Please Leave a Message after the Beep...

We are not in this weekend, as we will be in Rome trying to convince the Pope to convert to Lutheranism (my guess is that nobody has ever asked, and that he's probably just waiting for an invitation)!  If you need to find us, we will be staying at the Hotel Pace Elvezia, arriving Friday, February 27 in the evening and leaving Monday, March 2 in the morning.

We are going to have either pizza or spaghetti for every meal except breakfast (although I am open to the possibility of a breakfast pizza, after all, if there is dessert pizza why shouldn't there be a breakfast pizza?).  Also, there will be no driving as I'm guessing Italians give up coffee for Lent which means the drivers will really be on edge!  I also made sure to pack appropriate attire for visiting the Vatican as to avoid getting kicked out of St. Peter's Basilica (no short shorts for me, sorry ladies!).  The temps are supposed to be in the upper 50's, so although this is no beach vacation, I think the sun and spring-like temps will be just what the doctor ordered.

Lac Léman or Lac de Genève?

Last night in French class, we were scolded by Georges (our infallible instructor) for daring to describe the lake down the street as Lake Geneva...you see, much like in the U.S. where Minnesota and Michigan fight over which State is more representative of lakes, the Swiss have differing opinions on the name of their beautiful lake. (Minnesota claims to have more than 10,000 lakes, didja know that Minnesota is a Dakota Indian word meaning "water?"; Michigan claims you are never more than 90 miles from a Great Lake, therein making it the Great Lake State...Michigan is derived from the Objibwe Indian word for "large water"; since Michigan has an adjective and Minnesota does not, I decree Michigan as the superior Lake State, even though both States touch Lake Superior).

As you can see from the picture, the lake is roughly crescent shaped (although I could be convinced it looks like a delicious walleye leaping from the water). The Swiss like to divide this lake into two parts, the western part (what would be the tail of the fish...it's skinnier and runs roughly from Geneva to Nyon on the Switzerland side) is called "Lac de Genève," whereas the eastern portion (and subsequently grander, larger, deeper, and better portion running from Nyon to Villeneuve) is called "Lac Léman." Now I don't really understand how you could claim that one lake is really two separate lakes, but the Swiss are like that so I will humor them and only refer to the lake we live by as "Lac Léman" from now on (unless I am west of Nyon in which case I will call it "Lac de Genève").

Also, we were informed that in the French language, there is no word for liking something (as in "I like white bread") because the French love everything (such a passionate bunch of folks). So if you want to tell someone in French you like them, be prepared to meet their parents because you can only tell them "Je t'aime."

Les Oiseaux du Lac Léman

The birds/ducks of Lake Geneva...

I took advantage of the early Spring-like temperatures and sunny sky today and walked down to the lake to feed the ducks some stale bread. I managed to snap pictures of some of them, but it's tough to get a close shot as they swim away when they realize your camera is not bread (and perhaps all you were doing was luring them closer to you to snatch them and take them home as pets). I tried to avoid the pigeons and seagulls as they aren't as exciting to me as the ducks...there are hundreds of ducks, birds, gulls, etc. floating in between the various boats in the marina. The swans, gulls, and pigeons are the most adventurous and willingly will risk life and limb for whatever morsel you throw their way. The remaining ducks are much more skittish. The duck with the black body, grey bill, golden eye, and white patch on his side/belly dives under water to get whatever sinks, while the mallards tend to fight with each other (sometimes violently). Today, I watched as two mallards (males of course) locked their bills in a duel...there were feathers and quacks going all over the place (this might be mating season, or possibly they are all really hungry and just posturing, I'm not an expert). It is interesting to see the various foreign ducks (like the Pochards), even the Canadian geese seem interesting (it's always the same pair, I've never seen more than just these two...perhaps they are on permanent loan or something)

Skiing in Les Portes du Soleil

Last Saturday was the changeover of the Geneva canton schoolkids winter ski break to the Vaud canton schoolkids winter break (for those that are wondering: A. Cantons are like States in America, think of Geneva as Wisconsin and Vaud as Colorado if it helps, B. Instead of a Spring Break like the kids get in America where parents reluctantly drag their children to sunny beaches, the Swiss spend a week skiing in the Alps, C. Not really instead of Spring Break, but more like in addition to Spring Break as they still get a week off around Easter, D. FYI - School lets out the last week of June/first week of July).  As a result, the slopes this time of year are absolutely packed with an entire state's worth of people...so if you wish to go skiing in February, your only shot is to go on a changeover day (which is always Saturday).

