apologies.

Seriously. I have been so delinquent with this blog lately, and when I actually have interesting things to say, no less! (Or at least, interesting experiences to report on. My ability to report on them, however, remains debatable.)

So. Until I get my act together and post some more recent info and photos, back to Colmar, France. (My first trip back to France since an absolutely miserable long weekend during my brief tenure in London!) Let me just say that: A) Colmar is a lovely, interesting, compact, old city, staffed by (mostly) pleasant local people; and, that having been said... B) for its reputation as a culinary destination, I was rather disappointed, but that's what I get for letting my husband talk me into eating our two main meals in the city inside our hotel, which was lovely, but the food just was just not up to my (apparently very specific) gastronomic standards (i.e., TOO MANY RAW TOMATOES and a decent-but-not-special breakfast); and C) the city was packed with tourists, which was also not my favorite, but was ultimately predictable, as we went over a holiday weekend, during which they were hosting some sort of super-cute and city-wide Easter market. Oh well. I can't really see making a specific trip back there just for ourselves, but at least the place was crazy picturesque, even with the galloping hordes.

Our first view of the city...and this is just their train station. Ridiculous.

Mike, trying unsuccessfully to find us a taxi. It was warm outside. We ended up walking, but at least it was pretty!

Court of Appeals. Fancy appeals.

And then this. Our first view of the "old town."

Yeah...stuff there is old.

I love this middle building: look at the wonky roof! And the crescent moon shutters! And the timbers on either side! 

The canal. Mike and I love how any town with a "canal" is called "The Venice of [insert region here]." In Colmar, they just call it "Little Venice." Our hotel was the minty-green building on the right, where it says "HOTEL." Our room faced the canal.  =)

LOOK AT THESE BUILDINGS. It was almost too much for an architecture enthusiast such as myself.

Pastries at the Easter market. We had one of the giant sugar donuts.

Naturally, they have an amazing cathedral.

Who doesn't love a good flying buttress? Certainly not me. I think they're highly underrated and underemployed in modern architecture.

Yeah...it's old, too. (And also, yaaaay, French! My next project after a thorough mastery of German...)

More timbers, and pretty painted shutters.

Seriously, could this place be any more medieval-y?

Love this building. Complete with tower, cupola...

...and guy on the corner. Also old.

Here it is, in (mostly) its full glory. Note hordes of tourists.

One of the few things I love about overly touristed places: just a street or two away from the main drag, peace. And always better food. But not here. 'Cause we ate at the hotel.) 

Stay tuned: a shabbily-rendered review of the restaurant we went to for Mike's birthday, and his festivities, plus Belgium. Their country slogan should be "Belgium: Who knew?"