Strasbourg

4/5

did school at the aire, then drove an hour or 2 on the back roads through splendidly authentic French/German rural townships nestled in well wooded valleys 

to a nice leafy campsite near the Strasbourg, had a quick French lunch and hit the bikes into town.

The town is known for a number of things including:

1/ the fact that the French and Germans have haggled (= raged wars costing millions of lives) over it and it has changed hands 4 times in 150 years, has been French since WW1 apart from a brief spell under Hitler’s charge

2/ as a result of 1/ and in a spirit of accord it has been made the Seat of the European Union Parliament (1992)- kind of like the ever bickering older siblings trying to set an example to the little ones.

3/ it has a UNESCO listed Gothic cathedral of gargantuan proportions - the largest second only to the Sagrada - sitting next to an entire UNESCO listed city region of Petite France where half timbered,leaning candy coloured homes weave about in undecipherable mazes 

4/ it is a university town and has Europe’s 2nd largest student population giving it quite a hip vibe

5/ world leader in bicycle facilities/paths

  

So after a French lunch in the sun outside Eddie, 23 deg, we hit the bikes in t shirts (the 1st day in Europe we haven’t bothered to take another 2-3 layers) and discovered how great these tracks are.

Bowled over as we meandered up a busy cobbled alley and the Cathedral seemed to jump right out at/over us, it’s Gothic spires reaching skyscraperishly into the heavens.

Strasbourg streets

Alsation Kib

Gothic Monster

check the stories in this!

Did a quick spin of it’s innards leaving the kids with the bikes (they seem to be churched out) and then back on the bikes and out through an industrial suburb with endless roadworks and came across large equine establishments, a German flag, and that was the border. Stopped to take it in, heard a phizzing sound and noticed that Wil’s front tire had just emptied itself through a faulty valve - never seen that happen before and just as we entered Germany????

Entered the Garden of 2 Rivers and crossed a grand pedestrian suspension bridge 

over the Rhine into Kehl (German town) where we found a bike shop, new tube, funny signs in ANOTHER language and then spun back across the bridge into France now looking for the Euro Parliament  buildings, which we found just as the heavens started to spoil our day.  

So we thrashed it out back along the streets and canals getting pleasantly lost and as the rain abated we struck familiar ground and pedaled back to the campsite, everyone agreeing that Kel’s cycling skill and confidence has improved out of sight.

Hot showers, sea food pasta, read, bed!  

5/5 slow rainy wakeup (what’s new?!), oldies out for a run, kids a read, maths, then onto the bikes into town again to pedal Petite France,

Canal Petite France

then back around to the cathedral area for the book markets, which are only minimally open due to weather...

Markets minimal

General Kleber who clobbered the Egyptians (we think)

but spotted Mr Gutenburg....

(there’s more homework for Wil....explain the effect the printing press had on history and mankind, poor lucky little bugger!)

Wandered window shopping and dropped into a cafe (“Paul”) for a coffee and a couple of macaroons, then found an awesome English bookshop, a pair of pants for the dad, then rode home in the drizzle dodging dog kibble, Jen taking a stack as she gawked at the buildings above, nought but pride damaged thankfully!

Another sumptuous lunch and an afternoon of internet, blogging, homework and emailing.