a friend's visit, post 3

After spending the week in Nancy, we decided to get Kristen out of town for a bit and head to Strasbourg. We weren't only leaving town, we were leaving Lorraine. Over the 90 minute train ride, we saw (during the part we stayed awake for) the landscape change remarkably–moving from traditional French architecture to the Alsacian, more Germanic style.

**Pictures from our trip are available here, but I'm not putting pictures in Blogger as much any more because, apparently, your space is limited.**

Alsace has a complicated history. It became involved with France in the 1500s, during the wars between Catholics and Protestants, then becoming part of France. Then un-becoming part of France, as efficiently explained here:

Most of the region was attached to France in 1648, and by the time of the French Revolution, the Alsatian people felt more connected to France than to Germany. But Germany still held out hope for a foothold on the western bank of the Southern Rhine, and in 1870, the Franco-Prussian war was launched. It was a humiliating defeat for France, who was forced to cede Alsace and the northern part of Lorraine to the Second Reich. During the time of German rule, citizens were forbidden to speak French and all books, signs and other references to France were destroyed.

Then we were French after World War I, gone again during and returned again after World War II. Do you have whiplash yet? All of this makes for a rather interesting feeling to the region: good access to German beer, lots of cream & bacon in the cooking, more Germanic architecture, French law & philosophy.

While not all of Strasbourg looks like the picture book German village, we did spend most of our time in the section of town, known as "La Petite France", that has maintained these facades (for historical and tourism reasons). The region surrounds the Cathedral of Our Lady. The whole thing left us feeling like we had been transported to Epcot's German section.

The Gothic cathedral is still the sixth tallest church in the world, which seems somehow impossible. The building's ornaments make it look like it's been eaten through with rust or termites–a feeling of fragility I never expected from such a large structure.

Reflecting on our time with Kristen already has me anxious to travel again. For now, I think my travels will be to and from the park while I dedicate myself to some serious reading and writing. Hopefully, that will include some fun Lorraine history that I'll be able to share with you.

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