Our trip to the Black Forest complete, we’d arranged to spend the last 2 days of our holiday in Basel.
Inside the train station, there are lots of murals of Alpine scenes from the turn of the century.
As we wandered towards our hotel, we got to see some of the modern architecture there.
We’d originally flown into Basel at the start of our trip and I was fascinated by what I’d read.
Basel is a Swiss city, that is located at the tri-point of Switzerland, France and Germany.
This means that some of its suburbs are actually in different countries. Its to do a “pub crawl” across 3 countries in 2 hours 🙂
We arrive at our hotel, the EastWest riverside.
Sitting on the patio outside with a drink, we had this amazing view across the Rhine river and the Mittler Brucke bridge.
The hotel was ultra modern.
The tv in our room could show films streamed from a mobile phone (each room had its own independent WiFi network).
I was lying back on my bad when I took this photo of the tv, so you can see my toes.
To save a bit of money, we opted for a room at the back of the hotel rather than one facing the river.
There was a nice street with a few bars on it. At one point in the night there was some shouting, but I just closed the window.
After a quick bite to eat in the hotel we head out to see the sights.
First off, is Basel Minster.
On the other side of the square, a few old buildings in a beautiful square.
After more exploring and wandering around, we go out for dinner.
This restaurant was expensive (but what in Switzerland wasn’t) but the food and wine were some of the best I’ve drank and tasted anywhere in the world.
You cant see from this picture but its right next to a really nice park.
Alas, we’d been away for 10 days so were quite jaded.
After a drink or 2 we just sat by the river and relaxed before heading back to the hotel.
Next day, we headed into the centre of the town.
The bright trams contrast the old buildings in the main square.
In the main street, was this surreal scene.
A crane had been positioned in the middle of the walkway, so they had mounted it on a sort of arch, so you could walk under it.
The Rathaus (Town hall in Basel) 500 years old, in the Market square.
Inside the Rathaus is this small forecourt.
Wandering around the back streets, considering its a major international city, were these nice houses.
Constructed in 1977, by Jean Tinguely, the water sculpture.
Made up of 9 “machines” that rotate, spray water and various other things.
The installation is on the site of the old theatre, and the machines are meant to emulate the actors who had worked there.
Having sold one of my kidneys to pay for dinner, we plan an interesting project for the following day and then retire to bed.
Up early, and we have breakfast. We can see the other bank across the river.
Wandering across the Mittlere bridge we get a view up the Rhine.
On the other bank, we set of walking.
We are overtaken, but some people who have taken a break from work and gone out for a jog.
The runners are from Roche pharmaceuticals and we can see their main building back across the river.
Further along, we leave the bank and head inland.
Basel wall, first constructed in 1080.
As we reach Wetstein Brucke.
Someone has helpfully put a sign saying that dogs shouldn’t walk down the stairs.
We continue on to Schwarzwald Brucke and cross the bridge back to our original side and walk back along the river bank towards our hotel.
On our original side of the river, we wander next to the Roche building.
I was really impressed that they had about 20 of these robot lawn mowers.
Were due to fly home that evening, so we find a really nice Tapas restaurant and relax for the afternoon.
Again, excellent food and wine, we were in there for two and a half hours and the bill was £140. We were used to it by now.
We get the bus from the train station which takes is to the airport.
At the airport we relax and wait for our flight.
There is another sculpture by Jean Tinguely. Called the Luminator, its a motorised thing and when you press a button, this enormous machine bursts into life.
The complexity’s of the sculpture, remind me of the complexity’s of normal life. The life I’m about to return to now that my holiday’s over. A fitting end to an amazing adventure.