Strasbourg, Colmar, Germany and Choucroute

Our last group trip!! :( It was a really fun trip, but I was so sad that this was the last time all together, traveling and experiencing France. BUT it was a good way to end:)..... with three weeks remaining though!!

We had a lot of down time to explore, do what we want, so it was fun just hanging out with the group and everything. Oh Strasbourg and Colmar are eastern France, right on the border of Germany. I think Alsace was a part of Dad's mission?

So we took the TGV to Strasbourg on thursday and stayed there both nights and spent Friday in Colmar. We arrived and had our first tour there of the cathedrale that was really cool--unfortunately we didn't have good weather this trip, (we've been so lucky though--all the others we've had beautiful weather) so it was a little cold but the guide kept it interesting. He also took us to the place in Strasbourg where the NATO summit will be..Obama is coming to this exact place in a week!

That night we had our first (and last) choucroute experience. Choucroute is a mound of saukraut and all different types of sausage decorating the rim. haha, it was pretty gross but a needed experience. Everyone in Paris was telling us how great it was because it's an Alsatian specialty, so I was happy to try it. I don't think I took a picture but the girls did, so I'll find it and post it.

Friday we went to Riquewhir, a cute medieval city on the way to Colmar. It was rainy, but the whole countryside were vineyards and the little city was built on a hill with such cute houses painted with rusty reds, oranges, and yellows--like snow whites house:) This region is huge on wine and when we came back and told people we went there and didn't try the wine it was like saying we went to disneyland and didn't go on splash mountain. But mom I thought of you because they are known for their "macaroons"--which in Paris have a completely different idea what they are, but Alsace knows whats up. All coconut. You would have diiiied and gone to heaven because they were little macaroons and they let us sample like every flavor--banana chocolate, cafe, almond etc... and they were right out of the oven. So good, but I knew if I bought some they wouldn't make it back to you, sooo just eat a dry hardboiled egg with no salt or pepper and think of how I kind of saved you from a billion calories.:) I think I ate a whole years worth for you so don't worry:)

Then we drove to Colmar, also where NATO leaders are going to be and had a tour of the city. We learned that this area was always fought over between France and Germany so many times that they even have their own dialect here. I was so glad because I thought my French had tanked. We had a lot of down time so we shopped, walked, ate and played cards.

Saturday morning I went on a run with Dr. Patterson and his brother-in-law, Brad. I love running on these group trips--I think morning runs are the best way to experience the city, because when I'm with the group we all tend to be a bunch of complainers and just plop down in a cafe and talk about how much we hate our art teacher haha. So I like running through the old cities, back allies, river paths, around old cathedrales... and DR. PATTERSON ALWAYS CARRIES GOOD CONVERSATION. THEY ARE NEVER BORING AND SERIOUSLY THESE RUNS HAVE BEEN TOP 10 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIP! I'M ALWAYS ATTENTIVE AND REALLY DO LOVE LEARNING FROM HIM AND EVERYTHING HE HAS TO SAY!!!!!!!! Anyways... we ran a little over seven miles and it was a great start to the day. Brad is running his first marathon with Kelly on the 5th! It was fun running with marathoners!

So saturday we took a tour of Strasbourg, and we had the same guide as thursday and we saw a lot of things. I loved this region. It's so cool I was able to get a glimpse of each corner of France! I'm bummed I missed out on s. France but I'm thinking when I return with Erik and Debbers in a year???;) :) we can cruise the beaches of Nice, Marseilles and Biarritz;)

We had a lot of time in Strasbourg before our train left so Caitlin, Jessica, Marissa and I decided to go to Germany! It was about a 40 min. commute by tram and bus and I can say I have been to Germany! We only had an hour and a half there--yes, this trip was all for show-- but we had such a yummy lunch. We asked our waiter to order us the most traditional dishes.. the three girls got some variation of choucroute again and I had yummy white fish. I'm becoming as predictable as my mother...;) But it was fun being just 1/3 of a mile out of France and literally everything was SO different! The language obviously, but people looked different--taller, stronger, and well yeah everything was in German. We kept trying to talk to our waitress in French out of habit but she didn't know any French and would respond in broken english. So weird! But that was really fun. We were worried because on our way back to France there was sooo much traffic over the border and we thought we were going to miss the train. No joke we all said a prayer cuz it took is like double the amt. of time to get back, our phones were either dead or blinking low battery and they didn't work until we were right outside Strasbourg. So we were a little worried that we would have to get left behind --buy another ticket, and catch the later train if possible? Or sleep in the train station for the first morning one? Sound familiar?? Ahh, I need to become a better, more reliable traveler apparently! But we made it 5 mintues before our train back to Paris.

It was a great trip. So much fun! I'm totally going to miss the group and everything about Paris--but especially the time spent with everyone on these group trips. It makes me sad just thinking about leaving here... :( The Patterson's are AMAZING (I'm not trying to kiss butt right now, I would be saying this even if my blog wasn't public;) and I'm so grateful for all the planning and just everything they do for us!