thanks guys
any ideas for some cheap outings and restaurants::::Aussie visitors are horrified by the price:::
Take them to the Beyeler Museum ? www. beyeler .com
Take them to France and Germany - 3 countries in 10 minutes should be an interesting experience. Also, there are a lot of adorable French restaurants just across the border.
I can post per day while my mum & bro is here
Yesterday we walked around the city, looked at the old town, the city hall, the Munster (must go up the tower), took the fairy over the Rhein, chilled at the Rhein with a beer, checked out Klein Basel and ended the evening by introduce them to my Basel friends and get hammered over the football game.
Today we went to the Wasserfallen in Basel Land. It was awesome fun.
We went up with the aerial tramway, took a look around at the top and road scooters down. Mega geil! Prices are reasonable as well, about 23 franks for the tramway and the rent of the scooter. Money very well spent!
More to be posted tomorrow...
... and I had a simply fabulous time!
Basel zoo of course! You could also eat there... 'little' restaurant there but.. expect 15 to 20 SFr for an average lunch. You could try stealing some carrots from the elephants.
CK
It was NOT a spelling mistake!
And yes we did have fabulous time!
Green 80 is always good for a walk round and lunch on the terrace with the lake / fountain in the background.
If the zoo is too expensive then go to Lange Erlen where the animal park is free and the food is cheaper and you can walk down by the Wiese.
Definitely go across the border to the Alsace and/or Black Forest - both are beautiful.
And for sure spend a day doing the sights of Basel - Munster/old town/ferry across the Rhine/riding the tram etc. My parents always like this.
And if you can afford it then take a boat trip down the Rhine to Rheinfelden and back - a lovely day out in nice weather - you can get tickets right at the booth at Schifflande.
Second Wasserfallen - that's a great day out too and there's a very nice restaurant at the top of the little gondola that does lovely Swiss specialities (spaetzli mmmm).
Also let them just have some time doing not very much - parents are also most interested in catching up with and talking to their offspring. So spend some time just chilling out with them.
My parents came a few weeks ago; just for two nights.
First night, not long after they arrived, we had dinner in the Rösti restaurant with two names : Chateau Lapin / Hazenberg. Eating out here compared to London is extremely expensive. So the trick was to find a place that's unique-ish to here so they can't then eat the same thing back in London, with friendlier staff, better wines, better service, and a third of the price
Schneidergasse 20. You'll need to book especially if you want to sit outside which, in this weather, you do.
Next evening I made the most of my balcony and we had a bbq.
During the two days they were here ... one was spent doing the usual walk into town, through the old town, down to the crappy marktplatz (sorry, I think it's horrid apart from the town hall, which is covered at the moment), up to the Munster (which is also a horrid square as it's almost all dug up and the Munster itself again covered in scaffolding), then across to St Alban which, oddly, has only one or two places to chill out with a coffee at the weekend.
However, it's a scenic walk, and the ferry with the fairy across the river is cute enough. Although I was the fairy.
The second day we sat on Tram 10 to Arlesheim and coincientally caught a lovely mini festival/market in the centre.
Their main comments ... "Wow, graffiti everywhere" (bear in mind they live near Canning Town!), "Wow, so expensive to eat here" and "Wow, what a lovely relaxing way to spend a few days". OK, they're not actually "wow" people but I'm paraphrasing.
Get the tram to Riehen Grenze, walk across the border, and keep going (about 5/10 mins) till you get to the Seoul restaurant on the left. Does a buffet of Korean, Chinese and Japanese cuisine at very reasonable prices.
Edit: Since July 2010 the restaurant has been closed.
My partner and his Mum are visiting for a few days. Any recommendations for passing the time bearing in mind the weather appears to be awful?
I thought of taking them up to Pilatus (as there's hardly any walking involked which would suit his Mum) but without the Halbtax the prices are crazy.
We could easily spend a day just exploring Basel itself (taking in the botanical gardens too, to warm up) and I know there are some decent museums but his Mum doesn't speak a word of English (or any European language in fact) so the whole time will be spent translating - hence the idea of enjoying views, especially if we can clear the clouds.
Wrap up very warm and go around Herbstmesse.
Yep! I'd thought of that; it starts on Sunday and everyone tells me it's a "big thing" here. Which probably means there'll be tens of people all crammed into a medium sized space!
Edit : It starts on Saturday
You are sooooo cynical!
Are you telling me it isn't going to be the event of the year? Look, here they are setting it up as I type:
Google is my friend. A couple of years back but all the same... Basel Herbstmesse
If you weren't here last year for Herbstmesse, you are in for quite a surprise. Everything is setting up now so if you walk around you will see how it is spread all over the city.
The big Ferris Wheel is quite evident - I love that I can see the top of it from my kitchen - I believe it is at Munsterplatz. There are some rides also at Barfusserplatz as well as others in and around the convention center. There are midway games and food throughout the areas mentioned and more over down Claragraben / Untere Rebgasse area as well as up at some of the open / park areas on GrosseBasel side.
If the weather is even remotely nice, it is going to be packed, hopefully none of ya'll is squidgy about passing cheek to cheek (the nether ones) amongst strangers. Since some areas really are that much of a crush, it is generally advisable to secure your cash someplace that enjoys as little easy access by pickpockets as possible.
There are some pictures from the photoclub which were taken last year - there was a walkabout event held on Halloween which happily and coincidentally occurs during Herbstmesse.
Thanks Peg! I've noticed, cycling all around Basel this evening, that it really is a big thing. It's spread all over the town not just at Petersplatz which, for some reason, I thought was all it was going to be.
Also, and I've edited my post above, it starts on Saturday not Sunday. Cool!
The Herbstmesse. Oh yes, the Herbstmesse. Definitely take them there. It's one of those ...erm... "magic" times when all the Baslers come out of their holes and congregate en masse (or "en Messe") to ooh and aah over hand-made leather raclette machines and novelty hats made of anis. There will be millions of people at the Petersplatz, you'll have to bring your elbows to get through. Earplugs too, as the street organs will be churning out their consonances at full blast. Some might use the adjective "charming."
The rides are at the Messeplatz and Münsterplatz. The view from the top of the ferris wheel must be impressive. I've never seen it though because my eyes fell out when I saw the price to ride the thing.
So far so good! Wonderful weather (compared to the last few days), not so crowded (although my bf's Mum is used to Taipei city) and great fun. Off to Lucerne tomorrow to try and see a city which has a bit of a real Swiss feel - you know - lakes, mountains that kind of thing.
PS 8Fr to ride the big wheel.