Basel has a population of around 180,000 and is Switzerland’s third largest city.  Today, we were to spend the day in the city therefore no cycling today.

Ben and Sharon had booked a brunch for us at a restaurant that features a number of Swiss foods as well as a variety of European cuisines.

Funnily enough it was opposite a major intersection where Tony and I got lost en route from London to Venice in 2016!

There was a delightful range of food, including many items I had not tried before.

As you often do with a buffet, we waddled out!

We were heading down to the Rhine River and passed through a dog park. There are a variety of tactile experiences for pooches.

We followed a pretty creek.

The creek emptied into the Rhine, and at the junction was a small beach with swimmers in force already.

Walking along the river banks were a multitude of cycling signs including directions to towns in Germany and France.

The Roche building again where Ben works. The construction site is another new Roche building being developed.

I was intrigued by these huts. They feature at regular intervals on both sides of the river. They are privately owned fishing huts.

A section of an old Basel building from the Middle Ages.

A lovely old door with 1539and 1614 mentioned.

It was a hot day and the temperature was around 30 degrees. This is a drinking fountain. The lesson today folks is this….make sure you do not dunk your bottle into the pond section…always from the tap!

This guy was quite chillaxed in the fountain.

Lovely ivy clad home.

One of the things I love about Switzerland is their progressive attitude to cycling. The city of Basel recognises that cycling is better for the environment and actively encourages it.

Here is an older lady zipping along, nicely dressed.

Ben insisted we head into the Tesla showroom. He has his eye on a Tesla car. There is no dashboard information. Everything is on this large iPad like screen.

They can’t decide between white, blue or red. I quite like the red! Price is around 60 000 CH which seems quite reasonable. I am sure they would be heaps more in Australia despite the fx rates.

A tram to the other side of the river and we walked around a lovely park. We stopped here to soak our hot and sweaty feet. Little fish nibbled our feet curiously.

This is a great bike to hire if you have little kids. I have seen numerous of these around the city with kids being carted to and fro.

Shoes back on and we continue our walk.

Plenty of well maintained bike paths.

We headed into the Tierpark. This is quite large and free! It was established in 1871.

I quite liked the buffalo and goat.

Switzerland has many of these structures for bees, acknowledging their importance.

I liked the park rules signage.

This is the children’s playground. How cool is the wooden structure?

Finally Basel’s heraldic animal, the Basilisk. Curiously the definition of basilisk is a poisonous worm and fable emerging from the egg of an oold rooster, brooded by the warmth of dung or by a snake or toad.

The appearance is described as ‘like a cock with dragons wings, the beak of an eagle and the tail of a lizard’.

The basilisk…..

My feets and knees were knackered, and I was glad to arrive back in Therwil where we had some amazing Japanese food that Ben picked up on our way home.

Thanks for reading! Stay safe and keep smiling. Xxx