We opted for Les Portes du Soleil (or the Gates/Doors of the Sun in English) as this resort area is made up of 12 different ski villages, roughly half on the Swiss side and half on the French side of the mountain.  One simply picks a village, and then skis to the remainder utilizing chair lifts to get to further and deeper into the Alps.  The day was overcast, and it snowed on-and-off most of the day which made for challenging conditions as there weren't any shadows...for those that don't ski this makes it very difficult to know if you are about to go over a steep drop or hit a big bump as everything just looks white (apparently there are special colored ski goggles for this purpose, but we're too cheap to have more than one pair).  We basically had to ski slowly all day, but we still had a great time as the snow was very nice and powdery.  We only skied on the Swiss side as well due to the conditions (as well as it is about 20 CHF cheaper if you just ski in one country, versus ski on both sides of the border).

The only negative aspect of the weekend was I somehow managed to pick up a virus of some sort which forced Alli to tend to my pathetic whining for the remainder of the weekend and through Monday as well (she took the day off cause she loves me, and because I got her sick too...although somehow she was only sick for a day, and I was sick for like three...must be easier to get over being sick when you can't afford to miss days of work, sorry Medtronic Switzerland, you will be getting sick in the next several days.  Stock up on Gatorade)!  Although I am still feeling some of the after effects (mostly dehydration), I can't wait to get back on the slopes (just not until March when it is less crowded).

A Few Nights in Bruges

Aside from the beer, there was much more about Bruges that beckoned me for a visit. I have only recently become acquainted with Bruges through a film (a rather dark film, not really a family movie...I'll let you figure out the title on your own, but it has Bruges in the name) and as a result of the scenery of the movie I opted to visit. As a part of my hotel package, I received a coupon voucher book which granted me a free guided tour of the city which lasted for a little more than two hours. The only awkward part of the tour was the fact that Bruges has lots of dark alleys and alcoves where one could commit mischievous acts seemingly without notice, which normally wouldn't present a huge problem as most tours involve large groups of people.

I was told there would be at least twenty people on the tour, and there were; but the tour guides split the group up by language to facilitate a more engaging conversation. As my tour choices were Flemish (or Dutch), English, or French, I opted for the English guide as two hours of French would most likely cause me to miss something important. As a result of my selfish language choice, I was paired with the tour guide who spoke the best English and we were off (yes, just me and the 60 year old woman, which one would picture if forced to describe a librarian). This is what made the tour awkward...I felt self-conscious the whole time that this woman probably thought I was going to push her into a canal or steal her purse filled with Belgian chocolates (it was a chocolate tour).

After I assured her that I was completely rehabilitated from my recent troubles with the Swiss Border Patrol, we began our tour of the sites of Bruges. Don't pay much attention to the time of day in the photographs as they obviously were not all taken during the tour.

Bruges is/was a significant economic center in its height due to the port and canals that run through the city. Much of the cocoa that was brought back from the Americas and Africa came through Bruges (and was even used as currency), and Bruges served as an international currency market exchange of sorts (my tour guide claimed that Bruges actually means "purse," or "bag" similar to the Spanish word "bolso" or "bolsa." She also indicated that many other countries stock exchanges have names stemming from "Bruges." Wikipedia and other sources seem to support this theory, although I am guessing that Bruges is just the most organized place to claim the stock exchange origin story...) Anyway, the city reminds me of Venice and Amsterdam, as the canals run throughout the city providing ample spots to stop and take pictures.

The main square used to have a canal running directly adjacent to it until a few hundred years ago. In the main square is the Belfry, a bell-tower that plays different musical tunes every 15 minutes. You can climb up the inside (all 366 steps, most of the way was very narrow) to the top of the 83 meter tower (about 270 feet, or if you figure 10 feet per story, about 27 stories), which I did for some spectacular views. I recommend the climb (if you are in shape), but be mindful of the time so you aren't in the Belfry when "O Danny Boy" starts playing (I think my ears are still reverberating)! Back down in the main square are many medieval buildings (mostly shops, pubs, or restaurants) which are very fairytale-like in appearance. All of the streets in Bruges are made of cobblestone, which adds to the ambiance.

