Rhine River Journal: Day 1 in Basel

We took Swiss Airlines from Hong Kong to Zurich, Switzerland and from here we drove to Basel, located in the north west, famous for its city...

We took Swiss Airlines from Hong Kong to Zurich, Switzerland and from here we drove to Basel, located in the north west, famous for its city's architecture. It has been raining in Zurich when we left the airport, during the drive it was snowing and when we arrive Basel, it was a sunny day. I couldn't believe I am experiencing three seasons in three hours. It was freezing cold!

When we arrived Basel, we had a short walking tour in the vicinity. Our guide as I remember has a very strong accent but she is knowledgeable and knows the architect of the distinctive buildings we can see. I couldn't list them all, but every time we passed by a building, she would explain who made it, and what are the characteristics. Sometimes, she can make a simple looking building look interesting.

Basel is divided into two, the smaller and the bigger Basel with a bridge connecting the two. Smaller Basel consists of the old town, while the bigger Basel consists of some higher buildings, probably with a maximum of 10 - 15 floors, nothing comparable to Hong Kong's sizes. Unfortunately, we only stayed in the bus in the majority of the city tour so I would say it was not an in-depth experience. I love art and I would visit museums in Hong Kong during the weekend. If given a chance, I would prefer to stay an overnight here to truly absorb the city. I have looked into its website (https://www.basel.com/en) and it has listed 17 reasons to love the city https://www.basel.com/en/17-reasons. Men, I have missed a lot!









One comment I got from those I have chatted with in this trip, is that Basel is an expensive city, that a regular meal can cost you a lot. I had a free lunch in Ramada Hotel in Basel so I'm quite unsure of the statement. 

I can only see a few hotels in the area, but the guide said that it gets over booked especially during the art festival (February - March). 

Beside the Ramada Hotel that afternoon, we saw a bazaar featuring farm animals and sells a lot of pretzel, cheese and sausages. It looks very enticing and fun, but I was full from the Ramada Hotel lunch (bread and tea) and I did not want to spend my few euros on the first day of the trip. 



After a few hours in Basel, we drove for another hour to the first point of our cruise - Breisach. We were supposed to start from Basel, but the water was too shallow. Then Breisach it is!

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