There are a million questions that come up during an international move, and one of the most pressing for families is: Where do I send my kids to school? This is no simple question. Finding and vetting schools and arranging enrollment can be a challenge, and the choice of a school can shape a family’s social life and cultural adjustment.
Basel Zoo Bids Farewell To Big Cats; Basel Bound EasyJet Makes Unplanned Landing; Gondola Finds New Life As Office In Barfi; Annual Basel Water Fight Makes Big Splash
News For 15 August 2016
Sadly, the Basel Zoo is having to say goodbye to three of the big cats born in the zoo last year. Two male lion juveniles have already been delivered to the Leipzig Zoo last Friday, and a third young Snow Leopard is scheduled to depart for Paris' "Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes". According to Tanja Dietrich, the Basel Zoo's spokesperson, it is normal for these animals to be separated from their pack as they reach sexual maturity to prevent inbreeding and animal injury. The zoo participates in the European Endangered Species Programme which helps European Zoos coordinate their animal breeding programs and place animals in cooperating zoos throughout the continent. Two additional juvenile Snow Leopards and a Lion born last year are still scheduled to leave the Basel Zoo and a search for a new home for them continues.
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An EasyJet operated airplane departing the Sardinian town of Olbia on Saturday was diverted to Lyon instead of its scheduled arrival in Basel. The airplane had a delayed departure from the Italian resort city and as a result, would have arrived in Basel after the airport's midnight to 6 am curfew. The pilot, realizing the plane would not be allowed to land, decided to get passengers as close as possible and chose to divert to Lyon in France. Passengers were subsequently chauffeured by bus to the Basel Airport, and arrived there 8 hours after their scheduled arrival time. Vivienne Gaskell, media spokeswoman for the Euro Airport, said the regulations are meant to protect the environment and apply to all airlines, and that the curfew applies to all Swiss airports.
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Saturday was witness to the annual 4057/4056 InterQuarter Waterfight on the Dreirosenbrucke in Basel. The traditional event began at 3pm and with temperatures hovering near 30, saw hundreds of participants representing the St. Jakobs and Klybeck neighborhoods gather to engage in the bitter water war. Some participants showed up with only water pistols, others took the event more seriously, and arrived with makeshift, home-made water-tanks and costumes. After an hour, and with everyone's water supplies depleted, the fun seekers went home, leaving behind a sea of burst water balloons and broken water weapons. Definitely an event worth keeping on your calendar for late summer, lazy afternoon fun in the sun.
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In its search for additional office space, Adobe Research in Barfusserplatz has repurposed a retired gondola on the rooftop terrace of its building. The gondola was delivered yesterday on the back of a crane truck and hoisted into place. When the gondola opens for use next week, it will be the highest office meeting room in the Barfusserplatz area. The retired gondola was in use for its original purpose from 1999 to 2013 on the Lungern/Turren/Schönbüel seilbahn which had its base in the tiny swiss village of Lungern, 35 km southwest of Luzern on the banks of Lake Lungern. Florian Schaulin, site manager for Adobe, said the idea was dreamed up by the employees of the company, and the used gondola was purchased for a few thousand francs from its manufacturer.