An Excursion to BASEL -

Doesn't everyone just get on the train and go to Switzerland for the day?
You do if it is only just over an hour away!

And that is just what we did for our last Saturday in Strasbourg - we let DD lead the way and off we went, arriving in Basel just in time for a wander around the Local Produce Market.

It is said that every fountain in Basel has drinkable Water
- so that no one ever goes thirsty.

Obviously the stall holders here make full use of the facility.

Time to find something for Lunch and there was so much to choose from-

I decided to try the Bretzels from a Street Vendor.
DH & DD chose a more 'conventional' Bread Roll.

And then the hard decision as to where to go and enjoy our meal....

But when in Basel there really is only one place for the Tourist to go -

and that is to the small Plaza behind the Church where you can sit on the wall, watching the Rhine River flow past and see THREE Countries (Switzerland, Germany and France) at once!

It certainly was a Beautiful day and we spent a good amount of time wandering the streets.

There were a few signs that made us smile - some needing to be translated and some were pretty clear in any language...

"Outside 

the Park Zone 

2 Wheeled Vehicles 

will be Towed"

I think that was pretty much what the picture said!

As I mentioned - our DD chose the Outing for today and it was because she had somewhere she wanted to go.

With it's connection to Strasbourg Cathedral by the Architect Ulrich Ensingen, Basel Minster is smaller than Notre Dame but one worth exploring.

And She told us she really needed/wanted company for her Quest.

Interesting as they were - it was not the cool Cloisters or the Final resting places of Bishops long dead that fascinated her.













She had her sights set on the more Lofty goals -


or should I say ... Heavenly?


Come on Mum ...
You did Notre Dame
 ... and an Ice Cave

- You can do this!

So with that we set up the stairs

They started off OK - nice broad sturdy Stone Staircase

and then Past the Clock Mechanism on Metal Steps

Onto Timber and by this time we were wondering IF we really should be up here...

Scramble past the Bell ...

 - WOW was that BIG!

Up more Stairs, over Beams up a ... what? 

That is a ladder!

Onto the VERY NARROW balcony - 

Yes us and a 'million' other people all out for a beautiful day's outing up a Bell Tower.

The people here really need to have a chat to the folks at Hoensalzburg Fortress about crowd control in small spaces!

As much as I wanted to go further - this is as far as I got.  Well actually about half way UP this Spiral staircase which was only wide enough for one person at a time.

Unlike Notre Dame where you go UP one side of the tower and back DOWN via a different route, this climb involved coming back the way you went up. 
So when we met a group of - non English Speaking - visitors coming DOWN we had problems - my claustrophobia kicked in and that was it for me.



Dear Daughter - on the Other hand was further up the Staircase and continued on.

Upwards

and when she finally came down said
Mum - you couldn't have gone much further anyway.  The stairs just got smaller and smaller and then I realised I was looking at The Sky.. 

I got some Photos and then scarpered out!


- And as her FB entry says - "If anyone is interested to see what the Inside of a Cathedral Tower looks like - I have done the Research for you!"



And now we know WHY they will not let you up there unless you have someone with you!

So after that adventure - it was time to go off and find a Good Coffee and some beautiful Swiss Strudel before heading back to Strasbourg.









Footnote:
The one thing I have missed once returning to Melbourne - Is the beautiful Old Cafe's. 
Where the Food is exquisite, the Rooms are small and intimate, Furnishings warm and inviting and the conversations low and quiet.