Four nights of “Sonne” in Switzerland… (part two)

Featured photo is of the C.G. Institute in Küsnacht.

On Thursday morning, we woke up to partly cloudy skies. I looked out the window and saw a group of youngsters emerging from the shuttle boat. I assumed they were headed to school, and for a moment, I thought about how interesting it must be to take a boat to school every day. Below are a few photos I took before bed on our first night, and the first photo I took on Thursday morning…

We got dressed and went down to the Gaststube for breakfast. The Sonne offers a generous buffet with prosecco and juices, but they’ll also cook eggs to order. They even offer Eggs Benedict for an 18 Franc upcharge. Maybe I should have tried them one morning, but I was too enthralled by the Swiss breads. They also brought out little smoothies most mornings. We didn’t get one on our last day, but I think it was because some of their help was a bit incompetent.

*These little biscuits were part of a welcome gift in the room.*

About halfway through breakfast, a tall, very slender, dark haired woman came into the breakfast area. She was obviously American, and I noticed she was very kind and polite to the wait staff. Every request was buttressed by a “please” and “thank you”. At some point, she struck up a conversation with us. She told us she came from Los Angeles and had booked the Sonne after having to move from her original hotel in Zürich. I think she said her previous hotel was undergoing renovations, as was the Sonne. She mentioned she usually works from home for her family business, which apparently takes her to conventions around the world. She also said it was her first time in Switzerland, and apparently, she was smitten with it. She even mentioned how clean the air was… I thought that was amazing, since she was in the city. Imagine her reaction to the Swiss countryside!

During our conversation, we learned that she’d be checking out the same day we were. She also complimented me on my blue eyes! I told her she should take one of the long cruises around the lake and get some photos.

Before long, we had to excuse ourselves, because Bill needed to get to Seefeld for his two interviews. As we were saying goodbye, I noticed a distinct look of discomfort on the woman’s face. She grimaced as if maybe she had stomach pain. I said, “Do you need the ladies room? There’s one right there.” I pointed to the WC in the dining room.

She said she was okay, but I did notice that she slipped in there as we were leaving. I hope she was okay. I got the sense that maybe she was a bit high strung and/or maybe had digestive issues, although she definitely enjoyed the breakfast buffet. She was very thin, but otherwise seemed healthy and rather joyful.

Bill and I said goodbye to the lady, and I decided to take a walk and take some photos… There was a peaceful park near the hotel, where I saw lots of ducks and a hungry swan. I sat there and watched the lake for awhile, enjoying the peace and quiet as I doomscrolled Facebook…

I spent a couple of minutes observing this Swiss swan…

While I was sitting in the park, I heard the joyful shrieks of small children, all wearing their bright orange safety sashes and matching blue baseball caps. The small group of youngsters were shepherded by two women. They all held hands until they got near the trees, where they were allowed to play. It looked like maybe they were collecting leaves to observe. The kids were so cute, and seemed so carefree and happy just to be alive, enjoying the beautiful fall morning by the lake. I wonder what it must be like to be a child in Switzerland. It seems idyllic to me, but maybe looks are deceiving.

After a bit more time in the autumn sunshine, I decided to head back to the hotel. Bill sent me a message letting me know that his first interview had gone well. I decided not to have lunch, because after an hour break, he’d have his second interview, and then be done for the day. I did some reading and writing, and chatted with our friend, Meg, who was offering suggestions on things to see. Before long, Bill sent me another message to tell me he’d finished his second interview and was on his way back to the hotel. He said his interviews had gone so well that one analyst invited him back on Friday, so he could get both of the required chats done with him.

By the time he got back, we were both starved. We decided to walk to Küsnacht’s centrum, such as it is. Getting there involved walking through an underpass and up a hill, then passing through another underpass that ran past the train station and the COOP (supermarket). I was getting really cranky as it got later. Just when I was about to go into a supermarket to buy a Snickers or something, we noticed a cafe called World of Bonnie. I had noticed it on the other side of the train tracks, too.

I looked up World of Bonnie, because it was kind of an unusual place. This business is part cafe, part gym, part wellness and beauty salon. You can go there, work out, get your nails done, sit in a sauna, and then have lunch! Only in Switzerland, right?

We walked into the cafe, and a handsome, smiling young man invited us to have a seat. The place was mostly empty, except for a couple of men who were rather loudly discussing investment opportunities in Bermuda. One of the men was particularly animated and sounded a bit like a shyster.

I noticed the menu was heavy on healthy options– smoothies, sandwiches, quiches, and the like. They also had beer, and that’s what Bill and I had. I ordered a delicious club sandwich that had to be eaten with a knife and fork. Bill had a wrap. Both were really good, and the waiter was friendly and didn’t rush us. Like most of the Swiss people we encountered, he thought we were “on holiday” and was intrigued when we said we live in Germany. After I ate, I felt a lot better, and my mood was much more agreeable. The waiter beamed at Bill when he gave him a ten franc tip. He said, “This never happens in Switzerland!” Bwahahahaha! They probably don’t get a lot of Americans there.

