A Swimming Summer

We are thoroughly enjoying summer in Europe, and although we aren't taking a 3-week vacation that seems traditional to most summer family holidays here, we are seeing lots of sights and the kids are having tons of fun. This summer, we invited my cousin Sara to stay with us and also take care of the kids during their time off. The arrangement has been wonderful for us and Sara continues to laugh at the boys' antics, which is a good thing. Having her around means the boys are taking her to parks, playdates and pools during the week. Swimming is definitely the highlight of the summer -- we even took the opportunity to partake in a family campout at our local "Schwimmbad". The event was great, and the kids thought it was very cool to go swimming before bed and then again in the morning before breakfast!

Silly times

And you can't spend summer in Basel without swimming in the Rhine. It's been a perfect way to give Sara a unique view and tour of Basel. Bob and I took her on her first float (without the kids) -- it's a refreshing way to enjoy a hot day or evening. There is a great atmosphere around the water in Basel, and we hope to get a few more trips down the river this season.

Lake Annecy

We also took Sara to see the Tour de France travel through the Lake Annecy region. It was an incredible experience to watch the caravan and pelaton pass us with a view of the lake in the background. While staying in the area for the weekend, we went swimming (of course), and discovered something that you should know if you stay in France. There is a law that bans swimming shorts in the pool. I read this to mean not wearing any street shorts in the pool, but in fact it is mandated for boys and men to wear tight-fitting swim trunks. Not everyone is wearing Speedos (the longer "boxer" style is okay too), but maybe this helps explain some aspects of French swim culture. Why the law, you ask? Apparently it is for hygiene reasons. (However, consider that an acceptable alternative to not having appropriate swimwear is underwear. Hmmm...I'll need to research this with my French colleagues.)

Danke, Sara!

So, our summer isn't over yet, but we will say goodbye to Sara after this week. We've had lots of laughs and will miss having her around!