Older and wiser in Die Schweiz… (part three)

Featured photo is one I took in Bern on my birthday.

Now it’s time to get down to the business of actual travel. We decided to use trains on this trip to Switzerland. The main reason we decided on train travel is because it’s convenient, especially for our destinations.

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that both of our hotels are within a few minutes’ walk from train stations. While it not feel like they’re that close when you pack as much as I do, they are actually super easy to access. Train travel means not having to deal with traffic, or expensive parking. And it also means Bill can do this…

Bill bought us first class tickets from Frankfurt Airport to Bern. Then he bought first class tickets from Bern to Küsnacht. Finally, we have first class tickets from Küsnacht to Frankfurt Airport. We took a cab to the train station from our house, and we’ll take another cab home on Saturday.

The trains going to and from Switzerland are Deutsche Bahn, while the train between Swiss destinations was SBB (Swiss Federal Railways). This is an important note, given what happened on the way to Bern. I’ll explain that down post.

On Friday, June 19th, we headed to the Frankfurt Airport train station. We were a bit early, and I had a headache that turned out to be because I was hungry. We stopped by Burger King, where we saw a man who was the spitting image of our village’s manager. I don’t know if it was him, but it sure looked like him… or maybe his long lost twin!

Below are a few photos from on the platform… It was a hot day!

We managed to get two seats next to each other, going in the correct direction of travel. As I sat down in my first class seat, I realized how much more comfortable train travel is than most airplane travel. We had plenty of legroom, a large window, and a tray table that didn’t poke me in the beer gut.

One thing I didn’t like about our trip down to Bern was the noise in the train car. I like to sit in the quiet cars, but I guess we got one where it was okay to use one’s cellphone. A group of loud French speaking men were on their phones almost the entire four hour trip to Bern. We were also a little bit delayed, on account of something that happened before Bill and I boarded.

I noticed the air in the train was a little stinky. It smelled a little like halitosis. Maybe it was from all of the people talking so loudly. Anyway, I tried not to let it make me grumpy. The beer definitely helped.

*This is an Erdinger beer. Our ex landlady was from Erding. I like the beer a whole lot more than I liked her.*

By the time we got to Basel, Switzerland, we were about eleven minutes late. The Zoll (border patrol) guys came on, got one look at us Euro-looking Americans, and walked on by.

I think the train drivers changed, too, because I noticed a different voice on the intercom. He spoke perfect German, French, and English. And he made a point of telling everyone that we were delayed because of an incident that had occurred in GERMANY. 🤭 The way the driver said it was funny. It was like he was disgusted that we were eleven minutes delayed. I noticed that he also encouraged people with connecting trains to hurry, because the trains were waiting for them. The Swiss take punctuality VERY seriously, especially when it comes to public transportation.

I noticed after we got going in Basel, the train driver started to really haul ass. We we were going noticeably faster, and Bill and I were, at that point, riding backwards. Fortunately, we only had to do that for a short time. Bern isn’t all that far from Basel.

When we arrived in Basel, it was almost 6:00 PM. Rain was falling, and the driver had made up about five minutes of the delay. I noticed the beautiful Aare River, as the train pulled into the busy station. We got off the train and followed the crowd… and wound up exiting the station on the wrong side, which meant we had to walk the long way to the Schweizerhof Hotel.

I also didn’t know that from June 19-21, there was a Stadt Fest going on in Bern. The city was teeming with people, and there were DJs everywhere, blasting music. Although I usually enjoy a good city party, I was kind of hoping for quiet after listening to French business calls for four hours. Nevertheless, we made our way to the hotel, where we were welcomed by a lovely young lady named Lavina, who checked us in and gave us access to Room 516.

I booked a junior suite, which came with two bathrooms. They actually came in handy for Bill.

The bathtub in our suite was pretty fancy. It even had a TV mounted into the wall, and a remote control. We didn’t use it, but I was kind of impressed, nonetheless. The hotel left us bottled water and two green apples, which later came in handy in Küsnacht.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, the hotel is a rare property in Switzerland with air conditioning. And unfortunately, the room had chandeliers that we couldn’t turn off, if we wanted to use the lamps. I don’t like overhead lighting, especially when it’s really bright. But we were only there for two nights, so it was no big deal. Naturally, there was also a well stocked minibar, but there was enough room in it to store the lovely chocolate mousse birthday cake I got at our first breakfast.