We decided to make dinner reservations at a restaurant called Steinburg, which was very close to our hotel. I didn’t think I’d be too hungry for dinner, after I ate that big club sandwich for a late lunch. I was right. Steinburg turned out to be a nice place for dinner… Bill had veal cheeks and I had more fish– salmon trout on that occasion. I didn’t have a starter, but did opt for a “Colonel” for dessert– lemon sherbet with vodka. Bill had pistachio ice cream with cherries. We also enjoyed another bottle of Swiss wine– this time a red blend from the same winery as the previous night’s bottle.

Steinburg was a pleasant place for dinner, with views of the lake. I noticed another smiling face there, as a man who had originally been seated by the window moved to a table near us. His lady friend showed up a bit later, and seemed very happy together. That was a theme of our trip to Switzerland this time. I noticed a lot of people who seemed relaxed and contented. I took it as a good sign.

Perhaps against our better instincts, we stopped by the hotel bar for a quick nightcap. I was amused by the provocative artwork in there, along with the 90s era pop music. The bar looked like the bow of a boat!

After our nightcap, we went to bed. Although I had been looking forward to having a full day with Bill, I was glad he’d have the chance to have his second interview with one of the analysts. I decided to go with him and wait in the waiting room, rather than hang out alone in the hotel. More on that in the next post.

Baden-Württemberg, C.G. Jung, Education, short breaks

Four nights of “Sonne” in Switzerland… (part one)

If you’ve been following my travel blog, you might know that my husband, Bill, has an interest in the Jungian approach to mental health. For the past few years, he’s been undergoing psychoanalysis with a Jungian therapist, reading a lot of books about Jung’s theories, and auditing courses at the C.G. Jung Institute in Küsnacht, Switzerland. For about a week over this past summer, we even spent a week in Zürich, so he could attend the summer intensive course at the Institute.

Although I earned a master’s degree in social work, and had been in therapy for a years before I met Bill, I have never been particularly interested in Jungian psychology, but it’s something that fascinates Bill. This year, he decided he wanted to apply for admission at the Institute and potentially become a qualified analyst himself. This is something he feels driven to do, and I’ve noticed that he’s a lot happier and surer of himself since he started therapy. So, aside from the fact that it’s his life, and his money, I am all for Bill becoming a Jungian analyst, if that’s what will make him happy. The bonus is, I get to tag along with him to Switzerland.

For this visit, we found ourselves at the Sonne Hotel in Küsnacht, a lovely establishment on the banks of Lake Zürich. The people Bill knows from the Institute have always suggested a stay there, because it’s within walking distance of the Institute, and Carl Jung himself used to like to drink beer there. We were unable to book a room at the Sonne Hotel over the summer; it was completely booked during our dates. However, for this visit, I was able to book a junior suite, which was a real treat, as the room was huge, and had amazing views of the lake.

The funny thing is, over the summer, Bill was traveling to Küsnacht to attend classes, and we were staying in part of Zürich known as Seefeld. This time, Bill had appointments with two Jungian analysts– both of whom have offices in Seefeld– but we stayed in Küsnacht! It didn’t matter that much, though, as the two areas are easily connected by train and tram, boat, or car.

Bill had already traveled to Lausanne, Switzerland to speak to one of the three analysts who each needed to interview him twice before he can enter the Institute. He did a second online interview with the analyst in Lausanne, and then scheduled one interview with each of the other two analysts in Seefeld. As we were preparing to go to Switzerland for the fourth time this year, Bill was planning yet another visit for later this year, as one of the two Seefeld based analysts prefers in person interviews. Still, in spite of the six total interviews he needed, Bill was very excited about getting started with the process of starting this program, which attracts people from around the world.

On Wednesday, October 1st, we loaded up the Volvo and headed down to Switzerland, with a stop at the Birkenhof to drop off Noyzi and Charlie. Noyzi especially loves going there. We had to wrap his left hind leg, because he has a touch of dermatitis.

Noyzi loves his “second home”! He barked all the way there!

Once the dogs were dropped off, we headed south. The GPS sent us down A81, which passes through our former stomping grounds of the Stuttgart suburbs. On the way there, we stopped for gas and a pee, and I was astonished to see parts of a windmill loaded on trucks. It’s hard to fathom how huge those things are when you’re driving or flying, but up close, they really are enormous!

We ended up stopping for lunch in Herrenberg, a little town not far from either of the villages we lived in when we made the Stuttgart area our home. Bill parked at the Bronn Tor parking garage, and when we exited, we found ourselves immediately confronted by Ristorante Rado, an Italian place we somehow missed on our many previous stops in Herrenberg. I’m not sure when this restaurant opened, but we left the Stuttgart area about seven years ago, so it was our first time visiting. I’m pleased to report that the food and service were excellent. It sure beat the hell out of eating at McDonald’s or Burger King, or having a cheap schnitzel at a rest area!

After lunch, we got back on the road, and passed a few familiar sights, including the huge elevator testing tower in Rotweil…

You never know when the border patrol is going to stop you for a check. This time, the Swiss did stop us, wanting to know if we were bringing meat, alcohol, or cigarettes into the country. We said no… or, actually Bill said something along the lines of “ohne” (without), when he probably meant “kein” (no). In spite of the flub, the Swiss guard got the message and waved us on to Zürich.

