After our birthday visit to my very surprised but happy now 97-year old aunt Marie in Mulhouse this morning, we drove the 32 kilometers (20 miles) to Basel, a city I know like the back of my hand. After feasting on Saint-Honoré, we met my cousin Evelyne who is a teacher; one of her classrooms is in the Kaserne, the old military barracks of Basel that now serve as a school and cultural center. Looking out the window, one has a beautiful view of the Rhine through gorgeous old trees. Right outside is the landing of one of four ferries that hang from a cable spanning the Rhine and are completely driven by the current of the river. Therefore, they do not require any outside energy source, something that must surely please the rather frugal Swiss...