pay for their care. To not lose this one a group of wineries gathered together to still use this particular one. It also has a cask in the cellar with wine that dates back to 1472. Only three times has the wine been tasted, with the last being when the city was liberated at the end of WW2.

We then went by the Strasbourg Cathedral. I was the only one who went in, and it was huge and beautiful as they all have been. The one element of this cathedral is the astronomical clock that is in it. It stands 60 feet high and keeps track of the plants, years, months, days, hours, seconds. It has gone through many iterations and is beautiful as well as amazing to see. After that we needed some hot drinks and some pastries and to let Jamie run and play. We found a park and Mark met a German man who pastors a church in Germany, and they had a great conversation.

We wanted to take a boat tour, but the only one we could find tickets for was going to be at 5:00 at that was too late. Mark had earlier seen little boats you could rent and drive yourselves. We went over there and soon we were off on our own with captain Mark at the helm. Mark really enjoyed driving the boat. Jamie had a real issue with putting on a life preserver and Abigail quickly came up with a little “Boat Coat” rhyme that we all joined in on and soon he found it fun. We had the boat for over an hour and had a great time. Even when Jamie flipped the little switch the nice woman said we should not touch because it shuts off the boat. We figured out how to turn it back on before Abigail could call the emergency number. The ride was so much fun, and I don’t think I have seen Mark as happy as he was driving that little boat.

We then got off and found a place to have dinner. So many little restaurants along the way. The meal was good, but time was getting on and we had to start heading to the train station for the trip back. Fortunately, we were able to get direct fast tickets back and the trip back was only 40 minutes and not the two hours it was going there. With it being June the sun does not go done till after 10 so the walk back to our rooms was in full light. We said our good nights and headed to bed to get our rest to travel to another country the next day.