Cheese Fondue and Sauerkraut

Thankfully, we had no more major transportation issues for the rest of the trip. We were unexpectedly herded out of our compartment and off the train in Basel, Switzerland due to strike action in France. We were directed towards the information office to find out how we could continue our journey to Colmar in France, and to our relief it didn't involve being squished into the sides of busses, just catching a train one hour later. No problem!

We enjoyed our visit with friends in the hills east of Zurich; what a beautiful view they have to the valley below. In our two and a half days there, we experienced warm and sunny, wet and cool, and cold and snowy. We even got a few toboggan runs in. Thanks to Donna for all the yummy food, including a cheese fondue with 3 different swiss cheeses; the girls ate so well there.

Colmar was also very picturesque, with its fall colours and alsation architecture in the old town. We took a little boat trip down the canal, aptly nicknamed "little venice". Barry dived right into the culinary culture upon arriving, ordering the biggest plate of sauerkraut (la choucroute) any of us has ever seen, with large, fatty chunks of sausage, bacon and ham balancing on top. My first alsatian lunch was a little less heart-stopping; smoked salmon wrapped around lentils cooked in a light mustard sauce.

We visited a toy museum, and a natural history museum where the girls saw their first Egyptian mummies, and despite expecting a room of Egyptian mommies and their kids, both girls were fascinated with the 3000 year old mummies. I snuck off to the Unterlinden Museum late one afternoon and, apart from the room housing the renowned Isenheimer Altar, had much of the rest of the museum to myself; so peaceful. One of my favourite artifacts I saw was an early 16th century mandolin, with beautiful inlays, tucked into a corner of the "English Maiden's room".

Lastly, picture this. On the train home, I suddenly heard some hard hitting french rap music that was getting louder. I looked up in confusion, and then amusement, as I made the connection between an eighty plus aged woman, with a stooped back, glasses on the end of her nose, wearing a front buttoned, pale flowered dress, heavy knit brown cardigan, thick brown tights and the kindliest smile walking towards me and the rap that was coming from the brown straw bag she was carrying. That'll teach me to make assumptions about who the fans of rap music are in this country!