Bruges managed to escape destruction from World War I, so many of it's buildings date back to the 16th and 17th century (if not earlier). This city did not appear to be short of churches either. Apparently the Belgians were/are very Catholic so I was able to see many unique cathedrals. I chose not to go into the Basillica of the Holy Blood (which contains a vial of Jesus Christ's alleged coagulated blood on a piece of cloth...). One of the bigger cathedrals contained an original sculpture by Michelangelo, purportedly his only work to make it out of Italy during his lifetime. It now sits on the tomb of the rich man and his family inside of the cathedral. There is also a small area where the Beguines lived, a small group of lay religious women in the Catholic church. They lived a life similar to nuns, although they spent most of their time making lace and things like rosaries to help support the church, in addition to praying and providing support for one another (albeit in a less strict environment than in other abbeys).

Bruges is a lovely town which deserves at least a couple days to fully appreciate all it has to offer.

It would have been nice to visit in warmer weather to partake in a canal cruise, as well as with someone else to have someone to talk with :( The food in this part of Europe is very satisfying, but then again how can one go wrong with a whole mess of French fries with mayonnaise washed down with a cold Belgian ale???

Up, Up, and Away!

A few weeks ago we ventured back to the small town of Château D'Œx for the 31st International Festival of Balloons. The town is about an hour drive from our apartment, and is nestled in the pre-Alps. Our excitement peaked as we passed into the valley where the balloons were taking off. After parking, we quickly made our way into the area where the balloons were being inflated...it was amazing to see the myriad of colors and types of balloons, and in some cases, shapes.

There was a hen, rooster, turtle, and even a Scotsman (who never really inflated...too much air for the bagpipes I guess). As you can tell it was a sunny day, and we enjoyed it by sitting on a ledge of the town's main church on the hill. We packed our lunch (per usual) and watched as the many different balloons passed overhead. The festival lasted for a week, with various activities and contests such as balloon races, aerial demonstrations, passenger flights, and balloon chases.

This event reminded me of the Battle Creek, Michigan Balloon Festival, although one could argue this one in the Alps was a bit more picturesque due to the snow covered peaks and Alpine chalets (although the Tony the Tiger balloon does go a long way to making a close contest). I counted about forty different hot air balloons, although the program indicated more than fifty balloons. In the main launch area we saw many balloons fail to take off as the day progressed, most likely due to increasing winds that seemed to change the balloons direction during the day.

At one point sky-divers leaped from balloons and performed aerial acrobatics while parachuting back to Earth. I think you have to be a little bit nuts to jump out of anything that high in the air, but they compounded their craziness with purposely spinning themselves around and performing circus-like maneuvers. The event was a very relaxing one, as we just enjoyed the beautiful scenery and allowed our minds to float up into the sky with the balloons....

Madrid Highlights

This is part two in a series of getting my wife off of my back...she seems to think this blog is some sort of diary (do I look like a fourteen year-old girl writing my personal thoughts about the cute boy in science class? Don't answer that...). Anyway, after leaving Barcelona I boarded the high speed train which was much more exciting than it should have been (I am a train dork...I love 'em, always have). The train reached a top speed of 300 km/hr (that's faster than I can run, honest!) which only caused me to get more geeky. I must admit though the weirdest part was watching the Spanish thriller movie about some weird mom who thinks she is being haunted by a ghost (thank goodness I know Spanish, otherwise the movie probably would have been lame, oh wait...it was anyway).

On to Madrid...I arrived in Spain's capital city and immediately set off to find my hotel which proved to be quite easy as it was near the train station (and even nearer the Scientology building in Madrid! I thought about going in to look for Tom Cruise, but decided I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face while listening to their spiel so I continued on to my hotel). I spent much of the next two days exploring all of the wonderful churches and museums of Madrid, while realizing how much colder it was than I expected. Thankfully there was enough sun during the day to keep my bird legs warm, and plenty of Spanish café con leche (that's coffee with milk for the Español challenged). I even managed to get caught up in a protest of sorts as marchers walked down the Gran Via (Main Street) with signs calling for some politician's arrest. It was quite fun!

The Prado was definitely one of the most moving experiences as I was able to see many of El Greco's works (a personal favorite) as well as many of the other Spanish masters. A stop at the Musem Reina Sofia allowed me to see the massive Guernica, one of Picasso's most poignant and thought provoking pieces (the painting itself is about 11 feet tall and 25 feet wide...you feel quite small while absorbing its many messages and motifs). Madrid is home to the Royal Palace, which I decided to leave for another visit as I was trying to avoid going inside on such a beautiful Spanish day (albeit a cold one).

