Horbach and Wissembourg, France

We went to France yesterday!

I was so happy... it was seriously an amazing moment in my life! It's weird how you can learn a language, and love that language and culture even when you haven't experienced it... and when you actually DO, it's an incredible feeling.  Wissembourg is so beautiful.  The German influence is very evident, especially in their food.  Even though Wissembourg is barely over the border, it was most definitely French!

Welcome to Wissembourg!

The town was exactly how I'd imagine a French town to be... it had a boulangerie, charcuterie, patisserie... even a farmers' market.

Everything looked so good.  We did some sight seeing, went off the beaten path a little bit and found some old steps and walls, and we generally just walked all over the town.

The cathedral was beautiful.

The rose gardens were amazing.  I've never seen roses as beautiful as these...

My big brother Nate and awesome sister-in-law Brooke!

Brooke and I! :)

Roses in every color imaginable.

Dogs are forbidden!

The little hobbit house (above) was built in the 13th or 14th century as a bath house.. it's right next to a canal.

Maison de Stanislas

This is beackeoffe. (back-off).  It's beef, pork, and lamb marinated in riesling wine with potatoes and carrots.  It's delicious.  We had it for lunch at a brasserie called La Vignette.  So delicious.

At a patisserie! Everything looks so delicious...

The train station in Wissembourg.  Not much to look at, but still.

It was an amazing afternoon!  I still find it incredible that you can travel from one country to the next and back again all in an afternoon.  I think that we're going to plan a Rhine River cruise pretty soon, as well as a trip to Luxembourg.  And as always, I'm looking forward to our Paris trip in June!

Today in Horbach, all of the roads were closed (as well as in lots of surrounding towns).  Only cyclists were allowed through.  So all of the little towns had big drinking festivals with lots of beer and live music.  But more on that on the next blog post.  Gute nacht!