Rob and I were in Botswana last year and met this lovely couple on our safari who said that if we were ever in Switzerland, to stop by … so we did!
Judy and Didi invited us to stay in their lovely home in Bettingen, Switzerland, a suburb of Basel.Their homeDidi’s Garden
Didi is a lifelong resident of Basel although he has traveled the world. In fact, he met Judy in Miami.
Didi speaks German. Judy is from Columbia and speaks Spanish. They communicate in English.
Didi gave us a one-day comprehensive tour of his hometown. This is the oldest coffee shop in Basel. Didi bought us a special traditional treat of honey toast.
There are lots of trams everywhere so one must be careful crossing the street to see the beautiful historic town hall.
We walked along streets with houses as far back as the 1200’s.The Blue House was built by a rich silk merchant. A beautiful view of the Basler Münster Cathedral across the Rhine River.There used to be only one bridge, and the nearest ones were more than 100 miles away on either side. It has always been called the Middle Bridge.Down the river I can see the Hoffmann-La Roche towers. Roche, a top-10 pharmaceutical company in the world, still is privately held. The middle tower stands as the tallest building in Basel.The Swiss army was considered the mightiest soldiers. They are the ones on guard duty at Vatican City.Ever wondered what these cement bumps are that one sees attached to houses? They are for people especially the ladies to climb up to a horse or carriage.We think that this sleeping man is considering a sarcophagus. Both seem dead to the world.We took a ferry ride across the Rhine River. Many people were floating along with the current by holding on to a colorful dry bag called a Wicklefisch. Didi has three of them at home. It looks like fun.
Floating along the river with a specially-designed Wicklefisch bag is a preferred method of commuting. People stash their clothes, towels, and whatever else they need into these brightly-colored waterproof bags that roll up and clip around their waist. The bags help them float along the river toward their destination while making swimmers more visible to passing ships.
This store sold unique one-of-a-kind gold necklaces that are made from the scan of your retina.One side of the river is where the rich merchants lived, and the king is sticking out his tongue to the other side!! That doesn’t seem very nice!Everywhere we travel, bathrooms are always a source of conversation. Rob came back laughing at these photos above the urinals People are very creative.
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One response to “July 10, 2025: Basel, Switzerland”
Didi & Judy – BOTSWANA
Dear Brenda, dear Rob
What a good and interesting report about Basel and your visit to us – thank you very much – well done.
We hope you can enjoy your stay in Sweden and Norway to the fullest and have a great cruise through the fjords in Norway.
Have fun, enjoy the days and best wishes from all of us
Judy, Didi and Nicolas
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