The featured image is a Christmas decoration one of my neighbors still had up the other day when I walked the dogs…
Sadly, unlike last year, when we took a trip to Basel, this year we haven’t gone anywhere. Bill was away on business last week, in our old stomping grounds of Stuttgart. He got back on Thursday, which delighted the dogs and me. Ordinarily, we would have tried to take a short trip, or something, but this year it wasn’t really possible. Besides, given what’s going on right now, I’m not even sure how welcome we’d be. Maybe another trip to Switzerland would be okay… The Swiss are famously neutral, after all.
We do have a trip to the Stuttgart suburb of Waiblingen coming up in a couple of weeks. It’s so we can get our teeth cleaned. We’ll spend a few days enjoying some of the restaurants there and a change of scenery. We don’t really need to stay in Waiblingen, but I found us an interesting looking place that has a well-regarded restaurant. It’s a chance to experience something new and generate some content for this blog.
As for the rest of the year? Who knows? The way Trump is talking, we’re going back to war. 🙄 This time, it’ll be with our allies! It’s so distressing to be here and have to witness this madness. I deeply resent Donald Trump making ordinary Americans enemies to people from other countries because of his insanity and stupidity. Most Americans are not batshit crazy, but he’s making it look like we are.
Sigh… maybe it is time to just go home. Maybe if I’m lucky, ICE will off me, and I can go out with a bang.
Bill has a couple of business trips coming up. At least one of them is with NATO. It hasn’t been called off yet… but who knows what’s going to happen? This is a mess, and it really sucks.
I’m sorry that this post isn’t like my usual stuff, but I try to be honest when I write these things. Living over here isn’t always easy or hearts and roses… but when your own POTUS is completely nuts and is determined to make the world think all of us Americans are nuts, that’s something else again. I don’t like to be political on this blog, but sometimes situations warrant it. We are living here, after all, because of politicians.
I am reminded that last year on this date, we had a delightful $1000 lunch at a three star Michelin restaurant. This year, we’re at home, the weather sucks, and we’re wondering if we’re going to have to move. And all because so many people hated the idea of having an educated Black woman living in the White House.
Anyway… hopefully we’ll stay out of Greenland… I can’t imagine that most sane military servicemembers would have the heart to attack the people of Greenland, or any other Europeans.
Featured photo is of Bill and me at our Advent market in Breckenheim… we sure did have a great year of travel in 2025!
Bill and I thought about going to the annual Wiesbaden Sternemarkt (Christmas market) over the weekend. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty grim– cold, wet, and when it wasn’t raining, a bit damp. I just didn’t feel like putting on clothes and venturing out into the chilly weather to walk around the crowds and see the same stuff they put out every year. Maybe we’ll go next weekend, or at some point during the week.
It’s been a pretty busy fall, though, so I think we both just wanted to relax. Bill has had a bunch of business trips lately. The last one, which was to the United States, ended last weekend. He decided to spend Saturday making a kimchi recipe from a book on fermenting foods that I bought him for Christmas last year. I spent my Saturday making a new Christmas themed parody song for my YouTube channel. And yesterday, we just kind of rested, watched videos, and watched our new neighbor moving into the newly vacated row house catty cornered to us. Hopefully, he won’t turn out to be a jerk. He’s already annoyed Bill by blocking our car.
Since we didn’t do anything special over the weekend, I decided today I’d write about our year in travel. 2025 turned out to be our year to visit Switzerland a bunch of times, but we also went to a few exotic places I’d been wanting to visit or re-visit. So here goes… our travel year, 2025. I didn’t include any day trips on this– it would have made the post too long!
The bill at our first three star Michelin restaurant experience! It was worth every Swiss cent!
We decided to visit Basel, Switzerland as Trump was coming back to the White House. We chose Basel because it had been a city we’d wanted to visit for some time, and it’s convenient from the Frankfurt train station. I liked the idea of being in Switzerland, close to France and Germany. I also had a burning desire to visit Les Trois Rois, a fabulous old hotel on the Rhein (Rhine) River.
