Today is effectively our last day in Colmar.
Donna headed back to the US at 5am, so I drove her down to the station. The rest of the day we spent deep cleaning the apartment and getting things wrapped up so we can get our deposit back.
We cleaned top to bottom, wrapped up last house laundry, cleaned out the fridge and got partially packed. Since we are leaving early Wednesday morning it doesn't give us a whole lot of time except today to get things under control.
As usual, Kim, Ryan and Pat were tremendous help. Notice Donna left and got out of it all??
Not a whole lot to report about today, tomorrow we head for Paris and things should get exciting.
May not get many updates done till we get settled in Paris. Bear with me.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
In The Trenches
Monday we got up, packed a lunch and headed south to the town of Thann to show everyone the cathedral there. Sounds horrible but after Strasbourg, it was kinda "meh" at best.
After a bit of walking about Thann we loaded the GPS with directions and headed up the mountain passes to Vieil Armand, a World War I battle field and monument perched at the very top of a strategic overlook. Many of both the German and French trench works are still in place, complete with barbed wire and shell craters from the massive artillery bombardments that blanketed the area hundreds of times throughout the war.
Near as we can tell, the importance of holding the top of the mountain was the ability to either bombard the Colmar to Mulhouse rail system, or to keep exactly that from happening.
Fighting took place mainly during the year 1915. 30,000 men died on the mountain, most French. After 1915, most of the war was concentrated further north and the battle for the mountain top was a holding action by both sides who occasionally lobbed artillery at one another.
What is left is both breathtaking and horrifying. The landscape today is largely tree covered and quite pleasant to walk(climb) through, but the thousands of craters still visible stand testament to the intense battles that took place.
We parked in the closest narrow lot and grabbed our lunch to have a quick picnic in the shade. After seeing that the complete walking tour of the sight was only 4 kilometers, we assumed it would be a breeze.
NOPE!
The battle for the mountain kinda took place on a mountain, so we had to climb up through the shell pocked and trenched hills to make it to the summit. Took a good 2 hours of hiking to get to the top, mainly because Ryan and I had to climb all over everything and examine every section of stone trenches and barbed wire we came across. After 100 years, it is still all in quite good condition.
From the summit we saw just why they fought so hard for this location. It grants a commanding view over the entire lower end of the valley between France and Germany along the Rhine, from Colmar to nearly Basel.
There is a monument for the men who died there, a moving scene of them emerging from right out of the mountain.
The hike back down was quicker, but still filled with hundreds of interesting bits and bobs to explore.
Later back at the house for an impromptu walk down to the winstub for dinner, we all decided while the hike was a bitch, it was nothing compared to doing it in the same 90 degree weather wearing a heavy woolen uniform.
Well worth the time and effort it took us to get up there and I am very glad we did.
After a bit of walking about Thann we loaded the GPS with directions and headed up the mountain passes to Vieil Armand, a World War I battle field and monument perched at the very top of a strategic overlook. Many of both the German and French trench works are still in place, complete with barbed wire and shell craters from the massive artillery bombardments that blanketed the area hundreds of times throughout the war.
Near as we can tell, the importance of holding the top of the mountain was the ability to either bombard the Colmar to Mulhouse rail system, or to keep exactly that from happening.
Fighting took place mainly during the year 1915. 30,000 men died on the mountain, most French. After 1915, most of the war was concentrated further north and the battle for the mountain top was a holding action by both sides who occasionally lobbed artillery at one another.
What is left is both breathtaking and horrifying. The landscape today is largely tree covered and quite pleasant to walk(climb) through, but the thousands of craters still visible stand testament to the intense battles that took place.
We parked in the closest narrow lot and grabbed our lunch to have a quick picnic in the shade. After seeing that the complete walking tour of the sight was only 4 kilometers, we assumed it would be a breeze.
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| The walk in... |
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| Pics cannot show how deep the shell craters are, some are fully 8 feet deep and 30 feet across. |
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| First of the trench lines starts. |
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| Rough trenches on the German side. |
NOPE!
The battle for the mountain kinda took place on a mountain, so we had to climb up through the shell pocked and trenched hills to make it to the summit. Took a good 2 hours of hiking to get to the top, mainly because Ryan and I had to climb all over everything and examine every section of stone trenches and barbed wire we came across. After 100 years, it is still all in quite good condition.
 |
| Lookout post on the French side overlooking valley |
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| Firing port in French line |
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| Nita inside the highest tunnel on the mountain. About 100 feet through dark and loose stone. Spooky as hell. |
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| Existing French, covered trench line with barbed wire barriers in front. |
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| Wire barrier in front of trench line. |
From the summit we saw just why they fought so hard for this location. It grants a commanding view over the entire lower end of the valley between France and Germany along the Rhine, from Colmar to nearly Basel.
