Bumming around
Europe
STORY AND PHOTOS BY Matt Smith
It’ s terrifying, yes, but exhilarating, too, I think to land in a distant land wondering where the heck you are. Which is where I found myself in December upon exiting the Colmar train station.
Located in the Alsace region of northeastern France, Colmar is famous for its Christmas markets, something I just had to check out.
Hit me, though, it did walking out of the station that I forgot to look up how to get from there to the markets. I could’ ve asked someone. Instead— Colmar’ s a small town— I decided just to walk around until I found the festive Christmas stuff, or didn’ t.
When it comes to Europe I’ m quite content just aimlessly wandering given there’ s always something to see. Something, unfortunately, less exciting in North Texas. That is, unless scoping out Walmarts, Taco Bells and strip centers happens to be your idea of fun.
Several blocks from the station I stumbled upon what looked to be Stately Wayne Manor from the old“ Batman” show but turned out to home to the“ highest jurisdiction of the departments of Eastern France,” which means it’ s a courthouse, I think. It was Sunday so I couldn’ t go in to check for sure.
Through enshrouded misty fog, I entered a charming park and spotted an imposing brick structure that brought to mind Rapunzel’ s tower but turned out to be a 19th Century water tower, or so some French lady told me. It even had a thick, heavy wooden door at the bottom that was unfortunately locked. The same park houses a statue of Colmar born Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty. From there I trekked through mansion filled neighborhoods wondering what they
look like inside and who lives there. Some guys on bicycles pointed me toward a huge cathedral telling me the Christmas markets were just beyond. Stopping to check out the impressive church first, I saw a statue of another guy— Europe’ s big on statues, wish we were, too,— whose name I forget. From the statue’ s plaque and my limited French comprehension I surmised that the guy invented math or engineering or maybe discovered the moon. Or some such. Sounds like he was a pretty important guy whatever he did.
The Christmas markets? Holy cow, Colmar is simply enchanting. It’ s a Hansel and Gretel fairytale gingerbread village straight out of the 1700s and even more so at Christmas, given its decked out decorations and endless rows of Yuletide stalls and attractions.
Too soon it was time to head back to the station for my return train to Paris. I laughed out loud upon sighting the mural fronting the station, a hapless lass tied to the tracks, a speeding locomotive bearing down upon her as a man on horseback races to the rescue.
Probably not the best way to promote rail travel, but cool all the same. Cool, too, are French trains. People bring dogs and bicycles on them. Moving from one train car to another I bumped against a huge, fortunately friendly, German Shepherd snout. Then I spent the rest of the trip watching French countryside roll by.
My Paris Airbnb, an apartment in one of the city’ s iconic Haussmannien buildings, was simply stunning. The owner told me her parents bought the place in the‘ 50s for a song and that she could sell it for millions now if she wanted. She didn’ t and I don’ t blame her cause I wouldn’ t either. One night I drifted off to sleep to the sounds of her daughter playing Brahms on piano.
10 Community Life