Europe 2002
Saturday May 18
Alsace, France
Baccarat
We left early in the morning to visit Baccarat, which is in the neighboring state
of Lorraine. This small town on the River Meurthe is famous throughout the world for
the production of high quality crystal. Originally, the Baccarat factories produced
only simple glassware. When that business collapsed due to the economic chaos that
followed the French revolution, the production facilities were purchased by a Belgian
crystal maker. Today, the Baccarat crystal workers are regarded as some of the
finest artisans in France.
Although the "Crystalworks" are not open to the public, the Musée du Cristal
(Crystal Museum), which is housed in the original director's house, displays both
antique and contemporary pieces. Films (in French and English) are also displayed
that explain the process of crystal manufacturing. Included in the exhibits are
a few pieces of historic significance that date to the earliest period of the
crystal works. Near the museum and production facilities is an outlet shop that
sells crystal pieces at slightly reduced prices. These are not rejects. The Baccarat
company has a strict policy to destroy all pieces that are not essentially
flawless. Prices are reasonable, however. Carolyn bought an 8'' angel figurine
for about 75 Euros.
Leaving Baccarat, we followed the Meurthe River west into the Vosges mountains,
and eventually ended up back in Alsace. There is a visibly obvious cultural gradient
in this region of Europe. As you progress westward, the architecture and town names
become noticeably more German.
Colmar & The Alsatian Wine Road
Our destination was Colmar, an Alsatian town about 10 km from the German border.
Colmar is located along the Wine Road, which is similar to Germany's Romantic Road.
If you follow this designated tourist route, you will encounter the most picturesque
wine villages of Alsace. The first glimpses of Colmar, however, are anything but
picturesque. Because modern Colmar is a relatively large city, it has layout similar
to that of Paris or London. The historic core of Colmar is completely engulfed by
industrialized and urbanized 19th and 20th century developments.
The initial impression of the first-time visitor to Colmar might be to think that he
or she has stumbled upon the wrong town. Although the historic core of Colmar is not
quite as immaculately preserved as those of Rothenburg or Brugge, the differences are
neither dramatic nor disappointing. In its colorful buildings, quiet canals, and
winding cobblestone lanes, Colmar preserves an authentic, almost fairy tale-like,
episode of Alsatian history.
Colmar was the place to be from the 14th to the 17th
centuries. Afterwards, the town lie nearly dormant for two long, quiet
centuries. As with Rothenburg and Dinkelsbühl, the sudden economic collapse
that followed a period of sustained prosperity ensured that very few property owners
had the financial resources to modernize. Consequently, many of the elaborate medieval
buildings have survived essentially intact, crooked frames and all. Fortunately,
for the photographer, what the citizens of 16th century Colmar tolerated
in geometric imprecision, they more than compensated for in their exquisite use of
color, especially pastels. The light blues, greens, reds and yellows of the plaster
walls contrast dramatically with the dark massive wooden beams laced throughout the
exteriors of the half-timbered houses. Add in the ubiquitous geranium boxes and
every shot seems worthy of a postcard or a calendar.
Colmar has a special connection with American citizens because it is the birthplace
of Auguste Bartholdi, the designer of the Statue of Liberty. The town has
a museum dedicated to the works of this world renowned French sculptor. Near the
Koïfhus, a medieval customs building and a landmark of Colmar, is the
Schwendi Fountain, the centerpiece of which is a Bartholdi statue dedicated to
Lazare de Schwendi, a medieval crusader who returned from eastern Europe with the
grape seeds that were used to introduce wine growing to Alsace. The most photogenic
corner of a very photogenic city is a small neighborhood nicknamed "Little Venice."
This canal-laced area is populated with numerous tourist-oriented restaurants, many
of which offer outdoor dining on small docks extending over the canals. A popular
tourist activity in Little Venice is a ride on a flat-bottomed boat.
Eventually, I had enough refrigerator magnets, although not nearly enough pictures,
and we began to consider doing what tourists are supposed to do- move along. We
wanted to visit at least one other town along the Alsatian Wine Road. Our choice was
Riquewihr, which is the most popular town along the route. Unfortunately, by the time
we reached Riquewihr, a steady rain had developed. From the shelter of the car, I was
able to snap a few quick shots of the town through the surrounding vineyards before
the steady rain became a pouring rain. At this point, we decided to cut our losses
and head back to Strasbourg. As we left the rural Wine Road and headed toward the
freeway, the pouring rain became a driving rain and, for a few minutes, visibility
was extremely poor. During this period, I bumped a curb as I was making a turn.
Although the bump was not particularly jarring, it soon became apparent that we had
a flat tire, which I changed in the rain. A few hours earlier, Carolyn and I had
agreed that Alsace was, so far at least, the high point of the trip. Then came the
rain and the flat tire. Was it possible for a place to be both the high point and the
low point? Despite the problems, we knew that we would always have fond memories of
Alsace.
When we arrived in Strasbourg, I called the emergency service number provided on the
rental agreement. A problem quickly became evident. To report my specific problem to
an English speaking representative, I had to navigate through a German-language
"push this number if..." menu. After a few failed attempts the manager of the Hotel Suisse
offered to help. Watching this French woman speak to the AutoEurope representative in
German, while asking me questions in English, and simultaneously dealing with
French-speaking hotel staff during this extended process, was humbling. I would
sacrifice everything that I have ever learned about differential equations to have
those language skills. Due, in part, to the fact that it was the weekend, the problem
could not be resolved immediately, but the Hotel Suisse manager did help me report the
incident to the rental company, and, most importantly, was given a telephone number
that I could call that would bypass the automated system and put me directly in contact
with an English-speaking representative. For a few days, at least, we would be driving
on the spare tire.
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