Thursday 27 September 2007

Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th September (Days 54/55): Basel

We are staying in a fabulous (although somewhat pricey hotel) called Der Teufelhof Basel ( Leonhardsgraben 49, CH-4051, Basel, www.teufelhof.com; info@teufelhof.com). The hotel showcases local artists, and also has rooms that have been designed and decorated by local artists. The people who work there are brilliant - friendly, helpful, and nothing is too much trouble.

On Monday we sought out the maps that we need for France and marked our route on them. We also hopped on a tram out to the local hypermarket to pick up some white gas, and some of the excellent handle-less Sigg thermal mugs that we have been searching for ever since we saw them in Pottsdam.

In the evening we went to Basel's vegetarian restaurant, before heading back to a heavenly little wine bar just behind our hotel. We chatted about the future; our dreams and aspirations, and how undertaking the sort of journey that we currently are is so good for removing you from day-to-day "white noise" and giving you the time and space to really think what you hope for in life. Wine bars of this ilk seem condusive to such discussions :-)

Tuesday we decided on a together/apart day where we both go off and do our own thing and then meet up to talk about what we have just done. John headed off to one of the local art galleries (and to do some other chores), while I found a bench beside the fast-flowinfg Rhine in the sunlight and hooked out my sketch pad to try and capture a sense of the jumble of diffent buildings of different heights, widths, colours, and styles.

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