Strasbourg is overwhelming on first seeing it but it was also somewhat familiar, another French-German City on the Rhine. We spent almost the whole time in the old city pretty much between the Cathedral and the Lock area, which, I have a feeling, is like spending the whole time on a trip to San Francisco at Fisherman’s Wharf. Although we did get across the river to the Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, we probably didn’t get the most well-balanced picture of the city. The old town part of Strasbourg was packed. It was way, way, more packed than anyplace I have been except Disneyland. I think that is because, heretofore, I have only been to Europe in October or early December and more than half of the packees are students. Hugh groups of students – mostly high school students? it is hard for me to tell any more – and what appeared to be college students bumming around Europe. It does give the place a sort of sexy air, even as it clogs up the place, but we are fellow tourists, so it is hard to complain.  The Cathedral is a Gothic improbability. It is made of sandstone without any reinforcing steel, everything just balances, resting on whatever is below. For me, the river through and around the city was the biggest surprise. Here are a couple of snapshots; Another pleasant surprise was the Museum. I had been disappointed in the Centre Pompidou-Metz but I thought this building was great. It was designed by Adrien Fainsilber from Paris and the central space soars to Cathedral heights. We had gone to the museum in our quest to find a meal without liverwurst and, we had read, it has a good view of the old town. The view was OK and the lunch was terrific.   At the end of the day, it is hard not to love this place. It is both very old and very contemporary…and very charming.