Below are a few shots of the “party” going on in Bern on June 19th…

Since it was evening when we arrived, we changed clothes and headed out to our first dinner reservation. It was a chain steakhouse called Williams ButchersTable. Bill picked this location before we left Germany, and I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if not for a few things.

There was a huge DJ setup outside of the restaurant, blaring music so loud we could barely hear each other.
The chairs were not very comfortable, and wouldn’t have been, even if I had a smaller ass.
The restaurant is also a “Metzgerei”, and one of the gimmicks they have is that you go to a meat counter and choose what you want. I felt uncomfortable standing behind a group of several men, picking out their cuts of meat. It was crowded and awkward, and I eventually told Bill to just pick something for me.
I had been eating leftover steak all week, prior to our arrival, and was really sick of red meat.

I know I shouldn’t complain, though. I am very fortunate that we were able to go to such a restaurant for dinner. I probably would have liked it a lot more if not for the loud music outside. I did lighten up a bit as we drank some nice Chianti Classico. And I have to admit, the steaks were good. I also had a dry baked potato, because I prefer potatoes with butter, rather than sour cream. Below are a few photos of the restaurant and food we enjoyed. Bill and I both had Swiss steaks, but his had cheese on it. He also had truffle fries instead of a baked potato. This restaurant does have vegetarian options, but you have to request them. They aren’t listed on the menu.

By the time we finished dinner, we were in a slightly better mood. The music had switched to 70s and 80s dance music, and I was enjoying watching the white people dance. Also, a lot of people were ordering bone marrow, which is apparently a popular specialty at Williams ButchersTable. I watched people holding a big bone to their lips as the wait staff poured vodka down the middle.

We ordered dessert. Bill had stracciatella tiramisu, and I had Ovo Mousse, which turned out to be mousse made from Ovaltine! I used to drink Ovaltine when I was a kid, but it was introduced to me by a former friend of mine. My mom didn’t buy it for me until I tried it at my friend’s house. I guess Ovaltine is popular in Switzerland. I did enjoy the malted dessert made with it!

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel. We were both kind of tired and cranky. On the way back, I took more photos of the rowdy crowds! All kinds of people were there… including what some might call “Jesus Freaks”. Check out their signs!

*These people were holding up signs about Jesus.*

We were ready for bed, but the rest of Bern wasn’t. The windows in our room were not quite a match for the loud, pulsating music. It went on until the wee hours of the morning. I looked up the schedule of events, and I noticed that something was planned until 5:00 AM! We were told this is NOT the norm for Bern, so we’ll have to visit again on a less rowdy weekend.

Fortunately, I had Advil PM, which helped me doze off at some point… I needed to rest up for my birthday, which I will write about in the next post!

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, Luxury

Last night’s date night at Pizarro Fine Dining…

Bill has been gone away on business all week, while I’ve been sitting at home alone, watching and despairing over the news. When Bill got home, I told him we should go out to eat somewhere. I favored Pizarro Fine Dining, which is a wonderful, unique restaurant in the town of Groß-Gerau, just south of Frankfurt. We discovered this restaurant last March, when Bill found it listed on OpenTable.de. Then we went again in late May, and had an amazing time sitting right next to the chef’s work station.

I wanted to visit again in the fall, but we could never line up a night when we were available and the restaurant was open. Chef Pizarro told us he changed reservation services. He’s no longer on OpenTable, but is now using The Fork, which is affiliated with the Michelin Guide and operates in Europe. The restaurant just reopened after a winter break.

When we arrived for our 6:45 reservation, we waited a minute for someone to open the door. They recognized us, probably because they don’t get a lot of Americans. Or, at least that’s what I figure. It’s not your typical restaurant. You must make reservations. Everyone gets the same dishes, along with optional add ons. We always opt for the Wagyu beef course at 25 euros per person, but they also offer a caviar course and a cheese course. If you read my blog you know, Bill would have loved the cheese, but it’s not my thing. We both can take or leave caviar. We had wine pairings as well– alcoholic for me, and (mostly) non-alcoholic for Bill. He had a glass of cremant and a glass of sake.

