Surrounded at dinner by three others on my second-to-the-last evening in Switzerland, their friendship, the wine and the anciently elegant place chosen radiated warmth. An older-than-old restaurant above the Bodega Bar, the Cordula Stube provided ambiance galore with its dark wood walls and beams and leaded glass windows.

On our way in, I noticed a banner hoisted in town advertising an animation film festival, proving that even ancient towns can serve a modern purpose.

We friends all met in the 80s--including one husband who could not attend this night--and have thankfully kept our friendships alive. It had been fourteen years since I'd been to Switzerland. We vowed that wherever in the world we might meet, it would not be another fourteen years between.

Baden is a pleasurable walk. Ancient European towns are always a delight for my eyes, with the cobblestone streets and walls of varying colors rising above them. In the center of town, the Stadtturm, city tower, still stands after last being used as a district jail in 1984.

A brief history lesson over a delectible pasta informed me that the early Catholics of Baden lost a war to the Protestants of Zurich. The conquerors forced Baden dwellers to destroy part of the castle walls. With the stones from these walls they were then forced to build a Reformed church, which stands in the plaza.

As men still wage war, there will obviously always be destruction and rebuilding. Sadly, of course some treasures of architecture were and will be lost no matter the country. Hopefully, there will always remain others to rebuild.

One thing I do know; the treasure of our friendship will never be lost.

Tschüss, Switzerland!