Colmar

We left Switzerland and US$700 today behind us today. That was the most expensive two days I have ever spent.  This is even with Patti pulling one of her classic elcheapo moves with the train station bathroom. It was 1 Franc to get into the stall so Patti pulled the girls in with her. That saved us a fast 2 Francs.  We are we on our way to recouping the financial damage.

Our Swiss train station lunch alone cost US$45.  By contrast, that was more than enough for a full day of eating out, paying to see the sites, and our overnight accomodations in Vietnam.  It was a very beautiful, albeit pricey, Swiss visit.  I must say that 700 was the most colorful money to pass the through our hands in a long time. 

I also said goodbye to one of my favorite pairs of pants today. As I went to pull my Eurorail passes from my money belt I was surprised to see my underwear. I was fully dressed, but there they were.  The crotch area had begun split unbeknownst to me but no mystery to anyone half paying attention. It is a cold day here and I hope that does not keep up as I now only have 1 pair of pants. I will have to wear my man-prees more often. I bet they are way cool in Europe right now. 

Unfortunately, we had a rainy day today.  Over the years of travel we have had very good fortune with the weather and only a little dreariness which makes you appreciate the Colorado skies. 

We arrived in Colmar today as the rain let up. We wandered a bit until we found door number 6 Rue des Tanneurs.  Our accomodations are pretty cool and old. The fact that our country is younger than the structure we are staying in puts Europes timescale in a little better perspective.  Up there in the purple building, in the attic with the three dormers, that's where we are. 

We are on the top floor and it is a bit like climbing a tree house to get up here and a little like being in one when you arrive. 

One of then highlights of this stop for Patti is the washing machine. Really, it's the simple things in life.  She had been saving things up for the past week, even bringing some dirty clothes from home. This thing was crazy though. It only appeared to support wash times in excess of 3 hours. The machine wash dream was fading before her eyes.  Not easily trampled underfoot by any appliance, Patti went to the internet, to YouTube, to the manufacturers site to seek out the answer.  And find one she did. The 15 minute power wash is the perfect dirty laundry laden back packer cycle time. 

We ventured out to see the town and get some of its legendary hot chocolate which brought some big smiles to a few kids we know. When we walked in to this dispensary they asked if we could wait 5 minutes for a table to which we said sure. Then they asked if we would like to sit at the bar to which we also said sure. So they began kicking people out of their stools for us. It was only after the first two ladies had been ousted and were looking at me a little funny did I realize what was going on. They were in the process of bumping two more ladies when we put the brakes on this barstool madness.  That was really strange.  Then when we were sitting, an older couple, I am guessing 60s, sat next to us with a pastry and a beer for each of them. Not four minutes later were the beers down, the pastry in digestion and the chairs vacated.  That was a little odd. 

Patti and I shared a glass of Gewurztraminer. It took a few tries to order it as our English pronunciation is nothing like the French accented German, or is it the German accented French, pronounciation in this town. 

We are staying in the old Tannery district next to the Little Venice area of the old city and yeah, it is cute.

We picked up some sausage flavored with olive in this little shop behind Riley. The grocer said that it would keep three months after we cut into it without refridgeration.  That sounded like it could get dicey.  Little did she know that it would be gone three days after we cut into it. 

Tara and Riley have earned there keep on this trip once again. They were expert shoppers in the market helping buy all the ingredients for our dinner and then performed another unassisted prep of the entire meal. 

We settled in for the night as the daylight began to wane.  It is staying light here now until 9:30.  I imagine in a month, when we hit the longest daylight hours, it will be light until 10:00. 

See 2015 Colmar for today's pics and tomorrow's.