Rhine River Day Three: Strasbourg

The steely grey skies would follow us to Strasbourg France. It seemed fitting after learning of the tumultuous history of the long fought over region. We started the day once again boarding a coach for a short ride to the city. First on the agenda was a canal boat tour on the ll River.

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A local guide gave us the low down on Strasbourg which has a downright dizzying history. We won’t go all the way back to Roman times for this telling, but because of its strategic position in Europe, this “Town at the Crossroads” has long been coveted territory.

The region changed hands FOUR times between France and Germany in just 80 years. It was hit hard during the Franco-Prussian War, becoming part of Germany in 1870. After that, there was a period of harsh Germanization, followed by extreme re-Frenchification after World War I. Then back to Germany under Nazi rule during World War II. After 1945 and there was a strong need to purge all things German. It was fascinating hearing our guide recall how her own Grandmother had to change languages three times.

Next on the docket was a visit to Notre Dame Cathedral. Now, I’ve seen my share of large opulent churches but, nothing like this.

When we rounded the corner and entered the square I audibly gasped. Pictures can not portray how massive this structure is. I stood in front and craned my neck way back to try and fit the facade into my camera’s viewfinder.

I haven’t been this Gobsmacked since viewing the Grand Canyon. It’s so hard to convey not only how massive this structure is, but also how intricately detailed it is. Victor Hugo was known to have described it as a “skillful combination of monumental size and delicateness”.

Because most people in the 14th Century couldn’t read, all the statuary and Icons on facade was a necessity to tell the story of Christianity to the masses.

Eighty percent of the Church’s stained glass is original. The windows traveled a lot during World War II. They were hidden by the French in southwestern France, then carted to northern Germany by the Nazis. They were finally saved and returned by the Monuments Men, British and American troops dedicated to returning art to its rightful place after 1945. There’s a film about this starring George Clooney that I now need to see. Can’t get enough Clooney.

I’m afraid my photos here were pretty poor. If you would like to see some real pro pictures check out this Column. You’ll see more amazing images like this one below as well as more details about the church, including its next most popular features, the Astronomical Clock.

Astronomical Clock is a result of the combined work of artists, mathematicians and technicians. The clock was first completed in 1574. The second clock stopped working around 1788 and stood still until 1838. Then Jean-Baptiste Schwilgué was commissioned to re-build it. For some strange reason he had wanted to work on the clock since his boyhood. For 50 years he studied clockmaking, mathematics, and mechanics. Construction lasted for five years and was inaugurated on December 31, 1842.

What does this exactly does this clock do you ask? Well, it shows the official time, the solar time, the day, week month and year. It has a mechanism that shows the sign of the zodiac, equinoxes, leap years, the moon phase, and the position of the planets. It can even calculate the dates of Easter under the complicated Gregorian rule.

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The main attraction of the clock, however is its animated figures which come out every day at half past noon. They rotate around the clock representing the different stages of life: a child, a teenager, an adult and an old man, all parade past Death. Higher up, the apostles have their own parade before Christ. Their journey is accompanied by the beating of wings and the sound of a large cock crowing.

This was really a marvel to see. Honestly you’re going to get a much better view than we did. Because this event happens just once a day, there’s a scramble for tickets and position. A scratchy film is presented on a pull down screen about the history of the clock whilst the people crowd in. Not the best experience. Below is a fantastic 4k presentation that this lady wishes was offered at the church…in a comfy theater.

It was getting more overcast and starting to sprinkle so we decided it was time for a beer and a snack.

We came across this little spot with a few seats under the awning and swaggered on in.

We decided to order the aforementioned Foi Gras along with a Flammekueche which our Disney guides had practically ordered us to try before leaving.

Flammekueche is a French dish with a very German name which makes it perfect fare for Strasbourg. It’s a sort of super thin flat bread with creme fraiche, onions and lardons (strips of bacon). It was worth the hype.

Fed and rested we trekked back out. We had a nice bit of respite from the rain so we took another loop around the city taking in all the charming sights.

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This afternoon was a bit confusing as far as the itinerary. There were a couple of wine tours but the timing of the shuttles was a labyrinth of if/then scenarios depending on which tour. We decided to abstain and just go back the the boat to relax. While Mr. Jones took sieste in the room I decided to join the macaron making class that was offered upstairs. It turns out to have been more of a “putting together” rather than making situation.

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As the afternoon wore on the sun started to peek out so I wandered to the top deck for the first time. The space was enormous with tons of seating, lounging and play areas. Even a pool to dip in…but not today.

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It was soon time to gather in the lounge for the evening rundown and briefing for the next day. These got more and more fun as the week went on. There were photo contest slide shows and celebrations of birthdays anniversaries etc. A lot of rah rah silliness. Not specifically our cup of tea, but we will participate if forced.

It was finally time to eat! I took a snap of the Chef’s recommendations this night. It’s not the complete menu, but gives you an idea of what was available each evening. There were different vegetarian options each night as well as a standard list of options for “picky eaters”.

I only remembered to photograph the beginning and the end of the meal. The trout was exceptional. All the components were well seasoned and so creative. The green sauce is a macha cucumber emulsion. Chef’s kiss!

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This will wrap up the France portion of the voyage. Tomorrow we will be cruising on to Germany and meeting up with the sunshine!