More of Colmar

We didn't get moving till after 11.00 because we had promised ourselves a quet day. First target was the Tourist Information Centre but we were diverted by St Martin's Church. Travel in Europe, and half a career teaching in a Catholic college, has made me familiar with the iconography.  St Martin is the soldier who gives his cloak to a beggar. Colmar doesn't rate a cathedral because it doesn't have a bishop, but it does have a huge church. Candles were lit.

We got what we needed from the Tourist Information Centre, including the news that there were no English language town tours.  After grocery shopping and many diversions (including a shop devoted to Christmas decorations), we went home for lunch and a sleep.

We took ourselves on a late afternoon self-guided town tour.  In the Dominican Library we found an awesome museum. Colmar somehow has found itself with an amazing collection of very old books and turned it into an informative exhibition. There was a Gutenberg printing press, Gutenberg bibles, Diderot's Encyclopedie,   medieval manuscripts, facsimiles, bookbinding equipment, samples of vellum and parchment - I was in full nerd mode!

Then we found ourselves in the Dominican Church. The treasure here was the The Madonna of the Rose Bush. It is beautiful. My photo doesn't do it justice.

We continued our tour through this amazing place till our legs and stomachs said enough was enough.

We are not finished exploring around here but it is rest time.