my solo adventure

5/12/09

I went to Strasbourg again today via the tram. I couldn't figure out how to buy un billet (a ticket), so I decided that once I got on the tram I could pay whoever was taking tickets. However, once I got on the tram there was no one to see whether I had paid or not. So I got to Strasbourg free of charge. Upon arriving, I decided to walk straight and see if I found l'office tourisme which is next to le cathédral. Luckily, the tower of le cathédral is visible from many places in the city and I was able to find it fairly quickly. My first interaction with a french person (no, I lie...the second) by myself was in l'office tourisme, so that doesn't really count. But I did speak french!

After getting directions I went to la Musée de l'OEuvre Notre-Dame. Student discounts are great! After a brief period of confusion, I got a handset guide (the audio was in english :-(). The museum was in several gorgeous Gothic/Renaissance/17th cent. buildings, the center of which was and still is the foundation of the house of Notre-Dame. Since the 13th cent. it has been the resting place of the institution responsible for the administration of le Cathédral construction. The museum itself portrayed the evolution of art in Strasbourg and the regions of the Upper Rhine between the 11th and 17th centuries. There were beautiful stained glass, Rhenish art, tapestries, gold, magnificently carved furniture, and some still life paintings (Sebastian Stoskopf?). All very catholic.

I am so mad at myself...I didn't bring my camera on my adventures today because it was raining in Dorlisheim this morning. So of course it wasn't raining in Strasbourg.

When I was done at the museum I people watched, got some euros from the bank, and started out in the wrong direction to the tram station. Luckily I figured that out pretty quickly and changed direction. I bought une poire (a pear) from a man on the street! It was absolument délicieux!

The automated ticket-givers at the station wouldn't take my card -- it's a visa though! I just followed some signs to the tram to Selestat, which Viviane had told me was past the Dorlisheim stop (and Dorlisheim is such a small ville that it wouldn't be on the signs). ...To make a long and painful story short: 17.40€ and 2 hours later (should have been 15 minutes) I made it to the Dorlisheim station and walked home. It's cold and rainy tonight.