Switzerland seemed like a nice, calm, neutral, safe, and sane place to go, as Joe Biden left Washington, DC, and the orange pervert came back to terrorize us. I wanted to hope things wouldn’t get as bad as I imagined they’d be… Unfortunately, that hope was not to come to fruition, although so far, Bill and I are still doing okay.
Our trip to Basel was highlighted with a trip to our very first three star Michelin restaurant, Cheval Blanc, which was at the wonderful Les Trois Rois. I also remember getting scolded for taking off my coat in a museum, and eating a dinner decided by rolling dice and looking at tarot cards. It was a fun trip! I’d definitely go back.
We decided to take a longer trip to Italy by way of Switzerland. Bill has a co-worker who bought property in Abruzzo, Italy, and he wanted to go down there to check out the area. Since Abruzzo is a ways from Wiesbaden, we stopped in Vico Morcote (near Lugano, Switzerland) on the way down.
On the way back, we spent a couple of nights in picturesque Vipiteno, Italy, which is right by the Austrian border. I had been to Vipiteno once before, on a day trip back in 2009 via a bus tour operated by the Edelweiss resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I liked Vipiteno more on my own!
Will we buy property in Italy? Maybe… but other stuff happened this year that may affect that decision. I keep socking away money, just in case. Below is a photo from the vineyards owned by the hotel where we stayed. The Lugano area of Switzerland is very Italian, but much posher!
A view of Lake Lugano from Vico Morcote, Switzerland
We decided to visit the former Soviet Republic of Lithuania, and the capital city of Vilnius, in particular, for my 53rd birthday. I believe it was a “champagne bucket” drawing winner. I had wanted to go to Lithuania because it was the one Baltic country Bill and I hadn’t yet visited, and because it was a former Soviet country. It turned out to be a really interesting place to visit! I especially enjoyed visiting the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, which eerily reminded me of what’s happening in the United States right now.
The city of Vilnius has a great beer culture, but they also have really excellent food! And there’s a lot to do, as well as good shopping. I also appreciated that it was cool in June, rather than sweltering hot like it was in Germany. I’d love to visit again and see some more of the country. I hope we’ll get the opportunity!
This pink soup with a beet base turned out to be surprisingly delicious and refreshing! You can find this all over Vilnius!
We spent a little over a week in the Seefeld area of Zürich because Bill wanted to take the summer session at the C.G. Jung Institute in nearby Küsnacht. There isn’t a lot of lodging in Küsnacht, which is more of a residential area, so we booked an Apart-Hotel in the city. It turned out to be a good place to stay, as it was very close to the lake, as well as lots of restaurants, museums, and the botanical gardens.
I spent several days mesmerized by the sight of the pristine blue lake, watching people swim, boat, do yoga, and hydrofoil. This wasn’t much of a pleasure trip, since Bill was in class all day. I did enjoy myself, though, as Switzerland is a very beautiful country, even if it is very expensive. Bill’s experiences during the summer session cemented his decision to apply to study at the Institute.
A common scene on Lake Zürich in late June and early July. The lake is alive with activity! People liked my “Trump Sucks” t-shirt, too.
5. Budapest, Hungary— September 2025
I went to Budapest with Bill in September. He was there on business, but I got to tag along with him and spend six nights walking around Hungary’s capital city once again. Our first visit there was in September 2009– it had been our last trip before we had to move back to the United States thanks to Bill’s narcissistic Army boss. That trip had been wonderful, although we stayed in a different part of the city in a much nicer hotel. This time, we were in the thick of the tourist area, but in a less excellent hotel.
I’m glad I had a chance to visit Budapest again, because I got a totally different view of it during our second visit. I also got a taste of the wonderful musicians in Hungary. I think I knew Hungary had a great music culture, but I heard it firsthand on this trip… and I even got to join in with one band!
