Strasbourg, etc.

Salut!

Well, I'm two weeks in! This week we're finishing up orientation and choosing what 'real' classes we're going to take, and then my Parisian student life begins. As a celebration of the end of orientation, CUPA took all of the students and administrators to Strasbourg for the weekend. 

We had to be at the train station early Saturday, so spirits were kind of low and sleepy on the way there. Taking the TGV from Paris - Strasbourg only took a little over two hours, so we were able to have almost an entire day of sightseeing and fun. 

The cathédrale is absolutely enormous, so you can see it towering over all the other buildings almost as soon as you enter the city. The storefronts and homes were in the German style and the entire town looks like something from Epcot Center at Disneyworld. 

The cathédrale (it's too big to fit in one picture!)

Houses along the canal (taken through a rain streaked window)

We took a boat tour (covered, thank goodness! It was raining!) through the canals and saw a lot more of the town as well as some of the bigger landmarks. 

The European Parliament building (and a reflection of the lady sitting in front of me...)

On Sunday we took a bus to the smaller town of Obernai. The château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg is on a mountain overlooking the town, and the weather was clear enough to see around for miles. The château was built in 1079 by Frédéric de Hofenstaufen, but partially burnt down in 1462 during an attack and then was under siege and captured during the 30 Years War. It was nearly destroyed and thus abandoned. Between 1901 and 1908, it was restored by German architect and archeologist Bobo Ebhardt and is now a historical site belonging to France. 

The front of the château

Yeah, my dining room looks like that too

Looking out the battlements at the valley below

After returning to Obernai, we had a an "Initiation aux vins d'Alsace avec dégustation" (Intro to Alsacian wines with tasting) led by Frédéric Voné, a maître sommelier. He literally has a degree in wines, so he talked about the finer points of wine: la robe (the color and appearance), la diversité arômatique (which is linked with the wine's origins and it's quality), and les saveurs gustatives (the acidity, sweetness, and overall flavor of the wine). And, of course, we tasted several types of Alsacian wine using proper etiquette and wine tasting-ness (the swirling, the sniffing, and the spitting!). 

When it was time to get on the train home Sunday afternoon, I had an "oh my gosh!" moment. By coming home, I was coming to PARIS! I think it's finally sunk in that I'm here to live and learn and play--for four months! It's not a vacation, but a temporary home and an unforgettable adventure. Bring it on!