Basel Switzerland

[tulip]

Sounds wonderful!

[Grog]

Ah! Now I understand why I didn't see you at the Bike to Work Week wrap party...

Looks wonderful!

Nice jersey, too.

[shootingstar]

I would have loved to have been at the party. Did your team win anything? (I assume your workplace took up the commuter challenge...)

Next day after Basel ride, we cycled 99 kms. with our loaded panniers to Strasbourg, France from Freiburg, Germany. Great ride, many little neat German towns along the route. Good thing he knew his German well enough to ask for directions. Helps alot.

And Strasbourg is just bursting with cyclists.

[Grog]

Oh! Strasbourg! I haven't been there in... humm, 18 years, but I have fond memories. I was with a group of school friends....

We didn't win anything. Actually we had a bit of a sub-par performance considering it was spring, but not bad if you take the weather into account. But I still got a hotdog at the BeerBrats tent!

[sgtiger]

I'm envious, but happy for you all the same. I hope you're having an amazing time.

[e.e.cummings]

Sounds amazing, I am so jealous! We have been web-searching bike tours for some time now, and Switzerland looks wonderful. Keep us posted. Enjoy every moment!

[shootingstar]

Trip to Basel so unfortunate no time for me to see some interesting museums there. I do love medieval, rennaissance/baroque art, etc.

Since Strasbourg is close to German border, one can see how region of Alsace is influenced by German in terms of some cuisine, certain names (which looked half French-German) and vice versa how southern German cooking is influenced by French techniques. I have to say that quality patisseries are everywhere..North America cities only occasionally have top quality gourmet patisseries.

WE spent whole day in Strasbourg. Next day cycled with our panniers back to Germany to Karlsruhl. 99 kms. in humid 30 degree C. I heard a strange loud clicking and Jack told me to look up: Our day was blessed when we spotted a pair of stork birds tending their nest on top of church chimney. The stork is Germany's bird for luck, fairytales, etc.

Today in same weather we cycled out to his uncle's home in one of those picturesque old towns among vineyards. Must have done approx. 40 kms. round trip.

Photo is view from his uncle's home on hillside of Weingarten town in Germany where we visited today. The rows of planted fields are vineyards.

Black Forest /southern Germany has alot of good cycling paths that are organized and logical. Don't know about the former East Germany side since they would have had to catch up on cycling infrastructure after the reunification of Germany.