As the strain of living in Europe was weighing on me, I opted for comfort food while in Madrid. While my lunches were more typical of a Spaniard (tapas or light sandwiches), my dinners were very much in line with what I would eat in America (although not North American in origin). The first dinner I had in Madrid was at a Mexican restaurant (guacamole, tacos, Mexican beer...just like home!), and for my second dinner (different night, promise) I ate at an Argentinian restaurant (steak, baked potato, empanadas, Argentine beer...I miss grilled food!). I decided these were acceptable "Spanish" meals as both cultures (Mexico & Argentina) speak Spanish, and have major influences as a result of the Spanish (even if the influences were a little forced)...so don't judge me. :)

Another highlight was the fountain/memorial to Miguel Cervantes, author of the famous Don Quixote (and his pal Sancho Panza). This story is a classic and I strongly encourage you to read it if you haven't...it will change the way you view the world (hehehe). That's me next to the man himself Don Quixote! As you can see from these pictures, I may or may not have decided to grow facial hair that week as I was without my wife, and thus without someone complaining about the way I looked. Unfortunately the facial hair saw its demise soon after Alli's arrival back in Switzerland, but it was nice to have as the weather in Spain was brutal and I forgot my scarf. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Spain as it was a place I always wanted to visit. I can't wait to get back and see more of Southern Spain, as well as maybe go back and see a few of the things I missed...

The French students go...Ugh!

This is how our French lessons seem some evenings...it's like we're quibbling over nuances in words that will never be overcome no matter how hard we try.  I swear we Americans hear things differently, oh well.  At least from now on I'll be able to take Alli to a French restaurant and order in French...certainly this will make her fall head over heels for me!

Barcelona Highlights

In going through photos on my computer, I realized I didn't really blog much about my trip to Spain aside from some Christmas Market stories. I plan to write about both Barcelona and Madrid, so this post will focus on Barcelona. The highlight of my trip to Spain hands down is all of the architecture contributed by Antoni Gaudí, a Catalan who belonged to the Art Nouveau movement and whose many buildings and structures provide a glimpse into one of the most unique and surreal masters of this movement. Throughout the streets of Barcelona there are countless examples of his work, including the Casa Milà and Casa Batlló pictured at left and right (respectively). These two buildings are magnificent examples of his talent, as well as a testament to his crazy mind. They are so unlike any building I have ever seen in my life...very cool!

The other major contribution Gaudí made to Barcelona is the still unfinished La Sagrada Família temple which has been under construction since 1882 (it should be done sometime in the next twenty years, so make your travel arrangements accordingly). It is truly a unique structure of which I have never seen an equal. The church retains many aspects of Gothic architecture but with a twist that makes you wonder just what kind of sauce this guy put on his paella. The colors he used in the stain glass are bright and vibrant, which is very much at odds with many of the European churches I have seen in the last several months. The statues on the outside facades as well are so unique to what you would expect in a church. They are much more modern and powerful in terms of the images they convey. This megalithic church definitely stands out against all of the others...

His final work I saw was the Park Güell, a garden of sorts with little fairy tale houses and mosaic tile benches. The park has different areas; one is the two houses near the entrance which make you feel like you are entering some sort of magical land, another is a wide open area which looks and feels like it should contain a market or performance stage depending on the day. There are also unique walkways and bird nests, a dragon sculpture, and tiled mosaics on the ceilings. It was a great place to just sit and rest my legs from all of the walking and sightseeing.

Speaking of walking, every day I easily walked three to four miles exploring the various parts of the city. I managed to trek all the way up to the top of the hill where the 1992 Summer Olympics were held to check out the facilities and Olympic torch. From this vantage point I was able to see the entire city laid out before me which was quite the view. I also walked along the boardwalk to the beach which has since eroded due to storms this winter. Barcelona built this beach for the Olympics, but unfortunately it no longer exists (or so I am told). There are many lovely places to eat along the coastline, many with three or four course meals for a decent price (15-25 euros).

My final exciting adventure was the weekly market just off La Rambla which I was fortunate enough to experience before getting on a train to Madrid. Each vendor was packed with every food stuff you could possibly imagine...fish, meats, fruits, vegetables, drinks, offal, nuts, candy, breads, the list could go on and on if I was more specific but I wouldn't want to bore you. I bought some fresh fruit and a fruit drink to enjoy as I meandered among the various stalls. My favorites were the fishmongers, where the crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans were still moving...as well as the piles of fish I have never seen before. The air was ripe with the smell of seawater and the smell of fresh fish in this area, while the other parts of the market smelled of dried hams and fresh fruits. If you would like to see all of the pictures, click here to go and see them on Flickr! (I seem to be running out of room to put pictures on this page...)

I would highly recommend a visit to Barcelona for those considering a trip. Between the art, food, history, and architecture there is undoubtedly something there for everyone.