Hotel Hecht Am Rhein Basel

so... es nochet... no die letschte Sache schnäll erledige.. ond scho gli stoht d'Sabine do zom öis abhole! - be dene doch öppe 7 Grad ond dem Räge verosse eschs om so schöner chöne mer ed wärmi! Es sett aso am Mettwoch doch 37 grad warm wärde en darwin.... :O)

so... i ben no a de letschte Vorbereitige ond denn esch es bald sowiet ond mer chöne go. Es esch chum z'glaube aber de Roger esch ab 7ni uf ond no es Gschäft go die letschte Sache erledige... - hoffe er chonnt bald weder hei ond helft mer nochli.... <br>Bes Bald!

There is yet another fair in Basel right now, the Herbstmesse (Autumn Fair). It is huge! Carnival rides, food stalls, and booths selling trinkets are spread throughout the city. We went out at night to the Münsterplatz to see the action. Beforehand we visited Petersplatz to get raclette over potatoes and steaming Gluwein. Delicious! We also stopped in at the Barf ...

... and making conga lines! Sorry Dad, but the Swiss just keep confirming my belief in how daggy they are &#8211; of course you are excluded because you are also a trendy Australian ;) It was also different because &#8216;responsible serving of alcohol&#8217; doesn&#8217;t seem to exist &#8211; there was a beer vending machine in the venue and girls walking around free-pouring vodka down anyone&#8217;s throat who wanted it..<br><br>We spent Sunday afternoon at another ...

... trunk and backseat, we said goodbye. It was a bit sad for me but mom had a really hard time. This is somewhat amusing as when I moved here, she didn't shed a tear when I left, but cried like a baby when Lincoln left later when my sister came to visit.<br><br>Anyway, finally they got in the car and I joined the man by the exit so we could wave them along the way. The entire trip mom and dad joked about how happy they are I was with them because without me they just get ...

... cheap at ~$30 each but they were amazingly resilient and are still in good shape after being used 24/7 in all warmer climates<br><br>1 pair sandals &#8211; stay away from Teva; the ~$100 pieces of junk fell apart after only 1 month<br><br>4 short sleeve t-shirts<br><br>2 long sleeve t-shirts/pajama blouse<br><br>5 pairs socks<br><br>10 pairs of cotton underwear<br><br>2 jogbras<br><br>2 tank top<br><br>1 pajama pants<br><br ...

... with costumes and masks and bands. Damn near froze standing still for that long, but I had a good vantage point for the pictures so I wasn't going to move for fear of losing my spot. After the parade we got stuck into the gluhwein and some hot food then went back to the hostel for a hot shower, then out for dinner. We went to a local brewery that had a restaurant incorporated and had such a good time that we made it a regular while we were there.

... is the city's most admired cathedral, built in a looming Romanesque Gothic style.<br><br><br><br>The Galluspforte is one of the main attractions; it's believed to be the oldest sculpture in all of Switzerland. English patriots should also try to find ...

... was booming with people today. There was a little market set up in the plaza where I bought some of the most amazing Gruyere cheese. I walked around munching on that and taking everything in. They also had this amazing Swiss chocolate store. I wanted one of everything but actually bought very little. While in Basel I also checked out the old Spalentor tower, its an old city gate that dates back to the 14th century complete with draw gate ...

... here - a coffee machine by Néstle, advertised by George Clooney, and I believe it to be the first of its kind. You basically insert a little sealed container of coffee, enough to make one cup, press a button, and out comes the coffee. The only problem is that in the entire city of Basel there exists one - yes, one - single shop which sells the replacement containers...talk about exclusive!!). After our breakfast ...