Alsatian Town of Riquewihr

We docked in Breisach, Germany but on the other side was France.  Dan chose the bike tour again, staying in Germany and biking almost to the Black Forest.  It was a rather strenuous ride only because the guides had them stop in a coffee shop for hot cocoa and then realized they needed to back in less time than it took them to bike there.  Plus it was uphill!

I chose France and a visit to this town in Alsace.

The description said "Step back in time this morning with a visit to the enchanting Alsatian town of Riquewihr.  Having survived World War II without damage, this charming 

medieval hamlet looks more or less the same as it did in the 16th century.  On your walking tour, admire Riquewihr's historical architecture, frozen in time, and its surrounding vineyards as well as famous sights such as the Older Gate.  while there, enjoy a visit to a winery for a tasting of locally produced Alsatian wines."

The wine tasting happened early: 10 am!  But I did partake.

We had an informative tour and then time to shop which I did with success for granddaughters and myself.

It was a very colorful town.

Dolder Gate above on right.

Here's the old wall around the town.

You have to be connected to the town in order to buy property here.  Someone in our group asked about that.

I never saw a stork but here's the nest of one.  They can be quite heavy so most houses have a special place for the stork to nest instead of the chimney.

Next stop Basel, Switzerland and time to disembark.

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Strasbourg, France

Saturday, March 31st brought us to Strasbourg, a sizable French city.

The river was filled with swans as we docked.

As I wrote last time the rich food of the night before kept me onboard for the morning.  I used the time to walk the track and read.

Though it was Saturday I saw the container shipping yard across the way load barges with containers.  Strasbourg is the second largest port on the Rhine.  We were docked in the midst of it and had to rely on busses to take us to town.

Dan took a guided bike tour of the city.  He's there in green.

After he returned and we lunched we took the shuttle bus to the city center so he could show me some of what I missed.

The city center is a World Heritage Site.  The town has been violently disputed between France and Germany for years. 

Being Saturday of the Easter weekend the streets were filled with people.  These were the biggest crowds we'd experienced.  I'm not big on walking in crowded areas in Europe or anywhere.

The city's main sight is the Cathedral Notre Dame de Strasbourg coming into view above as we walked a less congested side street.  And below where it looked like one spire was never finished.

There was a line to enter.

This style is much more ornate than the Cathedral in Speyer.

Inside Dan pointed out this spectacular window.

The cathedral has an astronomical clock somewhat hidden by scaffolding.

Dan called the pole on the left a totem pole.  Close up below.

Back outside we walked back to catch the shuttle to the ship leaving the crowds behind.

Chef's Table Dinner

Friday evening of our cruise was the night we signed up to eat at the special Chef's Table for a 5 course tasting menu.  It was our 44th wedding anniversary.

It's described as a tasting menu because there are a variety of items on each plate that are just a taste.  I didn't write down what it was we had.  Sorry.

It was very rich food.  Though I enjoyed eating it, I paid for it overnight.  Ever have that happen to you?  I stayed on board when we arrived in Strasbourg, France the next morning.  

postscript: In answer to the question posed by a reader about why the Bishop in Speyer encouraged Jews to come live there I went in search of an answer in Wikipedia.

The reason for asking the Jews to come to Speyer was their important role in the money and trade businesses, especially with distant regions. Money lenders were needed on a large scale for the construction of the cathedral. The deliberate settlement of Jews was seen as a measure for business development. The Jews can also be regarded as pioneers of urban development in Germany.^[6] Bishops, lords or kings who granted privileges and protection to the Jews were at the same time securing for themselves considerable revenues and protection fees; since persecution of Jews and trade restrictions led to considerable economic disadvantages and loss of revenues, it was in the ruler's best interest to restrain the antisemitic fervor of the lower clergy and the public.

Speyer - Part 3

This is my last post on my visit to Speyer and probably the most fascinating part of this town's history.

Quoting again from The Daily Cruiser we received each night:

"The first Jewish community emerged in Speyer at the instigation of the bishop.  In 1084, Bishop Rudiger Human invited Jews to move to Speyer and settled them in the former suburb of Altspeyer which he had surrounded by a wall for their protection.

Along with this invitation, the bishop granted the Jews the rights and privileges which went well beyond contemporary practice.  They were confirmed by the emperor Henry IV I 1090 and became an example for Jews' privileges in many cities in the empire.

A Jewsih quarter soon also developed next to the bishop's district near the cathedral.  Its center, the Jew's Court, contained men's and women's synagogues and the Mikveh (ritual bath).  The ruins of the Speyer Synagogue are the oldest visible remnants of such a building in Europe.

What the synagogue would have looked like outside and 

inside.

The Mikveh (below) first mentioned in 1126, has remained unchanged to this day and is still supplied by fresh groundwater.

"For two centuries, the Speyer Jewish community was among the most important of the Empire and in spite of pogroms, persecution and expulsion, had considerable influence on Ashkenazi culture and the spiritual and cultural life of the town.  Nevertheless, anti-Semitism and persecution were no less violent in Speyer than in other places and the Jewish community shared the fate of most.  The Yiddish surnames Spira, Shapira and Shapiro possible derive from Shpira, the Hebrew name for Speyer".

I asked the guide what happened to the Mikveh in the time of the Nazi and the answer was nothing.  It was not purposely destroyed as synagogues were.  It was likely used for storage.