September 11th – 25th, 2024
September 11th – 25th, 2024
by Richard Bergmann
I am learning that in group travel there are a few “rules” that are adhered to and if broken can affect everyone’s experience.
Here are two rules:
- Punctuality: When Ayold says we meet or leave at a particular time, there is an understanding that you don’t want to be the last ones. Now Ayold doesn’t seem like a scary leader, but he must have put the fear of God into us as this group has an incredible appreciation to this rule and we are running like clockwork. That said if you’re the last ones on at the start of the morning you will wear the badge of honour for the rest of the day being referred to as #23 and #24.
- Stay as a group when on walking tours: we’ve been scoring top marks for punctuality, but I seem to have earned a job on this tour taking up the rear to ensure that we have no stragglers. So, I get to be #24 when we do walking tours which comes with some benefits. I get some extra time to soak in a particular stunning view and take less obstructed pics of the sites that we see.
My job as taking up the rear for a few extra pictures is convenient today as we begin in the small town of Weierhof where the Mennonite Research Centre is based. This sleepy farming village has some ancient houses, farmyards, Mennonite cemetery and church. We are introduced to Astrid von Schlachta who give us an entertaining overview of the Centre, allowed us to touch, feel and smell a 500 year old bible, an ancient copy of the Martyrs Mirror, miniature Russian books with the Psalms in them and some copper plates dating back to the 1700’s that were used for the graphic printing in the Martyrs mirror. We can interact with history normally kept away from the public behind glass windows, so this stop was particularly impactful to us all.
Tour Leaders when planning their itinerary need to work around the lowest common denominator, and in our case it’s our bladders. Strategic toilet breaks are a key factor, particularly in many parts of Europe where they may be more difficult to access and may come with usage tolls. Today’s lunch is cleverly planned by Ayold as we stop in at the Globus Shopping Centre which addresses the lowest common denominator, provides plenty of lunch options and gives us a chance to grab a few snacks for the road.
We have two more towns today to visit with the first one being Riquewier and then Colmar. Riquewier which is a medieval town packed with tourists but a historic village with interesting architecture to take in. This is a great rest stop to stretch our legs before we our final stop and in Colmar where we enjoy a city train tour of another beautiful historic town that some refer to as Little Venice with its beautiful canals. I’m drawn to the countryside that I want to spend more time in – both towns are surrounded by miles of vineyards and agriculture. A definite mental note here to come back.
