Basel Update 17 Jul 2010
Saturday 17 July 2010
Everybody arrived in good spirits, if a little jet-lagged, except for Jamie's luggage which decided to take a three-day stopover in an undisclosed location. Our hotel is very nice, the breakfasts are exceptional, though the lack of airconditioning in the rooms is a bit of a downer at the moment.
Our liaison officer Peter and our wider band family have been a huge help in getting us sorted out and making sure we have everything we need.
Rehearsals started last Wednesday undercover in a huge exhibition centre. Temperatures were in the mid 30s so we were grateful to be out of the sun,even if the acoustics were pretty bad. The pipe bands sounded pretty good together from the start which has meant that practices have been a little less stressful than they could have been.
With the temperatures so warm a few of us have taken the opportunity to follow the lead of half the Basel population: put your clothes in a waterproof bag, throw it in the Rhein, jump in after it and float down river in the strong current. Very refreshing, but you have to be alert and not miss your exit otherwise you could end up in France. The riverside is a very popular evening gathering place.
The arena is similar to Edinburgh but obviously lacking the castle backdrop. We can catch a tram to and from the venue or walk so there is no need to sit in a bus all kitted up which is a bonus. Tuning up is done out the back of the venue on the banks of the Rhein.
Basel is pretty easy to get around with regular trams to get you from place to place. Parts of Basel are quite picturesque, with narrow streets and the typical European architecture.
That's about it for now, more details will follow in a few days after we have done a few performances and got out and seen a bit more the city and country.