Alsace France

While my parents were visiting, we took them for a day trip to France.  The Alsace region of France is on the border next to Basel - very easy to get to.  I decided to join Mobility car sharing (almost like a rental car place but you pay an annual fee instead of visit by visit) and rent a car to make this trip. 

I picked up the car early Sunday morning and we were off.  It was a 1 1/2 hour drive to the first stop we were making called Strasbourg.  I would like to say we had perfect weather, but the weather was terrible.  It rained very hard most of the day and it was cold.  But we made the best of it.  Every once in awhile we would get a break in the weather and we would be grateful.

In Strasbourg, we visited the Notre Dame church that is located there.  It is absolutely huge and ornate - just beautiful.  We decided to also have lunch ins Strasbourg while we were there.  I had made a reservation at a cute little French restaurant before we traveled, since it was a weekend and I was worried it would be busy.  I am glad I did because, since it was raining and a weekend, the place was busy. 

The streets of Strasbourg

 Kids being silly

 Notre Dame

Inside the church

This was a working, moving clock inside the church

 Le Petite France area of Strasbourg

 A lot of buildings were decorated for Christmas

We walked the streets a bit in Strasbourg before we got into the car and headed to Ribeauville to see the Haut-Koeingsbourg Castle.  What a GREAT castle.  The kids had a great time exploring the grounds and the building.  This castle is a medieval castle built around 1150 that was used by successive powers from the Middle Ages until the 30 year war.  Then it was abandoned.  In 1900 it was rebuilt

View of Alsace from the castle grounds

 Haut-Koeingsbourg Castle

 Alsace from inside the castle

 I let Finley hold my phone while I was in a shop, so she took a picture of a reluctant Cainan

 She also took my dad being a good sport despite the rain

After the Castle we headed to one last stop - in a small town called Riquewihr.  We drove the back roads through Alsace to get there and passed many a small French village - one more adorable than the next.  Riquewihr was a great tourist town with old style French buildings, small cafes and shops.  We will have to return sometime when it is daylight.  It was dark by the time we got there, so we couldn't full appreciate the buildings.  We did a little shopping and explored a bit, but didn't stay long.

What a great area.  And really beautiful.  There is another area in Alsace that I want to visit again soon (Colmar), but I understand we can reach that easily by train, so we will go that way next time.

First Visitors

For the last week, my parents have been visiting.  It was nice to have them here and show them around Basel.  We were so busy while they were here - walking around Basel, exploring the city, and eating delicious food.  The week went by quickly, and today they traveled back to the USA.  We won't see them again until April, and I am hoping when they visit next time the weather is warm and sunny.  (This week we battled rain and cold the entire time).

We went to the Foundation Beyeler Museum in Riehen.  Paul Klee the artist is displayed there now, so it was great to see his art.

 We spotted some fountains around the city I hadn't photographed yet

 Sign on the front of a Bakery.  It made us laugh.  We learned that that means "eat here" in SWISS German (not high German).

 We visited all the kid's schools.  This is the roof top deck off of Arlington's new school

 Finley in her classroom at school

Cute little men made out of sweet bread at a local bakery

 My parents next to the Rhein

 We had our Education specialist over for breakfast one morning.  It was nice to visit with her

 Street sweeper on our street.  He was collecting all the leaves at two other workers blew them from off the sidewalk and under the cars

Herbstmesse

For two weeks from the end of October to the middle of November, Basel puts on a huge festival called Herbstmesse (fall festival).  It started 547 years ago, and they have kept this annual tradition and added to it.  There are rides and game, food and crafts.  It was a lot of fun.

We spent two Saturdays there - once Mat and I and the kids and once with my parents.  We ate such delicious new things, and the kids had a great time with the thrill rides.  It will be something for us to look forward to each year.

We rode this big, beautiful ferris wheel.  Upside - great view of the city.  Downside - 45 Francs ($45) for one ride

 Finley loved eating bratwurst and bread

Cainan chose chocolate covered strawberries

 Riding the tea cups

Finley and Arlington rode a ride that swung almost upside down.  Finley didn't love it

 View from the ferris wheel

 Roller coast riding

We went into the art show and found a booth dedicated to Weed.  Go Basel

 Cute Art

20th Anniversary

I take a break today to celebrate Mat and my 20th wedding anniversary.  November 1st, for the last 20 years, has been a day of celebration and a reminder of what we promised to each other all those years ago.

Never would I have thought that 20 years from that day we would have three wonderful children, a beautiful life, and be living in Europe. 

We are not the same people we were the day we got married.  We have a few more wrinkles and a few gray hairs.  We forget where we put our keys and we are ready for bed by 10pm.  But the laughter and the joy is the same.  We are a team.  We are best when we are together, and that will always be so.

I am a lucky girl in so many ways.  In this life, the bad days will never outshine the good ones.