Upon my
arrival, I surprised myself by how fearlessly I handled things. Ever since I’ve
come to France, I have gone and done. No thinking, no nervousness, I just go
and enjoy life. I met Philippe and he welcomed me and offered me plenty of
advice on what to do and where to go. The apartment is nestled just outside of
la centre-ville and has a gorgeous view of the Notre Dame. After he explained different things about the
apartment, he left to finish his Christmas shopping and I went to explore.
I decided
to start first at the Notre Dame. Christmas markets lined the streets and
millions of people were out enjoying the holiday décor and festivities. It is
absolutely amazing how many people travel here for Christmas (2 million). I
heard French, German, English, and many other unidentifiable languages. I
entered the cathedral and enjoyed a little program put on by local children and
lit a prayer candle. I enjoyed seeing the nativity, tapestries, and Napolean
figurines displayed at the church. After, I decided to people watch and have
the traditional vin chaud! Mmm.
After
speaking with a few locals
who were very welcoming and friendly, I went to a
traditional Alsacienne restaurant called a Win Stub and had the only thing a
vegetarian could have: soup a l’oignon et une salade avec fromage Alsacienne. I
had a cozy little table to myself and really enjoyed the meals.It was the
perfect atmosphere for the season and it paired nicely with my Christmas beer.
I easily
found my way back to the apartment where Philippe had prepared a degustation of
wine. I got to try a Pinot Noir from the region as well as a sweet white wine.
It was nice to speak with a native about his culture and the history of
Strasbourg. It is incredible how the different regions in France have a strong
personal identity with different traditions, food, and ways of life.
The next
day (Xmas Eve), Philippe toured me around the city a bit before leaving for Christmas Eve
dinner with his family. I also decided to take a boat tour around the city and
learned a lot about the city and different buildings that surrounded me. I had
no idea how old this area is! I became familiar enough with the city to seek
out an Italian specialty store where I bought tortellini that I would prepare
for my meal. I decided that shopping in the specialty stores would be the best
way to experience my very own French Christmas. I stopped at a Wine Cellar and
chose a local brew and went to the patisserie next door for my crème brûlée cake!
I was lucky enough to speak to a lot of my
family on the phone and wish them a Merry Christmas. On Christmas Day, I was
able to Skype with my Dad, Alison, Brooklyn, and family! Brooklyn loved all
I think that this Christmas taught me what the season is really about. I learned what it is like to be separated from those whom you love and share memories with, and I believe it is an important and unique lesson learned. I was lucky not to feel lonely, only grateful that God was allowing me to experience a Christmas unlike any other!
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| Joyeux Noël! |
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We missed you at Christmas this year, but are so glad we have been able to keep in touch with you via Skype and Facebook. Technology does wonders.
ReplyDeleteI've read a lot about the Christmas markets in France, and it makes me want to plan a winter trip. Did you see a lot of things at the markets that you can't find in stores?
It was hard to go to bed on Christmas eve without watching our traditional "Muppets Christmas" together, but I knew you were on a special adventure. The pictures from Strasbourg look amazing!
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