Riquewihr and Ribeauville

For the record - I think I spelled both of these villages correctly. I have no idea how to pronounce them.

After yesterday's successful expedition we decided to go again. The #16 bus goes first to Riquewihr and then on to Ribeauville. The ticket for Colmar to Riquewihr remained valid for Riquewihr to Ribeauville and, so Lyn established with the driver, even for the return journey from Ribeauville to Colmar. Bargain!  

Riquewihr was like - well, all these places start to seem like a theme park. They are so self-consciously pretty. 

Lyn finally bought the ice cream she had been talking about for three days. She scored the ice cream highly but the village, she said, lacked a beautiful stream or river. 

We jumped on the next bus to Ribeauville.  We had a sit-

down lunch because we wanted to try the tarte flambeau. This is a local specialty. Imagine a VERY thin pizza topped with stewed onions, cream, bacon, emmenthal cheese and maybe a little of something else. It is good but more rich than savoury. In France you start to crave some food with fewer dairy products and more zap!

While we were sitting in the restaurant a strange procession drove past. First a police car, then, a large bronze naked armoured woman carried by a forklift. What?

After lunch we rediscovered this object in the main town square.

I wondered if apron-man was going to be arrested for bad taste, this being France, but the policewoman seemed to be collaborating with him.

Nonplussed, we walked on. 

Way behind me, on the hill, you can see a castle. There are actually three castles nearby, all connected by a seven kilometre walk. I decided to pass on the opportunity and checked the church instead. Lyn went exploring the graveyard of the local convent. She said it was beautiful.  Then she joined me in the church.

This was hosting an exhibition of religious art which was pretty good. This piece though has been in situ for over 300 years. Jesus is praying and the disciples are having a nap.

On our way back through town to catch the bus, the weird statue mystery was finally solved.

We are coming up to Breast Cancer Awareness Week. On the bus trip home we passed the roundabout which has a large reproduction of the Statue of Liberty. Liberty was now sporting a bright pink cloak.

This is our last night in beautiful Alsace.