Getting to Basel

I arrived in Switzerland in the morning with a moment or two of nodding off between blockbuster hits and chats with the nice New York couple on the plane next to me. It was immediately apparent that Switzerland is different than any of the previous parts of the trip, my whirl through Paris CDG included. Switzerland gives me the feeling that things don't fall apart here. The plane to Basel was new and clean; it's temporary inhabitants in Prada and gold jewelry (except me in my dirty floral tank top with pulp fiction under arm). The shiny new Mercedes that gracefully drove me to my week's residence was driven by a multi-lingual gentleman who used turn signals, checking his blind spot before smoothly changing lanes, stopped for pedestrians. I was definitely NOT in New York anymore. He brought me to the door of Mrs Ackerman's apartment and waited until I was let in.

Mrs Ackerman is the woman who is renting a room to me for the week. I must start out with the observation that she is adorable. A grandmotherly lady,a bit shorter than me, thick around the middle, with short, straight, white hair. She greets me at the door with a big smile. We quickly realize that we don't share a language and she says "son, english" as she makes a phone gesture. I wait while she calls him and then proceeds to give me the tour. Here's the bathroom, my towels, my room. Her home is a cozy two bedroom nook that is very tidy and filled with a collection of thoughtfully placed nick-knacks. There is an orange plastic piggy bank on the counter in the kitchen alongside a meticulously carved 2 foot tall likeness of one of the Seven Dwarves that is hung next to a crafty approximation of a woodland scene complete with a faux bird. The bathroom features many varieties of kitten figurines (including one with soft fur). My room is adorned with no fewer than 15 examples of clowns, fake flowers and wooden dioramas.

When Mrs Ackerman's "son" arrives I realize he must be her grandson as he is in his early 20's with neck tattoos of Chinese symbols. No doubt reflecting his personal views about the importance of happiness, faith, strength and so on. Otherwise he is fastidiously well groomed and gelled. Buffed white shoes. They hug and clearly have a great relationship, living so close to each other. His English is, in fact, perfect. After he mediates the necessary things like how to get around, when is good for breakfast and passes on the word that I think his grandmother is adorable, he leaves and I get ready for my first day at Art Basel.