We arrived in the city in the late afternoon, and after several nervewracking moments navigating through rush hour, we finally pulled in at the Sonne, where there was a prime parking spot waiting for us. I snapped a few photos along the way. Sometimes they turn out okay.

*I spotted a man buying a glass of wine at this imbiss, which he no doubt meant to enjoy lakeside.*

A tiny young lady welcomed us to the hotel and checked us in, assigning us to room 310, which is a junior suite located in the hotel’s tower overlooking the lake. The door to the room is halfway down a flight of old stairs between the second and third floors. It would not be suitable for people who can’t manage stairs, but for us, it was a very nice place to spend four nights. When I compare it to where we stayed in Budapest last month, it was quite an upgrade! Of course, it also cost about twice as much per night! At this writing, prices start at 435 CHF per night. But that’s still cheaper than a lot of hotels in downtown Zürich!

The bathroom in the suite was a bit strange. Its walls didn’t go all the way to the high ceiling. It also had a bath/shower combo, which meant climbing over the tub to shower. But there were good toiletries, and the toilet was separated by a door. The room also had generous closet space, a small fridge, a TV, and a desk I could actually use. I also liked the mattress, which, for once, wasn’t way too firm!

The best part of the room was its windows, which were on three sides and offered stunning views. Of course, since they overlooked the boat stop for Küsnacht, they were also a source of noise. But that was a minimal complaint, especially given how noisy Seefeld was when we stayed in July, and Budapest last month. Compared to those two places, Küsnacht was blissfully peaceful.

We decided to have dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. We were lucky to be able to do that, as right now, one restaurant is closed for renovations, and the other closed yesterday for two weeks, as the ventilation system is overhauled. Bill and I both enjoyed fish dishes in the hotel’s charming Gaststube. We also had Swiss wine… a local blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Sylvaner.

After dinner, we were definitely ready to sleep. And sleep well we did. Stay tuned for part two!

Champagne Bucket trips, former Soviet Union, Lithuania, short breaks

We’re back from Vilnius, Lithuania…

Featured photo is of Frankfurt as we descended into the city this afternoon.

I had a great time turning 53 in Vilnius, Lithuania. This was the fifth former Soviet country I have visited, the others being: Armenia, Georgia, Latvia, and Estonia. Of course, if you’ve followed me for any length of time, you might know that I lived in Armenia for 27 months as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 1995-97. I didn’t get a great look at Georgia, Estonia, or Latvia, as I just passed through Georgia on a bus in 1996 and Bill and I visited Tallin, Estonia twice, and Riga and Liepaja, Latvia once each on cruises.

Our visit to Vilnius was a comprehensive and full five night affair, and boy was I impressed with the place. Lithuania was once a Peace Corps country, as were Latvia and Estonia. Their programs ended in 2002. I could hardly believe how upscale Lithuania felt and appeared. It’s hard to imagine that it once hosted Peace Corps Volunteers! Of course, when I visited Armenia in 2023, I was surprised by how far it’s come, too, although it doesn’t look quite as clean and spiffy as Lithuania does… at least not yet.

Anyway, I will be doing my usual series for our trip, which was fairly busy. We didn’t do much on my birthday, because it was pouring rain all day, and because my muscles were extremely sore from climbing the Cathedral Bell Tower. But it still managed to be a memorable birthday for me, as Bill and I enjoyed lots of beers at a really cool pub.

I think I’ll start the series tomorrow morning. I’m kind of tired from our travel today. But I have lots of pictures and stories to share, so I hope a few readers will tune in… For now, here are a few photos…

One thing I learned is that Lithuanians are people of great faith… and I found their faith hopeful and uplifting in these troubling times. Aside from that, Vilnius is literally a cool city. The weather was actually chilly a couple of days. I had to wear a sweater on my birthday! We also enjoyed a lot of really good food. I was surprised by how fresh and delicious everything was. We even tried the famous “Pink Soup”.

So, hopefully tomorrow, I’ll get started on my latest series, and maybe get it finished before this Saturday, when we head to Zurich/Kusnacht, Switzerland for eight nights! For now, I need to relax for a bit and regroup. Traveling is tiring.

holidays, short breaks, Ten Things I Learned

Ten things I learned in Basel, Switzerland…

Regular readers of my travel blog know that when I go on trips, I like to sum them up with “ten things I learned” posts. They kind of tie our trips together nicely, and readers seem to enjoy the concise wrap up more than the blow by blow accounts. So, with that in mind, here are ten things I learned in Basel last week.

10. Basel is just over the French and German borders. Okay… so in fairness, I did kind of already know that, but I don’t think I realized just how close it is. I read last night that a person could walk to either of the borders from the center of Basel in about 40 minutes. A lot of people who work in Basel live in either France or Switzerland, because it’s less expensive.

9. Basel has a “red light district.”
Last Sunday, Bill and I walked across a bridge over the Rhein River and soon found ourselves in an area that kind of gave us the heebie jeebies. I looked down and noticed a strange looking pictograph on the pavement. It looked like a stick figure of a prostitute. Sure enough, that’s what it was. Prostitution has been legal in Switzerland since 1942, but the city was having trouble with prostitutes trying to get business in areas where they weren’t supposed to be hooking. So they came up with the pictographs to inform them and the public, I guess, as to where it is acceptable for prostitutes to find their johns.

