Travel Stories
Bazil in Basel, Switzerland
How did I learn the meaning of simple and sweet?
Going to Paris on your Europe vacation is like having a Deep-Dish Pizza when you visit Chicago; you have to have it, even if you are not too keen on it. The after-effect of Jet lag from our flight across the Atlantic, and the long arduous walks with our eight-and five-year-olds took the sheen off our stay in Paris.
As the Eurail left Gare De Lyon, the kids were in a cheerful mood — early morning donuts for breakfast had helped.
The Euro Trip had been in the making for almost two years now; bear in mind my teenage obsession with traveling through Europe in the Eurail. We were expecting to see the much-fabled French countryside en route to our next destination — Interlaken, Switzerland. Little did we know that we had a blissful surprise in the middle.
As it transpired, Bazil, our five-year-old, suddenly got super excited — he could hear the train announcing his name! We were approaching Basel, Switzerland; our first Swiss town.
In a moment of spontaneity, we decided to hop off the train, grab a quick meal, and check out the town of Basel. We were traveling light — thanks to my wife; so, we were off in a jiffy with our kids running along. The energy that had parted ways with us in Paris had made an astounding comeback.
Whether it was the long-brewing romanticism with everything Swiss, inspired by Bollywood, or the colorful scheme of our surroundings — the moment we stepped out, we drifted to a happy place. For starters, the colors — be it the buses, trams, or the surrounding structures — were heavenly.
The train station had two majestic clocks on its entrance — reminding everyone about the Swiss prowess on timekeeping devices.
We could hear a wonderful melody, played by two (probably) Swiss gentlemen. My eight-year-old went merry and danced to the tune — she loved it! The music made up for anything amiss — not that there was any addition required to the already serene atmosphere.
As we peeped beyond the marvelous marketplace, we could see a park welcoming us with open inviting arms — like a long-lost lover. Just like all real-life tragedies, we chose to ignore the temptation — mindful of catching the next train to our eventual destination.
We did not have a fancy lunch — for we were traveling on a budget. But the regular burgers, nuggets, and fries from the good old Burger King tasted better than a three-course meal. We sat together as a family, perched on a bench outside the train station, and enjoyed the blissful sunshine, the melodious sounds, and the colorful view. Our adventure in Switzerland could not have started on a simpler yet beautiful note.
Key Message: Be spontaneous and grab every little fleeing opportunity to make a memory- memories, no matter how tiny they are, last a lifetime!
Postscript
If you want to read more about Basel, I found a fun piece by JamieWrites here:
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