Basel Switzerland

This morning we went to the bakery for breakfast. Then we took the train to the bank to exchange some dollars. The rate was a dollar gave me .78 Euro.... Not like the good ole days but at least slightly better than six years ago. We took an hour train ride to Basel Switzerland. And again we headed to the bank to change Euros into Swiss Francs. Even though the Euro is quite standard it happens that for this trip it will only work for France and Germany. Owen was hoping to get some fondue while in Switzerland but we were quickly reminded of the same thing I think every time I come to Switzerland- this is a cool place but BOY is it expensive. The menu said just plain fondue would be almost $50 per person! Renate came up with an excellent solution- buy Swiss cheese at the market and go home and make our own fondue. So we went back to the market and Owen got lamb sausage for lunch instead. Then we started what was supposed to be a 45 minute walking tour. But of course I got lost. We crossed over the Rhine and chose to take a very cool ferry back- no motor- it simply uses the current and a cable to keep it from going down too far. It was fast and quiet and totally worth getting lost and walking for an extra half hour. When we got back on track Owen said- Mom- this is where we started. But I was determined to find this really cool fountain so we kept walking and thanks to the many kind English speaking people, we made it Tinguely Fountain. I had never heard of this fountain or artist but we loved watching and hearing all the ways that the water moved and sprayed. I tried to add a video to my Facebook because the still photo just doesn't show how cool it was. After awhile we walked back to the market square. Renate bought fresh swiss cheese- half pound swiss, half pound Gruyère and then we got on the train returning to Frieburg. When we got home Renate made fondue feast that was certainly better than anything a restaurant could have prepared. Owen and I hope to make this for Laurel and daddy.

Today on the train we started a list of Awesome Things We Love about Europe
Seeing Renate, Andy, Noah, Rahel, and Timo
Fresh baked bread
Trains that go everywhere
Swiss chocolate
Fondue
Fountains
Architecture older than the USA
All of the nice people who help us even though we cannot speak their language