Today we woke up in Kehl, Germany. It’s a drizzly, grey day and it looks cold! We gather our gear and head out for the 15 min walk to the buses waiting to take us into Strasbourg, France. Our tour guide on the bus introduces herself and then does a countdown from 10 as we cross the Rhine and just like that we are across the border into France. Strasbourg has actually bounced between being French and German for years during the 1900’s. But now it’s France and people speak French or German (and of course English).

The bus drops us at a bridge leading into Petite France. It’s part of the old town that was known for where men with syphillis would be kept in history. Now it’s quaint and definitely festive!

As we walk along the cobbled streets, the rain peters out. The markets don’t open until 11:30 am so the only people around are tourists (and there’s a lot of those) and delivery drivers. How they manage on the narrow passages is amazing to observe.

When we enter the cathedral we are amazed at the size. The sheer magnitude of intricate detail is astounding.

Once the tallest building, it’s size is still formidable. Notre Dame is a masterpiece of gothic architecture and services are still held every week.

Inside is also the Astronomical Clock. It’s a work of art, science, math and physics. We were able to see the clock in action.

In addition to the clock. Another highlight is the stained glass. There’s a very interesting history as Hitler ordered the glass removed. George Clooney made a movie about how the glass (and many other precious artifacts) were rescued after the war. Monuments Men also stars Matt Damon and thanks to the efforts of the men in real life, the glass was returned to its rightful place. Since Strasbourg has been both a German and French city, it was spared destruction during the war.

See you tomorrow in Speyer!