Below are some photos, along with a video I made of us trying the courses. As usual, it was a wonderful evening, and Chef Pizarro had a full house. Dinner took over four hours and the check came to about 460 euros before the tip. Bill rounded up to 500 euros. Remember, wait staff in Europe get paid by their employers, so people don’t tip as much as we do in the United States.

*Near the restaurant. It was a beautiful, clear night.*

I pictured all of the food in the video. I didn’t realize that I didn’t take photos of each course, but I did take clips of Bill tasting everything. If you want to see all of the food, you might want to skim the video… or watch the whole thing! I wouldn’t expect people to watch it all, but it does give one an idea of the ambiance of the restaurant. It was a bit noisy last night, and Pizarro always plays excellent music that ranges from Latin to jazz. I did a lot of Shazaming!

As always, we had a wonderful time. I hope we can visit again.

Given what’s going on right now, I think we’re focused on having a good time and enjoying ourselves for as long as possible. The future is very uncertain, but we still have right now. So we’re going to take advantage of that. And good food and company is always a mood booster.

Bill is going on another trip this week, so I’ll be alone again for a few days. Maybe we’ll do another date night next weekend. We’ll see what happens.

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!

Luxury, short breaks, trip planning

Our first trip of 2025…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SIGH…

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

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

BeNeLux

Ten things I learned (this time) in Belgium and The Netherlands…

Here it is… my usual ten things I learned post. I like to do these lists after I take a trip, to remind me that travel isn’t just about changing scenery; it’s also about making discoveries and becoming smarter. I also find that people tend to like these more concise posts about my travels. So, here goes… ten things I learned in Belgium and The Netherlands!

10. There’s some really good food in Mons, Belgium. Bill and I were pleasantly surprised by the number of good restaurants in Mons, as well as the variety of different cuisines. They had everything from sushi to cous cous!

9. Delhaize– a grocery store in Belgium– owns Food Lion in the United States. When we were in Mons, I noticed a grocery store called Delhaize, which had a logo that looked like the one used for Food Lion grocery stores in the United States. Well, it turns out Food Lion was purchased by Delhaize in 1974!

8. Germany shut down all of its nuclear power plants as of 2023. This tidbit came up as we were passing what appeared to be a functioning nuclear power plant in Germany. I took a picture of it and included it in one of my posts. A German friend explained that nukes are “out” in Germany. I’m not sure what was going on with the place we passed, though. It sure looked like a nuclear power plant that was functioning. And it was located in Germany.

7. There is a concentration camp near the Dutch town of Den Bosch. I found this out as I was writing about our visit to Den Bosch and learned that from 1943-44, the Germans ran a concentration camp there known as Herzogenbusch.

6. Tipping is not much of a thing in The Netherlands. I probably knew this after an earlier visit, but it became clear again when we visited this time. Bill tried to round up a bill at a restaurant and the lady who took his money asked him if he was sure. Same thing when we checked out of The Duke Suites. There seemed to be no expectation of a tip. It was quite nice.

5. Some businesses don’t take foreign based credit cards in The Netherlands. This issue is slowly being resolved now, but we did run into a business that couldn’t take our American credit cards. If you don’t have an EU issued credit card, you may want to carry some cash with you, just in case. Mastercard/Maestro seems to be the preferred card in The Netherlands.

4. Facebook ads can lead a person to beautiful places… I found The Duke Suites through a Facebook ad. I’m so glad I did. We had a fantastic time there, even though we aren’t golfers.

3. Dutch beers are tiny. Okay, so I kind of knew this, already. But when you live in Germany, where you can buy draft beers by the half liter or more, it can be a shock to order one in The Netherlands and have it come in a .33 liter glass!

2. If we ever go back to Mons, we’ll stay in a different hotel. Self-explanatory.

And finally number 1… Sometimes visiting lesser known places can turn into unforgettable experiences… I had never heard of Nistelrode when I discovered The Duke Suites. It’s certainly not a place that is high on most Americans’ radar. But I’m glad we did visit there, because that place made our 22nd wedding anniversary very special and unforgettable. I hope we can spend more time in Holland. It is a very beautiful country with wonderful people!

