Switzerland Trip December 2021 - Basel & Bern (Day 4-7)

 Assalamualaikum wbt and happy day peeps! This would be part 2 of our Swiss trip last year. This will cover day 4 until 7, where we stayed at Basel, plus a day trip to Bern. All of our transportation in Swiss were via trains (to the other cities) and also by walking. Before we boarded our SBB train, we went to Nordsee underneath the Zurich HB for lunch. 

This was a super delish dish! I am not a huge fan of eating fish (apart from fish burgers, which I think is the best burger of all time, and also fish fingers, yummy!) but this dish was extremely yummy! Thanks to Helmi, my cousin's husband for the recommendation.

We boarded SBB train at 2:36pm and arrived in Basel 1 hour later. It was a very short train trip, and we got to relax and bid goodbye to Zurich. We went to Basel again, without having any kinds of thoughts or what-so-ever that this city would be closed during Christmas. Yes. As a person born in Malaysia, with many races and cultures, we tend to help each other during each festive season. Shops will stay open, or at least half-day open on the first day of the festive day.

We arrived at Basel SBB and were clueless. We don't know where to go and which way to walk. This time, I booked a hotel far away from the train station but very near to Marketplatz. It was actually just in front of the Marketplatz. I did my own research and found out that the Christmas market in Basel is the best out of whole Switzerland.

Our hotel, Hotel Märthof Basel was awesome. 4-5 steps to Marketplatz (0.1km), which holds up the Christmas Market in Basel. The room was spacious, with split level stairs and a modern interior. The bed was so fluffy that you could just sleep on it all day long.

*The Marketplatz*

On the second day in Basel, we went to Bern. It was just an hour train ride as well. Our train was at 9:28am but we were 3 seconds late; hence we missed the train and need to buy a new train ticket scheduled at 9:58am (yes, we don't have a Swiss Pass). In Bern, we were just wandering around the area, especially around the old town of Bern. We thought of going to Lauterbrunnen, but we thought of coming back again to Swiss next time, so that would do. 

Do you know that Bern is the capital city of Swiss? Yes. It is not Zurich or even Geneva. It's Bern. And I know why. It was the most beautiful city I have been to so far in Swiss (a reminder, we have not been to many cities yet). Even before we arrived at the train station in Bern, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. I think it snowed 1-2 days before we arrived in Bern, so we can still see snow spots here and there. 

Again, we booked a hotel for 1 night in Bern and the hotel was so kind enough to let us check in a little bit earlier. The hotel was The Bristol, a very cosy and laidback hotel near the train station and very near to the Käfigturm, a medieval tower that is part of the UNESCO cultural world heritage site. 

*Photos are taken from hotel room*

*Bern at night*

We had a lovely kebap dish in Bern. The kebap shop's name is La Villa Kebap, which serves one of the best kebap donor I have eaten all this while, and I am still craving that kind of kebab today. Mine was a kebab chicken without bread and was served in a takeaway container, with loads of fries and mayonnaise and many other sauces. Sedap wei! 

*Our routine in Swiss, every 4 days*

On Christmas eve day, we left Burn on 24th December 2021 at 7:04pm. People were very busy commuting from one place to another. We, on the other, had our dinner in the hotel room, Brahims and the best instant coffee ever in Swiss with a view.

It was then, 25th December 2021 Christmas Day. The day when all the Christians celebrate their day with their beloved families. The cities were empty. There were no traits of an open shop, at all. We feel like we had the city of Basel to ourselves. Hence, we took this chance to take as many photos as we can. People started to go out only around noon. Kindly enjoy some of the photos I took on the morning of Christmas day. Empty streets. By the way, did you know Basel had more than 40 museums but we did not even go to one at all? Again, next time InsyaAllah. Basel is also the third most famous city in Switzerland, right after Zurich and Geneva.

*Basel Rathaus*

*Basel Minster*

*Rhine river*

On our last night in Basel, we went for a walk around the city and it was very calming. I never thought I would say this, but I really miss Basel. The ambience, the people and the town itself were something. 

*Basel city at night, 25 December 2021*

*Wanted to take a photo of one of my client's offices*

Basel, a city that I might be visiting again soon one day but not on Christmas day for sure. :) See you in my part 3 entry of Swiss, Geneva. <3

Till then,

xx