ZDG and LGG go to Basel

Most of our neighbors have stickers on their mailboxes saying "Keine Werbung", which means "no ads" (effectively: "No junk mail"). We don't - mostly we just haven't gotten around to it - so we often get random flyers, store ads, travel agency ads, etc.

Before ZMG left for Italy, we received one from the SBB, the Swiss state railways, with various discount packages that we decided to take advantage of for our explorations. One was a joint train ticket and entry to the Basel Zoo for less than the normal cost of a trip to the Zoo alone. So for our last day alone, LGG and I decided to head off to Basel and avoid the Zurich Street Parade madness.

Basel is about an hour's train ride away, with no train changes needed, so LGG and I settled in - she drew on her Doodle Pro, I read the newspaper, and we played and talked and pointed things out to each other as we passed. It's a generally pretty ride.

After we arrived and got our bearings, we walked to the zoo, grabbed a quick lunch, and then went off to explore. The zoo is really quite nice, especially for a smaller city. We saw bears, goats, penguins, rhinos, lions, apes, and on and on. Here are just some samples:

The river otters really wanted lunch

The zoo had an emphasis on African animals. Yes, they have giraffes, so LGG was happy, but they also had some more unusual exhibits. Here are two locusts making more little locusts:

LGG of course demanded the full explanation: "Dada, why is that one riding on the other one's back?" "Ummm, they like to give piggyback rides." She didn't buy it, unfortunately, but I distracted her with an ice cream and a visit to see this jolly fellow, who looks like he's trying to decide if we would make a nice snack:

Why don't you come a little closer, human?

We stayed until the zoo closed (even then, I could only get LGG to leave with a promise we would return soon) and then decided to get some dinner in Basel before heading home. We strolled along a pedestrian street toward the Rhine and found a place serving good beer and tarte flambée (this is a forestière - mushrooms, onions, cheese, and cream):


LGG wouldn't try "French pizza" when we were in Strasbourg, but this time, I convinced her to have some along with syrup while I had my beer. She ended up eating about 25% of it, which is pretty good for a picky eater. She decided it was good, but a little salty.

Sated, we walked along and enjoyed the city. I surprised LGG at one point and caught this picture of her in action:


Soon, we found ourselves at the Münster:


where I agreed to let LGG try using the camera, and she took this picture of me:


Not bad for a first try, especially considering the subject matter.

We reached the river and crossed a lovely bridge


before LGG announced she needed a bratwurst "with ketchup, not mustard, Dada!". We sat together and she ate her snack while we admired the view of the Rhine and the Basel sunset:

LGG and I had such a good time, it was hard to end it, but by this point, it was definitely time to head home. We actually ended up not getting home until over an hour after ZMG arrived, so I felt a bit guilty, but at least she got a little extra time to herself.

The capper to the day was this picture, which I think is one of the best I've ever taken of LGG. It's now the wallpaper on my iPod.