I am now in Strasbourg, France, trying to get familiar with a new keyboard. How hard is it? Here's the same sentence, typed as if I were using a US-style keyboard:

I q, noz in Strqsbourg Frqnce; trying to get fq,iliqr zith q nez keyboqrd: Hoz bqd is it§ Hereùs the sq,e sentence; typed qs if I zere using q US)style keyboqrd:

So you can see, typing is at a glacial pace, with frequent mistakes. And typing a period involves the SHIFT key. Ah, the French.

Interlaken was great, as I mentioned. The barbeque was a clusterfuck, as I had suspected it would be. No one had bothered to find out how to get to the beach, or where to get food. Then the local self-appointed expert, Willis, decided he knew all (because that's the truth - he knows everything and never hesitates to remind you of that) and led everyone on a wild-goose chase. I bailed, as did all but three others (we began with 15).

Rock climbing was the bomb, baby. We started out at 9ish, held up by yours truly losing his ticket and forcing our guide Stef to get a reprint at the desk. Actually, I lost both the rock climbing and rafting tickets. But Stef was able to take care of things at base camp so I didn't miss out on anything. The scenery where we climbed was awesome, and there is a photo in existence of your truly giving the thumbs up from the top, about 60 feet up. I'll get it posted soon - I hope.

France is beautiful, though the girl at the front desk could use a lesson or six on customer service. We walked into what was supposed to be a trible, only to find it was a too-small double, and a bunk bed. We marched downstairs.

Front Desk Girl (in thick French accent); "Can I help you?"
Us: "Do you have a rollaway bed for the third person?"
FDG: "No."
Us: "Extra mattress?"
FDG: "No."
Us:"Another room, perhaps?"
FDG: "No."

So now I've shuttled between the Hotel ETAP (where that conversation took place), to CIARUS (where I spent the night) to a yet-to-be-named hotel for tonight, back to CIARUS tomorrow and the rest of the ten days we have here, except for..............well, you get the point.

We'll see how French people are, on the whole.