Turn Off the Lights

This adventure has come to an end. Not a problem though as we already have 2 more trips planned for the new year. Never mind that we are in the last half of our 60's, when we get old, our friends won't say "what a lovely old couple", the're going to say "what on earth are they up to now". There are still many more roads ahead for us.

When we left the Canary Islands just over a week ago, we flew to Basel, Switzerland to spend 5 glorious days with our oldest daughter Rachel and her partner Pascal. They are both excelling in their working roles (awards and speaking engagements for both) but they still use their spare time to enjoy life and travel when they can, so we spent half our time visiting places outside of Basel. During our first two days, while R&P were working, we re-acquainted ourselves with Basel walking around the beautiful city where the Rhine River runs through the centre of town, and checking out a few new sites. In the evenings, the 4 of us went to both Basel Christmas markets, Munsterplatz and Barfusserplatz, which had both just opened for the season. Gluhwein (mulled wine) kept our hands warm as the night time temperatures cooled so it became a constant companion through the evening. The pop-up stalls were busy and interesting to find our way through, and the city Christmas lights in the squares and pedestrian-friendly streets made for enchanting evenings. On another evening R&P treated us to a dinner river cruise where we enjoyed a tasty fondue meal while slowly moving up and down the Rhine.

Over the week-end we made two separate trips. The first was to Montreux on Lake Geneva which we reached via several trains passing through the Alps and many villages that flourished during the ski season. Montreux had also started their Christmas Market and it was situated along the lakeside promenade which made our walk to Chateau de Chillon (12^th century castle-fortress) that much more enjoyable. On Sunday, Pascal's mother and sister joined us for a short train ride to Colmar, France, to visit the number one Christmas market in Europe. It clearly outshone the others, with the market extending through a good portion of the city. The homes along the way (above the shops) did their part as well, decorating their windows and walls with colourful displays. The highlight of the day however was Pascal treating us all to a fantastic 8+ course feast at a Michelin rated restaurant (Restaurant Maison des Tetes), in honour of his lovely mother in celebration of her birthday. It was a meal we will remember for a long time, and a wonderful way to finish our visit with R&P.

The following day we exchanged farewell hugs and took the bus to the airport for our flight to Madrid and the finish of our fall adventure. We have been to Madrid several times before but mostly for very short stays so we used our final 3 days to explore the very walkable downtown area and visit their impressive art museums. The Prado (major art museum) was everything we had hoped it would be and we spent four full hours walking around the many rooms and floors with our audioguides providing all the necessary information about the famous European artists dating back to the 12th century, and their works. The Reina (Queen) Sofia contemporary art museum, featuring many works from Dali, Picasso, Miro and others, was also a hit with us, as was the Thyssen-Bornemisza impressionist art museum (Rembrandt, Renoir, Van Gogh, etc.). Walking through the 350 acre El Retiro park in the centre of the city was also a treat, along with the popular city squares which took on a different look and atmosphere in the evenings. We also took in a well orchestrated flamenco show one evening where the dance moves were beyond our capabilities but a lot of fun to watch. Our only disappointment was finding the Royal Palace temporarily closed for same 3 days we were there so we will have to try again in the future, in one of our favourite countries to visit.

We are now back home, although our internal clock is still many time zones away and likely will be for another day or two. Hope this finds all of our family and wonderful friends in good health and enjoying life. 

The Christmas Market at Munsterplatz square in Basel. It was the opening night so the evening started with a large choir singing Christmas hymns, and following a short speech by the city mayor / president (a female), the main Christmas tree was lit along with the other lights.

Our Rhine River dinner cruise vessel. The food and service were both excellent and we spent 3 hours slowly eating our meal and enjoying the views.

The Montreux promenade along Lake Geneva led us to the Chateau de Chillon 12th century castle - fortress. We spent a couple of hours inside walking around the interior which included a cellar, several courtyards and multiple floors. It was built on a rock island just off the shoreline and was connected to the mainline by a drawbridge.

One of our first stops in Colmar, France was at the Bar Carrousel, a former merry-go-round that still slowly rotated for 360 degree views. I suspect they made a lot more money selling gluhwein than from selling rides.

A view of the homes in Colmar which transformed into even more beautiful habitats at night when the Christmas lights were turned on. The Christmas Market here was voted number one in all of Europe.

Another view of the Colmar canal as dusk was beginning.

Our Christmas Market posse which included Pascal's mother and sister who both live in Switzerland. It was a pleasure to meet them and spend time with them.

A municipal building in Madrid's Plaza Mayor square. There were lovely murals all along the brick work.

The expansive El Retiro park had many nice walking paths and small creeks running through it. It was fun to walk around and many locals were using it for both exercise and family outings.

Madrid's central Post Office headquarters were located inside this glorious building. There were many similar architectural gems throughout the downtown area.

The Royal Palace which was unfortunately (for us) closed during our visit. We were looking forward to the internal tour which covered many of the rooms within the palace.

A rather unique way of decorating a home with colourful flower pots. Don't be in a hurry to throw out your old clothes, there may still be a future for them.