One short story about Basel:

It`s a gourgous little city (around 170000 inhabitants) but quite international due to the life science (Novartis, Roche etc.) and the very famous fairs (for example the Art Basel).

I went there only for a wonderful nice and sunny evening to meet some friends. We had decided already earlier, that, if the weather would be nice, we would have a picnic at the riverbank of the Rhein.
Lucky as we were, the weather was perfect. So we met at the Wettsteinbridge, and I really was astonished because of what I saw:
The river was full of people.

Katherina, my friend, who just moved there, told me that it is the very famous "Rheinschwimmen" (to be accurate "Rheinschwimmen" is on one specific day, this year on the 13.8.2013).

If you want to be part of it, you buy a special bag, which you get everywhere at the bank, waterproof and big enough to put all your clothes in, and then you jump in the water (with the bag) and you swim or rather float with 100 of other people down the river as long as you want.
It´s fantastic and so much fun!!

After the exhausting swim :) you get food and drinks at the very attractive little stands, called buvette.

As we sat there and had some diner, we noticed a strange smell!
We didn´t know what it was, until we saw some guys sitting at the stairs and eating cheese fondue!!!

That´s Switzerland!