Paris
One critique we often hear about Basel is that there are no mountains or lakes (two things the Swiss hold dear), and while this is true, those people fail to acknowledge one of Basel’s best offers: its proximity to other European cities. Because of this, we were able to make a very quick trip to Paris to meet up with our friends, Pat and Lara, who were on their way to the South of France. We were there for less than 48 hours, but we were still able to squeeze in quite a lot. Some of our time was spent doing the typical touristy things (walking tour of the city, overpriced rooftop drinks, etc.), but the best part was simply catching up with friends. We enjoyed a really lovely dinner overlooking the Eiffel Tower, an impromptu game of Bocce Ball along the Seine River, and an evening in a Parisian cave at a Cabaret show. Though short, this past European adventure with Pat and Lara was just as much fun and just as memorable as previous trips.
Malta
On Saturday morning, we were in Paris on a train back to Basel, and by Saturday evening, we were in Malta, a small country located 50 miles from Sicily. Malta is one of those countries which is so difficult to reach from the states that we knew we wanted to visit before moving back stateside (whenever that may be). We were also able to convince our friends, Cori and Bennett, to join for part of the trip so that we could commemorate our 1-year friendship anniversary and the 4th of July.
First Impressions: Having heard about the beautiful beaches and “bougie” culture of Malta, we were a bit surprised and concerned when we first arrived at our hotel. It was basically Atlantic City – a few too many strip clips and casinos, lots of chain restaurants and bars, and a sea of drunk teenagers. Yes, we know that we sound old and crotchety. Often, we aim for hotels which are said to be in the “party” neighborhood because we enjoy a vibrant scene complete with good restaurants and bars. In this case, however, we feel that the reviews of “party side of the island” should be revised to “fraternity basement side of the island.” It took a little warming up to, but we eventually embraced the college vibes and had a fabulous vacation. Many of the days were spent lounging at the beach/around the pool, but we also had a few days full of adventure.
2-Days of Scooters: After the party scene, the first thing we noticed about Malta was how cheap everything was. For an island built almost entirely on rock and which, despite its small size, is the 8th largest importer in the world, we had expected island (if not Swiss) prices. We were pleasantly surprised. For a mere 20 euros per day, we decided to rent scooters for 2 days in order to better explore the island. We (and by we, we mean Chris) have driven scooters before, but this go-round was a little different in that there was a lot more traffic and a bit more highway than we had anticipated. Riding scooters is a true testament to one’s relationship. Perhaps the Catholic Chruch should consider adding scooter riding in a foreign country to their pre-cana requirements. It really highlights one’s ability to trust their significant other and a couple’s ability to work through a “difficult” situation. It was a little stressful at times, but in the end, scooters were a great way to see the island.
One of our favorite stops was at a beach on the other side of the island. The beach itself was … fine, but what made it fantastic was the inflatable water park. For a few euro each, we were able to pretend like we were kids again – climbing to the top of the “iceberg,” making silly games on an inflatable see-saw (or should I say sea-saw), and trying to make each other fall off the giant trampoline. It was an absolute blast … and exhausting. We may have been able to do that sort of thing all day when we were kids, but at 30+, we were all relieved when our 1-hour time limit expired.
FriendSHIP
We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: we’re boat people now. To celebrate our favorite holiday, the 4th of July, we decided to charter a yacht and skipper for the day, and Cori and Bennett were on board (see what I did there?) with the idea. Having a boat for the day was the highlight of the trip. We saw the beautiful beaches/coves that we had heard so much about, we swam and dove to our hearts’ content, and we enjoyed a few adult beverages without worrying (too much) about boating safety. A big thanks to our skipper, Jacques, for keeping us safe and showing us the beauty of Malta.
We certainly miss the more typical traditions back home, but we did our best to celebrate America from afar. We think that we made her proud.
SASgoesSwiss 