8. Taking off your jacket in a museum could earn you a reprimand.
Last week, I learned that carrying a jacket in a museum somehow puts priceless artifacts at risk. It’s best to use a locker if you want to shed your coat, lest you get a stern talking to from a guard. 😉

7. The Basel Card will get you half price admission in museums and free rides on the trams.
We got our cards from the hotel. It has a QR code that you can upload to your phone.

6. It’s possible to spend $1000 on lunch and not feel overcharged.
The trick is, you must go to one of the top restaurants in the world. Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl is one of the best.

*I thought I loved croissants (Gipfeli in Switzerland)… I loved the roll more.*

5. Switzerland has better rolls than Germany does…
Just my opinion, of course.

4. It’s worth it to take the train to Basel from Frankfurt.
Bill and I almost always drive when we take short breaks. This time, we decided to take the train. It was very fast and easy. On the way down, it took about three hours non-stop. Not driving the car meant we didn’t have to find or pay for parking in Switzerland. There was plenty to do in the city, so we didn’t miss having our wheels.

3. The Historical Museum of Basel is truly amazing!
Housed in a former cathedral, this museum offers three floors of exhibits from many eras. English translations are available. It also has a public toilet (basement) and a great gift shop. Just don’t take off your jacket without putting it in a locker.

2. It pays to reserve your seats on the train… and double check your car.
Seat reservations are cheap, and the guarantee your right to sit where you want to. If you are confused about which car you need to get on, be sure to ask an attendant. You don’t want to have to walk the entire train to get where you need to go.

And finally, 1. Basel is a good base for exploration of eastern France, southwestern Germany, and Bern…
I always like going to border cities. They usually offer a lot of bang for the buck. Basel is nice enough to visit on its own, but it also gives you access to cities like Mulhouse, France, Freiburg, Germany, and Switzerland’s capital city, Bern, which is just a short train ride away. We haven’t been to Bern yet. Maybe that will be the next town we go to, if we manage another visit to Switzerland.

Well… that about does it for my series on Basel. We’ll have to see where we managed to go next. Hope you have a great Sunday.

holidays, short breaks

A little Swiss serenity: Time to go home! part six

Monday, January 20th was a day I’d been dreading. Not only did it mean our holiday was over, it also meant inauguration day. And since that awful event took place on Monday, I can see why I was dreading it so much. But then, one of the reasons we went to Basel in the first place is because I worry that we might not be able to enjoy such trips in the future. Trump seems to be wanting to turn the United States into his own private fiefdom.

In any case, I predicted it was going to be a difficult day, and it was. We got up early, and I made a video from our hotel room…

It wasn’t a happy day…

I took some photos of the sunrise…

Then we went back to the Bachmann Confisserie for another quick breakfast. Unfortunately, the fresh squeezed orange juice was a little too acidic for me. I ended up losing breakfast. But at least it tasted good going down. We also bought some whiskey truffles for home. I wish we’d bought another box, especially given what’s happened this week.

Soon enough, it was time to check out of our luxury hotel, Les Trois Rois. We brought our bags down to the lobby, where a bellman was quick to order us a cab. Bill checked out of the hotel and was presented a jar of tropical fruit jam. It looked a bit like the jam we had in the restaurant when we had our sumptuous lunch there. They also gave us some sparkling water for the train ride.

A friendly cabbie took us to the SBB rail station. He had to stop the car and help Bill put on his seatbelt, because the female end was recessed into the seat. It was kind of funny. Usually, Bill has to help me!

We were a bit early, so we lugged our bags to a bakery for some hot drinks and a second breakfast for me. I liked the music in there so much that I decided to make a new playlist called “Gay Vegan Bakery”. It has upbeat pop songs on it. Everything they sold in the bakery was vegan, and for the most part, I enjoyed the hot chocolate and chocolate chip roll I had. I also liked their house rules…

Then it was time to board the train. This was where things went awry. Bill had booked the same seats in the same car that we had going down to Basel. But he led us to the wrong end of the train. I kept saying I thought we were going the wrong way, but he didn’t listen. So we were on the last car, instead of the first car. The train had fourteen cars. He had booked us in first class, and we were sitting in second class, in the wrong seats.

So we started the long walk to the other end. Meanwhile, there were police on the train talking to some people, clogging the aisle. At one point, Bill got off at a stop and covered more ground that way. By the time we got to our seats at the front of the train, there was a woman sitting there. But she smiled and willingly moved, because we had reserved the seats. There was also a very tall German guy who didn’t seem all that friendly.

Our trip to Mannheim, where we had to switch trains, went relatively smoothly. But then, when we got off our train, we had to haul ass to the next train that would take us to the Frankfurt Airport stop. Our seats on that train, likewise, were in the first car. We had to move quickly to get on it at the right spot. And once we got there… again… someone was in our seats. But this time, it was a young mother with a small child and a baby. She had her stuff spread all over the table and seemed to think we should move to another seat. Obviously, she hadn’t reserved the seats, and was hoping we’d let her have ours, even though we paid extra to reserve them.

