Obernai & Northern Alsace, France
Three things are essential when traveling in foreign countries. First, you must have an open mind. Some things will seem better, some things worse when compared to back home. The thing is, they’re not better or worse, they’re just different. It’s the reason you travel, to experience the differences.
Second, you have to be flexible. Weather will impact your plans (like it did for me today). Schedules will change. Menus will be strange. They’ll have no concept of paper towels. You just have to adjust and go with the flow.
Finally, a sense of humor goes a long way in life but especially for travel. When a random May snow storm snarls traffic, you relax and laugh at the French version of “I Would Walk 500 Miles” on the radio. Oh, it’s real.
I left my home base in Husseren-les-Châteaux this morning under overcast skies but nothing that looked too alarming (hey, I’m from Oklahoma). By the time I pulled into the village of Andlau 35 miles to the north, a cold rain was beginning to fall. I took shelter in a deserted church and stumbled across worn stone steps that descended into a dimly-lit crypt. Absolute silence…
I didn’t spend too much time down there, just too, uh, atmospheric we’ll say. My next destination was Mont Sainte-Odile abbey, a bit up in the mountains. As I climbed in elevation, the rain turned to snow and it soon looked like I was trying to cross the Alps. Thankfully the ground was warm enough the roads stayed clear of ice.
I didn’t spend too long at the abbey either. I kept thinking about the snow accumulating outside and what I would do if I were stuck in a 1300-year-old cloister. That thought had me hustling back to my car.
Seriously, a snow storm in May?
Thankfully I packed layers (as I always do for these trips). I had a jacket and sweater I’d thrown in the backseat of the car and I quickly put those on. With the heat going full-blast and wipers sweeping the snow off the windshield, I headed back down the mountain to the town of Obernai.
Snow changed to rain and then miraculously, the rain tapered off as I nosed my tiny car into a prized parking slot along the central square. Saturday is not the best day to compete for parking in town with all the weekend shoppers.
Obernai was a nice surprise. Plenty of interesting old buildings and warm shops. Here’s a tip: follow the locals. If a place is packed, it’s probably good. I watched several ladies go into one particular bakery so I followed along. Sure enough, the apple pie with streusel topping was excellent.
Out on the street again I came across a German tour group. More specifically, it looked like a Bavarian tour group. That dark green wool and those hats…
As the rain started up again I decided to head back to my warm Airbnb. The clouds were rolling in low as I made my way up the narrow road to Husseren-les-Châteaux. They obscured the ruins of the three castle towers I used to identify my little village from a distance.
I’m researching my destination for next week. Extensive rain and cold temps look likely for southern Germany so I may head through Switzerland down to the relatively warm Aosta Valley in Italy. It’s only about a four-hour drive south from here. The Alpine landscape looks beautiful and I enjoyed our time in the Italian mountains around Feltre back in 2017.
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Thanks for coming along on the trip. If you have questions or suggestions, tweet @JasonRMatheson. Missed an entry? Click here.
