Bern, the Swiss capital, being sheltered by the Alps in the background

Quick question: What are the first three things you think of when you hear the word "Switzerland"? The most common answers tend to be The Alps, chocolate, and banking (with watches coming a close fourth).

Having lived in Switzerland for a year, I was shocked to see how rural much of the country is and by "rural" I mean rustic. I was always under the impression that Switzerland has wealthy for most of its several centuries existence but was shocked to learn that it was quite poor until this past century.

Being a strong admirer of Switzerland's highly autonomous and decentralized political system that quite often relies on localized direct democracy, I learned that their system had much to do with their economic success. A highly skilled workforce combined with high exports, a stable currency and most of all, a stable financial/political regime has allowed Switzerland to prosper and become the envy of the world.

Could it all be thanks to the Gnomes of Zurich? John Fund explains the success story that is this alpine country in: Cuckoo for Switzerland.  

Let's see what he says about Switzerland's political system:

In reality, the Swiss have produced a remarkable success story that goes far beyond the signature tourist products they are known for: chocolates, watches, and knives. They have one of the world’s most stable economies, a skilled workforce, internationally recognized export companies, a sound currency, and renowned banking and financial services. All this is combined with remarkable social harmony, given that Switzerland has four national languages and great religious diversity.

The nation also has a high degree of personal freedom, linked to a decentralized government in which voters are the ultimate sovereign through an elaborate system of direct democracy—citizens can both propose their own laws and challenge any action of the government. As a matter of fact, Swiss citizens may advance new legislation or “initiatives,” which must be put to a nationwide vote if their proponents can round up 100,000 signatures in support of the legislation. By means of referendum, the Swiss can also challenge a piece of legislation already approved by the federal parliament. If opponents of the new legislation amass 50,000 signatures in the first 100 days after the law is published, the electorate is allowed to make the decision.

On trade:

Today, Switzerland looms much larger in the world economy than its small size and population of only 7.5 million people would lead one to guess. Its passion for quality has raised global standards worldwide in fields from pharmaceuticals to biotechnology to medical devices. It ranks among the top 20 global exporters. When only services are considered, Switzerland ranks among the top 12 exporters.

Trade, along with efficient industries (such as machinery and electronics), has been essential to Swiss economic well-being. Its lamentable agricultural protectionism aside (it pays each of its famous cows an annual subsidy of more than $1,500), Switzerland benefits from relatively open trade policies. And its bank law structure makes Switzerland a uniquely attractive destination for foreign investment.

Europe is by far the most important Swiss trading partner, with four-fifths of all imported goods and almost two-thirds of all exported goods being traded with the EU. But the ties between the United States and Switzerland, which share a similar federal democratic structure, are extensive. The United States is the biggest foreign investor in Switzerland, and Switzerland represents the sixth-largest foreign investor in the United States. Indeed, America imports more Swiss goods than any other country except Germany. As a direct investor in the States, Switzerland’s share is greater than all of Latin America, Africa, and Asia (excluding Japan) combined.

Read the rest at the link

Flashbaxx aka Daniel Stenger lives in Aschaffenburg, Germany. This year his second record Changing Tides appeared on his own label. Changing Tides is a work full of downtempo sounds. If you enjoy Flashbaxx latest mix go ahead and don't hesitate to shop his latest album.

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So I hit on the idea of a ‘foundart series’ but with me ‘losing ‘the art and the found part being someone else’s.

I spent 2 months working across older collages, reworking and layering what turned out to be ‘vessels’ (vases and bowl shapes).  I then cut the larger collages up creating small business card size artworks and worked on each one to create individual little gems
see the whole article here with pictures of progress and final pieces.

http://www.quazen.com/Arts/Visual-Arts/My-Foundart-Series-Lost-Art-While-Travelling.179977

It’s been an amazing couple of days and luckily enough this morning I just found an internet card with about 45 minutes on it so I can finally update. My first day in Interlaken I couldn’t believe my eyes. All around me are the Swiss alps. Its weird because your sitting on a train and there’s a bunch of locals and you can’t help but have the biggest grin on your face and take a few pics because its beautiful out the window. Of course it feels a bit embarrassing, but then you think shit I’m never gonna see this again I don’t care if I look touristy. Made it Balmers and it was definitely not what I was expecting. The place is seriously party central. It’s about 4 houses and in the middle is a biergarten. Around 6 they start grilling out and selling hamburgers and beer, and then at 9 or 10 they move the party down to the club they have underground. Yeah a club in a hostel its pretty ridic.

