Saverne

Saturday, 10th September 2016

A beautiful morning, with a sunny day in prospect.

A trip to the shop, to buy essentials, ie Red Wine. There is a Lidl (Kathleen's favourite shop) nearby.

We head off on the scooter, Kathleen has entered into the "biker chick" role, no protective gear, except her helmet, sitting on the back with skimpy top and shorts.

I inadvertently buy, what for me, is an expensive bottle of wine, a St Emillion, which was on the shelf beside some 2.50Euro wine, but, was actually 8.75Euro. I will have to drink it VERY slowly.

Before the heat builds up too much, we cycle 16 miles along the  Marne - Rhine Canal, towards Strasbourg.

I try to convince Kathleen we should cycle to Strasbourg (25 miles away), but, she is not having it, quickly working out that 25 miles there means 25 miles back!

Superb cycle track, running along the canal, well surfaced, clear signposting at junctions, and, not too busy.

Back to Saverne, for a cooling beer, and some chips.











































After lunch, we chill, and watch the activities at the Equestrian Centre next door.

When we were in Spain (Benicassim) last year, we met a chap, Alan, I think his name was, a retired Ambulance Driver, and fellow disliker of dogs.

He posed the question, "do dogs actually LIKE going on holiday with their owners?". Think about it, why should a dog, bred for cold climates, with a good covering of fur, enjoy baking in Spain at 30C?

Watching the activities at the Equestrian Centre made me wonder if horses enjoyed running round and round in a circle, in the hot sun, with a teen age girl riding on their back?

I think not, more a case, as the horse emerges from it's stable, of "oh! hell, it Saturday, a day of running round in circles in the sun, great, just what I need!"





Sunday, 11th September 2016

Sunday, church for Kathleen, no matter where we are, she virtually never misses Mass on a Sunday.

We cycle into town, all down hill.

Meanwhile I check out the town for places which look promising to have lunch.

After church, a cool beer, to while away the time until lunch.

I have found, what I hope is a good place to eat, Restaurant de la Marne, right beside the Marne - Rhine Canal, and overlooking the lock.

Kathleen is an incredibly fussy eater, so, trying to be helpful, I suggest an item on the menu, Carpaccio de Beef. It is beef I reason, cannot go far wrong. 

Big mistake, it is beef, but cooked extremely rare, cut very thin, and with lots of "healthy" olive oil.

Now, where food is concerned, Kathleen only does "like", "don't like", there is no inbetween. 

The bad news is, this was a "don't like", even worse, I had ordered the same thing, so, could not simply swap meals with her. So, I ate two lots of Carpaccio de Beef, and a portion of salad, Kathleen ate all of the chips, and, a portion of salad, which she had carefully instructed the waiter, "sans sauce", ie, no dressing.

The good news was, the wine was good and the sweets were good.

Lesson learned, "Do not suggest things off the menu, unless, you are CERTAIN, you know what they are".

After beers, wine and food, the hill on the way back to the campsite defeats us about two thirds of the way up!