Photos of Basel

Photos from Friday's walk, see previous post for some details.

Friday took the tram to the farmers market in the cobbled square in front of the Rathous. It was right out of Julia Child dreams. I bought some freshly baked bauernbrot to take home for supper. Tasted samples of cheese and dry sausage. Had a grilled bratwurst with mustard and a hunk of bread for lunch, especially tasty because I'd had no breakfast. The sausages were grilled on an open grill which gave them a gentle smoky taste. They are served bare on a plate, a big dollop of sharp mustard on the side and a hunk of excellent bauernbrot. People stood around several nearby tables to eat their quick lunches. Well dressed businessmen, mums out with the kiddies, ladies in flowered dresses and hats! All eating their choice of grilled sausage - with their fingers. Yes, no forks, no rolls. I watched and copied. You snap off a section of sausage about an inch or two with your fingers, dip it in the mustard, and then nibble or bite the bit. Bread is eaten separately, torn off the hunk in bite size bits. Delicious. A quick wipe of fingers with a paper napkin and off you go.

I'll post photos I took of the market.

Then I strolled down to the Rhine and across the bridge, taking photos, walked down crooked old streets, taking photos, and over another bridge taking me to the Kunstmuseum (art museum). A modest collection compared to the Met in NYC or MOMA, or the Guggenheim, the British Museum. But, this was quality over quantity. Each painting or sculpture was a gem. A treasure. I lingered here, staring, my eyes loving it.

You may add the following to my wish list for Christmas:
Hans Holbein -Organ stall painting (mural) 1528, Basel Munster
Franz Marc - woodcuts ( I didn't like his paintings, the woodcuts are wonderful)
Max Ernst - Father Rhine
Paul Klee - Ad Marginem 1930
Giorgio de Chirico - The Enigma of Fate
Any of the Kandinsky's, the Braque's, the Picasso's.
Any of the Modigliani portraits of girls.
The Rodin scupture in the courtyard of the Burgers of Calais - check out my photo of this one.
Yum, what a wonderful collection! I finished up my visit with an excellent coffee at their cafe.

Another stroll, taking more photos. Then a tram ride home the roundabout way. The tram passed through a nearby forest! Yes, a nature preserve close by. With a Rudolphe Steiner shule. And acres of wild raspberries. In a few weeks I'll return and pick bucketsfull to make into preserves.

Exhausted when I got home. But a great day.