Met a couple people my first day here and the next day we hiked up one of the mountains. It seemed simple enough but looks are deceiving. I must have said we have to be near the ridge about 6 times. Well we finally made it to the ridge after about 3 hours and the view was amazing. Its hard once you get to the top though because everything just drops. They have two benches and then maybe 3 feet and then its nothing but air. It was a great trek and it was lots of fun.

The next day I got to finally do my ice climbing. Yes Ice climbing on a glacier in the alps. That’s just crazy to say, it’s even still hard to believe that I ice climbed in the alps. It wasn’t anything I was expecting it was actually 10 x more. Its just crazy beautiful up there, I mean you’re seriously on top of a glacier. The guy drives you up for about an hour then you stop, get geared up and then walk up the mountain for another hour or more. It’s hard to keep track of time when you’re up there. It’s so hard to describe the experience because nothing will ever do it justice. Once we got to the spot we sat had lunch and then it was time to start dropping into the crevasse of the glacier. The first climb the guy drops you down about 15 feet and then you take your two axes and ice climbing boots and make your way up. That was hard enough for me. I mean I know I’m supposed to be the master ice climber but we can’t always be on the top of our game. Got to do 3 drops in total and the last one he actually drops you down to the bottom of the crevasse and your just chilling inside the glacier. That was hard as hell to get up. I was trying to use both sides of the glacier to get leverage and everything. And of course the guys sitting there having a good laugh and joking with you which only makes you try harder and eventually you make it. Its crazy though because your seriously between two hug pieces of ice barely able to fit through which makes it near impossible to actually spike your ice hammers or whatever they are into the ice because you don’t have enough room to swing it. Not to mention you have glacier water streaming down your back and your arms and legs are so tired. But I would do it again in a second. It was worth every single penny. Its something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. Plus I met a lot of cool people and afterwards we all went out for drinks.

Today on the other hand was a massive day of rest. After the last two days every muscle in my body just aches. It’s a good kind of aching though. I’ve accomplished a lot and it almost feels like a reward. I’m loving it out here. I’ve got another 2 days and I think tomorrow I’m gonna try and hike another mountain the route says it takes about 3.5 hours to get to the top so I’m going to try and manage it.

-D

you can always click the images to make them larger

Valon can play right back or in midfield, and his pace and trickery is sure too boost West Ham's squad. Behrami has been given the number 21 shirt, and it is likely that he will be part of the squad that faces Peterborough United on Tuesday.

[caption id="attachment_46" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Valon Behrami Signs for West Ham"][/caption]

Dear reader. Yesterday was a day that made the whole trip wortwhile. I know this might sound lame and cliché, but it's true. If I had to drive through Europe with a Vespa, in a rain, just to experience yesterday again, I would. Oh wait, I just did that! :)

The train arrived to Feldkirch around 7.17am and we took a short bus-ride to the unloading platform and the bikes were unloaded well before 8.00am. It was a bit chilly morning, around 12°C, but the sun was shining and warming up the weather nicely. Before 10.00am the temperature was already well over 20°C.

Again I just drove through some borders without being asked a passport, had a coffee in Liechtenstein and continued driving through Switzerland.

From Switzerland to Italy the scenes were just amazing. The route I took provided absolutely the best landscapes of this journey. I had some trouble breathing sometimes and it wasn't because of the altitude, but because the scenes were just so flabbergasting. No picture can ever describe the beauty I saw, and of course I only took few pictures, most of the time I was driving.

I also met some old cousins of Vespa, who were driven by some nice Germans. They had been doing a 5 day trip with their older models. Nice, beautiful bikes and nice people. They also gave me the address of Vespa Café in Lecco, so I definitely have to visit there!

Last 30 kilometers of my trip was mainly tunnel through the mountain. Quite uninteresting, but effective. I arrived to Lecco a little before 2.00pm. The weather here is perfect. Sun is shining and temperatures rise well above 30°C. It's time to spend few days here, have a holiday from driving - my Vespa also needs some service, there's about 5000km now in the tripmeter.

