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Saturday, December 7, 2019

Before we met our group at the Frankfurt Airport, we traveled by train to Strasbourg for a few days. The French were on strike which meant the trains in France were not running. Our train went as far as the border of Germany and France and then we hopped on a bus, illegally I might add, to cross the bridge into France and then rolled our suitcases over cobblestone streets for an hour to reach our hotel in old Strasbourg which was very near the Christmas Markets. Security was tight with many streets closed to vehicles and guards checking bags before entering the market.

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We had a long day and upon arriving at the hotel asked for a good recommendation for local cuisine. They recommended a restaurant on River Ill which is just under the large tree to the left of the picture. The food was great and the walk without all of our luggage was much easier.

The owner of the restaurant hunted the Alsace woods regularly and he would bring specials in every day. We had sausages as an appetizer - with cheese - which was delicious.
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Across the Ill River from the hotel was a church and a Christmas Market - all lit up.
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After dinner we walked around the hotel area as it was so pretty with the Christmas lights.

Barrage Vauban, or Vauban Dam, is a bridge and defensive work erected in the 17th century on the River Ill. At that time, it was known as the Great Lock, although it does not function as a navigation lock in the modern sense of the word. Today it serves to display sculptures and has a viewing terrace on its roof, with views of the earlier Ponts Couverts bridges and Petite France quarter. It has been classified as a Monument Historique since 1971.
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The barrage was constructed from 1686 to 1690 in pink Vosges sandstone. On the right is the wall of the National School of Administration which drops right into the water.

The principal defensive function of the barrage was to enable, in the event of an attack, the raising the level of the River Ill and thus the flooding of all the lands south of the city, making them impassable to the enemy
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All the streets were decorated for Christmas, all the streets....
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Lots of things to buy in the various Christmas Markets - over 10 in Strasbourg.
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Colorful waterfall type of lights - almost daylight there were so many decorations.
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The major intersections sported huge displays.
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The street leading into the old part of the old town - with the building lit up.
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A bridge over the river Ill.
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Looking toward one of the bridges at Ponts Couverts which is a set of three bridges and four towers that make up a defensive work erected in the 13th century on the River Ill in the city of Strasbourg in France. The three bridges cross the four river channels of the River Ill that flow through Strasbourg's historic Petite France quarter.

The Ponts Couverts have been classified as a Monument Historique since 1928.
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A pretty storefront.
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One of the bridges to our hotel over the River Ill. A restaurant is all alight with Christmas lights and you can see the "Petite France" banner which welcomed us to our section of the old town.
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Another colorful restaurant on the waterfront across from our hotel.
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