Sept. 22, 2008
I arrived in Strasbourg near 10:30 p.m. last Tuesday and the first thing I noticed about the city was the cold. It was a shock from the warm sun and gentle breezes that I left behind in the south of France.
I was coming to the Alsacian city to attend the Strasbourg Film Festival in which my mom had a short documentary entered. (See post below and watch a 30 second preview of her film Dinosaurs and Rocketships).
When I got off the train, I was in a bit of a panic. It was night and I didn't have my bearings in this new strange city. There were no cabs at the train station and I couldn't figure out how to get the ticket machine for the tram to work. So I did what I was told to do in one of those inspirational travel books I read before embarking on my trip: I asked help from a nice and safe-looking woman.
"Parlez-vous Anglais?" I asked a woman who looked like a librarian.
"Only a little," she said warily. After eying my pack and listening to my horrible Franglish explanation of the situation, she let her guard down and decided to help me. She explained I needed coins for the tram machine but I had only bills. I watched her consider the situation for a second before she smiled and gave me her last tram ticket. She then boarded the tram with me and told me she would take me to my hotel.
I was bowled over by her generosity. I could tell she was going home from a long day and probably had a long ride ahead of her. From inside the tram, the city looked pretty safe and well-lit and I saw people around everywhere. I told the woman it wouldn't be necessary for her to escort me as long as she could point me in the right direction. But she insisted and walked me right up to the front door of my hotel.
I scribbled my name and e-mail address on a piece of paper and told her to come to my mom's film screening. The woman smiled and took the paper, but I haven't heard from her yet and she never came to the show. But it again was yet another act of kindness I have found from strangers on the road.
I arrived in Strasbourg near 10:30 p.m. last Tuesday and the first thing I noticed about the city was the cold. It was a shock from the warm sun and gentle breezes that I left behind in the south of France.
I was coming to the Alsacian city to attend the Strasbourg Film Festival in which my mom had a short documentary entered. (See post below and watch a 30 second preview of her film Dinosaurs and Rocketships).
When I got off the train, I was in a bit of a panic. It was night and I didn't have my bearings in this new strange city. There were no cabs at the train station and I couldn't figure out how to get the ticket machine for the tram to work. So I did what I was told to do in one of those inspirational travel books I read before embarking on my trip: I asked help from a nice and safe-looking woman.
"Parlez-vous Anglais?" I asked a woman who looked like a librarian.
"Only a little," she said warily. After eying my pack and listening to my horrible Franglish explanation of the situation, she let her guard down and decided to help me. She explained I needed coins for the tram machine but I had only bills. I watched her consider the situation for a second before she smiled and gave me her last tram ticket. She then boarded the tram with me and told me she would take me to my hotel.
I was bowled over by her generosity. I could tell she was going home from a long day and probably had a long ride ahead of her. From inside the tram, the city looked pretty safe and well-lit and I saw people around everywhere. I told the woman it wouldn't be necessary for her to escort me as long as she could point me in the right direction. But she insisted and walked me right up to the front door of my hotel.
I scribbled my name and e-mail address on a piece of paper and told her to come to my mom's film screening. The woman smiled and took the paper, but I haven't heard from her yet and she never came to the show. But it again was yet another act of kindness I have found from strangers on the road.
1 comment:
Holy shit, that post really made me cringe. but I'm glad the lady helped you out. the Lobsteins were even more worried about the hotel i had booked for you that first night. They were worried that you weren't going to see the best side of Strasbourg.
keep in touch,
Post a Comment