A Trip to Metz

Since last Friday I have been on break. So Sammi and I decided to take a day trip on Thursday and settled on Metz (pronounced Mess). We were to meet at the train station at 9:30 to buy our tickets for the 10:03 train. I left the house late, hurrying to the bus station, where in my hurry I got on the first bus that came...which was not the line I wanted. Realizing my mistake I got off at the first stop and hurried back to the first bus stop, arriving just in time to catch the right bus. Happily, our train was delayed and we were still able to make it. Strangely tired at 11 in the morning, I slept the whole train ride.

Wandering through the train station towards the exit we realized we had no idea how to get to the Cathedral, our one must-see stop in Metz. Right next to the exit there was a map of the bus lines and we found that a minibus ran to the major interests of the city, including the cathedral. The only problem? finding where the bus stopped. In due time, we found the stop, the bus came, and we arrived at the cathedral. 

Unfortunately, it was a gloomy day in Metz, so the pictures of the cathedral are pretty dark.

A couple of shots towards the altar.

 Looking towards the stained glass window at the back of the church.

In the nave, looking upward. Apparently, according to Wikipedia (ahem), this is the 3rd highest nave in France, measuring 41.41m. 

About halfway through visiting the cathedral I started to feel nauseous, so right after we stopped in a restaurant across the street to eat lunch. I ordered "Galette Bretonne", which was a heavier crêpe with melted cheese and ham inside, salad on the outside, and an egg, barely cooked in the middle. 

After lunch I felt better, so we set off to see the opera house. Sadly, you can only tour the opera house if you've made an appointment ahead of time. We went back outside and tried to get into another church just across the square, which was closed and which I forgot to take pictures of. 

 Here, however, is a picture of the opera house. It's the part that sticks out a little in the middle. Note how most of the buildings in Metz are yellow.

 A view of the cathedral from across the river. It is, by the way, a Gothic cathedral. If you look closely you can see some flying buttresses off to the left.

 The yellow spire of another cathedral we could see over the buildings. We didn't go to see it, because I was beginning to feel not so well again.

 Back at the train station!

 Look! It's a red building!

A yellow building across from the train station, taken purely to show you more of Metz.

 An interesting looking tower visible from the train station. Visible, that is, when buses were not busy blocking you view at the bus stop.

The next train home wasn't until two hours later. I was feeling pretty ill and weak, so we decided to just stay at the train station. We wandered through a bookstore to pass some of the time. I was surprised to find P.G. Wodehouse and Austen here. I really fail to see how the French, of all people, could appreciate the patently English humour translated into French. I feel like a good deal would be lost in translation and in culture.

I slept the whole train ride home, feeling progressively nauseous and ill as we proceeded. Walking to the bus station in the rain and cold revived me a little, but in the bus, things just got worse. Thankfully, I made it to my bus stop and out the door, before throwing up next to a convenient tree. And from there I stumbled the one block home. Maybe we should blame the almost raw egg? I'm glad Sam was with me in Metz, though, because she took very good care of me!

And tomorrow, my parents arrive! Next post after I get back from traveling to Spain with them.

Salut!