Budapest has lots to see and hear, even if you’re dining at a tourist trap!
Bill decided to apply to study at the C.G. Jung Institute in Küsnacht, and part of the process of seeking admission involved being interviewed by three Jungian analysts. Two of the analysts Bill was assigned to speak to had offices in Zürich. In fact, they were located in Seefeld, the area where Bill and I stayed during the summer session! However, this time, we decided to stay in Küsnacht at the Sonne Hotel, which had been fully booked when we visited during the summer.
I booked us into one of the hotel’s best rooms, and I got a beautiful view of Lake Zürich. We also ate at several nice restaurants and took another lake cruise, which was just as idyllic in the fall as it was in the summer. This time, we were on a steamboat, which was a different experience.
Bill’s bid to study at the Jung Institute was successful, so I suspect we’ll get to visit this area lots of times. Or, at least we will as long as we’re living in Europe. If we have to go back to the States, I might not get to go so often. I’m glad we visited the quiet suburb of Küsnacht, though. It has a different vibe than the big city of Zürich has, even though it’s right next to it.
The day after our 23rd wedding anniversary, Bill had to go to Istanbul for another business trip. He invited me to go with him, which I was happy to do. This was my second visit to Istanbul. The first was in the summer of 1996, and was a lot less fancy than this trip was– although in the 90s, my friend and I stayed much closer to the tourist areas. Maslak is a business district, so it’s not so convenient for tourist purposes.
I still managed to have a pretty good time revisiting this fascinating city and seeing Taksim again, the area where my friend Elaine and I stayed in 1996. I’d like to go back to Istanbul with Bill and really do it right– see the tourist spots and pick up some cool souvenirs. But it was great to go back to Istanbul, even if it was just for a few days in the financial district. As usual, I learned new things.
A dramatic shot of a seagull I got while watching hundreds of them descend on a mosque in search of food. It was very surreal!
I don’t think we’re going anywhere else in 2025, but I’m already planning a trip to Stuttgart at the end of January 2026. Bill and I are overdue for dental cleanings. But– I have already found a new hotel with an exciting restaurant to try out in the suburb of Waiblingen, so there will something new in the blog then… and potentially even before then. We’ll see what happens!
Below is a gallery that sums up our year of travel in 2025… (or at least the travel I was part of– Bill went on a few work trips alone). Not bad, eh?
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.
Yes, that’s a hooker.
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.
Yikes! But it was so worth it!
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.
Worth a visit!
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.
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…
Wish our government had these 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.
Featured photo was taken in the Historical Museum.
Sunday morning, Bill and I decided to try the breakfast at Les Trois Rois. When we stay in hotels, we usually go ahead and book breakfast, even when it’s expensive. I didn’t do that for our trip to Basel, mainly because I didn’t see the option to do so until we’d already booked our stay. Now that we’ve been to the hotel, I’m kind of glad that we didn’t include breakfast in our nightly rate. I believe you do get a break on the price if you pre-book breakfast. When I look at the hotel’s Web site, I see that the rate for a room with breakfast is 45 francs more per night, while if you just go there without pre-booking, it’s 55 francs per person.
Cheers!
Les Trois Rois also has a Sunday brunch that runs from 11:30 PM until 3:00 PM. The brunch was fully booked on Sunday, but if we had chosen to do it, it would have cost 155 francs per person.
The breakfast includes a buffet, juices, champagne, hot drinks, and made to order egg dishes and other breakfast staples. It was pretty busy in the Brewery restaurant, where breakfast is served, when we arrived. Bill had Eggs Benedict, and I had Eggs Norsk, which was basically Eggs Benedict, but with smoked salmon instead of bacon.
