Forty minutes away from our rural chateau lies the city of Strasbourg.  The capitol of Christmas!  Joyeaux Noelle!

I came to Strasbourg 20 years ago when I lived in Heidelberg for the summer of 1996.  20 years ago!!!!!!  Goodness.  That is scary.  1996 is so long ago that I don’t even have digital pictures of the first Overseas Adventure that Nathan, Paul and I took together!

What a difference 20 years makes.

We drink wine now instead of cheap apple liquor, we actually buy lunch instead of saving the money for a night train that will also double as a hotel, and where did these little creatures come from?

Joyeaux Noelle.  Yes!!!!!

Strasbourg, you are a city of new memories now.

Burgers, brasseries, cheese-smothered hot dogs, Paul pouring his wine in the garbage, four of us sharing a McDonald’s cheeseburger for a snack, street cafes, crepes, more pretzels, the Astronomical Clock, teddy bears and gluhwein and millions of lights everywhere.

So when are we coming back?  I will light a candle to that.