Basel!

From my diary:
Monday 26th of April, 2010.
Sitting by the Rhin, Basel.

About 10 minutes I've been here watching the river pass by and in that time two bottles have passed swaying along down the river.
The westerly breeze which was forecasted is here freshening things down.
The sun is trying to set, behind a veil of misty clouds, giving the whole picture a metallic feel.
The spires of the "Münster" popo out behind the german-architectured buildings that border the river.
Bells ring a couple of times signaling a half hour I don't know which one is. Sounds like coming from the sun, the west, the breeze.
Bells ring again, this time from the Cathedral to my left hand side.
The tram passes by above the bridge. Barges go under. Wakes from them make their way accross the river to crash against these concrete steps where I'm sitting.
I'm not alone, and yet I am. Two girls who just arrived chat and eat a smelly pizza whose smell reaches me with the help of the westerly.
Colorful flags waive on the bridge.
Not a very swiss-german looking guy listening to music to my left stands up and goes. Takes his rubbish with him.
Cases of juice, can of beers and sodas, plastic bottles of water, McDoncald's bags, cigarret packs, cigarret butts all along the steps. I wonder how many other bottles have passed by.
Bells ring again, what time is it?
Pigeons fly in and out, trying to scavange some food from the rubbish left behind.
My legs and bottom are sore. Beautiful ride today. From Strasbourg to Basel, along the Rhin, 130 km of a continous falso plano. Monotonous. Time trialed the last 60 km above 30 Kph average and I can feel the effort now. But is fun to find out how much I can push, how far. Wonder about tomorrow.
Think I should go and talk to the interesting looking girl sitting right next to me.

Half and hour passes by.

Not as interesting as she looked. Maybe it was me. No, it was the two of us, just no connection.
Feeling a little hungry now, where to eat, what to eat... enough of the Rhin. Tomorrow to the lakes, setting up for the Alps :-)