This is the way: Street Art in Basel, Switzerland

Recently, I trekked to Munich

I went to see my sister and brother-in-law as well as to attend the famed Oktoberfest. I’d found significantly cheaper flights through Basel, Switzerland than through Munich — it was cheaper even after adding train travel and an extra night at a hostel on the way home.

So I found myself in Basel. On a Sunday.

You may or may not know, but things in Switzerland close on Sunday. Like, everything. So I was left to wander aimlessly throughout the city to find ways to entertain myself. When I got tired of riding the tram from one end of town to the other, I got off to walk around.

I did manage to find one place open for lunch. It was a very hipster-y place called Hirscheneck. Yelp said it was “Swiss cuisine”. More importantly, it was open and listed under only one dollar sign. When I arrived, it seemed like the entire hipster population (which I later found out is most of the population) of Basel was having brunch on the patio. I pranced in with a huge smile on my face (funny how sunshine does that to you, eh?) and asked if they have wifi. I don’t think the staff here knew what to make of me. I have no German whatsoever, and the staff here were able to speak some English, but they didn’t seem very comfortable with it. They were, however, very nice; my waitress translated the menu for me, and looked very confused when I ordered a continental brunch “with a side of bacon”.

In Switzerland, you don’t eat meat for breakfast. It’s all croissants, breads, jam, and spreads. Anyway, it was delicious, and fueled me for a day of wandering.

Street Art, it exists

As I wandered around town, I noticed a number of interesting artworks scattered around the city. As I mentioned before, Basel seems like a very hipster town, so it’s no wonder they would support an artwork like giant ants on the side of a cafe.

I was inspired by Vlad from Eff it, I’m on Holiday, whose post on the street art in Porto made me want to share the street art I saw in Basel! I don’t have nearly as many photos as he does, but here’s what I’ve got.

Those are ants.

Crazy drawing on a construction barrier across the street from the giant ants.

On my way to the river, I passed under a bridge and encountered this glowing gutter.

Saw these dancers while waiting for the tram to go back to the hostel.