After breakfast, we decided to walk around Basel some more. We went across the bridge nearest the hotel, which took us to a seedier part of the city. At one point, I looked down and noticed pictographs on the pavement. It looked like a woman standing next to a streetlamp… A prostitute! And lo and behold, upon looking up prostitutes in Basel, I discovered that yes, indeed, we had found Basel’s Red Light district! Prostitution has been legal and regulated in Switzerland since 1942, but street hustling is supposed to be illegal. In 2016, city officials in Basel made areas where prostitutes are allowed to stand, um… offering their wares. Before I noticed the pictograph, we did see a few ladies in the street, chatting up men and sort of loitering near what appeared to be seedy bars… for Switzerland, anyway.
In the hotelGot about $29,000 laying around?Don’t jump off the bridge for a swim!Views of the hotelWarning… you are in callgirl territory…Another police PSA
After a few minutes of walking through the Red Light District, we decided to go back across the bridge and up a hill. We wandered around, passing buildings belonging to the local university, until we wound up in the Münsterplatz. This is a big plaza where the Basler Münster is. We happened to be there just as church was letting out, so we didn’t have the chance to go inside for a look, but I did hear some lovely organ music that I picked up on video, along with my heavy breathing. I also got some photos of the area, which is one of the oldest public squares in Basel.
We rounded a corner and soon found ourselves near the Basel Historical Museum. I needed to pee, so that was a sign we needed to visit the museum. I’m not sorry we visited, as the museum is pretty awesome and extensive, and once you get to the bottom of it, you will, in fact, find a public restroom. But something surprising happened when we went inside.
First, we bought our tickets, which were half price, because we had a Basel Card. The tickets were good for two other museums within walking distance and could be used for up to seven days after purchase. We didn’t get a chance to visit the other two museums, one of which was a music museum. If we ever go back to Basel, we’ll have to make a point of seeing those places.
I took in the vast, beautiful building, that was clearly once a place of worship. Then I realized I was hot. I wore my heavy coat, and had been walking around. I decided to take it off. When I did that, I was immediately accosted by a security guard. The man came up to me and said that in the museum, I had two choices– I could either wear my coat or put it in a locker. Then he went on to politely explain that they had 800 year old artifacts there, and somehow, if I’m carrying my coat instead of wearing it, that puts their priceless artifacts at risk.
I must have looked annoyed, confused, and perhaps even angry, because the guy just kept going on while I stood there listening to him, considering what I wanted to do. As he continued to explain… unnecessarily, I might add… I finally said in a rather peevish tone of voice, “It’s alright. It’s not a problem.” I put the coat in a locker, but was then quite pissed off, not because I minded putting my coat in a locker, but because the guy kept going on and on about it, as if merely removing my jacket was offensive to him. All they needed to do was suggest it when we bought the tickets, not lecture me in the middle of the museum for daring to take off my coat because I was sweating.
That confrontation kind of put a damper on the visit, but at least I got the chance to pee. I’m glad we did go there, too, because it is an interesting museum with a lot to see. One could spend hours in there. We also managed to pick up some gifts for Bill’s grandchildren and co-workers, and a book on phobias and manias for me. In fairness to the guard, he was not impolite. In fact, it was like he was trying very hard not to offend, but in the process of doing that, managed to be offensive by acting as if I didn’t understand his request. He could have just requested that I put the coat in the locker without the unrequested explanation and that would have been much less irritating.
Just outside of the museum. It reminded me of Antwerp, Belgium.
After we visited the museum, we realized it was close to lunchtime. So we went across the street to a Swiss beerhall type restaurant called Braunen Mutz. This was a very casual place that offered a lot of local favorites like fondue and raclette, but also had things like meatloaf, sausages, and fried fish. In fact, I had fried perch and frites, while Bill had the meatloaf. We enjoyed several locally produced beers, too. We got a kick out of the little Swiss flags on every dish. It wasn’t the most amazing food we’ve ever had, but it was comforting and tasty, and we got service with a smile. I see by reviews on TripAdvisor that not everyone enjoys the experience as much as we did…
I told my German friend, Susanne, that the little flags were very National Lampoon’s European Vacation…
Bwahahahahaha… I’m sure the food was better than TV dinners!
