Monday was a religious holiday for France while Americans were celebrating Memorial Day. With that in mind, we couldn't help but notice memorials in several of the small towns honoring the fallen during WWI and WWII. One monument not only named the soldiers, but also civilians who perished during their fight for freedom in the winter, 1944.
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| Kaysersberg, France |
We stayed two nights in Colmar near the old town. Like other old buildings in the region, it too has the colorful half-timbered buildings along with petite Venice, a small waterway where flat-bottomed boats glide you through the old town. Colmar is also the birthplace of Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty.
There are vineyards, as far as the eye can see with castles dotting the mountain peaks to the west. It is an excellent biking area and hiking trails are easy to find. From time to time you can hear the bill-clattering of the Cigognes (white storks). These birds have a six foot wing so they are hard to miss in the sky. Migration takes them to Africa for the winter, and to Europe for the summer. I found it unusual that their knees bend the opposite way from what our knees bend. Their nests are huge and can be found in the most unusual places. I know as home owners, we often find bird's nest in unfavorable locations, but I can't image removing this one.
There are vineyards, as far as the eye can see with castles dotting the mountain peaks to the west. It is an excellent biking area and hiking trails are easy to find. From time to time you can hear the bill-clattering of the Cigognes (white storks). These birds have a six foot wing so they are hard to miss in the sky. Migration takes them to Africa for the winter, and to Europe for the summer. I found it unusual that their knees bend the opposite way from what our knees bend. Their nests are huge and can be found in the most unusual places. I know as home owners, we often find bird's nest in unfavorable locations, but I can't image removing this one.
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| This stork might be a nice addition to the family, but that bill-clattering is loud! |
We toured Haute-Koenigsbourg Castle, built in the 12th century and restored in the 18th century. The castle offers a panoramic view of the Vosges Mountains to the west, the Black Forest to the east, and the Alps to the south.
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| Haute-Koenigsbourg Castle |
Our last stop was the town of Munster, if that sounds maybe like cheese to you, it is. Regarded as the origin of munster cheese, it taste nothing what-so-ever like the munster cheese in the US. That US version I am not a fan of. And speaking of cheese, the most wonderful cheese in the world can be found all over France, bar none!
It seems that every window in France these days has a window box with the most perfect geraniums beautifying the facade of living spaces and businesses. But why geraniums, there are plenty of other nice flowers to adorn your windows. Discussing the lack of window screens that exist in French homes, we question how to keep the mosquitoes and flies from coming in. We have been told that mosquitoes do not like the smell of geraniums and therefore the geraniums are a natural repellent to the varmints! As far as the flies, we have armed our defenses with swatters!
Follow this link for more photos:
http://flic.kr/ps/285kjt
It seems that every window in France these days has a window box with the most perfect geraniums beautifying the facade of living spaces and businesses. But why geraniums, there are plenty of other nice flowers to adorn your windows. Discussing the lack of window screens that exist in French homes, we question how to keep the mosquitoes and flies from coming in. We have been told that mosquitoes do not like the smell of geraniums and therefore the geraniums are a natural repellent to the varmints! As far as the flies, we have armed our defenses with swatters!
Follow this link for more photos:
http://flic.kr/ps/285kjt
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