On continue...

So, so, so, the good times don't end here...

18. During the course of a Tchoukball match, the players dive to try and catch the ball and thus prevent the other team scoring. We're sitting and watching, and a player from the British team unluckily named Tubby (now imagine this spoken with a French accent by our fantastic announcer) leaps to catch the ball--and disappears over the retaining wall. He'd jumped clear out of the stadium (itself consisting of advertsing panels about waist-high holding in the sand), got caught in the netting and landed on the sidewalk amid some very surprised passerby. It took awhile to get him out and he was miraculously unhurt, just walking a bit slowly at first. He continued to play as well. Later on in the game, leaping to catch another ball, he ended up falling out of the stadium (again) into the dugout, using one of the players' girlfriends seated there to break his fall. Now if only the team could match his 2-0 score.

19. I had to leave my lovely room to move to the dorm, which was dark and a bit stuffy, so I opened all the windows and sat at the table to read a bit. A couple of small sparrows worked their way up to the sill...and flew into the room! This happened on several occasions, that they wandered around on the floor, pecking at crumbs, heading for the table. Brave little bastards. I actually saw one letting itself be petted in exchange for bread crumbs in a sandwich joint. Do NOT feed the wildlife :)

20. The train ride from Basel, Switzerland, to where I live takes about an hour and requires passing the border (duh). So I had my passport. Upon boarding the train in Basel, I was followed by two armed guards. A minute and a half later, three armed policemen in different uniforms boarded, followed by two train conductors and three other official people, in 2 or 3 minute intervals. Nevertheless, for my entire stay and travel in 3 countries, no one ever asked for my passport.

21. I went to France. To visit a friend. In the rain. We went for a hike, though, which was fabulous, going up to an old cloister back in the woods. What do nuns eat in the middle of nowhere? We bought cheese and carrots and fruit and bread for our picnic lunch, sitting under a tree. The weather started out fabulous, and by the time I had made it through my bread the clouds had opened up. I almost kept looking around to see if I had mistaken Noah's Ark for a sailboat.

22. My room in Annecy in the hostel had a loft. It was pretty sweet, even if I couldn't stand up in most of it. Reached by a narrow staircase and lighted by a skylight, I managed to have the upstairs to myself while my lovely snoring roommates occupied the lower portion.