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We are travelling on the Viking Tor, Vikings were the greatest explorers of their age. I laughed when I read about our longship being called Tor "Norse God of Thunder" famous for his red hair, blazing eyes, quick temper and feats of strength, Tor's appetite for life is as huge as his reputation.
As we woke, our ship was docking, arriving in Kehl, Germany.
9am we had left on our included excursion to the City of Strasbourg in France, a lovely multicultural city. A very interesting tour, because we travelled past the huge buildings catering for its most central organisation, the Council of Europe, founded in 1949 and comprises of 47 member states (the smaller EU only has 28 members). Its various bodies foster cooperation on issues of law, human rights, democracy and cultural collaboration. Our 2 hour walking tour started in the picturesque Petite France area (the former Tanners and Merchants district) . Tanners were the smelly leatherworkers, who dried the leather on the flatter roofs in this area, once a poor area of Strasburg.
Did you know where the saying “piss poor” came from - they used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot and then once a day it was taken and sold to the tannery.....if you had to do this to survive you were "piss poor". But worse than that if you were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford to buy a pot......then you "didn't have a pot to piss in" and were the lowest of the low.
Now it’s quite the opposite, a very expensive place to live and famous restaurants line the canals. The town being on the border of France and Germany, has a fascinating blend of both French and German influences, of traditional past and progressive present, and is revealed in the charming architecture, crooked half timbered houses that appear to have come straight from the pages of a fairy tale book, to the city renaissance architecture, that shows wealth with the stone carved window dressings.
We turn a corner, for the jaw-dropping spectacle that is the Strasbourg Cathedral. This immense Gothic beauty is a mesmerizing mixture of red sandstone filigree stonework and lace spires, leering gargoyles and huge stain glasses windows situated right in the city centre. Victor Hugo once said of the cathedral, “the true triumph of this Cathedral is the spire. It is a veritable tiara of stone with its crown and its cross. It is a gigantic and delicate marvel.”
Cafes and restaurants await our return to the square in front of the Cathedral, after a quiet walk through the church. Here we enjoyed typical French lunch delicacies – Leanne had Quiche Lorraine and myself Nicoise Salad and a cool drink.
Before heading back to the bus for our return to the Tor Longship, we join the many tourists shopping, and finish with a thirst quenching ice gelato because it is unbelievably - 34 degrees today, and it feels like a heatwave. On our arrival the park in front of the ship has a fountain spraying as it would normally however there are many children running and splashing in the waters being a public holiday and very hot – I was pretty close to joining them!
The afternoon from 2pm was a relaxing one, followed by my first schnitzel here, which did not disappoint, one of the nicest I’ve ever had, very thin tender meat and delicious crumbed outer. A good finale today.
- comments
C & J So Strasbourg famous for the meat Strasy, or have I missed something?
C & J Fransen LOVE!
C & J Awwwww that is a nice pic ladies!
J & C Funny thing is it might be your face in the cut out, but you are also walking past, look across!