> INSIDE: Swiss Schools Overview • MUBA • Paul Gauguin Exhibit • “The Scent of Art” • STOMP! Volume 3 Issue 5 CHF 5/€5 A Monthly Guide to Living in Basel February 2015 TheThe FFeatureseatures ofof FasnachtFasnacht fromfromAA toto ZZ LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Basel Life Readers: Following an unusually mild December, winter did finally arrive in the area, albeit a little late. And when the temperature drops in Basel, the city really February 2015 Volume 3 Issue 5 heats up. Instead of huddling indoors and sheltering from the cold, Baslers take to the streets and put on the biggest, hottest, coolest, oddest party in TABLE OF CONTENTS this part of the world—Fasnacht! If you have yet to experience Fasnacht, it is a definite must! So turn the page to learn all about one of the most unique Feature Event: Fasnacht from A to Z 4-7 carnivals you will ever witness. Those who prefer to stay indoors during these colder winter months need Events in Basel: February 2015 8-10 not despair, however, as they can attend several interesting fairs, includ- ing the vacation fair (to help you plan your next get-away) and Creativa, a crafts fair to stimulate your creative side. One of my personal favorites is the Beyond Basel: Fun Outings 11 home show MUBA, which offers so much to see, do, taste, discover, try, learn about, and enjoy—one visit is never enough and there is something for every member of the family. Information Desk: Education Options in Basel 12-15 If your taste runs towards more cultural activities, you may be interested in several new exhibits. The Fondation Beyeler opens their extraordinary exhibit Calendar: February 2015 16-17 on the French artist Paul Gauguin, while the Forum Würth Arlesheim focuses on the works of Austrian painter, graphic artist, and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Additionally, the Tinguely Museum presents their new “The Markets and Fairs 18-19 Scent of Art” exhibit and the Vitra Design Museum explores the “Architecture of Independence.” There are also many English-language tours, workshops, and talks to attend, including a talk by Lukas Straumann, author of the pow- Basel Traditions: Basel’s Fasnachtsplakette 20 erful and controversial new book entitled “Money Logging: On the Trail of the Asian Timber Mafia.” Special Report: Holiday Camps for Kids 21 In this issue you will also find a special Information Desk with an overview of the Swiss school system and the various private school options available in the Basel area to help you make the appropriate Sports and Recreation 22-23 choices for your children. In addition, you can check out a long list of camps to keep the kids busy during this February break, learn about Basel’s new traffic concept, read about the annual test of the alarm systems, Workshops, Tours, and Education 24-25 and get practical information on riding the tram across the border into Germany. Did You Know? 26-27 As always, there is also an impressive selection of concerts, shows, theater, tastings, and events to choose from—the only prob- Entertainment: Night on the Town 28-31 lem is to fit it all into your schedule! So don’t delay, turn the pages to start planning a Fantastic February Filled Ticket Counter: Get Your Tickets! 31 with Fabulous Fun! Mark Your Calendar: March 2015 back page Christine Christine Pesold Editor-in-Chief [email protected] Basel Life Magazine Staff: Editor-in-Chief: Christine Pesold COVER: One of the most fascinating aspects of the Basler Fasnacht is the variety of amazing and always inventive masks, called “Larven.” The current Advertising & Subscription Manager / Editor: style of masks was developed in the 1920s. Since then, each mask is cre- Susanne Hiller ated from a plaster mold that is lined with several layers of a special paper and glue; most recently, cheaper and lighter alternatives are also being used. Art Director: Most Cliques (Fasnacht groups) design a new mask annually to match their Jon Hoefer theme, or Sujet, for the year. Each mask needs to be fitted to the individual wearer so that it is comfortable enough to wear for hours on end during the For more information about subscribing or advertising – please contact us: Morgenstreich and processions and allows them to walk around safely and [email protected] play their instruments. Many artists living in Basel have become involved in www.facebook.com/basellifemagazine the design of Fasnacht masks—even Jean Tinguely designed costumes and www.basellife.com masks for one of the Cliques for many years. BASEL LIFE MAGAZINE / BASEL FAMILY GmbH © Copyright 2015 . All rights reserved. It is our goal to provide valuable, timely information to our readers. The opinions expressed in the articles in this magazine are those of the contributing authors and do not reflect those of other members of the editorial staff and of any organizations or agencies distributing this magazine. Though we make every attempt to provide accurate information, we cannot be held responsible if any event is cancelled, postponed, or modified. We encourage readers to contact the event organizers or their websites to obtain the most current event information. Please note: No part of this periodical may be duplicated in any fashion, or redistributed in any written language, without permission from the executive staff at Basel Family GmbH. If you have any questions, contact Basel Family GmbH staff at: [email protected]. 