adventure, Annoyances, C.G. Jung, Luxury

Older and wiser in Die Schweiz… (part ten)

On Wednesday, June 24th, Bill and I had plans to visit Rico’s cosi, a very nice restaurant in Küsnacht that we didn’t have the chance to try when we visited in October 2025. Rico’s cosi has the look of an artsy place, and reservations are pretty much a must. The chef, Rico, is featured on the restaurant’s Web site, smiling broadly in a red apron. The cuisine is Mediterranean and French-contemporary, and the price per course is $$$$. 😚 Our reservations were for 7:30 PM.

Before our dinner, Bill had class. Bill’s classes for Wednesday allowed for a break from 11:00AM until 2:00 PM. We had a leisurely breakfast, gazing at the lake and enjoying the many wonderful treats offered at the Pavilion Restaurant. I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but for people not staying at the hotel, breakfast at the Pavilion costs 54 Swiss Francs per person. 🫪 The good thing is, you definitely won’t leave there hungry!

On Wednesday morning, I had avocado toast. Bill decided to go with poached eggs and bacon. Of course, we had the rest of the stuff, too… the etagè, bread, coffee, juice, water… and yes, I needed to pee afterwards!

*I love how the food is presented. It’s so pretty!*

After breakfast, Bill went to his morning class, and I did my usual writing. Then, when Bill came back, we visited the Biergarten. It offered a different view of the lake, as well as easy access to beer.

Once Bill went back to class, I decided to go to the lake. On Wednesday, there were two women there… probably twenty years younger than me. One of them, dressed in a black one piece and sitting under an umbrella, talked non-stop for the entire time I was there.

However, in spite of the chatter, I still kind of dozed off. Beer, sun, and the relaxed vibe encouraged restfulness. I interspersed my sleepiness with a few plunges into Lake Zürich. You can see there’s a barrier up. Again, there was a private event hosted on the beach area, which made it harder to separate from the talkative lady.

Later, Bill returned from his class at the Jung Institute. We got dressed for dinner and walked over to Rico’s, which is located very close to the Institute. We didn’t know it when we arrived, but service was in the garden in the back of the restaurant. Still, we got a peek inside of Rico’s, which is a really beautifully decorated place. We also passed a young looking Asian guy sitting in the small parking lot, smoking a pipe. I don’t remember the last time I saw someone smoke a pipe! 🤣

*I wish I’d thought to snap a photo or two of the interior.*

We were a little early for our 7:30 PM reservation, and a little bit overdressed. Most of the people under the tent were dressed in shorts and polos, or something similar. We took a two top just outside of the tent, and the gentleman who seated us said it was a good thing there was shade. 🫪

To be honest, I wasn’t all that impressed with Rico’s… Not because of the food, which was excellent, but more because of the service. When we sat down, we were presented with a menu for a tasting menu– 5 courses at 198 CHF per person.

There were several things on it that I didn’t like. For instance, they were offering foie gras, which I object to for a few reasons– the main one being that I don’t like how it tastes. They also had a veal entree, and while I do think veal tastes good, I prefer not to eat it.

When I demurred about the veal, the waiter said they could make the veal dish with beef, which would have been okay. But I was a little tired of meat and wanted something else. So I asked for an a la carte menu, and the guy looked at me like I had nine heads, or something. Like… why wouldn’t you want to eat five courses for triple digits, even though there are things on the menu that you wouldn’t eat even if the most gifted chef in the world prepared them?

He looked so surprised that I asked, “You do have an a la carte menu, right?” I figured they did, because Bill had already looked at it before we came to the restaurant.

The guy said, “Yes, of course.” He presented to me, and I took the below photo.

I noticed that just about everyone else was having the tasting menu. Maybe the guy was puzzled that I didn’t follow the crowd (kind of a recurrent trend in my life), or maybe it was annoying to him because I was being contrary, and making life harder by ordering something different… not trusting the chef. Or maybe he feared we wouldn’t spend as much as the other folks did (preposterous!).

I’m sure the tasting menu was delightful, and we did order a couple of things that were on it. But I feel like if you’re charging as much as Rico’s cosi does, you shouldn’t be surprised when your guest wants to see the a la carte menu.

In the end, ordering a la carte was a good decision… Behold!

The food was excellent, very fresh, and beautifully presented. We both really enjoyed our fish dishes. However, the service, in my opinion, was a little inconsistent and could use some work. The wait staff, which consisted of all men, was a little casual, and not in a good way. They also held our wine hostage, although to their credit, they never got too weeded to top us up. I will also give props to the friendly guy who used a table crumber to sweep our table after we finished eating. That is a mark of good service.

At one point, a chef practically barked at Bill, who thought he was about to give him the wrong plate. Granted, the chef knows what he’s serving, but he came off as a little temperamental. I can’t blame him for being irritable, since the job is stressful, and likely uncomfortable. But it was still off putting.

