“To move, to breathe, to fly, to float,
To gain all while you give,
To roam the roads of lands remote,
To travel is to live.” ― Hans Christian Andersen, The Fairy Tale of My Life: An Autobiography
From Titisee to Paris we spent few hours at a city in Alsace, France named Colmar. We rode a small guided city tour train that lasted up to 40 minutes that gives you a better view of this old town’s stunningly beautiful, well preserved renaissance charm. The train ride are comfortable and with comments in many languages with a lot of information about history, main famous people and architecture. There’s something about this town that makes me want to sing and reminded me of that first song and opening number, “Belle” in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Its cobblestone streets and walkways, flower-lined canals, sidewalk cafes, and numerous half-timbered houses It’s like I’m in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast but in real life and I kid you not. All of Colmar’s attractions are concentrated in its old town that you can get around on foot with no difficulty. There’s La petite Venice (Little Venice) to explore with small canals reminiscent of Venice, Italy.
We ate at a local outdoor cafe that our tour manager recommended and it’s a must to eat crepes here in Colmar and so we tried and it seems all French people enjoy crepes and cider and they are everywhere like you feel it’s a weekend and people are enjoying their sip of coffee, chatting with friends and just being outdoors.
Our tour manager mentioned that Colmar is the best place to be during Christmas, he mentioned that one day he would want to spend the holiday season here. I can’t just imagine how wonderful the ambiance would be… this Old town illuminated with Christmas decors soothing aura of light over the centre of Colmar like Hollywood tinsel town but with historic setting based on old age tradition and heritage. It’s more than magical … being in a fairy tale and not just in an ordinary day… but being in a fairy tale on a Christmas day!
Just outside in the north entrance of Colmar stands a 12-meter high replica of the Statue of Liberty. It was sculpted to commemorate the 100th death anniversary of the sculptor Auguste Batholdi, who was born in Colmar and created the “Liberty lightening the world”. As a homage to the “father of the statue of liberty” the city of Colmar placed this replica. It is intended to honor the most prestigious artist of Colmar and pay tribute to the work of art which is probably the most famous in the world. This statue is also another link with the United States, already symbolized since 1986 by the signature of a twinning agreement between Colmar and the university town of Princeton, not far from New York.
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