T̶w̶o̶ One p̶e̶r̶p̶e̶t̶u̶a̶l̶ ̶e̶x̶p̶a̶t̶s̶ immigrant settling into home country number five.
Today we checked out the Swiss National Day celebration in downtown Zurich. In addition to food and beverages from various cantons, there was a parade and a cultural program. Somehow we managed to miss the promised yodelling performance, but we did get our fill of Alphorns, accordions, and traditional Swiss singing and dancing. Alongside the … Read more
Despite some last-minute rain, the powers that be decided to ban fireworks for Swiss National Day after all. The ban is in place for almost the entire country and is due to the dangerously dry conditions that exist thanks to a summer of unbearable heat. But never fear, the rest of the celebration will go … Read more
For the second time this year, Zurichers are biting their nails wondering whether a holiday celebration will be able to go on as planned. The first time was back in April, when the Böögg’s disappearance threatened to bring Sechseläuten to its knees. This time around it’s not quite as exciting as a political kidnapping, but … Read more
A couple nights ago we went to the Orange Cinema, an open-air movie theater on Lake Zurich that is set up for a month in the summer. A different film is shown every night, and tickets sell out far in advance. (Many thanks to Ali for hitting the ticket office the day they went on … Read more
(Alternate title: more hot, sweaty summer in Zurich, with guests) The visitor parade is almost over, and none too soon. Don’t get me wrong – I have adored the chance to spend time with each and every one of the dear friends who have come to see us this summer, but I am the worst … Read more
Because I think I have that. Wait, I just googled it…. apparently it does exist! At least according to the New York Times. Man I wish my freezer was big enough to freeze giant bottles full of ice to cuddle with at night like the lady in the article does. Lucky American.
Yesterday we went with some friends to the small Swiss town of Hergiswil to visit the Hergiswil Glasi, a glass production company. There were also a museum, a ‘Phenomenal Glass’ exhibit, two glass shops, a big playground, and a nice lakeside café/restaurant as part of the Glasi complex. The museum, which was free, was more … Read more
And by “conquer” I mean “ride the gondola up”. This was our second trip to over 3800 meters of elevation in two weeks, but unfortunately my body does not seem to have gotten any better at making the adjustment to a low-oxygen environment. At least this time we didn’t attempt any hiking (although sadly, there … Read more
Wanting to fit in one more trip before the visitor parade, we went to visit Sara and husband in a French suburb of Geneva this weekend. This gave us a chance to see first-hand some of the celebrations after France’s unexpected victory over Brazil in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. The cheering and honking … Read more
I may not be my usual blogging-machine self in the foreseeable future, given that we have visitors signed up for our fold-out sofa for the next 3 weeks straight. Since pretty much everyone we know who would ever visit us came all at once (in October to our wedding in Italy, back when we lived … Read more