BeNeLux, Luxury

Time to go home and face the music… (part nine)

At last, it was Tuesday, November 19th, the day we would have to check out and go back to our regular lives in Germany. To be honest, as much as we enjoyed our stay at The Duke Suites, I think Bill and I were both ready to go home. I know we missed Noyzi and Charlie, and I was starting to run out of clean underwear. I can’t speak for Bill’s situation in that department.

We packed everything up before our final decadent breakfast, and at 8:00 AM, headed back to the Clubhouse Restaurant with the new butler on duty. I didn’t catch his name, but he was also very pleasant and cool. He said he’d talked to Marco the night before, so he knew about us. Once again, we were the only ones having breakfast, although I did see some people pulling into the parking lot to play golf, in spite of the rainy weather.

After yet another breakfast of yogurt, eggs, cold cuts, smoked salmon toast, fresh orange juice, coffee, and breads, we went back to the room and called the butler to help us get the bags to the Volvo, which he had helpfully brought to the front door. After we loaded the car, we went into the butler’s office to settle the bill. For three nights of lodging, we paid 1650 euros. We also had charges for the massages, The Charles Experience six course dinner with wine pairings, two dinners in the Clubhouse, and a couple of bottles of wine as well as other assorted beverages. All told, I believe the bill came to about 2700 euros, give or take.

Yes, it was a lot of money, but at this point, we can still afford it. While I would have liked to have done more touristy stuff during our stay in Nistelrode, the experience at The Duke Suites was unforgettable enough. And it was also very restful and luxurious after a work week spent at a considerably less posh hotel in Mons, Belgium.

Overall, we had a great trip to Belgium and The Netherlands. I enjoyed both components of our travel, and the visit to The Duke Suites really was a wonderful reward for 22 years of marriage.

Back in 2015, we did something similar with a couple of Bill’s work trips. At that time, he worked for a different contractor, and they usually didn’t mind if he drove our personal vehicle on business trips. That year, I went with Bill to Apeldoorn, a nice city in The Netherlands by way of a one night stay in Luxembourg. When the business part of that trip was over, we went to Haarlem, a city close to Amsterdam. I tried marijuana for the very first time on my 43rd birthday.

Later that year, Bill had to go to Vicenza, Italy. I went with him on that trip, too, and we stayed in Seefeld, Austria on the way down, and Vevey, Switzerland on the way back. The Swiss part of that trip was especially lovely, as we booked a luxury hotel for a couple of nights so Bill could visit Gruyeres and see the Giger Museum. I remember being wowed by the upgraded lodging in that situation, too.

As we’ve gotten older, and Europe is less novel to us than it once was, we tend to be more low key when we travel. We like to stay in very comfortable places, when we can. I definitely believe The Duke Suites qualifies as one of the nicest places we’ve ever stayed, and we have stayed in some very nice places, indeed! Well… at least in Europe, we have. Our stays in the United States have been less posh.

After we paid the bill, the butler gave us a couple of bottles of water and mints for the trip, which he tucked into a branded container for us. He also gave us a beautiful book/brochure about the property. Of course, it’s in Dutch!

Our drive home was mostly uneventful, except I made another YouTube video in the car. I did it partly to try out the YouTube video function on an iPad, and partly because I wanted to respond to some guy who said he feels “sorry” for Bill, because he didn’t like one of my videos. I don’t think he needs to feel sorry for Bill. We’re both living our best lives.

In any case, I think I’d like to spend more time in The Netherlands. It’s a beautiful, civilized, clean, and safe country. I’d like to spend more time in Belgium, too, for different reasons.

So ends my series on our 22nd anniversary/work trip to Belgium and The Netherlands. Stay tuned for my ten things I learned post!

BeNeLux, Luxury

A massive lodging upgrade in The Netherlands… (part six)

We arrived in the village of Nistelrode, North Brabant in The Netherlands at some point around lunchtime. Because we didn’t know much about the policies at our next stop, we decided to have lunch at a little restaurant in Nistelrode called De Eeterij (The Eatery). It was pretty novel, because it had its own parking lot with free parking!

