Basel

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The coach driver on the Lucerne to Basel transfer was another American expat. He drives tour buses and his wife works for a pharmaceutical company in Basel. He told of life in Switzerland. The greatest downside is the expense of Swiss goods, he said. Prices are lower across in Germany and he tries to do grocery shopping there, while staying aware of Swiss customs at the border.

The drive to Basel along the A2 motorway was generally a descent from the mountains and lakes around Lucerne to the Rhine River valley, passing though farmland around Sursee and the Wiggerthal. Arrival in Basel was indicated by the sight of the twin towers of Basel Munster as we crossed the Rhine via the Schwarzwaldbrücke. The coach made directly for the Viking cruise dock, so there was no sightseeing opportunity. Basel is home to many pharmaceutical companies and there was definite evidence of their office campuses. One interesting sight passed was the 14th century St. John's Gate, once part of Basel's city walls. We boarded Viking Sigrun and checked in to our cabin. There was time to explore the river craft before sailing at about 6:00 p.m. Both Susan and I had been on ocean cruises, but this was our first river cruise. Our Rhine Journey had begun!

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Photos

Basel
The Rhine River and Basel from the Schwarzwaldbrücke. The twin towers are the Basler Münster (Basel Cathedral). DSC_0616p1

Roche-Turm
Roche-Turm - Roche Tower. Office tower built for the Hoffmann-La Roche pharmaceutical company. Opened in 2015. At 594 feet (178 m) it is the tallest building in Switzerland. DSC_0614p1

St. John's Gate
St. Johanns-Tor - St. John's Gate. One of the three surviving entrance gates to the old mediaeval walled city of Basel, which formed part of the fortifications built shortly after the great earthquake of 1356. DSC_0621

M/S Baslerdybliv
M/S Baslerdybli (Basel Dove) Rhine party and sightseeing boat based in Basel.
DSC_0630

Rhine River at Basel.
The Rhine River at Basel. The office tower at left is on the Novartis pharmaceutical campus. At right is the pinnacled roof of the Sekundarschule Theobald Baerwart.
DSC_0631p1

Wiggerthal
Swiss landscape in the Wiggerthal (Wiggertal). DSC_0592

Swiss Farm Near Wolen
Swiss farm near Wolen, in the Wiggerthal. DSC_0591

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Switzerland
There is nothing prettier than the Swiss countryside and small towns. Well, the large towns are nice also.