Strausbourg

I awoke late, with Manuelle (my madame's {read: crazy lady} son) telling me to wake up so I could give him my key at 7:30. I was mostly packed from the night before, so a few minutes later I rushed out the door onto the metro all the way across Paris to Gare de l'Est. I'd be dammed if I wasn't 2 minutes late. Off to a great start. Fortunately, Eurail will let you take the next train. SO after changing my ticket to the one in a few hours, and 16 euro difference in cost, I would be off to Strausbourg. I walked around teh neighborhood trying to find a Orange telephone place to recharge my phone with minutes for emergencies. Finally, after carrying my, what came to feel, heavy bag around for a couple of hours I found a Tabac that would actually do it. So off to the train station to take a nap until my train. It was a short night because the rest of the group wanted the last few hours to spend together, then I had to pack. ONly a few hours of sleep...ahh. Finalay on my TGV to Strausbourg which was filled with occasional naps throughout, I saw the terrain to the East of Paris to Strausbourg. Very PRetty. Finally, just a little over 2 hours later on the very fast train ( over 120 mph ?? ) I was in Strausbourg. First things first: buy my ticket to my next location: Fuessen, Germany. Well after waiting for an anglophone person, she told me all the trains were full to Fuessen the next day. Anyway my pass would not cover a ticket that I bought in France, so I would have to buy it. Darn. All she told me to do was buy a ticket across the border and I could try there which would be free with my Germany-Czech Eurail pass anyway. So 1.50 euros was all I needed for a pass/ticket on a train in the morning. Great!
Onto find my hostel for the night. I had directions which were easy: take the #10 buss in front of the trains station 3 stops. Easy. Found the bust, but eh lady insisted on speaking French with me, not a big deal, which it was France now and not Germany or Czech later! After finally finding the hostel and checking in, it was just early afternoon. An 8 person hostel room, that was actually nice and clean. There was an Australian in teh room that I had a small chat with, then off to sight see.
The city was very beautifull. A very heavily German-Rhine river influence in the buildings. I saw the huge Notre Dame Strasbourg and St. Paul's protestant churches. There was a choir practice in the latter and I talked with the organists for a while after he approached me. The organ in the church is actually very famous, he told me. Many people have played it--including Mozart!. The echo of teh choir and organ was great sound. The city has a small tream running through it whcih had boat locks for a difference in the height. Ver small, but cool. I saw the island where they kept the people with Syphillis (long ago). What a great place to eat dinner, as it was getting that time--said my stomach. I asked a lady at one of the restaurants the guide book suggested...they don't start serving until 7h45. Damn Europeans! They eat soo late. We off to do stuff for 2 hours more. I went back to the Cathedral (Notre Dame) to actually go inside. I Somehow forgot to actually go in. It too was beautiful, better than Notre Dame de Paris I thought but I like the Chatres Cathedral better still. I watched the clock do it's thing @ 7pm, which (I'm sure) wasn't as good as teh noon showing; whcih I missed because of the train problem...my fault. After walking more in the town, I realized it was fairly small, after living in Paris for a month!
Finally dinner tiem I found another restaurant just down the smae road from the other I asked earlier. I saw people eating here: good sign. I was starvign by now. Starging with a "Salad Strausborgean", which was lettuce topped with a mound of swiss (?) cheese some white creamy salad dressing, tomatoes, onions, and a radish. Not bad, actually. Then came teh main course, I really didn't know what it was when I ordered it, but it said it was traditional regional food--so I wanted to try it. Turned out to be stereotypical German food. You've got to remember that these eastern regions of France were German before teh WW's for a long time. Only after the US kicked Nazi butt did we give it back to France. ANyway, it was sauerkraut with a few types of sausage and a potato. I ate as much as I could tolerate. The sausages were good, but it was just too much odd food for my stomach, namely the the sauerkraut juice on everything. For dessert I has some cheese and bread. Very good. I wanted to go see the UN Parlament before turning in for the night. It was a bit of a walk as it is on the outer part of town. nice & New glass buildings. As I was heading back I saw the huge cathedral tower lit up, so I started walking towards it to take a picture but 1/2 way there they turned off teh lights @ 10:30. Oh well, to the Hostel for some sleep!