Nepali Wanderer

Much of life is an act of balancing — family, personal dreams, work, holidays, and finding that precious window of opportunity to do what you love.

Recently, I spent two weeks in Geneva for work, so naturally, I wanted to make the most of my weekends. And for me, that meant taking some time out to travel (obviously). I decided to visit Basel, where I would meet a friend from my master’s program. I had also met him during my previous visit to Switzerland in 2017. So, when I knew I was coming back to Switzerland, I pictured this reunion right away.

Basel is Switzerland’s third-largest city, after Zurich and Geneva. It’s often called the “Pharmaceutical Hub of the World,” thanks to the presence of two pharmaceutical giants: Novartis and Roche. But I first learned about Basel for entirely different reasons. First, it’s the hometown of Roger Federer. Second, it’s home to FC Basel. (That pretty much sums up my knowledge of European geography, mostly influenced by football!)

I started my day with a train ride from Geneva. Since I had only explored Geneva on my previous trip, this was my first chance to see other parts of Switzerland. The first hour of the journey was all about Lake Geneva, which is even more massive and breathtaking than I had imagined, especially when the train reached Lausanne. Afterward, the scenery transitioned into the quintessential Swiss countryside, with rolling hills, green pastures, and grazing cows. I even had a passing thought about someday retiring in a village with cows, but only in Switzerland, of course. Except, affording that life in Switzerland would likely involve a lifetime of crunching numbers!

After about three hours, I arrived in Basel, where my friend and his family met me at the station. It was particularly heartwarming to meet his two kids, which made me reflect on just how much time had passed since 2017. We began our day at Basel Cathedral, the city’s most famous landmark. Locally known as Basler Münster, this cathedral is over 1,000 years old and dominates the skyline with its twin towers. It’s just as beautiful inside, and I was surprised to learn that it houses the remains of Erasmus of Rotterdam (after whom the Erasmus Mundus Program is named).

After visiting the cathedral, we strolled around the picturesque square nearby, surrounded by charming, photogenic houses. There’s something magical about European squares that transports you back to those childhood postcards of beautiful cities. We then walked over to the Rhine River, which is right next to the square and the cathedral. The river divides Basel into the Old Town and the New Town, with modern skyscrapers rising on the opposite bank. Having walked along the Rhône the previous week, I found myself reflecting on the journey from the Rhone to the Rhine. This also brought back memories of my 2016 visit to Cologne, Germany, where I had crossed paths with the Rhine before. (It was truly a trip of reunions!)

Switzerland is known for its three official language regions: French, German, and Italian (or four, if you count the minority Romansh language). Basel is in the German-speaking part of the country. My friend’s children, born to a Catalan and an Italian speaker, are growing up conversing in a mix of six languages. Watching this, I started wondering: is it necessary for someone to have a single “mother tongue”? Or can a person find it hard to pinpoint one? I asked the older child about this, but after struggling to answer, I tried to make it easier with a different question: “Which language do you think in?” But, as it turns out, that was an even tougher question for a five-year-old! (Not the best question for such a young child!)

We then made our way to the Old Town, which is filled with medieval buildings, street markets, and street food stalls. One particularly striking sight was the red building that my friend pointed out as Basel’s Town Hall. It happened to be the seat of the government and parliament of the canton of Basel. Amid the medieval surroundings, we also came across shopping malls and luxury stores. After crossing the bridge to the other side of the river, watched the stunning view of the Old Town, shining in the sun above the Rhine. The river was full of people swimming, with many were sun-bathing on the banks afterward. (My friend jokingly referred to this as Basel’s “beach!”)

As the day wound down, my friend took me to one of Basel’s medieval gates, a reminder of the city’s rich history. Before my arrival, my friend had mentioned my love for football to his older child, who, like me, is also a football fan. So, we bonded over football talk, and the kid even insisted on playing a quick game before I left. And thus, as our last activity together, we headed to a nearby park and played football for a little while. 

All in all, it was a delightful day spent in a charming, small city. Basel isn’t Paris or Barcelona, but it has all the allure of a postcard-perfect European town. Whether it’s the 1,000-year-old cathedral, the modern glass skyscrapers, the narrow cobblestone streets, or the trams and trains, Basel offers a beautiful blend of medieval and modern. And in that sense, it truly feels like a microcosm of Europe.