Carnival in Switzerland

The River Rhine

On Sunday morning I had breakfast in the hostel with two girls from Australia.  They wrote me a whole list of things to do in Melbourne, where they are from.  After saying goodbye I was on the train to Basel, Switzerland.  Unfortunately, after a couple hours the train stopped.  I met a nice German girl around my age who spoke perfect English who explained to me that a "personal problem" had occurred on the train tracks a few miles ahead (aka a suicide).  Thus, our train had to stop at the nearest train stations so the passengers could switch to trains that would run on different tracks.  The German girl was very friendly and helpful and helped me find my train.  She even asked if I wanted her to ride on the train with me!  I told her that no, I would be fine by myself.  Oh how wonderful it is to meet angels!

Billy and I

When I finally arrived in Basel, my cousin Billy (who is around my dad's age) was waiting for me at the station.  Basel is Switzerland's third most populous city located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet.  Billy took me to my very own flat!  It is his old flat located next to his office that he kept for his friends and guests.  It is so nice; the perfect size for one person!  The flat is located on the river Rhine so it has great views.  Billy really hooked it up!  Billy took me to dinner to meet "his darling" (the name he has for his girlfriend) Irene.  Irene made a lovely dinner.  Irene is a yoga instructor and has her yoga room right under her flat – what a nice life!

On Monday Billy and I went to Lucerne in north-central Switzerland, about an hour train ride from Basel.  Carnival is celebrated all over Switzerland (and also other parts of the world) before Lent in order to drive away the winter.  The town was packed!  Confetti and costumes lined the streets.  Almost every one in the town was dressed in elaborate and often homemade costumes.  My favorite were families that dressed in matching themes.  A big parade kicks off the day.  As the paraders walk through the streets, kids throw confetti on them.  The costumes in the parade were so clever and fun to see!

The sights of Carnival's parade:

After the parade Billy and I walked around downtown Lucerne.  It was hard to get anywhere though, because the streets were full of people dancing, eating, taking pictures and generally having a great time. I felt like I was at Disneyland!  The old and cute houses were perfect as a backdrop; the whole day was magical!

The swans manage to find some peace by the lake's edge.

After Carnival we headed back to Basel for dinner at a vegetarian buffet.  The restaurant had all different types and styles of healthy veggie food presented beautifully on a table.  The food is charged depending on how heavy the plate weighs.  I think a restaurant like this would succeed in California.  After dinner I headed back to my lovely flat and fell into a deep slumber.