Rhine River Day 2: Breisach - Kaysersberg & Riquewihr
07:55:00That afternoon we did an excursion to Kayserberg and Riquewihr (that's really difficult to spell), which are both part of France but the...
07:55:00
That afternoon we did an excursion to Kayserberg and Riquewihr (that's really difficult to spell), which are both part of France but the style of streets are very like Germany. Our guide explained to us that these part of the Rhine River (a.k.a. Alsace), were changing nationalities over the years during the war, that means three generations in a family can have different nationalities. Our cruise ship was still docked in Breisach and it took us around 40 mins. drive to our first stop - Kayserberg.
The seller was offering free taste and it was the right kind of salty! Give me pretzels any time of the day!
Kayserberg is a small village with a square at the center of it. I have first noticed the traditional houses which have strong Germanic influences. It has steep pointed rooftops with flat tiles which helps during the winter months. The upper walls are of timber framing, while the ground floors were built of stone which can help stop the spread of fire. Also in the older days, when the village got flooded, these type of houses would be easier to transfer to another location.
Shops are quirky but in a good way, you know what I mean?
The tiny square at the center of the village
And when you walk to the back of the cathedral, you will see an old ruined castle. I did not manage to go up because it was cold and looks like it is going to rain, also I was alone.
I entered this shop and I found a lot of stork and ginger bread man products.
Not sure if that cat was for sale!
Off to the next stop another twenty minutes drive later, we reached Riquewihr. It is known to be one of the most beautiful village in France, also for the wine (Riesling) being produced here. I have not tasted it as we spent around an hour only. There were a lot of restaurants and fascinating Christmas shops. This seemed to be much bigger than Kayserberg. It started really raining that day, but I can imagine how nice it would be during the summer.
As we entered the village, this old carriage greeted us.
Too bad, I can only imagine how it tasted.
It also features the usual Alsace architecture.
I entered this Christmas shop and it was truly, amazingly beautiful. I spent most of my time here and I could spend longer if allows. Photography is not allowed unfortunately. It is in two floors covered in wonderful Christmas decorations. It was also expensive, so I can only wander around, I did not buy anything, thinking Christmas was still too far away. Anyhow, I also could not choose which one I should buy.
The tour finally ended, and we all boarded the bus. It was so cold, that I can only long for the warmth of my room. Also, a nice, long shower would be great too.
