play

A few more places in Basel, with a playful spirit:
Theodorskirchplatz had an interesting planting of sycamores that had been trained to form a kond of low ceiling over a small playground. Next to this area, closer to the church, were skateboard ramps, getting good use.







I spotted these cheery painted squares in a schoolyard, and appreciated how something so simple could shape a space for playing.

More from Basel

In Basel, I stumbled on a few moments and places that had a little bit of magic in them.


In the plaza next to the cathedral, I watched as a group of old men played boules, and a group of young boys played with a bowling set, as autumn sun shone through the horsechestnut trees.


Some of the streets in the old city were so quiet and charming, they could have been in a village far away, instead of in the middle of a cosmopolitain city.








That day, the afternoon sun was so warm, that people flocked to the sunny steps beside the Rhine. When I arrived there was a small group, but as the air warmed the crowd grew.

le weekend chez nous

Last weekend I stayed close to home: cleaning, cooking, and watching the long fall shadows.

Marktplatz, Basel

It took me awhile to find the walking "center" of Basel. It certainly was not at the train station, or the nearby bus station-- walking from there seemed to lead to a "nowhere" of large vehicular roads and near-deserted streets. On the second day I made it to the old town and began to really see the city on foot.


One of the iconic buildings in Basel is the Rathaus, painted bright red. Limited by my lack of German, I did not learn much about it! What interested me more was the Marktplatz square in front of the building, which had the lively and beautiful character of a successful European plaza. What makes this place what it is? The architecture on its edges is varied and handsome. The Rathaus is an icon, and a slow stream of visitors passed to and from. People also sat in sidewalk cafes, as did I, and came and went on the trams that frequently pass along the opposite side of the square. I also noticed the subtle effect of the paving pattern in the square, where two large floral patterns mark the center, almost like on a rug. People were drawn to walk toward the floral pattern, stand on it, or walk through it. Just a simple paving pattern seemed to define a space for people to orient themselves and their movements within the square.

Basel BackPack

Last weekend I visited Basel, in the northwest corner of Switzerland where it meets France and Germany. I stayed in a hostel called BaselBackPack, located in a former factory (not sure what type) that now houses a diverse mix of artist workshops, a primary school, cafe, restaurant, etc, all aligned around generous interior courtyards. The cheery post-industrial aesthetic is irresistible. It seemed that they used every type of of recycled container imaginable to fill the courtyard to the brim with growing things, including vines ascending in the air and on walls. Signs located throughout explained various sustainable features of the building, including a rainwater harvesting system.

Lausanne, sous la pluie

Two weekends ago I went to Lausanne, the nearest big city in the canton of Vaud. It rained most of the day and was quite cold, but the city somehow felt cozy, like there was a holiday spirit in the air. Perhaps it was the crowds of people bustling through the street market, perhaps the smell of roasting chestnuts?

The courtyard entry to the Art Brut museum is quite simple and still a striking space:


An old gate from the Lausanne city hall:


I had a great lunch at this decidedly old school restaurant-- when I first entered, a bit on the early side for lunch, it was just me and several groups of older folks gathered over coffee or a drink. Soon, though, every table was either full or reserved. I had my first raclette, a regional dish that consists of melted cheese on a plate, served with a potato, cornichons, and bread. Delicious!


In front of the cathedral, this area looks over the city to the south:


I was fascinated by this tall, weathered farmer selling the smallest, sweetest roses. I watched him for awhile until he finally had a customer.

l'Automne à la Cure

One week ago, Craig, Cristina, Jack and I harvested the apples from the two trees at the Cure. This week, we will take them to the local school to be pressed into juice.


This morning, there was frost in the garden: