The concert went well in La Chaux, and I have many photos to process from the two days there and from our travels thereafter. But before supper this evening, I want to put up a few pictures from our trip this noon. We visited Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, which is outside the wine part of Alsace because it is higher in the Vosges mountains. The Wine Route is never more than 2 kms wide, so it is easy to get away from it.
One of Janice's Roth ancestors was born in 1690 in or near Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, with farming parents, not mine workers. The mines were principally for gold. One can enter a mine or two, but I was warned that they could be quite narrow, so I declared that I would be spending the entire day above ground, not in it. I think that the Roth ancestor purchased a farm, but was soon forced to sell and leave. We are not sure exactly when, so I'm guessing this might have been part of a government crackdown on Anabaptists in the Alsace.
We entered the town and parked by a church which was being repainted inside, but I took a photo outside at the back of the Catholic Church.
We saw some children on their way to school. The challenge was being brave enough to walk on the telephone pole which is there only to prevent motorists from parking on the sidewalk--a typical French way to find free parking.
Initially, we stopped in town to get lunch. Easier said than done. We were first directed to this promising Wistub (dialect for a place to get wine and food), only to find that it was recently closed because the proprietor simply wasn't able to make a go of it financially. The door frame said that this establishment was begun in 1592. We later found a rather less elegant bar and had a good salad and omelette, beer etc.
The curtains in Alsace always intrigue me. The lace is now machine-made, but recalls long evenings spent by women (never men) who kept their hands busy and then displayed their craft for all to see. One seldom sees slate on the sides of buildings in this area.
It would be foolish to build a town in any area without water. This is yet another mountain stream heading toward the Rhine River, which provides the demarcation between France and Germany.
Janice has announced that we are staying at the Stocky (Stuckey) Farm B&B the next visit to the Alsace. She could hardly believe her luck finding this sign along a lonely mountain road.
This shows more of the farm, built on a hillside, getting into the Vosges mountains. The terrain reminded us of Switzerland, with the steepness of the hills being just gentle enough to enable cows and sheep to graze and hay to be cut for tiding animals over for the winter.
As we approach Ribeauvillé, you can see buildings on the various mountain peaks. I believe that the one farthest away is a pilgrimage destination which still celebrates the Offices.
This evening, we're off to see Kaysersberg be voted on as one of the most beautiful villages in France. This is being televised live, so I took a nap and am ready to go!
With love from us both,
Evan
No comments:
Post a Comment