Strasbourg, France- Always an Adventure

I have been wanting to go to France, even if it was just crossing the border.  Strasbourg is just about a 2 hour drive from us.  I was planning to save this trip for the Christmas season in order to see the Christmas market, but we had a four day weekend with not much to do, so we decided to load up and go. 
We spent the day enjoying the city.  We found the town's main square, where the cathedral is located.  After mass let out we peeked inside the building.  I have heard some people comment on how they get tired of seeing church after church, but I still marvel at them.  The fact that they are so old, rich in history, and just beautiful takes me breath away for a second.  I love wandering around the sanctuary, looking at all the artwork and architecture that so much time and money was spent on.  It makes me feel just a little closer to heaven. 

As our stomachs began to growl and the kids turned fussy, we spotted a cafe serving savory crepes and headed in for a quick lunch.  My crepe was filled with ham and cheese, and was everything I hoped it to be. 
After lunch we jumped onto a boat for a quick tour of the town.  This turned out to be a great way to scope the town out and see where we wanted to head to next.  We spent much of the afternoon pushing strollers through the town which, despite being in France, had quite a German feel to it.  We dawdled along the Rhine past many half-timbered houses and through various shops.
As we headed toward the car to wrap up our day we made one last stop.  We had heard that there was a wine cellar in a hospital basement.  Intrigued, we had to check it out.  It was a little tricky to find, but after stopping and asking for directions we were able to locate it.  It was so cool and such a neat part of history!  The wine cellar in  the hospital basement was founded in 1395.  Today it is the home of a small wine museum featuring more than 40 ancient barrels, a wine press dating from beginning of the 17th century, and a barrel that is still filled with the wine from the year 1472.
This little wine stop concluded our tour of the town.  On our way home, we pulled off the road for a restroom break.  The GPS rerouted us, instead of putting us back on the autobahn it took us through many tiny towns, including one in which the road was blocked due to a fire, winding us  up and down a mountain (down very narrow roads).  This added an extra hour to our drive.  Driving in Germany is always an adventure...

Take care & God bless,
Staci

Trier

One of the places on my list of must-sees is Trier.  Known to be the oldest city in Germany, it is said to have been  founded around 16 BC.  s a beautiful town to visit.  With a river, cathedral, and Roman remains, I knew I was going to fall in love with this city.  This time, I'm going to let the pictures do the talking (okay, maybe a little narration): 




Porta Nigra
2nd century Roman gate

Trier cathedral

Originally built by Constantine the Great, the first Christian Emperor, it is the oldest church in Germany.   
 It houses an array of artworks and a few holy relics including the  Holy Robe of Christ.
 

Hauptmarkt
 Trier’s market square is the city’s true center
The Hauptmarkt is a major junction and a lively, colorful marketplace

Dreikönighaus, House of Three Kings
Built in 1230, the city wall was not yet finished so the inhabitants in every house had to defend themselves.   This house was designed with the door on the second level.  A ladder that could be pulled up was used.

 

The Electoral Palace,  Kurfürstliche Schloss
Today it is the location of various federal agencies

 

Kaiserthermen 
 The imperial Roman baths




St. George's Fountain

The corners are decorated with statues representing the four seasons
and the center is topped by St. George slaying the dragon.