A weekend away..

 

 Sometimes it's hard to remember that a world exists outside of Paris. Everything
seems to happen here inside the peripherique, and true Parisians don't feel the

need to ever really leave...

This past weekend we ventured outside our very own 17m square of the city and

caught the fast train to Strasbourg.

I have a beautiful friend who is studying there. It was refreshing to get out of the
city and see her, and also be reminded that France is a big and varied country. It

seems that Paris culture is not to be confused with French culture.

The most striking thing about Strasbourg (and I am sure a large part of Europe

at the moment) is the autumn colours. Maybe I am wrong, but where I am from

in Australia, we don't get Autumn like this. It was incredible.

 

And now for your history lesson... Strasbourg is in the Alsace reigion of France

which borders Germany. In the past 150 years or so, the area has been passed

back and forth between France and German before and after various wars,

having been returned to France definitivly after the Second World War. As a result

the area has a bit of a German feel, and all of the street signs are written in

French and also Alsacian, a language that is a mixture of French and German. It

must have been confusing to be Strasbourgoise. 

The town is on a beautiful river with many bridges and canals. It is also home to

the European Parliament and the Court of Human Rights.

It's so close to Germany, we popped over there on Saturday for schnitzels, beer,
and cheaper groceries than those that are found in French supermarkets.

Strasbourg, see you again soon.