The Third Time Lucky Tour: Day 28 - Strasbourg Sightseeing

I bought us a 2/3 person daily ticket through the CTS Strasbourg Transport app. It needed to be validated using NFC, something I've never used before, so it was with some trepidation that we walked to the Tram stop. Would it work or not?

We got to the tram stop, found the scanner, and I presented my phone. Error! I tried again. Error! WTF? The tram was just pulling into the platform, I tried a third time. Bingo, the reader turned green and so did the ticket on my phone. We quickly jumped aboard.

We alighted at the stop nearest the Cathedral, our first port of call.

Strasbourg Cathedral

On the way to the Cathedral, we came across a square where they had a beautiful carousel, from 1900. More surprising though, was the red pillar box! I've no idea why it is there. It could do with a lick of paint though.

Double decker carousel, c.1900

E II R, God Bless Her

Inside the Cathedral they have an astronomical clock, which you need to buy a ticket for, to guarantee being at the show, at 11:30. My info had said to buy from 09:30, outside the door it said 10:00. I managed to buy them at 09:50!

We had a wander around inside, snapping some of the stained glass windows. I love them. The content is hardly of interest, I just love the colours, especially if the light gets behind them.

There was a massive organ too, no, not Grizzly, though he can be sometimes, so I took a picture of that too.

The Organ

I found the clock in one corner and was there as it struck the quarter hour. A little chap stepped forward, dinged a bell and then moved around. Another chap was then waiting for his turn.

The Astronomical Clock

We had 90 minutes to kill before the clock show, so we made our way over to Petite France, the next item on the day's agenda. It's a lovely area full of old half timbered buildings and lots of bridges over numerous pieces of water, not unlike Venice. again the cameras were out.

Petite France

Next stop, the Barrage Vauban. Once a fortification, it is now just a dam, that visitors can walk over or through.

The Barrage Vauban

By the time we'd done these sights, it was time to head back to the Cathedral for the clock show. It's not just a case of watching the clock do its stuff, there is a 30 minute film show that explains the history and the workings of the clock. The film is really great and shows the guy who built the current clock, Jean-Baptiste Schwilgué, was an absolute genius. The things he built the clock to do is just amazing. After the film, a chap explains what the clock will do, and then you wait. We didn't get the full repetoire, I guess that depends on the time and day but what we did get was quite entertaining, if a little slow. A cockerel, a relic from the first clock, there have been 3, crows 3 times. It is the oldest automaton in the world, originating in the first clock in the 14th century.

With the show over, our final sightseeing escapade was, a boat trip. I'd bought open tickets, so you can just turn up and choose what time boat you want to go on. We made our way down to the river for the 13:30 boat. The tour around the old and newer parts of the city, takes about 70 minutes and includes 2 locks and a trip out to the European Parliament building. The boat had a glass roof, so pictures didn't come out that well but I have included one of the special dock, at the Parliament building, where some people did get off. There's a locked gate that the crew have to unlock/lock for anyone getting off.

Euro Parliament Dock

Back on dry land, we called it a day and got the tram back 'home'. Later, we got the tram 2 stops down the line to a restaurant serving giros plates, which was a whole lot better than McDs last night.

Wildlife watch - A few ducks, some swans and cygnets and fish.