Switzerland Eins

First day in Switzerland has seemed like at least 3. Between the screaming-baby-filled flight to Frankfurt, the brief blur through Zurich, to the scenic bus rout to Basel- it seems like we've been here forever! This youth hostel is nothing I expected- it is extremely modern with white-painted brick arches lining the entire lobby, furnished with light oak furniture and crisp black seating. It seems like a 5-start hotel! One thing that's taken some getting used to is that most doors require pushing rather than pulling...which for some odd reason seems foreign to me! My goal was to not sleep until bedtime Swiss-time..so I spent the day exploring Basel with a group of peers. There are Platzes (plazas) all over that seem to contain an elaborate church or vibrant intersection of urban Strasses (street) filled with restaurants and shops. There was a fountain next to a large church that was framed with an artisan market. The fountain contained about 7 complex contraptions that seemed to be formed out of old agricultural machinery- so that they each had a playful movement with the water...one straining, one paddling, one spraying. We found the Munster cathedral in the Munsterplaz right along the Rhein River- which was accompanied by an huge outdoor cinema complex preparing to show a German Charlie Chaplin Film. This city is overwhelmingly photogenic..despite the ominous grey clouds that sputtered rain and thunder throughout the day.  We found ourselves caught in pounding sheets of rain after swimming in the Rhein, which was actually quite fun (even though I think my feet are going to be blistered for at least the next week- thank god Mom packed me a pharmacy..). We also stumbled upon an old fortress/castle-like building with a long, narrow field. It turned out that this field was actually a dogpark, which we discovered from the poop-bag-filled baskets around the fortress walls.

Can't wait for the walking tour and free time tomorrow, and to get to know fellow students and professors a little better!


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