On the Road Again..

We set out this morning for Sentheim after a quick breakfast of every croissant type thing we could find. Got checked out of the hotel in Colmar - so fabulous to us. Here is a picture of the hotel dog. He just hangs out in the lobby waiting for people to love him.

With detailed notes about where we left the car this time, it took us only moments to locate it! Much less stress this time. Loaded with maps and a sense of confidence and adventure on the road we headed for Sentheim - the mother country. Mom's great grandfather came from this town before he adventurously brought his family on a boat out of Strasbourg to Galveston eventually making their way to the Alsatian settlement of Castroville (west of San Antonio). We were here for the reunion. There is actually no one here we are visiting - she just wanted to get a feel for the town and possibly do a little research.

I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I have left out the part where we get totally lost and start to freak out just un tout petit peu. You see it's time for another shout out to my TXDOT homies. Maps and all are great IF there are clear markers on the actual roads. Somehow we ended up on a toll highway -let the freak out begin. This went on forever with no chance of a turn around for miles. When we reached the toll plaza, luckilly everyone stops to pay. I had visions of the Texas toll system where you have to have a TxTag like thing on your car to get through. When we got to the toll taker lady, I pretty much wanted to hand her my purse and say just give me back what you don't need. However, I gained my composure and actually got out some money and we were on our way to Who The Hell Know's Where? After a quck tour (69 seconds) of the MINUTE town of Belfort, we managed to get turned around and headed back to - you guessed it - the toll plaza. This time armed with exact change - like a local - we passed through once more. Crazy American drivers. After a hunch on an exit, eventually got headed in the right directon once more. When we saw the name of the town Guewenheim, clearly we were close, right? Sentheim had to be just moments away. For once we were right. As we rolled into town (if you blink you miss it) and found the hotel, we parked in the lot and took a moment to hold each other and unclench MANY parts.

Once we had gained our composure, we entered the hotel. For those of you who haven't heard the story, this is the hotel where they ONLY had my first name for the reservation and NO OTHER information. The inn keeper took one look at me and said in his too cute accent "Jennifer?". I said "Mais, oui! ". After I pet this hotel's dog, he led us up 2 flights of stairs to room number 1 and we got situated in the smallest but cleanest, most efficent use of space hotel room I have ever been in. Maman will continue with the rest of our afternoon...

First off I was planning on eating lunch here since it had been awhile since we had eaten breakfast. Oh
no,mon cher, that was not going to happen. The Innkeeper said the restaurant was closed for lunch and would not open again til 7:00 for dinner, which is 5 hrs. away! Genvieve suggested a walk to take our minds off of food,fat chance. We strolled all two blocks of the town in about 10 minutes. Here are some of the pics I took. The view from our room. Our automobile is on the far right.

This is a stork on its nest! Last but not least our Hotel.

After the grand tour we returned and I inquired of the Innkeeper if perhaps he had any wine on hand. And yes he did, therefore, I did partake. As I sat there and reminisced about the morning I realized we had to get up a lot earlier tomorrow in order to turn the automobile in and once again catch a train, I don't know if I have it in me to get the first seat.

I could only imagine what lays ahead for us on the road to Mulhouse. I love it when Genvieve in all her urgency says quick which way, make a decision, after she has just told me to get money out for the toll that lies ahead, with a map wrapped around my lap and sheets of directions all over the place because none of them have been right! Ah yes, I did tell her but it cannot be posted here! Paris here we come!!!!!