Southern Germany’s pumpkin mania
In the local markets of southern Germany, pumpkins and their squashy cousins come in myriad shapes and sizes. Each autumn, a family-run farm in...
I heart Dijon (Burgundy)
Place François-Rude is at the heart of Dijon’s pedestrian zone. The capital of Burgundy is visitor-friendly, its compact historical center chock-a-block with parks and...
Trust me—Switzerland’s honor system
Self-service flower gardens represent an aspect of living in Switzerland that still enchants me after twelve years.
Ever since I moved here, I’ve been a...
Siena—art on the walls and underfoot
Siena is a city of art and architecture in a country replete with both. Thanks to a multi-site ticket, I spent the better part...
Laid-back Lucca, Italy
The train journey from Florence to Lucca was poky, a signal to ratchet down, way down. The regional train made four stops in factory-intensive...
Buddy Bears are holding hands across the world
Berlin is bear-intensive. Think Berlin's coat of arms, or Knut, the Berlin Zoo's polar baby sensation who charmed the world in 2006. For four...
Berlin’s East Side Gallery–Thank you GDR
See more works by Birgit Kinder
The art to be found in Berlin's old eastern quarters is the stuff of legend. The venerable museums on...
Venice in Basel
Any time of year, I look forward to the newly fresh produce on offer at local markets. I recently learned that all of the...
Fasnacht for a foodie
Four days ago before dawn, Basel's carnival opened with a bang. More than any other event on the city calendar, Fasnacht, called "the three...
Raclette three ways
Legend has it that Raclette, a dish born in the Swiss canton of Valais in the 16th century, resulted from an accidental meltdown of...