So, I will be spending few days in Italy, hopefully seeing some nice towns and villages of the beautiful lake Como. And also having a holiday with a friend of mine, Mari, who is having her holiday here in Lecco too.

HELLLOO everzone from Zurich airport. I have exactlz 13:59 (58, 57, 56) to write this post, but I thought I better write something before we disappear to the Black Forest for the weekend (oh WHAT a life). Plus, this is on a German keyboard - I am reaching way back into my brain to remember where all the keys are, so forgive the mistakes!

I have decided that Zurich airport is absolutely heaven. It is one of the best airports in the world to cater for in-transit travellers. Just took a wonderful shower in the airport showers (shampoo, body lotion, towels and hairdryer provided!) and am pretty hanging around waiting for my mom to arrive from Speicher. Then we meet my dad and continue the journey to Germany.

The last 48 hours have been quite hectic ... had the most fantastic braai with Hanneli, Stuart and Clint in their house in Tooting, which is such a beautiful home! It was great to catch up with them and see how life is. Then also had the chance to meet my German Literature compatriots Carina (at the British Museum) and Helga (with Carina again at the Natural History Museum). Luckily the weather in London has been fantastic over the past week, so I really did come at the right time. Last night Felix and I went to a private party at the Old Bank of England Pub on Fleet Street (situated over the graves of Sweeney Todd's victims and next door to his misteress's pie shop!)

The party was to celebrate the posting of one of his Reuters colleagues to Baghdad. Felix himself leaves for Brussels, Paris, and Amsterdam in September. Craziness!

I hopped on a taxi to Heathrow at 4am this morning, spent the whole ride talking to the taxi driver, an intellectual from Bangladesh who had a lot to say about the media, and landed - absolutely exhausted - in Zurich about an hour ago.

Have to meet the mum now and spend some quality time arguing with my dad about the size of the bag, and the shame it will bring on my family in the eyes of the Swiss and German families, who pack extremely economically. Oh well!

I am going to try, in the remaining 5 minutes, to upload some pics. Wish me luck! Miss everyone so much.

The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea for over 4,000 years. But recent studies are just starting to unlock these ancient secrets of green tea.

Today, a great deal of research is being carried out about green tea health benefits and the findings are very exciting.

Here are just a few medical conditions that drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful with:

• Cancer
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• High cholesterol levels
• Cardiovascular disease
• Infection
• Impaired immune function
• Controlling high blood pressure
• Lowering blood sugar

Researchers believe the real secret of green tea lies in the fact that it is rich in EGCG which is a powerful anti-oxidant. EGCG has been found to kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

A University of Purdue study recently concluded that a compound in green tea actually inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Red wine has been long studied because it contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet.

But researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese and French men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent of them are smokers.

Research also indicates that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

But the health benefits of green tea don't end there. Green tea has been found to inhibit the abnormal formation of blood clots which is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

New studies have actually shown that green tea can even help you loose weight. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition performed a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.

It has also been shown that drinking green tea can give your body a greater ability to fight infection and kill bacteria.

Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay. Its bacteria-destroying abilities kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque and aids the immune system with its antifungal properties by improving digestive function.

You may be asking if other Chinese teas offer similar health benefits. But the answer is no. Although green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the way green tea is processed is what sets them apart.

Green tea leaves are steamed, and that prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. Black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which converts the EGCG into other compounds. This process makes oolong and black teas much less effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

So how much green tea should you drink? There are as many answers to this question as there are researchers investigating the health properties of green tea.

While some companies selling green tea say that ten cups per day are necessary to reap the maximum benefits, a University of California study on the cancer-preventative qualities of green tea concluded that you could probably attain the desired level of polyphenols by drinking two cups a day.

The research of this ancient beverage continues, and it may take decades to unlock all of the secrets it holds. Although green tea should not be considered to be a magic bullet, researchers agree the positive health benefits are very promising.

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This article may be re-published "as is" (unedited) as long as the author's bio paragraph (resource box) and copyright information is included. The URLs in the resource box should be set as hyperlinks if used on a web page.