Then there was the wine service. We had a champagne aperitif, and then ordered a white wine to go with our dinner. Bill had to stop the server from serving the wine, however, because the staff neglected to change the glasses from which we drank our aperitifs. It probably wouldn’t have made a huge difference in the taste, but again, for a restaurant that charges as much as Rico’s does, one expects much more attentive service than that.

Finally, there’s the vaguely threatening email Rico’s sent before our reservation– if we didn’t show up, they’d charge us 100 CHF! I know some high demand restaurants do that, but they hadn’t even taken Bill’s credit card number. Add that to the Asian lady sitting in the corner with her husband, giving us surreptitious side eyes… That’s not the staff’s fault, but it did kind of lend to the atmosphere of snootiness.

Still, I’ve certainly had much worse meals, and I wouldn’t turn down another visit to Rico’s cosi. I would love to try sitting inside next time.

If you decide to go there yourself, make sure you bring plenty of Swiss Francs or a credit card with a healthy limit. I think our bill came to somewhere around 400 CHF. That’s certainly not the most we’ve ever spent (that would be Cheval Blanc in Basel— just under 1000 CHF, and absolutely worth every cent!), but it was definitely expensive.

Rico’s cosi used to have at least one Michelin Star, but apparently, they lost it at some point. You can see this referenced in reviews from other guests, a few of whom were also turned off by the service. I notice that they are quick to accept responsibility in their responses to poor reviews, but they also complain about “harsh wording” in review titles. I guess I’ll take that under advisement when I write my Trip Advisor review. 🙄

On our way out of the garden, I was surprised by the sight of a very snazzy looking Ferrari. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen one so up close and personal. But then, perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised. It was Switzerland, after all…

I noticed Rico was also admiring the car, and we shared a moment staring at it. He actually seemed like a very friendly guy. He came around to the tables and thanked us for coming. It was just a couple of his staff members who came off as less than genuinely nice or service oriented.

As we were walking back to the hotel, I reflected more on the Ferrari and thought about the type of person who typically buys such a vehicle. Some of them are truly car aficionados, who simply love high performance sports cars and don’t mind spending six figures to own one (or more). And some of them are people who are compensating for certain other things that come up short in their lives… 😏🤣

But I can’t deny that the car was very impressive! And the person driving it, probably dines at Rico’s cosi, or places much like it, somewhat often.

Stay tuned for part eleven…

Education, Luxury

Older and wiser in Die Schweiz… (part two)

Featured photo is of our train leaving Bern for Zürich on June 21, 2026. You can see the Aare River from the window.

How I chose our accommodations…

Last June, when Bill went to his first summer course at the Jung Institute, we stayed at the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt, in a really nice self-catering one bedroom apartment in Seefeld, a bustling district in Zürich. There were a lot of things I liked about our stay last year.

The apartment was very convenient and super clean, and renting it allowed for me to do my own thing most of the time. I only had to clear out of the apartment to give the staff time to clean every other day. The lake was two blocks away, while the University of Zürich’s botanical garden was maybe three blocks away. There were also some gardens and museums nearby.

However, the Seefeld area, while very practical, was also a bit noisy. The tram stop was literally steps away from our door, and I was frequently startled by the people in the apartment above us. I think they had a child with them who was playing ball or something. There were a lot of sudden thudding noises from the ceiling that I found unnerving and annoying.

Also, the place did offer one parking spot, which we claimed, but we were blocked in the whole time. So if we’d wanted to drive somewhere, we would have had to get the staff to move their car, so we could leave the parking spot.

In October, we stayed at the Sonne Hotel in Küsnacht, which is popular with students who attend the Jung Institute, because it is within walking distance of institute. Indeed, Carl Jung himself used to like to visit the hotel and drink beer in the Biergarten. During our fall visit, the Biergarten and the main restaurant were closed for extensive renovations, but that didn’t bother us much.

We had a pleasant stay at the Sonne Hotel during the fall, so when I was planning this year’s trip in March, I looked to see what was available at the Sonne Hotel for this week. I seem to remember the only room they had was a junior suite, which was fine. We stayed in a junior suite in the fall, too. Yes, it’s quite expensive, but it offers plenty of space for a lengthy stay, and a wonderful view of the lake.

I had a harder time choosing our Bern hotel. In January 2025, we visited Basel, Switzerland for the first time. I had also been interested in visiting Bern, but I didn’t see any hotels that were particularly appealing. There was a hotel in Basel I wanted to book, and it had a Michelin 3 star restaurant that I knew Bill wanted to try. So we went to Basel, and had a good time… although now that I’ve been to Bern, I think I much prefer Bern (when there isn’t a city wide party going on, that is).

After a lot of deliberating, I ended up choosing two nights in a junior suite at the Hotel Schweizerhof Bern. As expensive as our junior suite at the Sonne Hotel is, the Schweizerhof was even pricier. However, I believe the Bern hotel is a five star establishment, while the Sonne Hotel is rated as a four star superior.

