O Hai France!

This Saturday I went to the beautiful French city of Strasbourg.  A painless two hours away by train, it's definitely the most picturesque city I've been to thus far.  The city has traded hands between the Germans and French on many occasions over time, and has strong roots from both countries.  

Hopping off the train, I walked into the front hall of the station.  It seemed to serve as a model for the rest of the city: thoroughly modern though still retaining its ancient heritage.  Cool metaphor, dude.  

After a 5 minute walk towards the massive cathedral, I happened to run into my friend Fabian from work!  A quick smack on the shoulder and a "Hey!" and I was off to an unplanned boat tour of the city through the canals.  Unfortunately the green-tinted, reflective, vision-warping, fully enclosing windows of the boat didn't make for great pictures.  No biggie, some strategic shooting and post-processing partially cured such ailments.  

The Greenhouse (Fortunately with Good Ventilation)

Green Reflections all up in my Face

Being Raised in the Lock to the Upper Canals 

Angry Birds in an Ancient House

Two Important Families were Having Dinner in this House Many Years Ago.  A Fight Broke Out and 20 Died.  

Headquarters for one of Europe's Main TV Stations, and a Giraffeman

Some Important Building.  I Like how it Turned out.  

Returning to dry land an hour later, it was time to explore the immense cathedral.  Unlike the cathedral in Baden Baden where I was the only person inside, this was packed with slack-jawed tourists standing in awe.  Check it out for yourself (Click the pictures for higher resolution):

Massive Face of the Cathedral
6 Photos Stitched Together

After wandering around inside and obtaining a feeling of great insignificance, half of the 6 of us (that makes 3!) climbed the 319 ± 2 stairs to the highest publicly accessible place.   The views were awesome, but we couldn't help but wish we were allowed to the top of the spire.  

Flying Buttresses on the way Up (Grade 8 Anyone?)

Hot Damn.

View of the Cathedral on the Way Down

We regrouped and shared our deepest feelings: "J'ai faim," "Ich habe hunger," and "I'm hungry."  Next thing we know, we're on our way to a restaurant where I discovered I'd forgotten nearly all of what little French i previously knew.  After sitting down for a delicious meal with "spicy" wine (don't ask, I'm no connoisseur), I parted from the group to check out Petit France - a medieval section of the town the others had seen in the morning.  

I had a mere 40 minutes to walk to Petit France, check it all out, and book it back to catch the train.  I felt like a biathlete, tearing around the cobbled streets and stopping periodically to stand motionless and shoot at my target.   Cameras aren't quite as cool to watch fire as guns though.  

Wish I Could Have Strolled at a Leisurely Pace

Lookin' Good, Strasbourg

Unquestionably French

Yes, I'd like a Seat on the Patio Please

Obligatory Car Shot of a Hotel Garage.  Bentley, Aston Martin, Mercedes, BMW...

Once a Prison, Now a School.  Same Difference.  

Au Revoir, Strasbourg.  

On Sunday I slept in and finished clearing out my notoriously abysmal iTunes library.  3000+ songs later, I can finally leave it on shuffle without my ears screaming for help every other song!  Inspired by Saturday's good weather, I also began planning major weekend trips and my [hopeful] August Eurotrip.  I'm excited!