About The Author Gary Gresham is the webmaster for http://www.perfectcoffees.com where you can purchase quality coffee, tea, cups & mugs, coffee gifts and delicious desserts online. He offers a free monthly coffee newsletter with similar articles at http://www.perfectcoffees.com/newsletter.html Gary@perfectcoffees.com

Strange, as it might seem, the World Bank ranks nations, sometimes without giving their actual per capita income. No explanation is given by the World Bank, other than a footnote that says: �2007 data not available; ranking is approximate.' However, information gleaned from other sources bears out the World Bank ranking. So the nation with the highest per capita income in the world is Liechtenstein, a small country bordering Switzerland and Austria. Liechtenstein's per capita income is about $80,000 per annum. The principality has an industrialized economy, with banking and financial services being the mainstay. Tourism too is a major revenue earner for the nation. The personal income tax rates in Liechtenstein too are exceedingly low: basic income tax rate is 1.2 per cent on income up to 200,000 Swiss Francs, and maximum is 5 per cent on income over 2 million Swiss Francs a year.

Bermuda is tourist's delight, located in the North Atlantic Ocean. Bermuda's per capita income is almost 50 per cent more than that of the United States. The tiny island nation's per capita income stands at just above $78,000. It has the second highest PCI in the world. Bermuda is a major financial centre and is particularly attractive because of its low taxation rates. Financial services are the nation's largest industry, followed by tourism.

Norway's per capita income stands at $76,450, which is the third highest in the world. Norway has a mixed economy consisting of state-owned businesses and a robust free market. It's a high developed and industrialized state. Fishing, petroleum, hydel power, minerals contribute heavily to the nation's GDP.

Luxembourg's per capita income is at $75,880. That makes it the world's fourth highest PCI. Luxembourg is located in Europe and is bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. The nation has highly developed industrial and financial sectors.

The per capita income of Qataris is $60,000, the fifth highest in the world. Qatar is an Arab emirate located in the Persian Gulf. The nation's economy mainly depends on its huge oil and natural gas reserves. There is no income tax in Qatar.

The Swiss enjoy a financially comfortable life, with a per capita income of $59,880. Switzerland ranks sixth in the World Bank's per capita income rankings. Switzerland, a truly capitalist economy, has many giant banks and multinational corporations. It also has highly developed industries in sectors like pharmaceuticals, chemicals, machine parts, electronics, precision instruments, banking, tourism, etc. Dairy farming too is an age old industry in Switzerland. It has very low tax rates.

Denmark's per capita income is at $54,910. According to World Bank rankings, it is the world's seventh highest PCI. Denmark has a highly industrialized economy, with robust agricultural and corporate sectors. Despite being one of the most competitive nations, the nation has a very weak financial regulatory system. Also, its labor laws are very lax and tilted heavily in favour of the employers.

At $54,100, the per capita income of Iceland is the world's eighth highest. Iceland has a very healthy power sector which helps it be a highly industrialized country. Apart from manufacturing, the nation is also taking big strides in the fields of software generation, biotechnology, tourism, and financial services.

The per capita income of Cayman Islands is more than $48,140 and less than $54,100, as per World Bank figures. It has the 11th highest PCI in the world. At number 9 is Channel Islands and in the 10th spot is Andorra. The Cayman Islands are situated in the Caribbean Sea. It is a major financial centre and also one of the world's best known tax havens. The nation's economic mainstays are tourism and financial services.

The Irish have a per capita income of $48,140, ranking them twelfth in the world. Ireland too has made rapid strides in the field of information technology. Construction, apart from agriculture, too is an important part of the Irish economy.

THE HAGUE, HOLLAND & ATWERP, BELGIUM - 22 July 2008 - “War criminals of the 1st Degree of every nation beware. We know who - and where - you are. And we’re coming to get you.”

This chilling message left even press-conference-hardened reporters visibly limp when trumpeted vigorously earlier today by Lord Chief Justice Thruspin Cocklecarrot at The Hague. In a press conference hurriedly convened to give practically no details about the sensational arrest late last night of the notorious Milo Minderbinder the Bosnian/Serb/Croat/Montenegran/Kosovan/Macedonian ex-Supreme Commander at various times of the armed forces of all 6 breakaway nations.

