Last Day in Strasbourg

Well.... it was our last day here in Strasbourg.  After the delicious morning breakfast (involving the high-tech hot chocolate machine), we went and rented bikes, so we could ride around town for the day.  This is a city full of cyclists and cycles, none of which seem to move at a pace much faster than what one could do on foot.  That is, nice and slow.  The bikes are also very 'upright'.  Duncan has been freaked out that people here do not wear bike helmets.  I suspect it has to do with the fact that people move slowly, and that bikes/cars/people/trams seem to live with a heightened level of attentiveness and respect for eachother.  I just don't know!  :-)  What I DO know, however, is that this city is set up so you can take your bike right down and ride along the edge of the river. I loved this part of the path, with the willow cut back to make room for the passers-by.  The ride was gorgeous.  Though it started off a bit cloudy this morning, the brief shower gave way to a sunny sky.  The river was like glass at some points.... a mirror for the buildings: reverse images of the world above!

a boat in the lock



sluice gates on the locks

We biked over to La Petite France, where we hung out for a while on the path by the locks so that we could see a boat go through. On our own boat tour, we went through two locks: one that took us up a level, and one that returned us down. It was fun to watch, since you get a different view  from above than the one you get from inside the boat.

Awesomely yummy!

 

Not so tasty!

We ate our lunch on le grand'rue near La Petite France at a (turkish fastfood?) place called Mr. Kumpir.  Duncan's choice of restaurant!   It was a potato/corn place.  Duncan says it was fantastic.... you got a sort of baked (mashed and flavoured, and then put back into the skin) potato with 4 toppings (in his case, beans, corn, hotdogs and cheese). What could be better?!   He also wanted to try the turkish salted yogurt drink they had. I said "go for it".  He did.   He was less impressed (though I quite enjoyed it!)



so many possibilities!

and MORE possibilities!

We had different ideas about our favourite parts of the bike trip.  Mine were linked to the streets, the buildings, the canals, the bridges, and the sky.  His favourite parts were the shops:  Glubs (the candy shop), the store with the figurines in the window (spongebob, southpark, Alien, Terminator, etc).   

Neither of us, on the other hand, was tempted by one of the more creepy shops we biked past.  It was labelled "Antiquities", and reminded me of something out of a scary movie.  The window was full of strange things, and skeletons, and stuffed animals and birds in slightly uneven states of repair.  Not sure how well you can see the animals in this picture.  The store window was a bit too reflective at that time of day.  But... there was a monkey, a weasel (though no mulberry bush to the best of my knowledge... in terms of the monkey chasing the weasel, of course!)



So.... one last trip to the Strasbourg Cathedral, so I could take one last photo looking up at the sky and the amazing arch of sculptures positioned over the front doors.  ... and of course, say goodbye to the little gargoyle/dragon guy on the front wall of the church.  Bye bye Strasbourg!  See you again (I hope!)