For the past couple of days we've mostly been staying home and spending time with family. I am working on the beading on some of my tapestries. They don't use the car at all here. We walk everywhere or take the tram. Yesterday we were out walking and stopped in at a hole-in-the-wall sweet shop where they served me this lovely ice cream.

We picked Pau up at school. They'd been on a little field trip and arrived back at the school where we were waiting. They really do walk in two lines, just like in Madeleine.

Today we took the tram over to Germany. It's just on the other side of the river. It amazes me that you move a few hundred yards, and suddenly everything is different. Gone were the quaint old buildings. Gone the attention to preservation. Apparently there was hardly a building standing in Germany after the war, so everything there has been built in the last 70 years.

And yet another language. This is how they mark no parking zones. 

We bought a sandwich and found a nice park. There are inviting public spaces everywhere here wherever we've been, and we have taken advantage of them.

We have the weekend to go, and then we'll head for home. I think it's perfect timing.

When we first got here I got in touch with the international quilting organization I belong to (SAQA) and asked if any members lived around here. The gave me contact information for one woman who lives close to Colmar. So yesterday we got together and had a wonderful time.

Her name is Beatrice Bueche. She makes beautiful art quilts and luckily, speaks some English.

We first met in the lobby of our hotel. Then she took us to the Butterfly Garden that she and her husband created and run as a tourist site. Pretty amazing. It's mostly a big hot house filled with tropical plants, lots of flowers and hundreds and hundreds of butterflies. 

 

Then she drove us to a nearby medieval town that is only accessible by car. It was older than what we've been seeing, more like the 12th century. A walled town that still has the gates to close it off. Tiny little alleyways. Fascinating.

Then she took us to the train station, and we went home to Strasbourg. We are so grateful for the time she gave us. We couldn't have seen these things without her.

Sunday: we took a bus to a town outside of Strasbourg called Vendenheim (30 minutes) because there was a quilt show there. It wasn't much, but there were a few interesting pieces.  The first one is completely felt, the second one is leather.

The town itself was an eye opener -- completely new.  Apparently there was a lot of bombing here during WWII, so much of the region has been rebuilt.

Monday: we took the train to Colmar. It's a half hour south of Strasbourg. It too has an old city center which is called Little Venice because there are lots of canals.

We visited the former Dominican convent where they have an altar painting that is world famous.

That was nice, but it was the convent itself that interested me the most. A beautiful courtyard.

In another part of the building, a modern addition, there was a picturesque spiral staircase.

Once again we bought sandwiches at one of the many boulangerie and ate in the big park.

I am beginning to use my French some because I'm tired of Jeffrey talking for me. I can ask for a bottle of water, but not much more than that. I'm going to study it when we get home. Who knows, we may come back. John's going to be here until next summer.

Aaah, Paris! We had a great time. So much to see. Every little street worthy of a picture.

We stomped around the neighborhood looking for a new hotel. Most of them were full, but we found one, and we liked it better than the first. Not so stylish, but the room (and especially the bathroom) was much bigger.

There's an old elevated train track that they have converted into artists' studios and shops. One under each arch.

And on top is a garden with a beautiful walking (and jogging) path. It goes on for about a mile. 

Then we visited the Picasso Museum. Tucked away on a little street, hard to find. We had to ask for directions about 10 times. But worth the search. We had lunch on the cafe on the roof. 

Then viewed the artwork. They don't have many of the major pieces, but they have lots of the studies that Picasso did before he started the big one. 

In the evening we had dinner with John at an incredibly romantic bistro on a quiet square.

We don't look too happy, but we were.

I was too tired to write last night. We walked about 10 miles. So I'll catch you up today. Yesterday we took the super fast train to Paris. It traveled 180 mph and was smooth and quiet. Here I am having coffee in the train station while we wait.

And the train conductors in their little hats.

Our hotel room was small but very modern. Unfortunately they screwed up our reservations and we could only stay there one night. 

We went to the Paris opera house. Incredibly grand. Built in the 19th century.

Had dinner with John, a typical bistro with tables on the sidewalk. Food was really good.

They park rather close together here. I don't know how they get out. There was about a foot of space behind this car, but still tight. The traffic is a nightmare.

Today we mastered the subway system. Saved us a lot of walking, but we're still exhausted by our day on the streets.

Went to the Maillol museum (20th century French sculptor). It was quiet and cool and the work was beautiful.  He did nudes, almost exclusively. Dozen's of them. Most of them were thin, thin (as are most of the women here), but there were a couple with little tummies. I liked those the best.

Then we went to the Tuilleries Garden. It's a huge park with lots of those tall trees that are so typical here. 

We bought sandwiches and had a picnic lunch.

My bottle of sparkling water came in a bright red bottle. I've saved it for a souvenir.

We were right across the street (like 6 lanes of traffic) from the Louvre, so we went over there and checked out the pyramid. 

And then we took the subway back home.

We went to the train station today to buy our tickets for the super fast train to Paris. From afar the station looks modern with wild graphics on the outside.

But inside you see that's its an old building with a glass facade.

The train goes 150 mph so we'll be in Paris in two hours. Wish there were such a thing between Mobile and Birmingham or Mobile and Atlanta. The infrastructure here is far advanced of what we have in the U.S. They are spending their money at home instead of funding a vast military.

We picked up a sandwich at the fast food restaurant. We've seen McDonalds (long line) and Burger King, but they have a low profile, just tucked away in old buildings. The restaurant we went to was not a chain. The food was ready in 5 minutes, and was very good. This is what the inside looked like.
Everyone was sitting outside because the weather is so pleasant.

Then we had dinner at an authentic Alsatian place -- incredibly old world and quaint. The food was pot roast with potatoes and carrots (kind of heavy), a think pizza-like crust with cheese and bacon, and a nice tomato and mozarella salad.

Back:

Front:

These places are everywhere.

Lastly, after dinner, about 9 o'clock, we went to a park and let Pau play for a while. After dark. Totally safe. We see homeless people now and then, but there seems to be no threatening underclass.

We drove out of town today.

The countryside is dotted with many villages and towns, one every few miles down the road. They are all incredibly picturesque and quaint.

 First we had a picnic lunch in a church yard.

Then a visit to a hilltop monastery. 

There is no police presence here. The monastery appeared to be unstaffed. There are few signs prohibiting you. Everyone seems exceedingly civilized. Jeffrey's French is holding up pretty well, and mine is coming back a little.

We stopped in one town to buy water,

And another so Pau could ride the carousel. There are lots of carousels here.