Tattoo parade

Trip Start Jan 01, 2009

123

Trip End Ongoing

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Flag of Switzerland Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Saturday, July 18, 2009

Today is the opening day of the Basel Tattoo. The event kicks off with a parade through the city centre in the late morning. We got to a good viewing point quite late as we were trying to get around the crowds and ended up catching the tail end of bagpipers and marching bands winding past the rathaus. It didn't help that it was so incredibly crowded that short people like myself could not see over the rows and rows of heads in front of me.

Being at the end of the parade had its benefits too though. As the parade passed, the street barriers were moved and the spectators followed behind the bands, walking down the street, across the Rhine, and into Rheinegasse where we were planning on heading next anyway.

On this side of the river there was a party going on. We mixed with the crowd, enjoyed some good food and refreshing drinks, and were serenaded by the roaming bagpipers of Pipefest. These pipers perform throughout the city wherever a group of potential spectators can be found. It's a spontaneous and free concert, and makes for a lot of fun. I was very excited to see the bagpipe-toting cowboys from Calgary approaching us in formation, but sadly they didn't stop to play for us.

I learned about the Tattoo only a few weeks earlier which was far too late to get tickets, but I hope to go to the actual Tattoo next year. Tickets go on sale in December ... hopefully I remember.