What it means to be Swiss.....

I'm finally starting to feel like a resident of Basel rather than a tourist. My tram map in neatly tucked in my bag and I'm able to get around without it:) The streets and the shops are now familiar. So what's does it mean to be Swiss??? I have a few observations that I wanted to share.... the Swiss are paid higher than any EU Nation other and the gap between the rich and the poor is less noticeable here. The Swiss are very proud of their culture and will pay double sometimes triple for a product in Switzerland rather than traveling 20 minutes to Germany or France for a discount. Because the Swiss are paid a higher wage they have the luxury of buying Swiss:) I'm not sure how long this tradition will last with the younger generation looking for cheaper products in this new global economy. It is fascinating to me that the Swiss are able to maintain this high standard of living for everyone. It almost seems like a niche utopia. I’m finding a few holes here or there. More on these items later

Also, BIG news!!! I finally purchased a Swiss Army knife today made by Victorinox (the original maker of the Swiss Army Knife since 1884).

Ciao!!!