Strasbourg

Of all the places I visited in Germany france and Swiss.. I loved this place.. Donno why … it was just awesome …

Most of my time was spent on the Grand Ile, which was totally gorgeous – like nowhere else I’ve ever visited and the people I met were also very friendly.

The big highlight was the Sons et Lumiere – it was the first time I was ever at one of these shows. Pub-wise, was very impressed with L’Academie de la Biere (open to 4am) and a newly opened Irish pub called The Dubliners. (It’s only a very short stroll away from the Cathedral, on Vieux Marche aux Poissons).

There’s a few places I still want to visit so I’ll definitely be going back. _{The Kronenbourg brewery, for example :)}

Everything is now booked – I’m holding the train tickets (to and from Paris) and I’ve just booked the hotel. (The hotel looks great, if the website can be trusted, it’s in a fantastic location – close to the cathedral and one or two pubs I’m hoping to loiter in – and the rates are pretty damn good too).

I’m only going to be there a day and a half though, and I know that’s never going to be anywhere near enough time. The Cathedral and La Petite France should be (at least partially) do-able on the afternoon I arrive, and I’m hoping for an hour or two across the border the following day. If I can manage any of the European Institutions too, that’ll be a big bonus.

_{Can’t wait, can’t wait, can’t wait.}

I was planning on going here with a group when I spent the summer in Orléans, but the train tickets were so complicated that we just couldn’t work it out, at least not without risking spending the night in some unknown town without enough money. So when I go back for two semesters I’ll definitely go here, if for no other reason than to get my favorite beer right from the source. (Incidentally enough, before trying 1664 I didn’t know I could have a favorite beer.)

For my partner and I’s first trip out of the country together, we went here between Christmas and New Years for a couple of nights. The Christmas markets were still open, the vin chaud (hot mulled wine) was cheap and plentiful from the street vendors and it snowed almost the whole time we were there. It was absolutely magical walking around the town, watching the snow fall, finding a cute place for lunch/dinner – was the perfect romantic get-away…The charm of the Alsace region was amazing, the best of French cuisine, but without all of the traffic and noise of Paris and all mixed together with a hearty German influence.