Rhine River Day One: Basel

This was a trip that I was sure would not come to pass. Way back in 2020, when things were all quite uncertain to say the least, I decided to propose the idea of going on a Rhine River Cruise. To my surprise and delight Mr. Jones said “Sure!”. This acquiescence was most likely because he assumed the world was coming to an end, so he wouldn’t have to pay for it. Despite several surges in Covid, an Eastern European war, and a drought so severe that the Rhine River was essentially dried up just weeks before our October 2022 sail date, the vacation went on as scheduled.

I booked this trip through Adventures By Disney. I had been hearing about this travel guide service for years. It is a bit (okay, a lot) more expensive but my understanding was that it was worth every penny for the excellent “Disney Difference” brand of service. The itinerary included Switzerland, France and Germany, ending in the Netherlands. Amsterdam has a special place in our hearts. Loyal readers of this blog (you know who you are) may remember that my first entry was journaling my time wandering around in Amsterdam while Jeff was on a work trip nearby. It was life changing and spurred my yearning to continue to travel.

We arrived in Basel Switzerland a day before the cruise start date just to be safe. This allowed us to enjoy a full day and a half exploring this city by ourselves. We checked into our hotel and headed right out determined to quash the inevitable jet lag.

I had a short list of touristy things to do in Basel. The first of which was to go to Town Hall. I know, sounds pretty boring but it’s going to be great. The Town Hall is the back drop of a bustling Marktplatz.

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This is a working government building. You can’t go inside without having business, but you can explore the courtyard.

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Next, we set out to find Basler Münster Cathedral, which shouldn’t be difficult seeing it’s two hundred feet high and at the tallest point in the city. The church is located on the Munsterplatz which is a plaza encircling the Cathedral. From the front side, there’s one square with a row of old houses in pastel colors, while another square behind the Cathedral offers spectacular views of the Rhine river with whole city beneath you.

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Back to the Cathedral. I had read that one can climb the 250 steps via a claustrophobic, narrow staircase to the top of one of the towers for breathtaking views of the city. We decided that our step count was already pretty high so we passed. We did take a look around the sanctuary though.

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We were long overdue for a tasty snack. Switzerland can be pretty pricey. In my research it was suggested that the best value for lunch is a bakery. They often have sandwiches and light meals for a fair price. We enjoyed more charming facades as we looked for a bakery with a cappuccino for me and a beer for the Mr.

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Another must-do in Basel is to try their official cookie, Läckerli. These cookies have been prepared in Basel ever since the Middle Ages. They are like an extra chewy gingerbread with hazelnuts, almonds, candied peel, honey, and Kirsch. I definitely wanted to pick some up for my mom, who was selflessly dog sitting and taking care of our house. Thanks, mom!

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There roughly a gazillion museums in Basel. We had a bonus card from Disney for discounts, but it was so beautiful out that we just couldn’t bear to be inside. We did however swing by the Museum Tinguely. Jean Tinguely was an artist and painter who most often used scrap metal to create mechanized kinetic art. You can check out his creations right outside in the courtyard. Here’s a ‘lil video:

These mechanized creations were intended to mock the “improvements” of the industrial revolution and modern reliance on technology. I just thought they were a winsome delight.

It was time for a libation. Mr.Jones is on a Negroni kick these days so it was serendipitous that we stumbled across a bar dedicated to Campari, the chief components of the drink.

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We wandered past another Museum and dipped into the courtyard.

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We moved on to a path that winds beside the Rhine River when we noticed these sort of spa pools and a sign with instructions in German.

Jeff seemed to think that it was mandatory to comply with this foot bathing rite. I’ve since read more about it and I’m still just as confused.

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A fun and cheap thing to do on the Rhine is to take one of the four ferries across the river. “Wilde Maa”, “Leu”, “Vogel Gryff”, and “Ueli” run from one riverbank to the other without the use of an engine. They are attached to a long wire cable and are driven purely by the current of the Rhine itself. This little trip can save a ton of walking and only costs two Francs. The views aren’t too shabby either.

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Once across the Rhine we discovered a lovely river walk of cafés and bars. The sun was hitting the golden hour.

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Let’s take in some of the atmosphere. A little video for you

The evening was wearing on and I was wanting something sweet to finish up. We found a very traditional Swiss restaurant and scanned the menu when I spotted strudel. Perfect! The server asked if we were ok with waiting because it takes a while. Um, I guess so. As we waited a long time as predicted, we watched the Schnitzel and Fondue pots pass by. Man, it looked amazing.

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The next morning we had our provided buffet breakfast at the hotel. Quite sufficient and tasty.

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We had a few hours to tour around before making our way to our River Cruise. We just strolled and enjoyed the views and had a few more beers and cappuccinos.

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Our ship arrives! We were cruising on the Amalucia from Amawaterways.

The ship was really beautiful. Not extravagant but lovely and impeccably clean. There were no signs of wear and tear…and I looked. Our cabin was spacious and well appointed. I chose a middle level room with a double balcony that was half inside half outside. The bathroom was fairly large…bigger than the one in my first apartment.

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All of us “Adventurers” (Yes, that’s what they called us) met up in the lounge for introductions and a briefing on how the trip would unfold day to day.

After the pep rally from the Disney guides we were sent off to dinner. I’ll say right now that the food on this cruise was exceptional. Each evening there was a five course meal presented with several choices for each course.

I didn’t take any food pics this night. We were sitting with a charming couple and got talking. Plus I was a little self conscious. Worry not. I’ll be taking more pictures as the week proceeds.

We would try our best to get a good night’s sleep (I didn’t) for official start of the voyage. We will cruise the night away and wake up tomorrow in Germany! Er…France. Well, both I guess! See you then.