After lunch, we walked around some more, finally running into some impressive buskers who were playing a mean version of “Don’t Be Cruel” by Elvis Presley. I got Bill to leave them a tip.
I love buskers!
Then we headed back to the hotel to rest a bit and digest… and then enjoy a little more time in the bar, where I got a dirty look because I was trying to watch a video without sound, but didn’t realize the volume was turned up. I’m afraid my eyes probably expressed how I felt about that. Below are some more photos, including some of the lovely bar at Les Trois Rois. I noticed what appeared to be a few ladies posing in front of the fireplace. I don’t know if they were guests, or had just gone there to have a drink and be “seen”.
The bar at Les Trois Rois is a great place for gin and tonics.
We missed turn down service again, because we decided to watch some TV and relax on our final night in Basel. I will sum up our ride back to Germany in the next post!
After we had our breakfast at Bachmann Confiserie, Bill and I decided to take a walk around the Rathaus area of Basel. I got some photos of the local scene, including the Saturday market, and the very cool courtyard in the Rathaus. I got videos of people who were busking, although they weren’t all that exciting. I think I was too focused on our 12:45 PM lunch reservation at Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl, the Michelin three star restaurant at our hotel, Les Trois Rois. We went for lunch, because dinner was fully booked. It turned out to be a good thing we had lunch instead of dinner, given how long the lunch took to enjoy.
Below are some photos I took on Saturday morning. It was sunny, but cold and windy. I was really glad I bought more merino wool turtleneck sweaters from Celtic & Co. They really came in handy.
I loved the inner courtyard of the Rathaus, which was beautifully painted.They must have to touch this up often, to keep it looking so fresh.
We ended up walking near the Basel Historical Museum, which was once a church. I took a few photos, and then on Sunday, we paid a visit, which I will write about in the next post. For now, here are some more photos…
I will write about our visit here tomorrow… The local police make lots of PSAs for walking areas. This one was about protecting your bike.Another shot of Les Trois Rois.
We went back to the hotel and got changed. We were advised that we should dress “smartly”, with no athletic wear, polo shirts, tennis shoes, or jeans. I noticed that this request wasn’t strictly enforced, although of the nine tables at Cheval Blanc, most people had dressed appropriately. I was originally planning to wear a dress, but decided it was too chilly. I wore pants and a sweater, accented with jewelry and a pretty wrap from Novica. Bill wore what you see in the below video…
When we sat down, the Maitre d’ immediately mentioned that he had gotten a note about my aversion to fungus. He offered substitutions that were suitable. We were surprised that he mentioned it from the start. The entire wait staff was so polished, friendly, and professional. It was extremely impressive! And just today, I have read about some of the staff members who found themselves becoming gastronomy experts because Chef Peter Knogl recognized their talent and promoted them!
We really enjoyed this experience, even though it was VERY expensive. I love watching Bill’s face when he eats something that blows his mind. That happens a lot when he eats cheese…
This lunch went on for about four hours, and it was course after course of exquisitely and immaculately prepared food. There were a couple of courses I didn’t want, because I don’t eat truffles or mushrooms, but I don’t think mushrooms were on the menu. We both substituted another course that featured foie gras. Bill had the course with truffles, while I had a hamachi course. And since I don’t eat much cheese, I had two desserts, while Bill enjoyed an array of cheeses. The service was absolutely impeccable, and the Maitre d’ was very charming. He reminded me a little of Justin Timberlake… or maybe Rick Astley.
Every time the staff put down a dish, it was delivered at exactly the same time. The staff members were always paying close attention to each other and coordinated everything seamlessly. Everything was marvelous, right down to the dishes used, which my German friend says was Limoges porcelain. We have been to several Michelin one star restaurants. This was our first three star experience. We did notice a difference, especially in the number of people dining at one time. Cheval Blanc only seats 30 people.
