Strasbourg

I did not take the pictures in this entry. At some point I will go around, be a tourist and photograph my favorite places, but for now I just look at them.
Although I'm not technically living in Strasbourg, it's only 10-15 minutes away by bike. After I arrived at the train station last Sunday my family showed me part of the city, and some famous landmarks. We arrived at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg in time to hear the bells of the ancient clock. Every quarter of an hour a different season of life appears. The church was the largest building from 1647-1874, and still rises well over everything else in the area.
Strasbourg gets a lot of tourists, especially from Germany, which is very close by. Tourists go by in boats in the river, go shopping in the numerous stores, and walk around the beautiful streets.

I am becoming familiar with the city more and more every day. By now I can easily find my way from my house into the center square. From there, I look for the cathédrale. I certainly don't know my way around well yet, but hopefully by the end of the year it will be simple for me.
Bikes are very common in this area. In many places there are paths designated for bikes with a lane for each direction. My family tries to avoid driving whenever possible, and I think that has helped me become more familiar with the area.

This is the center square, surrounded by shops, with the church rising in the background.