After she reluctantly moved, I looked at Bill’s face, and he appeared to be about ready to cry. Bill is a very kind, sensitive man, and making the mom move had made him feel like shit. I was more annoyed than feeling guilty. I mean, yes, it makes one feel shitty to displace a mother of two little kids when it’s obvious they need the room more than we do. And if we’d had a chance to collect ourselves, we probably would have just let her have the seats, since we were only on the train for one stop. But obviously, the mom had spent the money to get first class tickets. She also clearly had money, based on all the baby and kid gear she had, complete with an expensive looking metal water bottle. Why didn’t she pay a little more to reserve the space she clearly needed? Why put people who follow the rules in the awkward position of having to ask her to move? It’s manipulative behavior, and that pisses me off. It shouldn’t be tolerated.

But… again, it all happened so fast. In retrospect, if we’d had a moment more to think about it, we might have just taken unreserved seats, even though Bill did pay to reserve the ones the mom was occupying. There are signs on the seats showing if the seats are reserved. I imagine if she moved back into the seats, she was probably asked to move again by the next people who had properly reserved them.

Anyway… we got back to Frankfurt slightly delayed, but had no problem finding a cab back to Breckenheim. And unless you live under a rock, you already know why the rest of the day sucked. We went from sunny Basel in neutral Switzerland to cold, cloudy Germany, where far right wing politicians are wanting to copy what is happening in the United States. It’s very unsettling.

We had a good time in Switzerland, though… and later, Bill went to get Noyzi and Charlie, and they were happy to be home. Tomorrow, Bill has to go on a business trip. I will be here alone all week, watching part of our backyard fence being repaired. Right now, there’s a temporary metal fence erected that isn’t very secure. There’s a tall gate and a shorter panel that fences off a “hole” in the corner. The rest of the “fence” is thick bushes. Noyzi can’t penetrate them, but Charlie probably could.

At first, I thought the half done fence was permanent, since the workers had told me they would finish it yesterday. It was the kind of job our previous landlady had done– put up a fence that was basically useless for security purposes. Our landlord later told Bill that they would be putting up a much more secure fence later that will restore our privacy. Fortunately, our dogs don’t seem interested in escaping. They prefer the coddled pet life to their old street dog life.

I guess I’ll just try to keep the faith that everything is going to work out somehow. Unfortunately, all we can do is try to get through these uncertain, troubling times. But at least we have beautiful memories of Basel, and all its splendor…. from Michelin three star food to red light districts to sublime sunrises on the Rhine/Rhein River.

I truly hope we can do it again sometime.

Stay tuned for my ten things I learned post. I’ll probably put it up tomorrow.

bakeries, Luxury, short breaks

A little Swiss serenity: Dinner at Alchemist, breakfast at Bachmann’s Confisserie… part three

At seven o’clock, Friday evening, Bill and I presented ourselves at Alchemist Basel, an unusual restaurant just around the corner from Les Trois Rois. This place, which is very casual and innovative, focuses on unique, experimental, interesting dishes and drinks. Bill discovered the restaurant before we left Germany and made a reservation for us.

We were immediately shown to a two top table, right next to the open kitchen. Our server, who spoke perfect English without much of a distinctive accent, greeted us and invited us to have a look at the menu. We immediately wanted to try the Spirituum Et Circenses, which is a novel way to order a cocktail. The server brought out a little box that had a dreidel, miniature tarot cards, and a four sided die (triangular). The drink would be prepared according to the results of the spin, toss, and card drawing. I ended up with a rum based cocktail topped with cotton candy. Bill’s drink was whiskey based with dry ice. Both were tasty. Of course, if we’d wanted something more conventional, or even wanted the surprise cocktail without alcohol, we could have done that, too. Below is a video I made…

Our dinner included small cocktails, again presented in novel ways. The video shows them.

For dinner, we had a five course “surprise” dinner, which included dishes on the menu, along with novelly prepared cocktails put in laboratory equipment. We had things in beakers, test tubes, and jars, with chemical sleights of hand all over the place. The dishes were mostly vegetarian and vegan friendly, although since we’re meat eaters, there were also a couple of courses that included meat. One dish had chickpeas in it. I was amazed by the array of different flavors, some of which I probably never would have thought to try at home.

Below are some photos… I thought the magnifying glass was pretty inspired, given how dark it was in the restaurant, and how small the print on the menus was for some of us…

I think Bill really enjoyed Alchemist. He likes to try new and different foods. I didn’t mind it, and would go back another time, but my tastes in food are a bit more pedestrian than his are. I also found the restaurant kind of noisy and crowded, which isn’t much to my liking. However, the menu concepts are fresh, innovative, and fun, and I loved the surprise cocktails made by chance. It was exciting to watch other patrons getting cocktails that were presented with different gimmicks. Sometimes, the gimmicks didn’t work as intended.

