BK's Home Away From Home

So as you all know, BK and I love to travel.  What you may not know is that BK actually has a home away from home that I typically don't get to visit: Basel, Switzerland.  This month things changed...I got to visit Basel with BK for about a week.  It was a bit of a whirlwind considering that we were home for approximately 36 hours between two trips, but I really can't complain.  There are many worse things in life than being in Napa for five days then turning around and going to Switzerland for a week.

The Old Bridge over Rhine River

BK lives in Basel for about 10 days a month when his company closes their books.  Sometimes it's a little longer if it's a quarter-end month, or could be shorter if he just has meetings.  Basel was really fun. Of course as BK was here for work, so for a couple of days that I was here I spent a lot of time exploring around town by myself.  Basel (and Switzerland in general) is incredibly safe, so there were no worries about me wandering around.  

The Rhine River runs through Basel, but everyone says that instead of dividing the city, it actually unites two halves.  I like that thinking.  The Old Bridge is a landmark in the city and is a major thoroughfare, but not too busy.  People walk everywhere and Basel has a great tram system that you can jump on at any point, and if you're staying in a hotel they give you a free mobility pass so it's free to ride for the duration of your stay.

Thursday I spent about four hours walking around the city I did this great walking tour they have around the city.  People who live here don't seem to know about it, but I stopped in the tourism office and they told me about it.  It is also not a serious tour, so you're not bogged down by tons of history, you just get to enjoy the sites.  It gives you a route to follow; for me, it gave me a plan...and we all know how I love to have a plan.  

To do the tour you just follow these guys around the city.

Basel has lots of great little squares, which I think in German are called "platz."  Yes, German, and specifically Swiss-German, is the language spoken here.  A good majority of people speak English, but I feel bad expecting them to speak my language and not having a clue about theirs.  If you haven't ever looked into German, it seems completely foreign to me, and I can't really decipher anything without some serious context clues.  

Markeplatz is where city hall is and is at the city center.  During the summer they have open air markets and lots of people gather here.  It is where I started for my tour.  The city is great and incredibly pleasant to walk around in.  Switzerland has done a wonderful job of preserving old architecture and mixing it with new, modern buildings.  BK joined me on Friday for the afternoon and we did some exploring together, including me showing him what I had learned the day before.  

City Hall in Marktplatz

We explored many parts of the city, including the side that is not considered "Old Town."  There are so many nice neighborhoods that are a little off the beaten path, but are well worth the walk.  There is lots of green space tucked away throughout the city and you can pretty much walk along the river as long as it stretches.  After BK and I walked around for quite a while, we ended up in Munsterplatz which contains Basel's main landmark, the Cathedral.  It is a beautiful church with great views of the river behind it and another square in front of it.  There are many restaurants tucked in corners throughout the city, including in old, repurposed buildings.  We ended Friday with dinner and drinks at a little restaurant in the Cathedral square, and then watched the Ryder Cup late into the night.  

Cathedral in Munsterplatz

Saturday took us to Zurich, about an hour's train ride away. More about that later. Now it's back to American life to watch the Frogs take on SMU.  Game time this week: 1am.