I awoke to notification of yet another itinerary change. Our upcoming river cruise was now starting in Düsseldorf and our ship could no longer get to Andernach, as the water level continued to decrease. Our new itinerary was now completely different, aside from ending in Amsterdam. Now instead of a 3.5 hour drive to the ship, our drive would take about 6 hours. I scrambled to adjust the starting time for our departure the next day, and asked the concierge to recommend a city that would make for a good lunch stop along the way. Thankfully, all the travelers in my group understood that Mother Nature is unpredictable and they were ready to go with the flow (no pun intended). I always stress to my clients that book a river cruise to be fully prepared for changes due to the river being too high or too low. Changes are not common, however they are also not rare.
Once I had the new plan in place, I was able to enjoy a lovely hotel breakfast.
Before heading out to further explore the city, I took the opportunity to learn more about this beautiful and iconic hotel during a site inspection.
Today was the first (and only) unstructured day of our vacation, and we welcomed the opportunity to walk the city at a leisurely pace, exploring both sides of the river.
Highlights of our day were the best soft pretzels ever, more roasted chestnuts, visiting a gourmet food market, cocktails on our balcony overlooking the river, and what I thought was the most delicious dinner of our trip and a nearby Italian restaurant. Sprinkled throughout the day were charming views and interesting sights. It was a fantastic day and I look forward to visiting Basel again in the future!