This is a good time to explain the hotel ratings system in Europe, for those who don’t know about it. Hotels are awarded stars based on the facilities they offer. The Schweizerhof has a spa, complete with a pool, steam bath, sauna and whirlpool. It also has an exercise room. We didn’t have time to try out the spa. I wish we’d had one more night in Bern, so I could have seen more of the city and checked out the spa.

The Schweizerhof is also air conditioned, which makes it a rare find in Switzerland. Air conditioning has definitely not caught on in this country!

The Sonne Hotel also has a spa area and exercise room, but it does not have a pool. However, the Sonne Hotel does have a lovely private lakeside area, where hotel guests can sunbathe and directly access Lake Zürich. The Sonne Hotel is not air conditioned.

Both hotels have full scale restaurants and bars. We did not try the Schweizerhof’s restaurant, Jack’s Brasserie, except for when we had breakfast. We opted not to eat there because the menu didn’t really appeal to us. In retrospect, maybe we should have tried it. Our breakfasts at the Schweizerhof were very good, especially given our charming waiter, an older gentleman named Philippe.

Both hotels are very convenient to train stations. The Schweizerhof is literally a two minute walk from Bern’s main station. The Sonne Hotel is maybe a five minute walk from the Küsnacht stop on the regional train. Since we took the train from Frankfurt Airport to Bern, and then from Bern to Küsnacht, that was a definite perk. On Saturday, when we head back to Germany, we will take the train from Küsnacht to Zürich’s main station, and then from Zürich to Frankfurt Airport.

Now that we’ve finished the Bern part of the trip, and are now on our second full day at the Sonne Hotel, I think I can safely say that I prefer the Sonne Hotel. It offers a stunning view of Lake Zürich, and a very laid back vibe. While our room is a bit warm because it’s summer, we do have a fan and windows that open on three sides of the room.

There’s also a great Biergarten right by the lake, and in spite of the occasional horn blasts from passing ferries, it’s a lot quieter at night than the Schweizerhof was. The noise at the Schweizerhof was probably not a normal thing, since it was caused by the city fest that was going on during our stay. Nevertheless, the pulsating music was not stopped by the windows, and I felt like I was back in college, waiting for the frat parties to end so I could fall asleep.

One other thing I prefer at the Sonne Hotel is the lighting in the room. Although a couple of the outlets in the room seem to be hardwired to only work if the main switch is turned on, we don’t have to deal with a really bright overhead light. We are in the top room on a broad tower that faces the lake. So the ceiling in our room at the Sonne is very high. See the above photo.

*There were two of these in our room at the Schweizerhof. They were pretty to look at, but very BRIGHT and harsh!*

Our room at the Schweizerhof had two big chandeliers, which gave off very bright light. It was impossible to just use the lamps in the room. Neither Bill nor I like overhead lighting. We find it too harsh, and we have trouble relaxing when the lighting in a room is too bright.

But when we asked the front desk staff about turning off the chandeliers and simply using the lamps, they didn’t know if it could be done. A technician later confirmed that the chandeliers were programmed to be on, if the lights were turned on. For two nights, it wasn’t a big deal, but I do think for 600 Swiss Francs a night, guests should be able to turn off the overhead lights and just use the lamps if they like.

The light situation and the loud noise (even though it was beyond the hotel staff’s control) would cause me to rate the Schweizerhof lower than I might have. However, Philippe in the restaurant made up for some of my annoyance about the lights and the noise. He was extremely charming, professional, and just plain cool. He even brought out a delicious chocolate mousse cake and a card for my birthday, which Bill and I enjoyed over several sessions!

I know this treatment is probably the standard at the hotel. I think they only knew it was my birthday because when we checked in, the receptionist asked what brought us to Bern and I said we were celebrating my birthday. It was the truth. But they made a note of it and surprised me with this…

So… I probably would consider booking the Schweizerhof again… but I think for our purposes, the Sonne Hotel is a better fit. However, I also liked the self-catering apartment we used last year, the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt, and would not hesitate to recommend it, either. I think it’s difficult to find subpar accommodations in Switzerland!

One last thing… Both hotels this year were booked through Expedia.de. Last year, I used Booking.com for the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt.

Hessen, rants

MLK weekend 2026… hunkered down in Hessen…

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.

Eastern Europe, Hungary, Lithuania, Türkiye

2025 was an interesting travel year…

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!*

Basel, Switzerland— January 2025

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.
Abruzzo, Italy, by way of Vico Morcote, Switzerland— March 2025

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*

3. Vilnius, Lithuania— June 2025

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!*

4. Zürich, Switzerland— June/July 2025

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!*

6. Küsnacht, Switzerland— October 2025

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.

6. Istanbul (Maslak), Türkiye— November 2025

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?

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.

holidays, Luxury, Sundays

A little Swiss serenity: I made waves by taking off my jacket… part five

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.

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.

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!

holidays, Luxury

A little Swiss serenity: Three Michelin Stars at Cheval Blanc… part four

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.*

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…*

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.

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.*

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!

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.

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: Basel