We went into the place and had a rather large lunch, coupled with tiny Dutch beers. Seriously, it was interesting to come from Belgium to The Netherlands, where draft beers are served in much smaller glasses. But it’s probably just as well, since I ended up drinking Heineken. I used to like Heineken when I was younger and less of a beer snob. Now, I find it pretty skunky.

I had spare ribs with fabulous frites. Bill had chicken satay, which seemed to be a common offering in The Netherlands. The only thing that would have made my dish better, is if they’d offered ketchup for the fries, instead of mayo. I remember in the early 90s, meeting a Belgian guy who played tuba for the “Boogie Band” at Busch Gardens. He ate mayo with his fries, and everyone thought it was so weird! Of course, over here, a lot of people think eating ketchup is weird. I will admit, it does have a lot of sugar… but if you grew up on it, it’s definitely a comfort!

I was amused by the faucets in the bathrooms. They had installed what looked like Heineken beer taps as faucets! However, the rest of the bathroom looked like it could use refurbishing. A new toilet seat would be a step up, at the very least.

Bill went to pay the check, but his Visa cards didn’t work. It turns out that many businesses in The Netherlands don’t take Visa. They prefer MasterCard. Fortunately, he had enough euros to pay for the meal. The lady who took the money asked him if he was sure when he told her to keep the change (about 2,50). Tipping doesn’t seem to be a big thing in The Netherlands.

After we ate, it was closer to the customary check in time. We decided to head to our next lodging, the magnificent golfing resort called The Duke Suites. I found this wonderful spot on Facebook, of all places. I got an ad for it while I was looking for places for us to stay for our anniversary. Although Bill and I are not interested in golf at all, I was intrigued by how beautiful the place looked. It appeared to be a perfect spot for a short (and expensive) rest.

I sent a booking request weeks ago, and it was promptly answered. I didn’t even have to submit a credit card, although the rate was a princely 550 euros per night– more than the monthly rent on my first US based apartment. But, for that, we got a gorgeous room, butler service, included minibar, and a bathroom a person could live in.

A couple of days before we arrived at The Duke Suites, I got an email asking for final details, such as when we would be arriving. I had also booked us a couples’ massage in their spa, and The Charles Experience, which is a six course tasting menu in their restaurant, offered only from Wednesday to Saturday each week. It was lucky that our anniversary fell on Saturday. The email also had instructions about what to do when we arrived. We pulled up to the covered area by the entrance and were met by Marco, who was our butler for most of our stay.

Bill and I are not fancy people, but we do like to splurge sometimes. We once stayed in another golf property, in Hilton Head, South Carolina, back in February 2012. I remember it distinctly, because it was when Whitney Houston died, and she was all over the news. That property also offered butlers, but I don’t remember them doing anything but checking us in. The room we stayed in was beautiful, but it was very much an American resort in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The experience we had at The Duke Suites was very different… and vastly superior.

Marco offered us coffee, tea, or champagne. We had some champagne, since it was our anniversary, and because I am a lush. He showed us our room, explained almost everything (he forgot to tell us the bed was adjustable), and left us there, mouths agape, as we took in the absolutely beautiful accommodations. Then he offered us more champagne, which we declined, since we would be having a lot of wine at dinner. Below are some photos:

We’ve stayed in some very beautiful hotels, but this one just might be in a class by itself. There were very few people there during our stay, so we pretty much got the place to ourselves. The staff was absolutely wonderful and low key. We never felt awkward or weird, even though we aren’t used to such great service.

After a couple of hours of enjoying the much improved lodging, it was time for dinner. We got showered and changed and called Marco, who escorted us to The Charles Restaurant, which is the club’s “fancy” restaurant in the Clubhouse. The Clubhouse is actually in another building, but The Duke Suites and the Clubhouse are connected by an underground tunnel that make them seem like the same building. If you look at the buildings from the outside, you don’t know that they’re linked, and when you are moving between them, it doesn’t seem like they’re separate. But we later found out that the Clubhouse has been around longer than The Duke Suites. After a couple of days, we realized that a lot of people go there to make business deals. 😉

The Charles Restaurant was a wonderful treat, and to be honest, I don’t know if I can name everything we ate. They did give us cards with the names of the food… You can see it all below. Dinner went on for four hours, but each course was small, so we weren’t stuffed. I think there were three or four other couples there besides us. Fortunately, some of the staff spoke English, so they could describe everything. The only low point of the meal was the foie gras… but I understand that some people love it. Bill opted for a cheese course instead of dessert.

