Hello everyone! It’s been awhile since I’ve posted, so get ready for a bunch of pictures from my travels! Last week, exactly a week from today, I went to Basel, Switzerland with the language institute. There was an art museum there that was doing an exhibition on Monet, and the plan was to see that and the travel around the city for a bit and then head home. Our train/bus/tram passes take us to Basel, and it’s only about an hour train ride out of the city.
So, here is Basel!
The Foundation Beyeler, where the Monet exhibit is housedShadows on the Sea, the Cliffs at Pourville
They had several of his famous Water Lilies paintings!In case you were wondering whether we were actually in SwitzerlandIn case you were wondering if I was actually in Switzerland (all pics of me courtesy of the wonderful Fiona)The view from the Mittlere BrückeThe are tons of public drinking fountains around Basel, I drank from them and felt fine so I guess it’s safe!Lots of them are ornate, like this oneThe architecture in Basel is beautifulAnd rather large
Here is the Basel Münster!It had a really cool roof
We could hear singing from the building behind this door, across from the Münster. It sounded like a church choir of some sort
One of the courtyards had words relating to the natural world on the sidewalk. “Die Sonne” means “The Sun”, “Der Mond” is “the Moon”, etc.The Rathaus is the 500-year-old Town Hall, and is in the MarktplatzIt also had the creepiest fountain I’d seen all day inside it
I’d love to see Basel when everything is in bloom! I think a day trip is in order later in the semester! We’ll have to pack a lunch and eat it on the Münsterplatz, Switzerland is very expensive…
Ok, and then I took a hike in the Schwartzwald to Titisee, a spa town located on a lake with the same name. There were several hiking trails along it, and I got some cool pics!
Sarah and I, en-routeTitisee LakeJiji!Andrew, he’s from Sydney, Australia and gave me some great photography tipsAbbey, queen on the ducksClose up of a duck that I decided was my favorite
A lodge we found on our hike into the woods that I SWEAR looks like the German version of the Shining lodge
Nothing like a bretzel at the end of a long hike!
So there is that day trip. We then had a BBQ on Friday night where I learned how to slackline. Unfortunately (or fortunately I don’t really have pictures of that, but I do have LOTS from France. So without further ado, Strasbourg:
Only an hour away by bus, Strasbourg is a French town in the Alsace region (known for their white wine, a kinda mixture between French and German styles)There was a little market when we arrived with lots of cool stuffCathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, built 1015-1439
I can tell you that it is positively unreal up close, so detailed and massiveIt was the world’s tallest building from 1647 to 1874 (227 years) at 142 meters (466 feet)The Cathedral wasn’t open yet so we went for a walk!Holland trying to locate our friend Nick (it’s not truly travel until we’ve lost at least one member of the group)The military around here is NOT messing around, they all had some rather large weaponry
The inside of the cathedral
The Astronomical Clock, the third clock on this spot, the first dating back to the 14th centuryThis clock has a perpetual calendar, a computus, a planetary dial, a display of the sun/moon and of solar and lunar eclipses. Try and fit that on your wrist
We wandered into a palace and straight into a Jane Austen novel. I think I’d be very comfortable thereOh, we found Nick by the wayAND another church, ThomaskircheThis one was LutheranAlso extremely beautifulAnd then, my favorite part: Petite France!The historic district of Strasbourg
I swear the lens flare was unintentional
Proof again that I was actually thereAs was Emily, and happy to finally be able to use her high school French to order macaroons
Jacob in his natural habitatBecause I am unable to get over how cool remuage/riddling is, here’s another riddling rackAnd as the sun set on Strasbourg, we headed back to the bus stationBut not before Sarah and Emily did their best Jack and Rose impression with Holland as the iceberg
And, as if that’s not enough, I had a vineyard tour on Sunday! My camera died so I don’t have many pictures but essentially a husband and wife hosted us. The wife took us on a walking tour of Tuniberg, Freiburg’s local vineyard, and then her husband grilled for us and we had the most delicious food I think I’ve had while in Freiburg. It was absolutely amazing, and a great end to the week.
The amazing spread, kartoffelsalat (potato salad), carrot salad, tomato/corn salad, and a herbed yogurt dipGarret and Weston looking the way I felt on our way home
Alrighty, that was the past week! I’m leaving for Berlin tomorrow night and getting there in the morning on Friday, so expect a post about that sometime next week! Sarah and I are going via overnight bus and then meeting her friend there, I found a self-led walking tour for the day on Friday and then I think we’ll do museums on Saturday. Tchüss!
All Abroad! 
Way Cool! I was on top of Mt Titisse when we went. Part of the Alps
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Katie, I love reading of your adventures. Your pictures are so welcome too. Miss you!
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