2 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com photos (front and back cover): © jon hoefer February 2015 3 EventsFeature in Event: Basel: Fasnacht February 2015 2015 / (continued) February 23-25 Fasnacht from Ash Wednesday: In the Catholic Church, Ash Fasnacht Foods: There are several different foods Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40-day lent period that are typically served during Fasnacht and the weeks (sh Wednesday) (eedel) before Easter. The Basel Fasnacht starts on the Monday leading up to it. These include Mehlsuppe (flour soup), A to Z following Ash Wednesday. Zwiebelwähe (onion pies), and Fastenwähen (a type of pretzel with caraway seeds). Every year, the 72 hours of Basel’s Fasnacht are the “drey scheenschte Dääg” (three most beautiful days) for many people, when Fasnacht aficionados from near and far crowd into Bummelsonntag: The three Sundays after Fas- nacht are called Bummelsonntage (strolling Sundays). These music groups use a variety of percussion and wind the city to experience the special atmosphere of this unique event. Below you’ll find the Gugge: On these days, the Cliques return to the city streets— instruments for their deafening, discordant, but often very catchy and schedule of events as well as explanations of these events and other Fasnacht-related terms without their masks and costumes, but with their rhythmic tunes derived from pop, rock, and jazz music. They are also to help you make the most of these crazy, noisy, and altogether fantastic days. To learn instruments—from 16:00-22:00 to stroll around and play their dressed up in costumes and are led by a drum major who often wears more about Basel’s Fasnacht, visit their official websites. music as an after-taste of the Fasnacht excitement. a special costume. These groups participate in the Cortège as well as give concerts on Tuesday evening; they do not participate in the www.fasnacht.ch Morgenstreich. Clique: The Cliques are associations of like-minded people who www.basler-fasnacht.com work together all year to participate in the Fasnacht. They typical- ly include a music group consisting of pipers and drummers. Each Gugge Concerts: The traditional Guggemusik Clique decides on a Sujet for the upcoming Fasnacht, around which concerts take place on Tuesday night from 19:30-23:00. its costumes, wagons, and other props are designed. During the Organized Gugge groups meet at Messeplatz at 18:30 Cortège and other events, the Cliques march together, usually led by and march from there across Mittlere Brücke to Markt- a small group of non-musicians (the “Vortrab”) who also distribute platz and Barfüsserplatz for their concerts. Unorganized the Zeedel, followed by the musicians and then any other members of Gugge musicians meet at 20:00 at Claraplatz for their concert. After the the Clique. Practical tip: During the Cortège, the Cliques have sched- concerts, the musicians disperse throughout town, with the spectators uled breaks at restaurants and restrooms; please let them go first as tagging along, playing their music until the wee hours of the morning. they have set times that they need to be back on their route. During Practical tip: If you must bring a stroller, avoid the overly crowded these breaks, they need to leave drums and masks outside areas directly in front of the stages. of restaurants; you can admire them but please do not touch them! Kinderfasnacht: Tuesday is the day for children; in the afternoon of this day, there is no organized proces- Cortège: On Monday and Wednesday afternoon, from sion. Instead, small or large groups of adults and children 13:30 on, more than 10,000 masked participants on foot or on wag- in costume wander at random through the streets, with ons parade along a set route through the city center of Grossbasel or without playing instruments. On this day only, children and Kleinbasel in the so-called Cortège. The Cliques display their (participants and spectators) are welcome to dress up. It is a fun day Sujets accompanied by the sound of drums and piccolos while the for kids and not as crowded and loud as the Monday and Wednesday Gugge music groups march to their energizing music. Most groups Cortège. also hand out Zeedel that make fun of local events and personali- ties in verse form.