The price for The Charles Experience with wine was 300 euros for both of us. It was expensive, but not the most expensive meal we’ve ever had. And I’m really glad we got to try it, because they even gave us a little cake for our anniversary, which we enjoyed the next day. There was also a little glass of fruit cocktail waiting for us at our bedsides each night… We were way too full to eat it on Saturday night, but it made a nice prelude before breakfast on Sunday.

*Each night, they left us fruit before bed!*

To say we were delighted by The Duke Suites’ first impressions is an understatement. It really was wonderful. More on how wonderful it was in the next post!

Baden-Württemberg, Luxury, Schwarzwald, short breaks

From Horben to Wiesbaden: Time to go home to Hessen!

Tuesday morning eventually arrived, and it was time to pack up and go home. I can’t say I was sad to be going. As much fun as we had in Horben, I was missing Noyzi and my bed, which has a foam topper on it and is easier on my back. The weather had also taken a turn for the worse. It was raining outside, and the temperature had dropped about twenty degrees, at least on the Fahrenheit scale.

We were ready to go back to our normal lives in Hessen, but if we had stayed another night, it probably would have been a spa day for us. I regret not having a massage while we were at Luisenhöhe, if only so I could enjoy that wonderfully aromatic vanilla scented fragrance they used there. But that gives us a reason to go back sometime, if the opportunity ever arises.

Bill loaded up the car while I put on my face. Then we went down to breakfast and enjoyed one last innovative meal. I really enjoyed the staff at Luisenhöhe. Most of the people working there truly seemed to enjoy their work, especially those working in the kitchen. The equipment is state of the art, and the head chef truly is a genius. Or maybe I just don’t get out enough.

Below are some photos from our final breakfast, served once again by the smiling waitress who took care of us the previous four mornings. The night before, Bill had spoken to the bartender about the Chemex filtered coffee system they had in the bar. He wanted to try it, but unfortunately, the barista said it wasn’t possible. I don’t know if it was because he didn’t know how, or because they didn’t have the available equipment. We did learn, however, that coffee drinks are included in the price during breakfast. The barista brought us a couple of Americanos for our trouble. I wish I had thought to ask them where they get their coffee. It was really good.

We had a “sausage salad”, that I suspect was made from the goat pastrami we had in the previous night’s dinner. There was goat yogurt with granola, pears with pistachio nuts, wonderfully fresh brioches, milk rice, fresh fruit, and a poached egg on spinach…

Since we had already packed the car, all that was left to do was check out. So, with slightly heavy hearts, we headed to the reception and tallied up the damage. Four nights at the Luisenhöhe, with the optional dinner board, wine every night, tips, and multiple visits to the bar, set us back 3,400 euros ($3,700). Yes, it was expensive, and in some ways, I think it was a bit overpriced. I think the room rate was too high, but I think the food was worth every euro cent.

Seriously… my mind was blown at just about every meal. It was very healthy and fresh, and there were so many interesting combinations of ingredients that I never would have expected. Everything was beautifully presented, and the staff seemed to really enjoy their jobs. The setting for the hotel is exquisite, with flowering trees, green hills, and when there’s no Sahara dust, blue skies. I bet it’s stunning there in the autumn. I hope I can find out firsthand, even if I do think the room was slightly too “spendy”. I’m sure they need to charge a lot, though, as I read it cost about $60 million to build the hotel, which is very cutting edge. It’s powered by geothermal means and has a green roof.

The receptionist thanked us for staying, gave us a couple of bottles of sparkling water, and a tin of the hotel’s special tea as a parting gift. We headed down to the parking garage one last time. Then we were on our way home. I took a few more photos as we left the beautiful Freiburg region. I do hope to be back someday soon. As you can see in the photos, the weather did change a bit…

We got home in the early afternoon, after a completely uneventful drive north. I started doing laundry, and at about 5:00, Bill went to get Noyzi. I wasn’t there for the reunion, but Bill said he was delighted to be picked up after a few days hanging out with his canine friends at the Tierpension Birkenhof.

