This is definitely special. I traveled halfway across the city just the fine this and almost missed…read moreit. Because it's such a small fountain. However, take the time to zoom into the pictures.And you'll get to see why it's such a special fountain.

I read about Kindlifresserbrunnen in my guidebook for Switzerland, listed as a must-see…read morearchitecture in Berne. Aside from Zytglogge and Bärengraben, this structure topped my list of things to see during my day trip to the city. Kindlifresserbrunnen translates to "child-eater fountain," and it depicts exactly that: an ogre eating babies by the sack full. Not only was I enthralled by this concept, but I was amazed that it was actually a long-standing public structure and not a form of avant garde art. This would never be erected in The States... but I would love to see one appear anyways. Berne, keep staying awesome.

Kunsthaus Zürich is free on Wednesdays, for those who are looking at visiting, and it just happened…read moreto be the day we were in town. A few tips and tricks for those visiting: They ask you leave your backpacks and purses downstairs in the provided lockers. The elevator system isn't great, and will always stop at the lobby, no matter what you push, so it's a time consuming process to use it. The restrooms look like they should be pull doors, but they're actually push. It's the oddest thing and the honey and I were both tripped up by it. Overall, we both really enjoyed the museum, much more than the famous Prado, and would highly recommend stopping in if you're visiting Zurich, especially if it happens to be a Wednesday.

This museum is pretty pricey, and it is not included in the museums one can see with the…read moreMuseumpass/Swiss Travel Pass. It is free on Wednesdays, but that does not include entry to special exhibitions. What makes things worse is that roughly half the collection is currently closed due to a fire. So you're just left with Impressionism and newer stuff. The Impressionist collection is decent at least.

This is a picturesque area in Strasbourg on the Grande Ile, and recognized as a UNESCO World…read moreHeritage Site since 1988. It was named "Petite France," as it was the hospital area where the soldiers with the "French Disease" were sent in the 15th century (actually syphilis). The district was rebuilt after WWII and you can see the half-timbered house from the 16th & 17th centuries, with narrow streets, canals and bridges. This charming area is referred to as the Venice of the North, and when we visited in December, it was festively decorated for Christmas.

This must be the best part visiting Strasbourg, France!…read more There are so much to see, shops, Notre Dame of Strasbourg, Tanner's Guild. We didn't eat here for lunch or dinner, we have a boat to go to and they're FREE. We did a walking tour here! We like Strasbourg in general, not just that area, but because it was the center of the European Union and many other European organizations. Influenced by both German and French architecture and has a fascinating history. What we like most about it were the storks nest, LOTS & LOTS of them. They keep coming back at the same nest, during spring, and fly south for the winter.

Constant banging, ringing bells, and clattering sounds, the Museum Tinguely features the works of…read moreSwiss artist Jean Tinguely. Famous for kinetic sculptures, some of them are quite small and many are massive complex installations with many moving parts. With anything that moves, they are constantly breaking down. The museum does everything possible to ensure the longest life of these artworks. They do not run constantly, instead there are pedals or buttons to push that will activate the sculptures. It was a quiet and rainy Tuesday afternoon so the museum was not at all busy. This gave me nearly exclusive access to the artworks and the small theatre. I particularly enjoyed the movie showing the falling and crashing fluorescent lights. You can expect to spend at least two hours here. Don't miss the upside-down biplane hanging from the ceiling or the fountain in the courtyard! [Review 21233 overall - 81 in Switzerland - 198 of 2024.]

This is without a doubt the strangest museum I have ever been to. In Basel we visited Tinguely…read moreFountain. It's a fountain filled with the craziest contraptions that are almost like perpetual motion machines. They're moving iron sculptures that continuously loop through a short range of motion so it looks like they're walking, bobbing, etc. It was intriguing enough to make me want to visit the museum devoted to the works of this artist. If you have a Basel City Pass (which our hotel provided for free) you can use it to get half off of the admission price. I was not prepared for how large the museum was. I was expecting a little place but this museum is enormous! It houses everything from Tinguely's low-tech earlier works (like a moving hammer that keeps smashing a stuffed animal) to huge contraptions. You can even walk inside the machine with a carousel horse attached to it. It was really interesting reading about this artist and how he came to such prominence. With such strange art exhibits it's not a surprise that the layout of this museum is also strange. That's not necessarily a good thing. For some reason the section at the beginning with the majority of printed signs that tell about Tinguely's history isn't air conditioned. There is a roof to provide shade but it still felt like a sauna and was quite uncomfortable. After that you go through some glass doors and the rest of the experience is air conditioned. Why? Also once you wind your way to the innermost part of the museum we were quite surprised to find that you hit a dead end. You have to backtrack all the way back to get out. Really strange design but I guess not surprising. This was a fun visit that definitely gave us something to talk about!

We had been told by our guide the Fraumünster was free, which was inaccurate - it's $5 for adults…read moreand ended up dropping in before we left Zurich. Is the space pretty? Yes. Is it worth a special trip? No. There are about 4-5 different stained glass windows and while it's very relaxing and unique to a degree, there just isn't much to see and the air quality really isn't great. All in all, if you're in the area, have 10 minutes to spare, and don't mind the fee I'd say go for it, but otherwise (especially if you have allergies) you're not missing much by skipping it.

