Reflections

On Thursday we organised a taxi to drive us back from Ypres to Lille so that we could catch a train - in fact, two trains - to Strasbourg - and all went well. From then until today we have been in a comfortable/ not flash apartment near the centre of Strasbourg.

I thought I would share a few reflections on our last few days, as we focused on the horrifying tragedy of World War One, and the consequences for the New Zealand soldiers involved, one of whom Des knew.

In WWI, more than 120,000 New Zealanders enlisted, and over 100,000 served overseas. Most were young men, and nearly one in five who served abroad did not return. That’s 20,000 people who didn’t get the chance to blossom, and who knows what amazing contributions to NZ society they might have made.

We visited Tyne Cot cemetery, which has 11,900 marble headstones of Commonwealth soldiers. Many were New Zealanders.

Maybe one headstone in eight of the headstones I saw had no name.

And there is a memorial for the 1,200 Kiwi soldiers whose bodies were never found.

So sad.

Today is a waypoint in our holiday. This afternoon we join the MS Leonardo da Vinci for a 7-day “4 Rivers” cruise: the Romantic Rhine (we’re not too old yet!), the Moselle, the Neckar and the Saar.

After a fairly heavy few days, I thought it might be appropriate to add photos of a few lighter moments:

* Toilets in French & German cafés are always downstairs!
* An unusual use for pretzels (in Alsace, bretzels)!
* In medieval houses, nothing is square!
* The fountains of Strasbourg!!
* Gingerbread, anyone?
You can see much further if you’ve got two heads!
* And Desiree is not that old, after all!
* An Alsace Gewürtztraminer with lunch!
* You might be in church, but Big Brother is always watching, and he’s not happy!
* Time for lunch!
* This is what bad food can do to you!
* Want to buy a shop?
* And we’re in France, after all: Liberté, Égalité,…?Read more