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| The view from the summit toward Colmar |
The hike back down was quicker, but still filled with hundreds of interesting bits and bobs to explore.
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| The monument and burial site viewed from the lower of 2 summits. |
Later back at the house for an impromptu walk down to the winstub for dinner, we all decided while the hike was a bitch, it was nothing compared to doing it in the same 90 degree weather wearing a heavy woolen uniform.
Well worth the time and effort it took us to get up there and I am very glad we did.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Sunday Non-funday
Sunday I was sick as heck. Not sure what the deal was but after our last(sniff) run to the Saturday market at Sainte Jospeh I felt like I had been run over by a truck. We picked up food for a few meals and then back the the house to try to get everything into the fridge, our never ending task here in Colmar.
The rest of the people went out to goof off and grab lunch while I took an ice cold shower and spent a couple hours with what felt like an angry tummy bug.
After everyone got back, Nita stayed home with me while Kim, Pat, Ryan and Donna headed out to explore a few of the castle ruins up above Eguisheim.
I survived, they survived, everyone got home safe.
The rest of the people went out to goof off and grab lunch while I took an ice cold shower and spent a couple hours with what felt like an angry tummy bug.
After everyone got back, Nita stayed home with me while Kim, Pat, Ryan and Donna headed out to explore a few of the castle ruins up above Eguisheim.
I survived, they survived, everyone got home safe.
Strasbourg
Friday morning we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before heading to the train station to explore Strasbourg.
Odd that we have not bothered to head up there yet, but we were kind of waiting for the end of the trip to get more big cities under our belts. After 6 weeks, that may not have been the best plan. We are getting tired, very tired. Home is sounding better by the day. Lots to do there!
The train is an easy 40 minute ride up and back. The station is easy walking distance to all of the cool parts of the city and offers a shuttle to the airport a few times an hour.
Scott got his luggage stored in lockers for the few hours till his plane left and we headed into the city center to grab some lunch and see the cathedreal.
It was hot. Hot and still. Temps went past 95 in some places(Colmar reported 96) and there was no wind to speak of. Not the most pleasant day to sight see. I felt terrible for all the tour groups we saw in town, dutifully following some guide with a flag and a set schedule. They all looked a bit cooked.
After a crappy lunch in a tourist dive(my fault, should have known) we walked to the cathedral. Strasbourg reminds me a lot of Avignon, a larger and more modern(19th century) city than we are used to here. It is a quite pretty and lively city with tons of places to stop for a bite to eat or a drink. All in all I was more impressed by Strasbourg than Colmar.
The cathedral is just stunning. It is tall, freaking tall! So tall it is nearly impossible to get it all in one picture. Started around 1000, it is celebrating the 1000 year celebration of founding. The interior was crowded with tourists, but still an incredible example of a Gothic cathedral. I tried to take pics, but it was terribly difficult to get a feel of this place.
About 4 we had to run Scott back to the train station so he could grab the shuttle to the airport. Kim, Pat, Donna and Ryan went back to look at another neighborhood while Nita and I headed back to Colmar. My knees were killing me and the heat was starting to take its tole. Either I need to take a break from hill running for a few days or I'm a wuss. Hard to tell which.
When everyone got back we whipped up a dinner of mostly leftovers, but hearty enough to take the edge off everyone's hunger and fatigue. Going to be an icky hot night, no wind and still in the 80s at bedtime.
Odd that we have not bothered to head up there yet, but we were kind of waiting for the end of the trip to get more big cities under our belts. After 6 weeks, that may not have been the best plan. We are getting tired, very tired. Home is sounding better by the day. Lots to do there!
The train is an easy 40 minute ride up and back. The station is easy walking distance to all of the cool parts of the city and offers a shuttle to the airport a few times an hour.
Scott got his luggage stored in lockers for the few hours till his plane left and we headed into the city center to grab some lunch and see the cathedreal.
It was hot. Hot and still. Temps went past 95 in some places(Colmar reported 96) and there was no wind to speak of. Not the most pleasant day to sight see. I felt terrible for all the tour groups we saw in town, dutifully following some guide with a flag and a set schedule. They all looked a bit cooked.
The cathedral is just stunning. It is tall, freaking tall! So tall it is nearly impossible to get it all in one picture. Started around 1000, it is celebrating the 1000 year celebration of founding. The interior was crowded with tourists, but still an incredible example of a Gothic cathedral. I tried to take pics, but it was terribly difficult to get a feel of this place.