Details are still sketchy about where exactly Mr. Minderbinder was picked-up but a leading Bosnian/Serb/Croat/Montenegran/Kosovan/Macedonian journalist received a stiff “No Comment” from Lord Cocklecarrot when asked if Mr. Minderbinder had openly flaunted the pseudonym Gus Hiddink and coached the Bosnian/Serb/Croat/Montenegran/Kosovan/Macedonian football team at the recent Euro 08 Championship?

“This will all come out at Mr. Minderbinder’s trial which we hope to start sometime in late 2011 and should end in early 2015 if he doesn’t before die in captivity,” said Lord Cocklecarrot. “But to all you war criminals out there avoid Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Greece, Albania, Macedonia and oh yes, Belgium, especially Atwerp, Belgium, for idyllic vacations.”

I was a little taken aback when I ran out of water in my water bottle, and my friend's husband (Chris) suggested that I fill it up in one of the city fountains.  I thought he was messing with me. In the states, drinking from a public fountain is something only dogs do, and even then, many know better and avoid the filthy pigeon poop filled water.

But, as it turns out, all of Zurich's fountains have potable water coming from their taps.  I'm not sure who's checking the quality of this, but apparently, this is the long accepted rule.

I'm still recovering from jet lag, but I think there might be a cool connection here to Jesus' discussion with the woman at the well, about an eternal living water.  It also comes from a very unlikely source, and it's free for all to enjoy.

Now that I've solved the problem of keeping hydrated, I just have to figure out what to do about the ever elusive European public restrooms.

But at least our car now stops when asked, I have rediscovered the joys of walking to the store, I've found you can actually feed two children and one adult on above mentioned pizza and we have a working fridge/freezer.....with an ice dispenser.

~C.

Swiss anger at Libyan 'reprisals'

The Swiss foreign ministry has protested to Libya over what it called
retaliatory measures for the arrest of Muammar Gaddafi's youngest son.

The ministry said Swiss companies ABB and Nestle have been ordered to close
their Libya offices and Swiss staff there have been arrested.

Geneva police held Hannibal Gaddafi for two days last week after he and his
wife allegedly hit two of their staff.

Demonstrators in Libya have called for oil shipments to Switzerland to be
cut.

The demonstrators, from Libya's influential people's committees, also called
for Libya to withdraw its deposits from Swiss banks if an apology for the
arrest is not forthcoming.

The protesters, outside the Swiss embassy in Tripoli, shouted their demands
as well as putting them in a note handed to the embassy.

Switzerland gets much of its crude oil supply from Libya, through a company
run by Hannibal Gaddafi.

'Worrying measures'

The Swiss foreign ministry said Libya began retaliating for Mr Gaddafi's
arrest when he was released on 17 July.

Flights between Libya and Switzerland have been reduced, Libya has stopped
issuing visas to Swiss citizens and Tripoli has recalled some of its
diplomats from Bern, the Swiss foreign ministry said in a statement.

"Since July 17, the Libyan authorities have taken a number of worrying
retaliatory measures," the statement said.

The ministry also said it had sent a delegation to Libya to explain Mr
Gaddafi's arrest and "prevent a crisis between the two countries".

It has advised Swiss citizens not to travel to Libya until further notice.

It is a row that could prove costly to both countries, says the BBC's Imogen
Foulkes in Geneva.

Switzerland imports at least half its crude oil from Libya but Libya owns a
large oil refinery in Switzerland.

Hannibal Gaddafi and his wife, who is heavily pregnant, were taken into
custody on 15 July after the alleged incident at a luxury hotel in Geneva.

The couple face charges of bodily harm, threatening behaviour and coercion.
They have denied any wrongdoing.

It is not Mr Gaddafi's first brush with the law.

In 2005 he was convicted by a court in France of assaulting his girlfriend.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news. bbc.co.uk/ go/pr/fr/ -/2/hi/europe/ 7522549.stm

Basel selbst ist eine Stadt voller Überraschungen. Sie lässt sich durch 5 Altstadt-Rundgänge Step-by-Step erkunden, kann aber auch auf eigene Faust entdeckt werden. Was Sie auf keinen Fall verpassen sollten ist der Barfüsserplatz, wo jedes Jahr lautstark Fasnacht gefeiert wird oder der Münsterplatz, das Rote Haus, das Spalentor oder die Martinskirche. Die beliebte Schweizer Stadt geniesst ebenfalls den Ruf, eine Stadt der Musik und Museen zu sein. Den Besucher erwarten insgesamt über 30 Museen sowie ein Musikangebot, das von Orgelklängen bis hin zu international bekannten Bands wie Lovebugs und Dankner reicht.

