Saturday, 10 September 2016

Transit to Colmar

On Thursday we took the train to Colmar, where we plan to join an English tour group. Our group hotel is a historic building, Maison des Têtes.
 

The building dates from 1609 and is named for the number of faces on, of course, its façade. On top is an Alsace barrel maker marking when it was Colmar's Bourse de vins.

 
We had an exploratory walk around town in the morning, and found a please park, the Champ de Mars.
 

 
This fountain dedicated to an admiral, has statues representing four continents, also named for specific people, one a grandmother of Yves St Laurent, another the negro in the foreground Albert Schweizer (an Alsacien).

At the end of the path another name

 
How would such an ascription be received in an Australian context? We have revived glory for World War fallen, but I haven't anyone say of a soldier in a modern battle context "died for Australia", yet that is consistent with the duty of a military volunteer. France is quite frank about such matters, as shown by this plain speech in the centre of town
 
And for something brighter, here is cute Colmar, the Koifhus, a bonded warehouse downstairs and Council chamber for a 10 city alliance upstairs, the building dating from 1480.
 
 



1 comment:

  1. Have been following with interest - all fascinating. Will be interested to hear about the tour group.

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