Strasbourg, a beautiful place in France, influenced by French and German architecture, just so happened to be along our route from Switzerland to Germany. Well, not really, but I adjusted the route so it was. I sought the striking differences in these two architectural styles, harmoniously blending to create a fairytale-like old town, to give me that giddy feeling of discovering something completely foreign to me and that childhood nostalgia of walking into a Disney movie.
Along with the fulfillment of this mission, I stumbled upon the Strasbourg Cathedral, obviously a huge tourist attraction, but somehow, I missed that memo and it showed as I caught a glimpse of this sandstone masterpiece peeking out between the buildings ahead.
As my jaw dropped and a jolt of excitement rushed through my body, I could feel my pace quickening, speed walking towards this gothic style building to unveil the rest of what must be an illusion. Complete with intricate carvings covering much of the stone it is made from, a giant spire shooting toward the heavens, and a massive circular window creating the perfect centrepiece to an astounding feat of architecture, this giant piece of art was finally in full view.
As it so happened, this will forever be the cornerstone of any memory Strasbourg may summon. The shock of this hugely pleasant surprise had my heart fluttering in my throat and a feeling of elation that fooled me into thinking a climb to the top, when I'm not a fan of heights, was the best idea in the world.
As I did not feel right touring the inside of the cathedral when there was a service going on, we opted to pay a few bucks to penetrate this sandstone and follow the designated route up a tightly winding stairwell to a viewing point at the top, walk across, and come down a mirror image of stairs on the other side to eventually touch the sweet, sweet Earth once again.
Going through "security" I thought it wise to follow airport screening rules as I began to remove my sweatshirt and put it in a bin for inspection. Apparently, that was the wrong call, as the security men gasped, frantically trying to find the words in whatever language they thought I spoke, to inform me this was unnecessary.
Before they got this out, I had already successfully whipped it off and wish I could have taken a picture of the relief in their eyes as they discovered a shirt underneath. It made me wonder the kind of people they have coming through here, and furthermore, why they acted as though my body would burn their eyes out of their sockets! I know thirty is approaching... but maybe things are sagging early. Oh well, I'll be flashing anyway, when I'm seventy and have nothing to lose.
After clearing security, and finding the correct door after several failed attempts, we embarked on the oldest stair master I have ever had the pleasure of being on. The stairs, carved from stone of course, were quite easy to climb and did not become mundane as your view changes with every iron adorned window you walk by.
An exciting bonus for some, being able to see this amazing building from all angles while simultaneously seeing an increasingly bird's eye view of the city below. For me, each window was a cattle prod to my ass as I involuntarily sped by them in an effort to avoid my leg muscles turning to jelly from fear prematurely. My head spinning from the unnatural heights I was subjecting myself to, but more realistically from the constant circle I was walking as I climbed each spiralling step.
Finally, we emerged from the capsule that housed those effing stairs onto a large viewing platform that connected the two sides. Pretending we weren't out of breath due to our pre workout formula of beer and charcuterie platters, we explored the mini museums on either side, briefly explaining the history of this cathedral as well as an inside look at it's only completed tower.
The views from above were obviously worth the climb. Signs surrounding the safety railing provided insight as to how the sprawling metropolis below had expanded and changed over the years, pointing out important landmarks from its history. If that isn't your thing, simply gazing down at the mosaic of rooftops nestled beside each other, protected by the hills of Germany's Black Forest, visible in the distance on a clear day, may just make you feel like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, although hopefully after he finds happiness.
From above, the fresh scent of the chilly air as it dances across your face awakens you to the sounds from below, now muted by the sense of peace you will experience at such heights.
Once the sentiment of the moment wore off, the unavoidable task of hiking it back down loomed before me. At least I knew this was the highest I'd be and every step would have me closer to safety, once again.
It was easier physically, of course, but boy did I get disoriented constantly looking down at the circular path I was following, determined not to ping pong my way down due to an unfortunate misstep.
Finally breaking free of my self imposed sentence of climbing an obscene amount of stairs, I stumbled toward a café at the base of the cathedral, eager for my post workout supplements of more beer and croissants.
Strasbourg is an absolute gem to explore as we stumbled upon little markets selling anything and everything to help you reach your goal of looking like the Michelin Man come Halloween, while being surrounded by history, beautifully preserved and ready for your selfies.
Here you will find amazing food, friendly people, and a surprise Cathedral you may walk right by if it weren't for this obnoxious story that made you aware of a painfully obvious reason most people probably come here for... you're welcome.
