I always take my camera when I travel, even for business. I may not always get out to shoot, but I certainly try. In late January I was in Zurich and Germany for two weeks. The first week was spent back and forth between them, with long days and late work nights. So I expected the weekend to be mostly for sleep. If I were alone, that surely would have been the plan.
But there were a few of us, and the collective spirit opted for an outing… nothing too ambitious, just a day trip. Turns out Alsace is a short drive from Basel, Switzerland, which is a short train from Zurich. We slept in a bit, mobilized for a midday train and headed for an afternoon of wine and wandering through quaint villages such as Riquewihr. Having another colleague based in Basel meant that our leisurely train ride west would transition into a comfortable car ride into France from there.
We didn’t rush around, and neither does Alsace. In early February, there’s a bit of the Christmas holiday still hanging in the air, and on a few houses. But Alsace is quiet for now, almost like it was spending it’s own weekend catching up on sleep and relaxing after a hectic week. It was a bit rainy and overcast which gave the cobblestone streets and surrounding farmland a particularly sleepy mood. Some photos were misty and somber, others featured pops of color from the facades throughout town.
We strolled casually through the streets, enjoyed a snack at a local cheese shop, and sampled some excellent Riesling and Crémant d’Alsace. All in all, the Alsace pace fit us perfectly… and we were back in Zurich later that evening in plenty of time for some more shut-eye.