Well, day 6 on my European river trip along the Rhine. The last two stops were in Rhudishime and Mainz. Now in Strasbourg.
Rhudishime was quite a lively place with a very traditional German township and quite a tourist stop.
I managed to get out in the town for a few pints after dinner as the entertainment on the ship consisted of a string quartet, so after a couple of tunes I headed ashore and found a couple of bars with good live entertainment.
Strasbourg today and a very quiet place it is, but I suppose it is Sunday.
Note to self:- next time you ask the activities rep if the city centre is within walking distance and he advises taking a taxi, believe him.
He pointed out the cathedral spire protruding from the city skyline and suggested taking a taxi there.
Me of course knowing better and using my infallible sense of direction and distance assessment, reckoned that it was a walk of about 2 miles and set off.
This is me sitting in a coffee shop one and a half hours later with sore feet having walked about 4 +miles.
There is a distinct shortage of coffee shops in Strasbourg on a Sunday. However, this one is excellent and the coffee is good.
Now the French people are lovely but my experiences with them through numerous tours I have driven with them and various visits to France is that they are fully paid-up members of the awkward squad and although most of them speak very good English they do not readily cooperate with anyone who does not at least try to speak French. Some of you might remember my story concerning a trip to Monti Carlo where again, I tried to subvert local advice, decided not to take the advised taxi and walk to my hotel which I duly found after receiving directions from numerous people which took me all over Monty Carlo and that was only the people who admitted to understanding English.
Anyway, my fluent French stood by me today as I masterfully ordered my cappuccino in about the only sentence I know in French.
I remember in my touring days, I had a French group of veterinary surgeons doing a tour of Abattoirs in the Aberdeen area.
On the way back to the hotel which was on the outskirts of Aberdeen one day, the organiser asked if I could take them into Aberdeen for a short shopping stop. Now I was only booked until 5 PM each day but I agreed to take them. I stopped just off Union Street and explained that I couldn’t wait there because of parking restrictions but I would be back at exactly 5.30 and could they be on time as I could get a parking ticket if I had to wait.
Well, French people being French people, some of them did not turn up for another half an hour. Fortunately, a parking attendant did not happen by.
The following day the same thing happened as the organiser asked again if I could take them to Aberdeen. This time when I stopped to let them off I explained that perhaps an hour was not sufficient for their shopping needs and there was a good taxi service nearby so, I would be there at 5.30 and would assume that if anyone was not there, they would have decided to take a taxi so would leave for the hotel.
Every single one of them was waiting at the pick-up point when I arrived there
So, I will finish my coffee and head back to the ship
Have a nice Sunday folks
Bob Costello 