After several no-vacation years, I ended 2008 with a (short) trip to Strasbourg, France. For much of the last year, I have started doing things that I have abandoned in the last 8 years. The year has been quite eventful, much of it not evident from the lack of posts (which I hope to correct this year).

After a frantic last-minute scramble for the visa, I managed to get to Strasbourg. I managed to escape the record-breaking snowfall in Vancouver. Strasbourg was cold, really cold, but is quite beautiful during the Christmas week.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg

Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg

Visited the usual places, and added one more little town, called Riquewihr to my “places visited around Strasbourg” list. I really love the tiny towns and narrow streets in Europe. The eagerness of people to go to great lengths to maintain very old building 100s of years old is simply refreshing. Riquewihr is quite the quaint french town, and very touristy indeed. Mental Note: Need to go spend more time there, the next time.

A week with family was so much. There is something about being with family, and not knowing the language they speak (I can’t really follow french when spoken at the “french speed”), that lets you feel at home and by yourself at the same time. It was really nice to see my aunt, uncle and cousins after a few years.

Les Brothers Francais

It has been 16 years since I held their hands as they took their first steps (I was 11 years then), but it still feels like yesterday. It was quite entertaining to let them lead me around their town! (Thanks guys I really enjoyed the places you took me to, and thanks JF for all the wine and cheese :))

It was an interesting experience, to see the places through eyes that are a few years older (and possibly a little wiser). The only thing I regretted was not spending more than one week there. Something that I found interesting is that as I grow older, things excite me lesser (quite obvious, I know), but somehow, I think allows me to enjoy the present more, and truly live the experience. I guess life is akin to listening to good music. The highs are not as enjoyable, when there are no lows.