Another instance of stark, gorgeous architecture; this time made more impressive with the inclusion…read moreof the famous Chagall stained glass windows that serve as the claim to fame here. The area surrounding the munster is also quite lovely and it is conveniently located in the heart of the classic/old town area with lots of other sights to take in. Certainly a must-visit when in Zurich!

Nice experience!…read more Entry is uncomplicated and lockers are provided for large bags/purses. Bathrooms are easily accessible. There's also a restaurant on the premises, which is really convenient. Great place to visit, especially if you're an art lover.

"Give me a museum and I'll fill it." -Pablo Picasso…read more It took a bit to find the galleries that I wanted but once there, wow. This is the art I love to see - impressionists galore! On a Tuesday morning, it was pretty quiet without schoolkids or large groups. There was nothing distracting me from enjoying the art. The exhibit of existentialist Bernard Buffet works was magnificent with a number of his pieces. Andy Warhol considered Buffet the "last great artist of Paris." Beyond that, Cy Twombly, Edgar Degas. Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, Paul Cézanne, Vincent Van Gogh (I've never seen "Marguerite Gachet at the Piano" before and the "Self-Portrait with a Japanese Print" was amazing) , Claude Monet, Piet Mondrian, Marc Chagall, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse (paintings *and* sculpture!), Alexej Von Jawlensky's "Self-portrait") and more. What museum would be complete without works by Pablo Picasso and Alexander Calder and Salvador Dali? So much to see, so much to enjoy, so much to appreciate. It is one of the greatest art museums in Switzerland and I had a tremendous visit. Gift shop has lots to purchase but the prices for even the smallest prints are very high. I didn't even get a postcard today. [Review 21230 overall - 78 in Switzerland - 195 of 2024.]

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse…read moreof your teeming shore." -The New Colossus, Emma Lazarus (1849-1887) No, the famous poem isn't here on the Statue of Liberty in Colmar but it is a 12 meter (39 foot) tall replica of the famous statue. It is a quarter-scale in tribute to Colmar-native Auguste Bartholdi who designed the one in New York. This one was unveiled in 2004 to commemorate the centennial of his passing. It is in a traffic roundabout but there is parking not too far away. [Review 21185 overall - 104 in France - 148 of 2024.]

You can't miss this if you drive in from the north. We…read morepulled around and parked by the airport in a rental car lot or something... seemed like lots of people did. Large board with photo and other information about creator, but not in English. Nice to see this here. I thought it was impressive. Nice quick stop.

Andrew Suda is a genius when it comes to any kind of painting, whether interior & exterior house…read morepainting or restoring historic murals. He is a true artist with decades of experience on all sorts of challenging projects. Andrew recently painted the interior of our house and did an amazing job throughout! My wife wanted one of our walls in the living room painted in a very specific shade of red to accent a valuable painting she had inherited from her mother. Fortunately my wife was able to obtain a small paint sample of the exact shade of red she wanted. Unfortunately the company that manufactured the paint sample no longer made the exact colour she was looking for and didn't have the records to recreate it. Andrew was able to work with the company to recreate the the exact shade my wife wanted from the old paint sample. He went on to paint the wall with stunning effect. My wife is extremely happy with the result. Andrew was also able to repair cracks in the plaster of our ceilings that were caused by the house shifting slightly since it was built and now the plasterwork look like new. During the time he was painting our interior, we also had some new ceiling lights installed. The electricians were not very kind to the ceiling plasterwork. Thank goodness Andrew was there. He just repaired everything when they were done with the installation. Our ceilings now look like new. I can whole heartedly recommend Andrew Suda's work to anyone who needs anything repainted or restored. My wife and I are very pleased with the results Andrew delivered.

This was the first stop of our Viking Rhine River cruise. Unseasonably warm on May 19, 2024 with…read moretemperatures in the high 70s. Breisach is located on the Rhine River, with docking area for the innumerable river cruise ships sailing on the river, right next to the center of the city. Imposing St. Stephansmunster church overlooking the city, surrounded by fortress walls. Steep climb from the docks on the Rhine up to the top of the hill where the church was located. Had to go through a series of cobblestone streets zig zagging alongside the remnants of a fortress wall surrounding the church on all sides. At the top of the fortress, we could see the Rhine River below, and in a distance a second fortress tower guarding the city. 360 degree view from the heights of the fortress walls surrounding the church. Great views of the town's architecture, rebuilt after heavy damage in WW2. The church is open to the public. It is dark but nice and cool on a hot May afternoon. Very few stained glasses inside. Doesn't compare in size and stature to the world-famous iconic Cologne Cathedral, 300 kilometers up the Rhine. Wife was about to take pictures, but I pointed out the signs saying no picture taking. Tourists obeyed the signs asking you to remove your hats, but ignored signs saying no picture taking. You know this is a tourist town, as souvenir shops near the docks accept American dollars. An expensive way to get change in Euros for the innumerable tipping required on cruises.