I don’t know what we’ll do this year for a big vacation. We usually go away for a week or two. This year, we’re expecting a new canine family member, who will be joining us from Kosovo at some point in the near future. We had been talking about visiting Iceland, but then we heard about the volcanos erupting. I have been getting some tempting offers from Hebridean Island Cruises, which I have to say is probably my favorite cruise line. I just wish they went to places other than the UK. But I do have my eye on a cruise in Ireland that I might decide to book. We’ll see.

Actually, Bill and I have been talking about doing more short trips, but on a regular basis. We used to do that a lot when we had less money and time to travel. It would definitely help keep my travel blog more interesting. But that plan remains up in the air for now.

Anyway, that about does it for my series on Horben and the wonderful Luisenhöhe. I do hope the hotel is a success, as I’m sure it will be. We really enjoyed ourselves. I hope we’ll be back again. Stay tuned for my usual “ten things I learned” post.

Champagne Bucket trips, Regent Seven Seas Cruise Lines, tours

Many critters were born free in Bornholm, Denmark…

Our final day of the cruise was in Rønne, a town in Bornholm, Denmark. We had a late excursion, which took place at 4:00 PM. To be honest, I was kind of tempted to skip the last bus tour, as I was a bit “toured out” by Thursday, June 29th. But that would have been a big mistake, because I ended up liking Bornholm the most of all the tours during our week on Regent Splendor.

I mentioned that we stopped in Rønne, but actually, our bus tour (The Best of Bornholm) didn’t really go through the town that appeared closest to the pier. Instead, we basically had a tour of the Danish island of Bornholm, which is off the southern coast of Sweden. Once again, this was a place I knew absolutely nothing about before we went on this cruise. I ended up finding it a very charming place. Several British passengers on the tour with us mentioned that it reminded them very much of Cornwall.

There were other tours offered besides the one we went on, but they were mostly fully booked by the time we signed up for the cruise, back in late April. So “The Best of Bornholm” it was, and it was a good time, even though I was tired, and even though our guide didn’t have the best “stage presence”.

I was charmed by the rustic beauty of the island, even spotting a large wild hare and several deer cavorting in nature as our guide droned on, rather haltingly. At first, I was a little annoyed by the guide, but as I listened more closely, I realized that he really did know a lot about the island. I suspect that if he was giving us the tour in Danish, he’d be a lot more engaging to listen to, because I noticed that when he spoke Danish, he sounded a lot more animated. I have empathy for that issue, since I know firsthand that it isn’t easy to speak a language that isn’t your mother tongue, especially if you aren’t practiced. I don’t know how often our guide gives tours in English, though.

The first thing the guide pointed out were the huge parts of windmills that were being built. They are destined to be installed in the Baltic Sea, where they can generated power for people on dry land. I have seen the windmills all over Europe, but was never close enough to one to appreciate their massive size. Those things are HUGE!

We visited a really cool looking round church called Osterlars, which, besides looking really handsome in the Danish countryside, also had the added benefit of a clean public toilet. 😉 The guide pointed out the metal rings installed in the wall around the church. The rings were where the locals parked their horses and buggies on Sundays. Each family had its own “parking spot”.

Next, we stopped in an adorable town called Gudhjem, which was right next to a beach. The guide said that there used to be a lot of fishing there, but the fishing had stopped, mostly because the waters were depleted by overfishing and the many seals who had descended upon the place. There weren’t any seals visible when we visited, but the guide said it was a very normal thing to see them hanging around the beaches.

We stopped at Hammershus Fortress, vast medieval castle ruins that were partially demolished around 1750 and partially restored sometime around 1900. Our visit didn’t include actually going to the ruins, which were a stout walk from the parking area, but visiting a wooden overlook that gave us good views of the ruins, as well as a flock of sheep grazing nearby. It might have been fun to go to the ruins, but that would have taken a lot of time that we didn’t have. But… I did mention to Bill that I liked Bornholm enough that I wouldn’t mind coming back for a land based visit. If we ever do that, maybe we can visit the ruins properly.

