Locked out of Strasbourg

Well that didn’t go to plan. We left Huningue a little later than planned and found that we were in a long queue of ships moving north along the Rhine. Queues were forming at the locks and we had to keep stopping to wait for our turn. We were due in Strasbourg for 7 a.m. By breakfast time it was clear that wasn’t going to happen. In fact we had only just got as far as Breisach. An hour or so later we were told it was likely to be 18:00 before we arrived. The Cruise Director and his staff had been frantically working away at a new schedule. Given that the circumstances were beyond their control, I think they did well. The plan would now begin with coaches into the town at 18:00, a brief walking tour, and then some free time until we headed back to the boat at 21:30

During the morning (instead of roaming around the Medieval town), we sat in the lounge and had a talk on the reminiscences of Andy Foster, the entertainer, who had been a member of the Band of the Grenadier Guards, when younger.

We stayed chatting in the lounge. Outside it was warm but overcast and we saw the occasional sprinkles of rain. We went down for a light lunch and marvelled as we squeezed into some of the locks. After lunch, we continued to chat, but by now we were up on deck. Jane and Trevor did their laps while Diane and I had some Kindle time at the front of the sun deck. It was 15:30 before we arrived at our mooring. So the 18:00 schedule had been a bit pessimistic, but the journey had not really afforded any opportunities for photos. Our arrival did, however, seem to clear the clouds and bring out the very warm sun.

The crew served us a High Tea with a magnificent selection of cakes and sandwiches. I would not usually indulge (not having a sweet tooth) but knowing that we would miss dinner, I grabbed a sandwich and a scone while the rest of the Saganauts indulged in various sweet delicacies. As the clock ticked around towards 18:00 we all gathered to disembark and get on the coaches to take us into Strasbourg. It was only a 20-minute run and we were split into two tour groups. Our guide was a cuddly little Hobbit of a man. He spoke excellent English and was an enthusiastic guide and evidently immensely proud of his city and its varied history.

We started the tour with a walk through the area where the original Roman camp had been and the crossroads of the old Roman roads. As we walked, the commentary continued, explaining that over the last 1000 years, Strasbourg has been predominantly a German city, and it is only in the last few hundred years that it has flipped and flopped between France and Germany.

We rolled into the square in front of the magnificent Cathedral. It is, without doubt, the most ornately carved church I have ever seen. Its soaring tower was the tallest building in the world until the last couple of hundred years. The guide gave us a talk on the fascinating history of the Cathedral and we milled about taking photos. From the square, we could see down interesting-looking streets and alleys. When the official tour finished, we were able to go and explore on our own for a couple of hours.

We walked down past the Cathedral towards the river. The shops, restaurants and bars were immensely picturesque and, being Saturday night, there was a real buzz about the city. 

We crossed the river into the area known as Petit France and wandered along the waterfront and down some of the side streets. Everywhere we looked was a photo opportunity. 

As well as the obvious sights, I was intrigued by some of the rooflines of the old higgledy-piggledy houses. We made our way back up towards the Cathedral and found a bar “Berthom” where we settled for a drink to round off the evening. 

At 21:15 we all gathered in front of the Cathedral which was now lit up and looked quite magical. The crew took a headcount and we set off back to the coaches.

Rain had been forecast and the sky was beginning to look quite angry. As the coaches took us to the boat, lightning flashed across the sky. We arrived back on board just as the rain started and we were treated to an incredible display of lightning (though no thunder) as we settled in the lounge for a late buffet. Jane and Trevor retired to their cabin, but we stayed chatting with Carole and Ian while listening to Andy Foster entertain us with his guitar and saxophone. It was a really enjoyable hour or so, but bed was calling. We said our goodnights and headed for the cabin. Despite the changed itinerary, it had turned out to be an excellent day.