*Don’t know if Carl’s Jr. will end up in Germany, too…*

After dinner, we walked back to the hotel, noticing that across the street was one of Switzerland’s three Carl’s Jr. outlets. Carl’s Jr., in case you don’t know, is a fast food outlet that is based in California. The company bought Hardee’s, which is a fast food chain popular in the southern and midwestern states. I used to like Hardee’s when I was younger, but I haven’t eaten at one in years. I thought maybe we’d try Carl’s Jr., since I’ve never been to one. But we never got around to getting our fast food fix. It’s just as well… I need fast food like I need a second asshole. 😀

When we returned to our room, we found that the housekeeper had been by to do turn down service for us. That was the only night we got turn down, because we’re not really night people anymore. We went to bed, and unfortunately, neither of us slept very well. The mattress was a little too firm for us. But that seems to be the case in most of the hotels we’ve stayed in lately.

In the morning, we decided to go across the street to Bachmann’s Confiserie for breakfast. This is a Basel based chain store that offers a light cafe menu, breakfast, and chocolates for sale. Since breakfast at the hotel was 55 Swiss francs per person, and we knew we were going to be dining at the Cheval Blanc for lunch, we decided the cafe was a better place for a light breakfast. I see from my search that there’s another Bachmann’s Confiserie in Switzerland, but it appears to be owned by different people and is located in Lucerne.

I really enjoyed the breakfast at Bachmann’s Confiserie of Basel. For 16,50 CHF, you can get a breakfast with a hot drink, fresh orange juice, a bun, a croissant, jelly, and butter. I fell in love with the bread rolls, which were slightly sweet, soft, and yeasty. The gipfeli (croissant) was also excellent… not crispy or crumbly, but soft and flaky. And I loved the fresh squeezed orange juice. The service was also friendly and professional.

*I loved the roll… I want to find a recipe!*

After breakfast, we walked around the Rathaus and explored downtown Basel before our much anticipated lunch at Cheval Blanc. I will write more about that in the next post.

holidays, Luxury, short breaks

A little Swiss serenity: Bahn to bedroom to bar… part two

Bill booked us on an Intercity Express (ICE) Train leaving the Frankfurt Airport train station at 1:50 PM. We got first class seats, and since it was a non-stop ride, I figured it was going to be stress free. And, for the most part, I was right. We took a cab from our house in Breckenheim to the airport, arriving well ahead of time.

Since we hadn’t had lunch, we stopped at Burger King by our platform and had a quick bite to eat. Then we hauled our bags down to the platform. It was frigid outside. I was glad we weren’t at an outdoor station. I was also glad I managed to get almost everything I needed in a backpack, although I did stuff it. I decided to bring my trusty “coatigan” sweater, which necessitated a carry on bag. I made use of a tote bag Atlantic Magazine recently sent me. It came in handy later, when Bill went shopping for snacks and wine.

We reserved seats with a table. It would have been nice to have gotten a “two top”, but we wound up in a four top. Bill did this because he didn’t want to force me to ride backwards for three hours. I have a tendency to get motion sickness. On the way down, no one else shared our four top with us, and the car was very quiet. In fact, we were in a “quiet zone”, and there were signs requesting silence. I don’t know if all first class cars are like that, but I didn’t mind it too much. The ICE trains are nice, because they are clean and almost always have clean, functional toilets. There’s also a restaurant on board, where one can get drinks, snacks, and sandwiches.

Our train arrived in Basel at about 5:00 PM. We hauled our bags out of the train and schlepped them to the lobby of the station, where Bill got some Swiss Francs. Then we walked outside and quickly found a taxi to take us to Les Trois Rois. I took a few photos on the way down the escalator…

The hotel and downtown Basel are not very close to the SBB train station, one of two train stations in Basel. The other is called Basel Bad, which is in a seedier part of town on the other side of the Rhein River. We stopped at the Basel Bad station on the way into and out of the city. It’s located just two kilometers south of the German border. Wikipedia tells me the SBB station is Europe’s busiest international border station!

We arrived safely at the hotel and a bellman very quickly greeted us and grabbed our luggage. A very friendly young man welcomed us to the “Three Kings” hotel and checked us in, then asked us if we’d like a morning newspaper. We said we’d love to get The New York Times, which was one of our choices. We never did get the paper delivered, although it was no big deal. I’m already a subscriber, anyway. It would have been nice to get a paper version, though, especially given how expensive the room was.

One thing I would like to mention… When I booked our room, I didn’t realize I could have booked breakfast with it. I wish I had noticed that, since pre-booking breakfast does make it slightly less expensive. Breakfast costs 55 Swiss Francs per person, which is a lot of money… but if you pre-book, it’s only 45, which is slightly better. On the other hand, we discovered the lovely Bachmann Confiserie across the street, which was a lot less expensive and was perfectly fine for our needs. They sell chocolates, but they also have a cafe menu and serve wonderful fresh pastries and bread.

The receptionist introduced us to the concierge, who assured us he could help us with any reservations or tickets we wanted to book. We had already made reservations at Alchemist for dinner, and we had lunch plans for the Cheval Blanc. We also received Basel Cards, which entitled us to free rides on the city’s extensive public transportation and half price admission to museums! I wish we’d had one more day to take better advantage of that benefit.

