The Wine Road: Day 1 and 2: Strasbourg

Saturday, May 21st 2011

(also, might I recommend zooming in on pictures here and there, as they're much more clear when enlarged!)

So today I got married.

Let's retrace the events that led up to this confusing event.

It's day one of the Wine Road bike trip through Alsace and we've arrived by train to Strasbourg. We're here for 2 days since it's quite big with a lot to explore, so we lock up our bikes and head out to discover the city on foot.

I felt like I was in another country. The architecture could not be more different from anything else I've seen in France, and German (and another dialect) are heard more often than French. Not surprising, as this region has swapped back and forth from being France and Germany several times.

But would ya take a look at this city?? We were able to walk around for hours admiring the buildings and silly little river that seemed to get lost a lot so it would just split around different buildings and become two rivers, or three, or a pond if it felt like it.

Strasbourg!

Another big difference is that where grays and blues are used in most parts of France, red stone is used here, as you can see with the beautiful cathedral, where a bride just happened to be walking into as we approached.

Well would ya look at that. 

But most of the buildings were of this style, which elicited a high-piched "eeee!" out of me every time I saw one until even I was making myself go deaf.

Oh yea, the marriage thing.

Well. We're on a bike trip and yet Alberto's bike seat was slightly damaged from a fall he took while biking through Baume-les-Messieurs, so when we stumbled upon a bike workshop, we hopped right into it and into the hands of a friendly volunteer, 40-something Patrick, who found our bi-cultural couple-ness rather cute.

So with said bike seat in one hand and a greasy wrench in the other, he chatted away, asking questions about us and cracking me up with his quirkiness (that I so wish I had in French) and about 10 no-bike-seat-solutions-in-sight minutes later, he asked what will happen to us once I go back to the US.

"Go your own ways?!" he said. "No no no, that won't do. Why don't you go to the US Alberto??"

to which Alberto replied, "Well, it's kinda difficult to get over there..."

"Nonsense!" said Patrick, "Just get married! It's so easy."

With barely enough time to exchange amused looks between us, Patrick started the ceremony.

"Really, let's just do it right here," he said. He cleared his throat.

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit..."

Oh geez, I thought. Can't we just get the bike seat...

"Nyah nah nah nah do you take blah blah blah... through this and that... blah blah blah..."

Alberto and I stood watching Patrick bemusedly as he went on, blessing us with the wrench and then realizing the problem of not having a witness.

No big deal. He walks out the front door and grabs an old bald man with a cup of beer in hand and the buggiest eyes you've ever seen.

"Yes, thank you sir, if you could just be a witness now..." says Patrick.

The man stands there slightly confused but is intrigued enough to stay a few moments while sipping on his beer and watching Patrick finish the ceremony and divorcing us in the same breath that pronounced us man and wife.

The entire time, Alberto and I hadn't said a word. We were too busy laughing at Patrick's good-naturedly bizarre ways and enjoying the randomness of it all.

...

"So about that bike seat...?" Alberto tries again.

"Ah, yep, not much we can do about that," says Patrick.

Huh. Well. We stuck around to chat a bit more, being in no particular hurry, and quite enjoyed the company of our new friend / priest? / divorce attorney.

And that's the story of how I got accidently-not-really-married in Strasbourg.

Oh and then we went for a walk and a band was playing in a little square and I resumed my "eeee" squeaking.

Oh and there was this fantastic lamp store that stayed lit up at night that I think should be mentioned in travel guides.

Future living room?!

Strasbourg, Day 2 - May 22nd

Sunday in France! Which translates to the majority of things being closed but it doesn't matter anyway because we went on a bike ride through the city. 

We found ourselves in a beautiful big, green garden with a zoo at one end and a big building at the other hosting a sort of Free-Trade fair, where I heard my named called, spun around in confusion and found myself getting kisses planted on each cheek from none other than...that's right, Patrick! 

Turns out, he loves being green and so he accompanied us on our tour or fair trade goods and treated us to a cup of delicious green tea all while keeping up an endless steam of advice and facts and jokes. Really, you'd think he'd been saving up all these things to say for years, but he was like this with everyone he talked to. Luckily he had (mostly) interesting things to say. We all sat outside under a tree after and discussed energy and politics and I was thoroughly baffled, though well-hydrated, by the end. 

Anyway, we said goobye again and decided that next on our bike tour would be Germany! We were so close to the border that we decided to just hop right on over to "Kohl" by biking across "The Bridge of Europe" and found it to be unextraordinary and rather ugly in some places with the same poor customer service I've grown so accustomed to here in France. It did have this one cute little church though:

The rest of the day was confused weather, which I thoroughly enjoyed as half the sky was bright and sunny and the other half was angry and dark and raining somewhat on the sunshine. Or something. It looked like this:

I'm most looking forward to tomorrow when we get started on the real Wine Road journey and get knee-deep in vineyards. Til then!

