Road Trip – Strasbourg, France

G and I spent Christmas in Strasbourg, France.

Many of you may already know that Strasbourg is considered the Christmas capital.

And there’s good reason for this.

You see, (spoiler alert), if Santa really did exist then Strasbourg is what he’d model his North Pole after.

The best thing about Christmas in Strasbourg is the palpable holiday spirit that envelopes the place.

And the fact that it’s in France is also a plus (A+), because that means loads of wonderful French food.

G and I stopped by this cheese stand to sample their specialty dish: tartine.

The cheese monger carefully cut a hunk of cheese, assembled the tartine on a paper plate with some bread, basil and garlic, heated it in a portable oven and …

Voila! Outdoor market food the French way.

But there is more to this city than food and its famed Christmas market. There’s the Strasbourg Cathedral de Notre-Dame, considered one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in Europe.

A section of Strasbourg known as “La Petite France” is so special it is a UNESCO world heritage site.

The European Parliament makes Strasbourg its home.

As does the European Court of Human Rights.

After so much sightseeing it was time for some French-style fortification.

A couple of drinking bowls of hot chocolate warmed us inside and out, and prepared us for the next leg of our journey.

We hope you all had a lovely holiday. We look forward to seeing you all again (here or in the U.S.) in 2013.

Arrivederci!

 

Road Trip – Genova

On Sunday, we took a drive to Genova. Genova – Italy’s sixth largest city – is in the province of Liguria, which has almost no flat land.

In addition to its hilly terrain, Genova is known for its dense tangle of dark pedestrian alleys known as caruggi.

As in any big city, Genova has a terrible parking problem. In response to this situation, the Genovese have widely adopted motorcycles as a preferred form of transportation. Not that they needed much convincing. The Italian love of speed is well known.

In general, space is at a premium in this important city and it’s fun to see how people manage to carve out a little more room for themselves.

Not only are these rooftop patios practical, but they afford their owners a romantic view of the sea in the distance.

But Genova is famous for so much more. First and foremost, it is where my father-in-law earned one of his degrees.

It is also the birthplace of Christopher Columbus.

This tiny house was not only the family home, Christopher Columbus’s father also ran a business out of here.

Medieval structures like these punctuate the busy city streets.

Of course, the city is famous for its duomo, Cattedrale di San Lorenzo. The Cathedral of Saint Lawrence.

This imposing structure is guarded by two lions. Seems a child was worried one of the lions might also need some guarding.

Nearby, is the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), where G and I took in a wonderful exhibit of the work of Steve McCurry.

Remember McCurry’s most iconic image?

Of course, there can be no history or fame in Genova without the sea because Genova’s fortunes have always been closely tied to its seaport. If you look carefully, you’ll see reminders of the sea’s importance scattered throughout the city.

This lovely door knocker is easy to miss if you’re not looking.

This street performer dressed as some kind of fisherman is less easy to miss.

As always, there is the simple pleasure that comes with a city’s unique beauty set to the beat of its own pulse.

Arrivederci!