Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg, France was our next stop (after a brief pause in Basel, Switzerland for lunch). It is amazing to me how different these countries are with being so close to each other. Strasbourg had many half-timbered buildings like these.

It also has a gorgeous cathedral that we visited. Eliot really, really wanted the organ to play and I was explaining patiently that the organ probably would not play. There was a mass going on and the priest was talking in French when I heard him mention Bach and the organist let loose. Eliot was very happy to hear the organ!

We saw a carousel on our quest for dinner (my least favorite part of traveling) and I indulged Eliot probably his last French carousel ride for now. I'm sure he'll be back in France some day - but don't know if he will still be so passionate about carousels.

The next morning we rented bikes and went to a great park called l'Orangerie. It had many playgrounds, a small zoo, and some rides. Plus it was very pretty. Strasbourg is very bike friendly and it was such a pleasure to bike after over a year without biking. We took Eliot in a little bike seat and both gave it a shot. It was actually easy to ride with him in back and we are going to look for a bike seat for Eliot when we are back in the states.

This trip was amazing and will certainly be a favorite memory from this year.