We did. Nobody even asked to look at our ticket. The non-reserved seating was tight, but we walked to the other end of the car we’d boarded and found pull-down seats in an open area that we shared with a bicyclist and a person in a wheelchair.
We walked a block to the modern Hotel Colmar where we’d booked three nights. It was all decorated for Easter. We’ve noticed before that this determinedly secular country goes all out for Pâques.
Our room was ready, tiny but clean and modern.
We walked 15 minutes to Colmar’s old city center, stopping to watch some sort of civilized demonstration involving singing, drumming, and parading.
Later we had a glass of wine at the hotel’s tiny bar and chatted with the friendly reception clerk. She brought to our attention the fact that Tuesday, the day we were checking out and traveling to Metz, was planned to be something along the lines of a general strike. It was time to make a decision.
With her assistance, we canceled our third night in Colmar and she added Monday night to our Metz hotel reservation.
Train tickets would have to be sorted out.
With that done, we walked over to the Hotel Bristol, just across from the train station.
There we enjoyed an Alsatian dinner in their Brasserie L’Auberge. We shared a hearty salad, topped with bacon and a soft-boiled egg to start.
Then it was sauerkraut and meats for Kathy, and veal with a cream sauce for Brian.
We were up fairly early Sunday morning, Europe’s first day of Daylight Saving Time. We spent a fantastic day touring with Cedric Schuyler, the owner of Detour Alsace.
We’ll describe our tour and winery visits separately, but can first report that Sunday evening we’ve managed to change our Tuesday train tickets for Monday without charge.
Everything has worked out surprisingly well up to now.
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