Love,
Katie

The Wine Road! Plans

Friday, May 20th

Tomorrow (Saturday May 21st) I'm going to be biking with Alberto through the "Wine Road" (La Route des Vins) over about an 8 day period in the region of Alsace, which is north of Besancon.

We will be starting in Strasbourg and making our way to Colmar, though the road does continue further past that (altogether it's about 105 miles / 170 km). We'll be taking our time biking village to village, stopping when and where we want to tour around them and visit a castle here and there.

It should be pretty beautiful - if you look at the map, you can see how many small villages dot along the road, all of which are surrounded by vineyards, with the Vosges mountains to your right the whole way.

The Wine Road in Alsace

Love,
Katie

Love at last

Early April 2011

I have found the love of my life.
He's from around here, seen a lot of the region.
He loves the outdoors like me, he's been to so many places.
He loves to travel and never seems to get tired.
He is very reliable and never too far away.
We met last fall and spent a little time together,
but didn't see each other at all during the winter.
Now that it's spring,

We can finally be together again.

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Let me introduce you !

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I hope you didn't fall for that.

Anyway, he has no official name but he's totally mine, in a someone-lent-it-to-me-for-the-year kind of way. As soon as the weather got nice in April, I hit the bike paths. Never will I be able to accurately describe the liberating feeling of flying along the river on this guy and through the country with the fresh spring air waking me up inside out.

The smell alone of the grass and flowers and everything else there is to wake up is something I cherish more than any material thing I've ever stumbled across. 

mmmm spring.

A house along the river on the bike path



One of the best parts about this biking path is that there are a dozen hiking paths sprinkled along the way, so at any given moment if I feel like hopping off my bike and going for a hike, well, I just lock it up and do it.

Biking along the river Doubs - stopping to
hike up a trail and catching a shot of a little girl leading the way -
(click to enlarge if you can't really see)

Turns out, this particular hike took me to the old "Fort Planoise" and also to a beautiful lookout point.

 

Another day, another mystery path led me to one of the most beautiful look-out points I had ever stumbled across:

You know, I've often described this time abroad to people as a "deep breath" before diving into graduate school, and it's also quite literally true. I have spent more time outdoors during this period of my life than any other, and never have I breathed so much fresh air, never have I covered so much ground, never have I experienced so many moments of calmness and tranquility in all the forests I've walked through, all the hills and mountains I've climbed up, all the rivers I've wound around on my bike.

Something feels so changed within me this year. I did not connect with many French people as I had hoped to (though I did meet a handful of amazing people!), but I did unexpectedly fall in love with nature and feel connected to it in a way that may be similar to the way one feels connected to a friend, the kind where, when it comes to talking, less is more.

To help me elaborate - when I was traveling in Scotland, I met a middle-aged Australian man on a train. He was in the middle of living his "extraordinarily interesting life," as he put it, and while I found him slightly full of himself, he said something that stuck with me. When I spoke to him of the mountain Ben Nevis I had recently climbed, he said,

"Ah, yes, excellent. Climbing mountains. Walking along the paths, climbing to the top and then down again, you're having a conversation with the mountain. This old, ancient thing that has lived so much but always been in the same place, and you, so young and alive and full of movement crossing over it, it's a beautiful kind of communication."

He said it better than I could have. This is what I feel when it comes to all the ground I've trekked over, all the pavement my bike tires have met, all the snow that provided a soft landing when I slipped and fell during my winter hikes.

However, depsite how well my relationship with nature was going, something I struggled with while in Besancon was feeling very un-needed. The "job" I had was basically the French government paying for babysitters in the classroom, and I was often left feeling like Besancon would not even notice I came and left. I wanted so much to do something that would leave behind some kind of impression, and perhaps with the exception of several students, I frankly wonder if most of the students even knew my name at the end of 7 months.

That's not to say I didn't learn a lot, because I absolutely did. But the feeling of being needed was very absent this year. However, over time I realized that that was okay, because, quite simply, I needed Besancon. I needed the time I spent outdoors to slow down, to see life un-blurred. It's not the first time I've learned this lesson, nor do I expect it will be the last, but the life of a college student certainly does not allow for a slow-paced life style, and I could even broaden this to the average American who tries, in my opinion, to do too much in general.

So, while I normally  prefer for any kind of relationship to be more balanced in terms of giving and taking, I don't think the hills and rivers of this region minded that I was a little needy this year, and perhaps they, too, enjoyed the many silent conversations we had. 

Walking all over nature
and nature not minding

So, work is over April 15th and then I'm off to travel alone for 2 weeks in England and Scotland, then I will bike the "Wine Route" in the region of Alsace for a week with Alberto, and finally, May 30th, I will make my way to Madrid, Spain for about 7 weeks before coming home on July 19th.

Til the next time!

