Day Trippin

Saarland is a historically fascinating location, situated in an area that has been fought over for centuries, conveniently for us as sightseers, although inconvenient for generations of Saarlanders. During the month we have been in Saarbrucken our daughter A (and family -W and I) we were able to step out for a couple of day trips to explore the surroundings.  Two places, each about an hour away, Trier to the north, and Strasburg to the south.  A & W, also got away for a day to another spot just an hour away Metz (let's go Metz!) .

First off, TRIER which provided a perfect over-view of Western Civilization. From the Roman rule and ruins in the 200's to graffiti ruins today,

with many points in between

It's a city that is everything you expect in Europe, a mark from every ruler- from the Roman Amphitheater (fun fact- despite what we heard from all the old gladiator movies, vomitorium did not refer to a place to vomit rather it was the word for the large tunnel like entrance/exit you see at stadiums where people were "vomited or spewed out" after a large gathering, (thanks for missing this teachable moment Tony Curtis), to the Franks, the Holy Roman Empire, Napoleon, the Prussians and eventually the Germans. Now it is a beautiful melange .

 

 It was also very jarring to see beautiful statues of Mary next to H&M signs and Doner shops.

   Trier is also the birthplace of Karl Marx,  here is his large beautiful home near the town center (apparently, he was really into socializing).  His home is now a museum, which appropriately is now next door to a chain pizza shop and Karl Marx snow globes are sold under the Roman Arch.

As we entered TRIER we were treated to a lovely student concert at the Roman Gate

Next was on to STRAUSBURG, which we understood to be the jewel of the Alsace area.  It was a picture perfect French city with the huge and amazing cathedral made only better by the plethora of nuns framed by half timbered buildings taking pictures everywhere. In fact there were so many nuns we were unable to enter the cathedral.   Guess they couldn't find the vomitorium.

But beyond the cathedral there was lot a more. As with Trier, wide range of styles of buildings from middle ages through fin de siècle art nouveau to modern new European Union buildings.  There were canals and rounds of cheese.

Carousels and enormous stork nests (the symbol of Alsace, they migrate and nest here) throughout the city on chimney tops

 A fun botanical garden with frogs and squash tunnel












and wonderful church bells

This week’s photo of topless old man looking out window contemplating his life:  at work in the Soma Factory.