When everyone got back we whipped up a dinner of mostly leftovers, but hearty enough to take the edge off everyone's hunger and fatigue. Going to be an icky hot night, no wind and still in the 80s at bedtime.
Family Tree
Thursday morning, Kim, Ryan and her dad and brother piled into the car and headed for a small French town north of Colmar to meet with some family members that Pat had contacted as part of his family genealogy project.
I wandered out to run the hills near Turckheim one last time, and as usual the one big hill kicked my butt!
Nita, Donna and I went to the big fancy grocery store to restock the house with paper goods and cidre. Lots and lots of cidre...
Early evening the crew got back to the house after what sounded like an amazing day of trading info with extended family. Pat has put thousands of hours into their genealogy, publishing a couple of books along the way. What a splendid opportunity to root through church and marriage data right from the source.
After a bit of unwinding, we trooped down to finally get the Turkish meal that Kim had been wanting. Not bad. Turkish beer is damn tasty when paired with a spicy meat kabob or two. After being run off by some German kids smoking at the next table(yes it is still legal here, at least outdoors) we went down to get dessert at the winstub in Schwendi.
Back at the house we drank a bit into the evening and then off to bed. Tomorrow we take Scott to Strasbourg to explore and to throw him on his next plane.
I wandered out to run the hills near Turckheim one last time, and as usual the one big hill kicked my butt!
Nita, Donna and I went to the big fancy grocery store to restock the house with paper goods and cidre. Lots and lots of cidre...
Early evening the crew got back to the house after what sounded like an amazing day of trading info with extended family. Pat has put thousands of hours into their genealogy, publishing a couple of books along the way. What a splendid opportunity to root through church and marriage data right from the source.
After a bit of unwinding, we trooped down to finally get the Turkish meal that Kim had been wanting. Not bad. Turkish beer is damn tasty when paired with a spicy meat kabob or two. After being run off by some German kids smoking at the next table(yes it is still legal here, at least outdoors) we went down to get dessert at the winstub in Schwendi.
Back at the house we drank a bit into the evening and then off to bed. Tomorrow we take Scott to Strasbourg to explore and to throw him on his next plane.
Folks Come and Go
After a slow morning we all went down to Old Town for one last romp around before the gang changes again.
We missed Fernando and Debbie but later met back at the house for a farewell moment.
After they scooted off for the train station we had a few hours to goof off before Kim's father, Pat and her brother Scott joined the party.
They were not rolling in till evening so we busied ourselves with preparing a spread of cheese and sausages, salad and lots of olives and other pickled tasty bits.
Kim and Ryan ran down to grab them a tad before 8. From all evidence Pat and Scott had a great ride in from Switzerland and looked to be in chipper shape. We spent the rest of the evening snacking, drinking and swapping stories about our travels.
I get the feeling they will be a fun addition to the house.
We missed Fernando and Debbie but later met back at the house for a farewell moment.
After they scooted off for the train station we had a few hours to goof off before Kim's father, Pat and her brother Scott joined the party.
They were not rolling in till evening so we busied ourselves with preparing a spread of cheese and sausages, salad and lots of olives and other pickled tasty bits.
Kim and Ryan ran down to grab them a tad before 8. From all evidence Pat and Scott had a great ride in from Switzerland and looked to be in chipper shape. We spent the rest of the evening snacking, drinking and swapping stories about our travels.
I get the feeling they will be a fun addition to the house.
Tuesday is Chore Day
Tuesday we bunked about the house doing a good deep cleaning and de-mucking of the fridge. Fernando and Debbie are leaving us tomorrow for Paris and we will see Pat and Scott roll in on the end of their whirlwind trip through what seems like more of Europe.
We spent most of the day running the vacuum, dusting, mopping floors and cleaning the bathrooms. This many people take a toll on the house pretty quickly and it takes some attention to keep things livable.
We went into town for one last meal with Fernando and Debbie at Caveau Sainte Pierre, one of our more pleasant discoveries this trip.
Gonna miss Debbie and Fernando, they make traveling all the more easy!
We spent most of the day running the vacuum, dusting, mopping floors and cleaning the bathrooms. This many people take a toll on the house pretty quickly and it takes some attention to keep things livable.
We went into town for one last meal with Fernando and Debbie at Caveau Sainte Pierre, one of our more pleasant discoveries this trip.
Gonna miss Debbie and Fernando, they make traveling all the more easy!
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