River Cruise Diary – Basel, Switzerland

Day 1 of a 16-day getaway is totally devoted to just getting away. After the overnight flight to Frankfort, we needed a second flight to Basel. Bad News – Lufthansa flights within Germany are grounded due to a labor dispute. Welcome to Europe. Good News – Lufthansa flights leaving Germany are still good to go. Once in Basel later that morning, we were there until the following afternoon when the sail downstream began. There was a walking tour and enough free time to explore on our own.

Basel Street Scene (7 November 2019) 

Located at the point where France, Germany and Switzerland come together, Basel is a thriving center of chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Though there were earlier settlements in the area, serious occupation began with the Romans. After a number of barbarian conquests, the area settled into the Holy Roman Empire in 1032.

Basel Carnival (7 November 2019) 

We happened to be in Basel at the same time as a serious street festival. Many public spaces were occupied with amusement rides and carnival attractions. I appreciated that the giant Ferris wheel was dedicated to my wife Becky.

Basel Cathedral (7 November 2019) 

It seems every ancient European city of any size has a grand church that was the center of religious and civic life for centuries. Basel is no exception. Having seen a few by now, I can say that in terms of size and grandeur, the cathedral here is not all that extraordinary. However, the church is quite old, having been consecrated in 1019 and is notable as the burial place of Erasmus, the philosopher and Renaissance humanist.

St. Gallen Portal, Basel Cathedral (8 November 2019) 

Given the early origins of the building, significant Romanesque features are evident. The most notable would be the entry on the west side of the building. The St. Gallen portal dates from around 1180. The tympanum shows Christ sitting in judgement…because everyone is either in or out when it comes to the afterlife. Below the judgement is a depiction of the New Testament parable of the ten virgins. The five wise ones on the left brought enough oil for their lamps and are blessed by Christ while the five foolish ones who did not are cast out. It was a popular theme in the Middle Ages that drove home the need to always do the right thing because you never know when Judgement Day will come.

The Misguided Virgin, 

Basel Cathedral (7 November 2019) 

I Got Your Saints Right Here! 

Basel (7 November 2019) 

I had more fun just outside the cathedral. In addition to the wise and foolish virgins above the side door, the virginity theme continues at the main entrance. Here the misguided virgin has fallen under the spell of a seducer (not pictured). She is shown having removed her glove thus revealing too much of that virgin flesh. The shame of it all. Right in front of the church was a bumper car ride with some very secular artwork on it. I couldn’t help but notice the irony.

The Basilisk on the Wettsteinbridge (7 November 2019) 

Representations of this mythical creature are all over the city. A reptilian hatched from a rooster’s egg (I know…roosters don’t lay eggs but this is a myth, after all), the basilisk was bad news. It could kill you by breathing on you or by looking at you. Though not named for Basel, it became the town’s heraldic symbol and is curiously found on many water fountains and troughs.

Rhine River Ferry, Basel, Switzerland (8 November 2019) 

Fabulous low-tech demonstration here. No power required. Called ‘reaction ferries,’ Basel has four of them located between the bridges that cross the Rhine. The boat is tethered to a cable that spans the river. Just turn the rudder on the boat and get dragged to the other side. Just as good and easy today as it was a thousand years ago.

Basel would be our only stop in Switzerland. We began the cruise by sailing downstream and will wake up the next morning in Strasbourg, France. Stay tuned for images from this memorable Alsatian city.