Day 2, Basel.

So remember when I said that the dinner when we arrived was fancy? Turns out that was merely pig slop compared to what went down our gullets yesterday...for TWELVE straight hours.

We attempted der Flohmarkt, without success. Because it is also a holiday weekend here in Switzerland, everyone is out of town, which meant 98% of the normal folk selling their crap wasn't there. I did find one thing. And I'll leave it at Olin Freedom Nelson will not be disappointed!

We instead roamed the city and tried to drink a substantial amount of coffee, which is hard when they serve it to you about one and a half ounces at a time. But even if they sold it to you in half ounce servings it would have been worth it. It was beautiful and the coffee was the best. In the whole world. Ever. Eat your heart out, Starbucks.

Allow me now to paint a picture of this wedding:

We step of the number 15 tram at Wettsteinplatz. The church bells are ringing. We are nearly late and the Swiss are a punctual people. The I side of Theodoreskirche is modestly decorated. How do you spruce up something built in the the 1100? After the ceremony, I'm pretty sure I died and was in my personal heaven. DA, you were on my mind. Servers upon servers with champagne on trays, the sound of the corks popping in the distance. Fois gras far as the eye can see. And for my meat loving friend, meat balls. And spring rolls with the best dipping sauce assortment you've ever had. This pales in comparison to what comes next.

We are ushered down the stairs to the bank of the Rhine River, where a small river boat zips us around for ten minutes before our final dock on the other side of the river. We are greeted as we step off with healthy pours of Prosecco. Good thing. My levels were getting low. Up the stairs to street level, and enter the 5 star hotel, Les Trois Rois. Crystal chandeliers, more amazing aperitifs. My life keeps getting better. And it kept getting better, after that moment, too. Curry soup with a fish medallion, steak that was nearly raw with a truffle sauce that will make you cry real tears of joy.

As you took your slice of hochzeitstorte, or wedding cake, there was a also a cheese buffet. And then my life was complete.

This was by far the grandest display of wealth and fanfare TJ and I both had ever experienced. Oh, and he'd like me to add that we're pretty sure they played a round of Wait, Wait! Don't Tell Me! All in Swiss German. We had fun. End of story.

One more thing-- it's 10 am on Sunday right now. I've spent 20 minutes typing this out, all to the tune of church bells ringing in the distance. I love the old country :)