Randomness in Basel

I am about half way into my 4th week here. I think it's a good time to share some random observations/facts of my time so far:

• Bright colors are very popular. Color coordination is not.
• All black is perfectly acceptable. (I blend!)
• Nose picking is also acceptable. (I don't blend.)
• People do not acknowledge you when passing you on the sidewalk/street.
• Clean/safe/timely public transportation is fantastic.
• Trams make lots of stops, but buses only make the "key" stops.
• Fresh bread at the grocery store is the best thing ever.
• I like swiss cheese. Some of it tends to smell like feet.
• American rap is big here. It's usually 6 months or more behind in popularity, however. For example, OPP is currently on the radio. Seriously.
• I can get to several places in this country by train within an hour. For less than $30 USD round trip.
• I have not found such luck in getting to Bulgaria. But I'm working on it!
• It rains frequently here, but when the weather is nice - it's unbeatable.
• I need a hammock.
• I need a porch/yard for this hammock.
• There are museums for everything here - including paper, dolls, pharmacy, cartoons, and domestic life. I will go to some, if not all, of these.
• 
• Everyone rides bicycles here. There is a school on the corner that teaches kids to ride in the streets.
• Lots of people smoke here. But I've not been anywhere that I could not get away from the smoke. Restaurants tend to at least have a non-smoking section - if not ban smoking completely.
• Even the teenagers smoke.
• Other than smoking, people seem to be very health concious.
• The legal drinking age is 16 for wine, beer and cider. It's 16-18 for hard stuff - depending on your Canton (basically a county.)
• Lots of people have "Ronald McDonald" red hair. Not purple or slightly red - RONALD MCDONALD.
• Speaking of, McDonald's is good here. But a value menu costs between 10-15 francs.
• It's cheaper to eat lunch at McD's than almost anywhere else.
• Basel is about even with Seattle, Washington and lots of places in Canada latitude (or longitude?)-wise.
• I have a feeling Winter will be cold!
• Summer is from July to September, so it's still Spring here.
• Now techno is playing on the radio.
• You don't have a trash bill here, but you do have to buy very specific, and somewhat pricey, trash bags. The cost of the trash bags covers the cost of trash service. I like it.
• Nothing really has preservatives.
• I am forced to shop daily for food, or else it would go bad.
• I can walk to just about any kind of store you can imagine. Even some you can't.
• Stores do not have shopping bags. You must bring your own, or buy a reusable bag when you get there.
• You must bag your own groceries - and you better be quick about it.
• Pedestrians always have the right of way. Unless there's a tram...
• People in cars ALWAYS stop for pedestrians. And they don't get upset about it.
• Nothing is open on Sundays. Except for bakeries, really early, because everyone needs their daily bread.
• Now a reggae/rap concoction is on...

Have a great Friday!