Finally, it was time to visit room 110, a “queen” room with a balcony and river view. This was not the cheapest room available at the hotel, but it was pretty small. However, the terrace/balcony was quite large and offered a great view of the Rhein. As you will see in the gallery, we didn’t have the best weather on Friday…

We decided to visit the bar before we headed off to dinner at Alchemist. It was pretty busy on Friday night, and we had to sit at the bar. There were a couple of American women there, one of whom had put her stuff on a barstool. The very chic hostess politely requested her to move her stuff. There was a hook under the bar for purses, jackets, and stuff.

The drink menu at the bar was pretty pricey, which is to be expected at a five star hotel. They did have an impressive array of gins and whiskies, as well as some very interesting looking cocktails. Bill decided to have a gin and tonic, while I had a margarita. A piano player played contemporary hits to a lively crowd, and I was just enjoying the very classy ambiance. It really is a cozy bar.

I probably would have been happy to eat dinner at the bar, but we had 7:00 PM dinner reservations. Bill got the check, and we made our way over there. I will write about our experience at Alchemist in the next post, as I want to make a video for it and that will take some time. Stay tuned.

holidays, short breaks

A little Swiss serenity: Breaking bread in Basel… part one

Featured photo was taken yesterday from our balcony at Les Trois Rois…

Several weeks ago, Bill and I were sitting at our dining room table, listening to music, drowning our sorrows, and worrying about the future. I realized Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend was coming up, and that MLK day would be the day Donald Trump invaded the White House once again. I am not a Trump fan by any means, and I am truly worried about the damage he’s about to wreak on the world. So, with that in mind, I told Bill I wanted to try to visit as many places as possible before we get kicked out of Europe.

I’m only half kidding about the prospect of being kicked out of Europe. I fear it could be a real possibility, as Trump takes revenge on anyone “important” who has ever crossed him and pisses off our allies. I resent the hell out of this, by the way. No American signed up to be used as a pawn for an unhinged, demented narcissistic sociopath to get even with others. I despise Trump, and I don’t want him influencing any part of my life. But I’m also a realist. I know that he has power I’ll never have. So… we’re going to try to be as normal as possible for as long as possible. It’s normal for us to travel.

Last April, Bill and I visited Horben, near Freiburg, a lovely city in southern Germany. We went there after it won our traditional coin toss. The losing city was Basel, Switzerland, where I had discovered a beautiful looking hotel right on the Rhein River. The hotel, called Les Trois Rois, appeared to have most of everything we love in a luxury property, including a three star Michelin restaurant called Cheval Blanc. Bill and I had long been wanting to try the elite cuisine one finds at Michelin restaurants with three stars. But last April, Basel lost the coin toss… and then in the fall, when I hoped we could visit, they didn’t have availability for one of the nights we needed.

Finally, as MLK weekend approached, we decided it was time to, at long last, visit Basel, a Swiss city right next to the German and French borders. We’ve been trying to get there for a long time, but always seem to end up in other places. Not this time. A little Swiss neutrality was just the ticket, just as it was in 1930s and 40s Europe. So we booked a Queen balcony room with a river view at Les Trois Rois, and quickly decided that instead of driving, we’d take the train.

Taking the train was mostly a great idea. I’ll get more into why it was only “mostly” a great idea as this series progresses. For now, I’ll just say that overall, taking the train was the best thing to do, but it wasn’t without its problems.

Bill also booked us a table at a really interesting restaurant called Alchemist, which is located just steps away from Les Trois Rois. He picked it because of its unusual concept. I’m glad he did that, even if the food was not generally what I’d generally seek out for myself.

We knew Basel would have art galleries and museums, and we did have a chance to visit one very extensive museum, which I’ll write about as this series progresses. I hope you’ll stick around, as I try to distract myself from the new order taking over Washington, DC. Switzerland is a good place to be, but especially when one needs a semblance of sanity to prevail. I think we got that in Basel over the weekend. I hope we can go back again someday.

Stay tuned for part two!

Luxury, short breaks, trip planning

Our first trip of 2025…

The featured photo is AI generated… I hope to have my own photos very soon.

Last night, I made a booking at a hotel I’ve been eyeing since last April, when Bill and I decided by coin flip to visit Horben, near Freiburg. If Horben hadn’t won that coin flip, we likely would have visited the city of Basel, in Switzerland. It’s a city we’ve driven past and talked about exploring, but have never actually gotten around to making a booking.

Last spring, when I was planning our trip to the very new Luisenhöhe resort in the Schwarzwald, I noticed a very beautiful hotel in Basel that seemed to be right up our alley. The hotel is called Les Trois Rois, and it’s expensive and historic… And we are going to visit there for three nights over the MLK weekend. Why? Because since Trump is coming back into office, the future seems hazier. We want to take advantage of being able to travel while we still can. And after the new year, Bill is going to be busy. That is, if Donald and Elon don’t interfere with what he’s doing.

We briefly thought about going to Paris. We haven’t been to Paris since 2009, and I have been wanting to go there. But Paris is a huge city, and it will be cold and probably rainy… and Basel is more compact, with lots of museums, art galleries, and such. It seems appropriate that it’s in a neutral country, too… but right by the German and French borders.