As we continued on our journey, the guide explained some interesting history about Bornholm’s role in World War II and how it was not liberated at the same time the rest of Europe was. Even though Bornholm was part of Denmark, some people did not consider it a part of NATO, because former Soviet leaders determined that there would be no foreign military activity on the island. They decreed that any NATO military troops on Bornholm would be considered an act of aggression against the Soviet Union, and that Denmark should keep troops there to prevent any NATO military action from occurring. The Soviets were especially against any US troops having a presence there. Of course, now, no one doubts that as part of Denmark, Bornholm is also part of NATO.

At around this point in the tour, it was time for us to taste smoked fish. There are many fish smoking facilities on Bornholm, but only one place still uses an open fire to smoke fish, rather than more modern facilities. So, we stopped at that smokehouse, which was also deemed a “museum”, which made it possible for them to smoke fish the old fashioned way, and we tasted their product, washed down with cold, Danish, draft beer (or soda). This was included in the tour. The young, affable guy who spoke to us about the smoked fish said that he had to get the fish from other places, as there aren’t enough fish around Bornholm anymore.

*Good stuff, if you like fish, which I do.*

After we tasted the fish (which I found delicious, though I know not everyone likes fish), we headed back toward the ship, the guide talking the entire time about other unusual and interesting towns in Bornholm. It really does look like a nice place to spend a week or so. I’m sure they get their share of tourists, but it wasn’t nearly as busy as Visby was.

*Danish fish smoker explaining the process.*

Incidentally, I read today that the current Splendor cruise, which has been doing a ten day Baltic itinerary, had to skip Visby. They had 40 MPH winds that prevented them from docking!

Now, a word about the last day of food…

For lunch, we stopped by Prime 7, which was serving lunch that day. The speciality restaurants mostly serve dinner, but sometimes, they have a short lunch service. Thursday was the day for Prime 7, and that was the only day we visited a specialty restaurant for lunch.

Our waiter was a nice fellow, who was a little more familiar with us than I’m used to on cruises. He came up to us with a big smile (good thing) and immediately addressed as a William and Jennifer. I stifled a laugh and said, “No one ever calls us that. I ended up telling him that we go by Jenny and Bill.” He hit upon one of my many personal pet peeves.

It’s not that I need to be called Mrs. I just think being called Mr. and Mrs. is polite and businesslike. I dislike the American fake familiarity trend that has everyone assuming we should all go by our first names. In our case, no one who actually knows us, ever calls us by our first names. I personally hate being called “Jennifer”, because it reminds me of being yelled at by my mother. Also, it just doesn’t suit me. If he had called me Mrs. as a matter of course, it would have given me the chance to tell him which name I preferred. Besides, it’s just more professional.

So, after we told the waiter the preferred versions of our first names, and kind of cringed at the faux pas, he brought us our lunches. Bill had pork barbecue sliders. I had a burger. It wasn’t the way I would have fixed it for myself, but it was tasty enough. Afterwards, we had dessert. The waiter brought out a carousel of mini versions of Prime 7’s desserts for us. We each ate one, but I think the idea was to try them all. As if I need more encouragement to expand my backside. 😉

After our excursion on Bornholm, we had our last dinner in the Compass Rose restaurant. I didn’t see any specials that interested me, so I wound up having a steak for dinner. No wonder my heart rate has been elevated lately. We ran into the same waiter we had at lunch, who, to his credit, remembered our names. But then he called Bill “Mr. Bill”. I asked him if he knew about the old Saturday Night Live character, “Mr. Bill”. Naturally, he didn’t. So I had to explain… People have been calling Bill “Mr. Bill” forever, not just because his name is Bill, but also because he had a “Mr. Bill” moment when he was in high school. One of his buddies literally backed over him with a Subaru Brat (car)! Oh noooooo!

Poor Mr. Bill! Always having accidents.

Anyway, here are photos of the last supper on Splendor… We were allowed to dress casually for it, because everyone was packing their luggage for disembarkation day. I had a baked potato with my steak. It tasted like it was pre-baked and chilled, then heated up. I guess I can’t blame them for that, but it kind of spoiled the magic a little.

Although I thought we might visit the Meridian Lounge one more time, it wasn’t to be. We decided to go back to the room and rest up for the next day… when it would be time to leave behind Regent Splendor for more plain lodging.

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: luxury