Strasburg Serendipity

Sometimes traveling can be frustrating. Getting oriented in a new place. Locating a bathroom. Finding something to eat. These challenges can make me wish I'd stayed home. But it's the memory of the other times, when things comes together perfectly, that keeps me exploring. My visit to Strasburg, on the boarder of France and German, was one of those days.

Of course, the fact that the weather was perfect – 65 degrees, with a bright blue sky and a few puffy white clouds that add interest but never blocked the sun — help to make the day ideal. Other factors that made the stop awesome included:

• A spectacular lunch. I came across a garden tucked between an ancient gate and an alley way. There were three or four separate restaurants here, though the waiters seem to go in and out of other establishment, mading me think the places were somehow related. Lucky for Kevin and I, we got a table at the most crowded place.
• A lively main square. After lunch, it was easy to find the town center. We simply looked up and followed the steeple. The Cathedral was impressive and musicians and venders selling Mayflowers completed the festival-like atmosphere.
• An interesting walking tour. The tourist office near the Cathedral had a good map for 1 Euro that we used to navigate ourselves to the other highlights, such as a statue of Gutenberg, who lived in Strasburg for a time while figuring out how to print with moveable type; the old fisherman's village, with half timber houses that looks more German then most of Germany, but ironically is called La Petite France; and covered bridges from 1200.