What better way to spend your birthday than in the beautiful city of Strasbourg in the fabulous region of Alsace and Lorraine.
If, like me before this trip, thinking of Strasbourg conjours up images of boring grey parliamentary buildings and a stilted atmosphere you could not be further from the truth. The city is awash with colour and quaintness that give it the perfect chocolate box feel. It is sometimes hard to believe that you are in a major commercial city. It has been fought over so much in the past that there is a real mix of culture. Nowhere is that more prevelant than in the architecture. The half timbered buildings give it a distinctly germanic feel yet the window boxes full of brightly coloured geraniums add a typical frenchness. As you amble along the River Ile at times, you could be somewhere in England.
It is no doubt this beauty that attracts the hoards of tourists!!!! (Well there has to be one downfall). It is the first time on this trip that we have experienced the coach loads walking around in packs and clambering to be first in line for every attraction - it is not something that we will miss when we head off.
Like many of the other regions the local Alsatian food is a gastronomical delight and no, this does not mean that we have been eating German Shepherds! It is a great combination of huge german sized portions combined with the french fondness for presentation. Although ordering can sometimes be pot luck since our understanding of local Alsatian dialect leaves little to be desired. Sauerkraut garnished with salty bacon, Flammekueche or Tarte Flambee (like a local style pizza without tomato sauce) and Baeckeoffe (a beef, pork, lamp, vegetable and potato stew) are some of our favourites.
The smell of gingerbread and cinnamon spices as you wander around the cobbles lanes do make you think of 'Noel a Strasbourg' which is rather strange when it is 30 degrees outside. Perhaps we will have to pop back in December to see the world's biggest decorates christmas tree!
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