Erfahren Sie mehr über die attraktive Schweizer Stadt Basel auf www.basel.ch

 Twice a Stranger : The Mass Expulsions That Forged Modern Greece and Turkey

On July 24, 1923, the Peace Treaty of Lausanne was signed in Switzerland by Greece, Turkey and other countries that fought in WW1, setting out the boundaries of modern Greece and Turkey. One result of this was the large compulsory exchange, based on religion, of populations between the two countries.  As Bruce Clark, international security editor of the Economist, says in his book " Twice a Stranger: The Mass Expulsions That Forged Modern Greece and Turkey," it was "a massive, yet little-known landmark of modern history that made nearly two million citizens of Turkey or Greece move across the Aegean.” Using a variety of sources — interviews with some of the last surviving eyewitnesses, documents and accounts from the time, research by local historians in Greece and Turkey — Clark tells both the diplomatic and human stories of the exchange. Clark points out in his book that the exchange achieved its goals by creating clear boundaries and thus making it possible for the two countries to live side by side, while illustrating at the same time the human cost of the population exchange.     Secretariat General of Information: Books - Modern Greek History

The Rhein is quite a big river and has a lot of boat traffic upon it. In Duesseldorf, I often saw huge barges and ferries going up and down the river. In Basel however, if you are daring enough, you too can throw yourself in and bob along in the fast flowing current next to the pleasure and transport boats. All you need are some swimming skills and enough guts to get yourself out again.

You may be asking the question, 'What do I do with all my stuff?' Well the answer is simple. You carry it with you in the river. All you need is a waterproof bag. If you are cheap, then you can improvise using regular rubbish bags. Thankfully for us, I was already carrying a waterproof sack in my luggage and we bought a 'Wickelfisch' to carry most of our belongings. The waterproof bags are great as they can hold your stuff inside, but they also act as a great floatation device for when you want to just lie back and watch the riverbank go by.

When I arrived in Basel, the weather was already unbelievably warm so it was no problem donning the swimsuit and jumping in the Rhein. Surprisingly, the water was not that cold and provided some much needed soothing coolness to the body. Luckily for us, Matt received a waterproof camera from ISL as a leaving gift this year so we took the camera with us and filmed some of our adventure in the river.  The following clip has been edited very quickly so you'll have to put up with the amateur quality. Matt says that he'll do a proper edit when we get to Tokyo.

Getting in is relatively easy. Getting out of the river is a little more stressful. Firstly, you have to decide which area you would like to finish your ride. Secondly, you have to execute your plan in front of many onlookers. (Don't forget that we are right in the middle of town here...) The current in the Rhein is pretty fast. I don't think the footage really captures how fast we were bobbing but it's pretty fast. There is no one to help you out...you are on your own. Then, there's the boats, jetties and buoys on the side of the river you need to navigate around. When you find a nice looking set of stone steps on the bank, you have to direct yourself to it and then use your feet to anchor your body on some of the sharp stones on the river floor. As I did this, I struggled for a while to balance as the current was relentless in wanting to push me further down the river. However, I won the battle against the current and was able to climb out (most ungracefully) of the Rhein. (Btw...Matt did too.)

Bobbing in the Rhein was great fun and I thoroughly recommend it to everyone. We have kept our Wickelfish for the next suitable river we come across and can't wait for the next time. Maybe if you have a great river for us to bob in around your area, let us know.

Of course every trip isn't without its guilty indulges, and I want to announce that I managed to get a steal, a Crumpler bag, european model, at half price, which is awesome and also means that it is cheaper than the SG models. =) And on top of that, I got those yummy chocolate cigars, and a really pretty Sigg bottle. 

And most of all, I totally had so much fun walking around the city with Gabi and just going through the city with a local, it really allows you to take in the city with a different fresh perspective. 

Packing was a pain, and I think I lost my Singapore number sim card. Die. Need to find it like NOW. I don't fancy rummaging through my trash incase I don't find it tomorrow. But meanwhile, I should go to bed. Nitez!