Love,

Katie

Family in France! Day 9 - Besancon: Ornans and saying goodbye

Today was the last full day of the trip. We took it easy. I took them to the very picturesque village of Ornans by bus, about 30 minutes away. We then finished with a classy meal at the nicest restaurant in Besancon!

Ornans

Dad

"Saw the small town of Ornans today too, even more in the countryside.

Dad and n Ornans

It's been more relaxing here, to just go at a slower pace and enjoying things, to enjoy the sights and views, didn't feel rushed to go anywhere or see anything. In Paris, it's like – gotta see the Eiffel Tower or Louvre, but here, it didn't feel like I had to do anything.

Dad feeling unrushed :)

The people are pretty friendly here [in Besancon], easy to get along with. Having that river go around the whole place, it's beautiful. Nice place to walk around.

Going for a walk in Ornans



I'm glad I was able to come and experience this. Hopefully these memories will stay with me for a while, at least a week or two (laughs). We've got pictures to remind us of a special time that our family spent together. Probably won't happen again – in France at least. Gotta get everyone to go to Alaska now. "

Donna capturing a comical moment of Dad teaching me about ducks

The lessons never end - Dad teaching me how to catch flies :) --
Please ask him about this story

Donna

"Went to Ornans – cute town, beautiful scenery on the way.

Walkin a country road

The whole trip – loved it! loved it! loved it! Wouldn't have missed it for the world."

A night on the town

Brasserie du Commerce

Classy dinner!

Dessert

Last night out in Besancon in front of the restaurant

These days have gone by faster than any other time I've ever been abroad.

We had sunshine for 10 days, and during the 5 minutes they boarded the train the next morning, it downpoured. I waved goodbye as the train moved away, and the rain let up. Even France was sad to see them go.

I will never forget all the special memories created on this trip, thanks to everyone for making it happen.

Love,
Katie

Family in France! Day 8 - Besancon: The Citadel

I started my day before 5 am in order to get Pipi and Anica safely on their way to Paris to catch their flight to Berlin. It was simply wonderful spending as much time together as we had been able to and I will miss them.

For the rest of the day, Dad, Donna got to know "Btown" better. We found a charming handmade jewelry store and took our time winding through the streets downtown, ending up having a coffee at Bar de l'U, or, The University Bar, where I've spent many an hour uploading pictures and poking around online while drinking coffee among a plethora of colors.

Dad and Donna outside the bar

Never been there so early - look how empty!

Donna in Bar de l'U

We then wandered over the the Citadel - the UNESCO World Heritage Site that Besancon is so proud of. We decided to brave the climb (instead of the bus) to the top of the hill in the center of the city, and Dad and Donna particularly enjoyed the views:

Climbing up to the Citadel

About halfway there - the river Doubs in the background

It got quite steep at some points, but they were troopers

Dad coming out from the stairs

A view of the downtown from the top of the hill

The entrance to the Citadel

Interestingly enough, the Citadel is a part-zoo. It also has several rooms that serve as different exhibitions, as well as the permenant rooms where you can learn about the Citadel and it's history, as well as the architect, Vauban.

Making our way to the heart of the citadel and passing some... emu/ostrich-esque animals

Inside the citadel, climbing to a tower to walk the circumference

Walking around the top; inside view of the Citadel

Everyone's favorite part were the stunning views from the top of the surrounding hills - it's a very green city.

The Citadel wall

Dad and Donna tiny specks, walking along the wall with Besancon in the background

Taking a rest in some shade

Admiring the way the river runs through the city,
making the Citadel an excellent natural defence

View from the Citadel

Can you see the head peaking out the tower?

Dad and Donna poking their heads out to look out into the city

Reverse view

Another view from the inside of the Citadel -
 the main courtyard (with a chapel on the right)

Dad

"Besancon is a very beautiful city surrounded by good-sized hills. The citadel took a while to climb but it was well worth the trip up there because you could see the whole layout of the town and surrounding country. Great place to live if you're organized – you've got an army... very strategic location, got a river, too. The sights were just awesome, beautiful beautiful beautiful. The town's pretty quaint, though I think I'd prefer to live outside the town more in the countryside. "
 
Donna

"I loved the citadel. I'd look at the top and think, eugh, Katie's already at the top... Got a little scared at the top, it was so far down... (Dad: Donna was afraid, haha). It was a breathtaking view. The big hill with the river and houses, it was so breathtaking, I just wanted to keep looking at it.

Of course, with you guys, it was just an enjoyable experience. To have Katie explain things to us really helped, and we can't speak French. To see where Katie's living was great, she made us dinner – the regions special cheese and sausage – really good."

And that's how the day ended - took the bus to my part of town, a bit outside of the scenic downtown area in a big, beige apartment building. I made them a very Franche-Comte (the name of the region) meal, and I got them back on the bus at the end of the night.

I still can't believe they're here!

Love from all!