Les jardins de Sophie Xonrupt-Longemer

We had spent a pleasant morning visiting Christmas Market in the greater Colmar area in the Alsace region of France. One town more pleasant than the next all decked out with lights and tinsle. In general we had a good day and the people were helpful and frendly.

Sadly our day was marred by the unpleasant service I and 3 other ladies received today at the Restaurant Wistub zum Pfifferhüs in Ribeauville. 3 of 4 persons each chose meals from the menu, the 4th person, a ...

Featured Excursion: Full-day tour along the Alsatian Wine Road

"Leaving Strasburg we head for a famous road, the Alsatian wine route, which hugs the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. Charming villages and lush vineyards, producing great white wines, line this winding ...

... short cultural visits (giving the taste buds a rest) and gastronomic experiences. On our first visit we tasted 13 wines, including a couple of grands crus, we learnt to schluck and pucker – that is take a small sip and breathe air in through the wine without choking and we had the honour of meeting the founder of the domaine. We visited large vineyards, tiny organic producers, eaux de vie tastings, beer tastings, we ...

Otra vez en Francia. En la rivera del alto Rhin Colmar es un ejemplo de ciudad medieval bien conservada, con casas de entramado estilo alsaciano y canales llenos de vida. Conserva perfectamente el ambiente urbano de las ciudades centroeuropeas que nacieron alrededor de las rutas comerciales.

... for dear life John moved very slowly across as pedestrians slowly got out of the way. People .were floating down the river on rafts and it was a vantage point. After the bridge was just as bad with a one lane road sharply zigzagging up the hill!! apparently there is an easier way and though the hotel have complained to the gps people nothing has happened.
Gerzensee has views towards the mountains, sheep ...

... in the car and headed for the Alsacian wine route. Our first stop was Kaysersberg where we climbed Bloody Hill to the WWII Monument and cemetery. Bloody Hill earned its name for obvious reasons as the land changed hands back and forth between the Nazis and the Allies. We drove down the hill to the town of Kayserberg where we strolled the pedestrian zone, window shopped, and enjoyed a fresh pretzel ...

From Southwestern Germany to Eastern France by just crossing the Rhine on the longest pedestrian bridge in Europe. The trip to Basel goes through Alsace, France on the last leg ...

... Switzerland so Wolfram took us girls to France. Lincoln stayed at home. We visited a cute little town called Colmar where we stopped at a small cafe for lunch. I considered all the wonderful delicious Alsatian dishes I had heard about from my colleagues. Ally and I ended up having tacos and Wolf had a pizza. Maybe we will check out the local cuisine next time!

Once we searched the entire town of Colmar ...

... Not to be daunted I attempted to see Montbeliard and Belfort too!) According to the radio yesterday, 85% of the public supported today's action and it's impossible to make any comment on this - I just don't understand! The countryside in the Jura is different again to what I've seen mostly low height forest covered mountains with valleys of slow moving wide-ish rivers, very expansive and pleasant but you ...

My trip is starting tomorrow night. I will be taking the train in Strasbourg at 15:50, then changing in Nancy a first time, in Dijon another time where I will be taking the night train to Bologna. Bologna is going to be my home base for the year, during ...