Just in case you are among the many that doesn't really know where Strasbourg is...


The city itself is a about 10 miles from the German border and has a prominant German influence, as it has volleyed back and forth between French and German ownership throughout the past few centuries. It's nicknamed the "Heart of Europe," perhaps due to its central location, but also for its prominent role in EU affairs. It seats the European Parliment and the European Court of Human Rights.

I speak from afar, currently, as I'm still biding my time in the rainy California Bay Area. But 10 days from now... the adventure begins (and I should be able to report more personally on the nuances of my home-to-be).