The whole “shebang” cost 320 Swiss Francs per person, just for the food. A slightly smaller experience was available for 285 Francs, but what’s the point of that? As long as you’re spending the money, you might as well go for the whole thing. We also had two bottles of water, a round of champagne, a bottle of wine, and armagnac. Check the photos for the eye-watering bill! It was totally worth it, though.
I think the Maitre d’ might have feared that I was going to be overly picky. He asked me if I had a problem with oysters. Since I grew up near the beach, I am a big oyster fan! I just can’t do earthy flavors.
He’s so debonair!Olive breadOyster with sublime lemon sauce.I loved this course… the avocado cream with jalapenos was delicious.Bill loved it too!This was a savory macaroon made with beet root and wasabi. It melted in the mouth!HamachiLobster with bergamot…Red mullet with fried fish scalesPigeon!The cheese cart…I really wish I liked cheese more.This was my substitute… a very delicate chocolate cake.Fruity mousseBill reacts to the cheese!Yet another dessert…Petit fours to soften the blow of the check…Armagnac…It went with the chocolates, presented for us at the end…Wow!
By the time lunch was finished, we were both pretty tired, and in need of some time to rest and digest. It was starting to get dark outside. Dinner at Cheval Blanc starts at 7:00 PM, so I guess the wait staff was enjoying a break before the next meal. I was pretty glad we did lunch instead of dinner. Bill and I tend to want to stay in more at night, these days.
We went to the room and changed clothes again. Bill went out to find some wine and snacks. I took a few more photos of the Rhein/Rhine… We stayed in the rest of the night, absolutely shocked by how delightful lunch was. We missed turn down, and the housekeeping staff left us a note saying they were respecting our privacy and to call them if we wanted them to come back and turn down the room.
An Italian restaurant that bordered our balcony.I think this is the Novartis building. It’s huge, and the sun hits it in an interesting way.A photo of the Michelin Man in the kitchen window.An immaculate kitchen!
Yes, we really spent about $1000 on lunch. That is the most we have ever spent on a meal. I never thought we would ever drop that much money on a meal, especially a lunch. However, we don’t regret doing it, because the food was truly earth shattering. I mean, there were so many flavors and they just burst in the mouth.
Service was flawless and meticulously coordinated; I heard the staff easily speaking German, English, and French. It was one of those incredible culinary experiences that most people just don’t have often… or at all. I feel extremely fortunate that we were able to dine at Cheval Blanc. We also met Chef Peter Knogl, who came around and spoke to everyone at the nine tables in the restaurant. I didn’t know he originally came from Germany. He really impressed us! I can see why he’s earned his stars.
Now, I want to book another stay at the Bareiss in Baiersbronn… They have a three star Michelin restaurant, too! We’ll have to see what the future holds. For now, I’m just so happy we’ve been able to have these experiences at all. And if you have the time and the means, and you like “haute cuisine”, I would absolutely recommend visiting Cheval Blanc. Just make sure you save up your Swiss Francs. Don’t think of it as eating a meal. Think of it as investment in your life experiences!
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.
The front door at Alchemist…
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…
Tarot cards helped make my cocktail…My cocktail had cotton candy…Bill’s had dry ice…A “bamboo steamer” with fried kale.Tweezers instead of a knife!The kale roll was very spicy!A true unisex bathroom.Interesting course with chickpeas and lentils.I liked the chicken and frites!One drink was wine, served in a beaker.I liked this cocktail with almond milk and rice crisp.
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.
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.
My goofy man.Brrrr…Beer makes everything better.
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…
Huge patioAfternoon viewMinibar… this was included in the price of the room.BathroomWashlet toilet. It squirts cold water, though.Great showerInstructions. Unfortunately, they are upside down.Controls for the toilet.HallLibraryFoyerEvening viewLots of Rhein dinner cruises start and finish by the hotel. We had a great view of the action.
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.
Loved the fireplace!The tequila used in my drink. I’d never had it before.
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.
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.
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.
A screenshot of the hotel
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.
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