Friday 27th August 2010.

The first day I left the house and went into the town of Munster I took a key for the front door. But after a couple of more outings I realised the front door is never shut during the day (I’m not sure it’s shut at night either!) Didn’t we used to do that in Ireland at one time?

We’re leaving this beautiful town tomorrow morning early (the plan is 7.30am – I’ll let you know!) and heading for Switzerland via Germany. We’ll be staying at another airbnb apartment (in Lucerne) for one night and then off to Turin for three nights.

Alsace is very different to the other parts of France we’ve been in. The houses look Swiss or German. The churches spires are square, where they tend to be round elsewhere. The second language on signs is German. There are hills and green forests. Except for the houses (and the language and the driving on the wrong side of the road!) you could be in County Wicklow.

The things I will miss about Munster are many. The examples of the slow pace of life – there are vegetable patches everywhere, people taking the time to grow their own food; Gab’s (our host) father makes his own bread; the bottle of “our own homemade” apple juice that Gab gave us on our first day; the small fruit called Mirabeau (I think) growing in the garden, Gab gave us a bowlful; going to the market; looking out the window, any of the windows! ; cooking, well…assembling dinner; walking to get groceries, to provide sustenance.