The Grand Rail Trip of 2022 - PART 7
Updated: Jan 27, 2024
It was an epic adventure spanning four countries, two Theme Parks, one Grand Slam Tennis Tournament and over 1,000 miles of Train Track. This is the amazing story of what happened along the way!
Beautiful Basel
It was hard to leave the idyllic and unique landscape of Rust, but it was time for the next leg of this grand adventure.
There was a slight delay getting out of this isolated station, which wasn't too problematic on this occasion, as I had plenty of flexibility with timing arriving into Basel.
Shortly after Midday, having navigated more glorious countryside, I arrived at Basel station. The city is distinctively split into 2 parts either side of the Rhine river; the business sector near the station, and the historical old town sector across the bridge. The banks are punctuated by picturesque houses and churches, and a signature Cathedral that had been very familiar to places I had visited during the trip. It was the perfect place to relax after a couple of days of euphoria.
I meandered my way through the Old Town to my Hotel, situated just off a central square contained a wealth of Tram options across the city. Even better, when checking-in the Hotel gave me a Basel Card offering free transport for my stay and discounts at certain attractions - a great initiative!
After chilling for an hour or so, I decided to venture out to Basel Zoo, considered to be one of the best in the world - and it didn't disappoint! In the massive grounds, there were Elephants, Zebras, Rhinos, Penguins, Flamingos and Seals (to which there was a feeding show), amongst many other animals, against a backdrop of wide lakes and huge trees to keep the areas cool. It was a stunning place to visit for a couple of hours, and good value for money with 50% off!
Another aspect that Basel is notable for is being the city where you can be on the edge of 3 countries, at a spot called "dreilandereck". This proved to be very emotional, considering the nature of my trip and how far I'd come - sitting in Switzerland, looking on to Germany 100ft in front of me and France 100ft to my left, mind-boggling and stunning in equal measure!
I crossed a bridge for my evening meal, and suddenly I was back in Germany! My phone got momentarily confused, before reverting back to the German network. I found a lovely restaurant near the river, watching the sunset simultaneously on 3 countries, and thinking this was something special and unique I probably wouldn't get to experience again. Humbling and unforgettable!
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