1984 Luxembourg-Netherlands-Belgium-France
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Day 13 - Wednesday - May 30th

We had a nice run, breakfasted and checked out heading for Colmar and their Musee, which was nice but unremarkable. The cloister was pretty though (pictured right). On we went on the Route du Vin to tour the wine road and the lovely little towns and villages that were all along the way. If only it weren't pouring rain again. We walked around one town and I found a present for Cindy and Bill but they were closed. We stopped for wine and a slice of tart for lunch. There were about 10 German bikers and 2 hikers all eating. They were leaving when we did in the pouring rain. There were beautiful bells in that town too and they rang for 5 or 10 minutes straight.

Riquewihr

Auberge de L'Ill

We finished and headed back for our hotel. We took a quick look at our hotel for that night which looked nice and went on over to Illhausern to see Auberge de L'Ill. OH a lovely place on the river Boy if it were warm and dry it would be so nice to sit by the river. I took a picture and we checked into our hotel. It was nice and modern with all facilities and they speak English. We lay around and then dressed for dinner. There was a letter here from Maureen. It was too bad the restaurant couldn't change our table from 2 to 4.

What an experience! Exceptional place. By far the best yet. They mad us feel they'd been waiting for us especially to arrive. They ushered us to a corner table overlooking the river. I had gotten the chance to choose river or room view. I chose room but we could see both. There was a Cadillac in the parking lot and even a car from the Principality of Monaco!

I'm so pleased that I'm more comfortable now. I read the menu with ease now and everything. We had Kir Royal as an aperitif, and then our waiter brought the menu. As we looked at it they brought us a small slice of quiche Lorrain (superb). I hadn't realized until now that it originated here - doh! We had smoked salmon as a first course. I had medallions of Veau w/asperges and truffles. Luther had canard with Pommes and green peppercorns - excellent. Mine was about 1/2" thick and so tender it melted in my mouth. I've never had anything like it. A-one! We had a lovely 1979 Chateau Palmer - very nice. They decanted it too. I had a charlotte - Luther had strawberries with almond cream - great. Cognac, coffee, petit fours, brilliant!

I must say the room was wonderful too. There was green carpet with white table clothes. The china was white and green. The walls were green with some wonderful paintings. One of the Chef's with pans and food. It was heavy oils but lots of white. I liked it. The menu was an original water color by one Msr. Haberlin (owners are brothers). He's very good. The center of the room was a large "staging area" where all of the wait staff danced a kind of ballet to bring everything off in what looked like an effortless way with perfect timing. It was a real treat to watch. Of course there's lots of glass and the pretty Ill River flowing swiftly past. I'm sure it's more lovely in the summer but there were pretty flowers and flagstones and weeping willows in the garden to see today. It was just rainy. Back to our hotel to sleep. Lovely evening.

Day 14 - Thursday - May 30th

We rose at 7AM to run. We went down a narrow farm lane. It was perfectly flat and seemed to go forever. Perfect for a run - I hated the run.

Back in our nice room we showered and they brought us breakfast in our room. The morning was very gray with light drizzle. We opened the window anyway. There were pretty aspen trees and a widow box with red geraniums. We had a kuglehopf with almonds and powdered sugar. Good strong coffee. When we went out pay they had not noted our deposit because they hadn't opened the mail in months! What a way to run a business.

We retuned to Riquewihr to try to get the crystal for Cindy and Bill. Closed again. Ah well maybe in Strasbourg. We arrived at about 10:30 and drove aimlessly about without a map. Finally we found our hotel which was modern, boring, and comfortable. There were other people from Petersburg VA on our floor. Their accents made me homesick. We went to the Cathedral and got lucky enough to see the 15th century clock work at 12:31. Apostles are blessed mechanically, a rooster flaps his wings and crows 3 times and a little skeleton rings the bell. Really something. The clock stands about 3 stories tall.

Then on to Petite France where they were filming a fashion show. Then we went to a nice place on the Ill river and Luther had French fries and sausage and I had onion tart and we shared a 1/2 bottle of gewûrtstraminer.

We walked back meaning to shop but everything was closed. Then we asked and found out it was a holiday.

We lounged around the hotel and went for a walk before dinner at this German place. It was not at all fancy, just home cooking. We had onion soup and chicken in Riesling sauce with spatzle and a Riesling from Bergheim. It was very full bodied and good.

Strasbourg

Strasbourg cathedral

Petite France

Day 15 - Friday - June 1st

It dawned gray (so what's new). We had breakfast and left early. We got stuck in a bad traffic jam in the Ruhr valley. Such pollution. We also went through some pretty forests and hilly country and then descended into the Mosel valley again. It seemed so familiar almost like coming home. We drove on into Luxembourg and checked into our hotel. It was one or two steps above fleabag. Then we went for a walk.

I bought Bill a T-shirt and we got some coffee. Onward we found a sort of shopping mall. We looked around and tasted cognac and champagne and went out to look at the booze in the supermarket. Boy! What prices! Extraordinary. Luther bought a bottle Remy Centaur - he said you won't find it in the states at all. It cost about $25. If you could find it at home it would be $200. By the time we were ready to leave it was pouring rain. I got wet. Fed our car meter. I wrote a short note to Maureen.

We went to dinner. It was a lovely old place recommended by Ken and Maureen. They had even made the reservations for us.

I had paté de foie gras. I felt I had to before I left. They brought a glass of sweet Sautern-like wine from the Loire valley to go with it. I'll say it was exquisite - the wine set the liver off perfectly. I'm so glad I got it. It was smooth like eating butter. Luther had salmon which was good too.

For mains I had turbot and salmon which was ok. Luther had veal with noodles - OK but not great. Petit fours and coffee came next. I asked for fruit and sorbet as alight desert and they brought a whole plateful, way too much. Luther finished with a 1961 Armeniac smooth. Coffee - Good! Nice last evening in Europe.

Saturday

As I remember we rose and had a good breakfast though service was slow. We lugged our now very heavy luggage (full of wine and brandy) to our car. We hit the airport about 3 hours early. The flight was OK. We met a man from Williamsburg VA. We stopped in Iceland, I bought caviar.

We hit the US about 45 minutes early. Iceland Air has all manual luggage transport so it took forever to get our bags. Cindy and Bill met us. It was a spectacular evening warm and not a cloud (or raindrop) in sight. After we got our car we were driving and the sky turned that deep turquoise and we talked about how everything was familiar yet strange. I felt marvelous even though I'd been up for 20 hours. We got home and our cats seemed puzzled at our appearance but glad to see us.

We will never get the chance to eat like we did again in our lifetime. Three 3*, four 1* Michelin rated restaurants. It was a true culinary education.

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