I think we will travel to Basel by train, since it only takes about 3 hours to get there from here. It will spare Bill the aggravation of driving and trying to park. We can get first class ICE tickets on Deutsch Bahn fairly cheaply, if we opt for the no frills ones… The lovely thing about Basel is that it’s close to Bern, another city we’ve never seen. Maybe we’ll go there, too, if the conditions are right.

I booked us a river view room with a balcony. It may turn out to be a waste of money, depending on the weather. However, I know the hotel is on the banks of the Rhein, so if we do have decent weather, it could turn out to be a great choice. It was a bit of a splurge, and will be even more expensive than our visit to The Duke Suites was. But, it’s Switzerland, and Basel is a city that offers more to do than the lovely hamlet of Nistelrode does. I liked Nistelrode a lot, but to be honest, the area it’s in isn’t long on attractions. Basel will keep us busy. Maybe it will take my mind off of the impending disaster that is about to befall the United States.

I know not everyone thinks the next Trump term will be a disaster. Fair enough… and I hope they’re right. I don’t want to go through a disaster. But I just don’t think it’s going to be a good time for anyone… So we’re going to let the good times roll while we still can, and hope for the best. Or maybe, just pray to God that we manage to get through this impending fiasco without completely fucking up the whole world and losing everything.

SIGH…

Anyway… Les Trois Rois has a Michelin starred restaurant. I’ll have to check and see how many stars it has. If anything, we’ll drop a lot of money, but we’ll also be exposed to some beautiful things, if only for a short while. It should be nice.

Perhaps we can visit Paris in the springtime, if we don’t go to Spain… or get deported by the newly fallen German government.

Bavaria, short breaks, Ten Things I Learned

Ten things I learned in Bad Wörishofen…

Although our trip to Bad Wörishofen was fairly mundane, I did learn some new things on our most recent trip to Bavaria. So… in the interest of keeping things regular, here’s my usual ten things I learned list about our most recent road trip.

10. Bad Wörishofen is a place where older people like to go and have a rest.
Self-explanatory… although I guess Bill and I are approaching the status of “older people.” We noticed a lot of older folks visiting, but we also saw a lot of senior residences.

9. Sebastian Kneipp was a German Catholic priest who discovered the Kneipp Cure.
I had heard of Kneipp therapy before we visited Bad Wörishofen, as I encountered a Kneipp pool when we lived near Stuttgart. But this therapy, which involves a balanced diet, exercise, fresh air, and walking in cold water was discovered by Kneipp in Bad Wörishofen. And if you visit there, you won’t be able to forget it.

8. Bad Wörishofen looks like maybe it’s losing popularity…
I’m sure there’s an explanation as to why there were so many empty storefronts in Bad Wörishofen. Maybe it has nothing to do with waning popularity in the spa town. Still, Bill and I both noticed that there were a lot of empty rental spaces there.

7. If you get bored in Bad Wörishofen, you can easily visit other places.

We weren’t in Bad Wörishofen long enough to venture out of the spa town, but if we’d wanted to, we could have easily visited several well known German cities. That means it might make for a good base for those who want a small town feel and access to cities like Augsburg, Lindau, and Munich.

6. Five star hotels don’t always offer five star service.

I already knew this before we visit Hotel Fontenay. Five star hotels in Europe can be perfectly mediocre, as the star rating is more about the amenities offered, rather than extraordinary service. Hotel Fontenay is technically a five star hotel, but although the facility is nice, and the people are friendly, there was definitely room for improvement.

5. In Bad Wörishofen, you can try the water cure by simply walking into the old town.

I was surprised to see a Kneipp station in a pavilion in the old town in Bad Wörishofen. Anyone can go there, roll up their pants, take off their shoes, and walk in the water. The town has Kneipp stations all over it, allowing visitors to try the water cure.

4. But if you want more professional spa treatments, you can easily find them.
We noticed many places where professionally administered Kneipp therapy cures were offered. Maybe we should have done more research about them before our arrival on Thursday.

3. If you get hungry, head for the train station…
This was where we found the excellent restaurant, Unsere Liebhaberei, which offers unique dishes, good wines, and friendly service. I think visiting this restaurant was the highlight of our trip.

2. There’s a free bike repair station in Bad Wörishofen.
Seriously… if you happen to be riding a bike and break down in this spa town, you can head to a helpful bike repair station with tools that are connected by a sturdy wire. I don’t know how many people have availed themselves of the station, but it was the first time I’d ever seen anything like that. However, I do remember seeing a tire pump station in Jettingen, where we lived before we moved to Wiesbaden.

1. People take All Saints’ Day seriously in Bad Wörishofen.
I’m sure they take it seriously in other parts of Germany, too. But this Bavarian town really seemed to observe the religious holiday. Even our hotel had hymns playing over the sound system!

I’m not sorry we went to Bad Wörishofen. I thought it was a very pleasant town. I enjoyed learning more about Sebastian Kneipp, although I will confess that I didn’t try the water cure during our visit, because it was just too chilly for me. I did notice some people tried it, though, as there were always wet footprints by the pool in the Dorfplatz. I wouldn’t necessarily mind going back to this spa town, maybe at a different time of year. I would choose a different hotel, though.

That about does it for my series on Bad Wörishofen. Now I’m off to have a good cry.

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Category Archives: short breaks