A Year Abroad

Apero

2008-12-18T07:54:00.006+01:00

Tonight was my farewell party at the EBK. In Switzerland, it is tradition that the person leaving buys all the food and drinks for everyone (or at least that's what my work colleagues told me!). Anyway, it was a great time. I was surprised at how many people came.

I wanted to thank them for all their generosity and kindness in making our experience here so wonderful. While there is no doubt my language skills did not progress as well as I had hoped (or they had hoped), the were very gracious in making me feel comfortable by speaking English around me. I had the opportunity to work on many interesting and challenging projects, and I wanted to thank them for including me so openly as a member of their team. I also wanted to thank them for all their great travel ideas. No doubt, for anybody who ran into me on Monday morning over the past nine months knows that Pam and I have traveled A LOT! We have criss-crossed Switzerland many times. It is a beautiful country with so much natural beauty.

But, most importantly, I wanted to thank them for not just treating me as a work colleague but as a member of the their extended family. They invited Pam and I into their homes for dinner, they invited us out for a day of hiking, they even invited me for a swim in the Aare. I have formed many lasting friendships here in Switzerland. While I have many fond memories of my experience here, the most lasting will be the great times shared with others.

When people ask me back home what I think about Switzerland, I would say: the only thing more delightful than the Swiss countryside is the Swiss people themselves.

Here are a few pictures from my Apero.

Snow in Bern!

2008-12-12T19:00:00.007+01:00

It has been snowing pretty heavy here in Bern in recent days. I am told this is somewhat unusual for mid-December. I guess Switzerland is leaving us a nice good-bye gift. Anyway, I took the camera along on my way to work this morning. See pictures of the snow.

Looking back through some old blog entries, it struck me to see how much the city and its flora changes through the different seasons. I am so glad we were able to capture it for posterity's sake.

Gstaad - Day 2

2008-12-07T18:08:00.004+01:00

We woke up this morning to a winter wonderland! The view from the balcony off our hotel room was amazing. It looked like the entire village of Gstaad had been dipped in white frosting. After breakfast, we went for a walk around town.

Gstaad is best known for its skiing and spas. While a few slopes were open during our visit, many of the luxury spas were closed (the high season was still a couple weeks away). The Palace Hotel -- perched on a nearby hill, towering over the tiny village like Mad Ludwig's castle -- is one of the Gstaad's most famous spa resorts. We decided to walk up the hill to see if it was open. It wasn't. But the views were still worth the trip.

Pam was getting a little cold, so we walked back down to the village for some hot chocolate and enjoyed what appeared to be a junior hockey tournament being held on one of the outdoor rinks. Hockey is apparently pretty popular in these parts. Anyway, after the hot chocolate it was time to get back on the train to Bern. So long Gstaad...for now! See pictures from Gstaad Day 2.

Video:

"Bye Gstaad"

Train ride back home.

Gstaad

2008-12-06T00:03:00.008+01:00

With only a few weeks left before our adventure in Switzerland ends, we decided to visit Gstaad for an overnight. Gstaad is located in the southern part of the canton of Bern in the Bernese Oberlands (Bernese highlands). Our guide book says it is a "see-and-be-seen spot" and one of Switzerland's most glamorous ski resorts. We just had to check this place out!

We left by train late Saturday morning and headed south via Spiez and Zweisimmen for the two hour ride to Gstaad. As it turns out, Gstaad is located along the "Golden Pass" -- a scenic train ride which links Central Switzerland and Lake Geneva. We snuck into first class at Zweisimmen and enjoyed stunning panaromic views as the train meandered through the snow covered mountain passes.

Once in Gstaad, we checked into our hotel (Hotel Alphorn), and then quickly headed out for some delicious fondue and raclette. Yum! We had only enough energy left for a quick nightcap and a cigar before the cheese-induced coma took full effect. We were soon out for the night. See photos.

Videos:

Heading to Gstaad.

Entering the tunnel.

Exiting the tunnel.

Plowing through the snow.

Liechtenstein

2008-11-30T21:16:00.003+01:00

Pam and I had talked about visiting Liechtenstein since we first arrive, but we never made it -- until now! Honestly, there was not much to see. The country is only slightly bigger than Manhattan, but it actually feels smaller because two thirds is covered by mountains. The country is 5km wide and about 30km long. The Rhine River plain that runs along the western border is really the only inhabitable area.

We took a bus from the Swiss city of Sargans to the capital of Vaduz (no border control). The bus ride itself basically took us through the southern half of the country. We did not see much of interest except a quaint castle in the village of Blazers. So, we decided to spend more time exploring Vaduz. After the obligatory visit to the post office, where we bought some souvenir postage stamps and mailed several post cards, we walked to the Vaduz Castle (a.k.a. Schloss Vaduz).

The castle looms over the capital from the hill above, although it is closed to the public because the royal family is still living there (Liechtenstein is a monarchy). The views from the castle were worth the climb, but we didn't stay long. We were hungry, so after a few pictures, we walked back down to the city for lunch. I discovered a delightful beer from the Liechtensteiner Brauhaus, which proudly displayed the logo: "Eins Land, Eins Bier." Pretty cool. Doubt I'll be able to find that beer back in New York!

After lunch, we got back on the bus and headed north toward the villages of Schaan, Nendeln, and Schellenberg. Nothing compelled us to get off the bus at those places, so we just stayed in our seats until we crossed the border into Austria. When we finally got off the bus in Feldkirch, it was official: we had stepped foot in all five countries bordering Switzerland -- Italy, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Austria. We walked around Feldkirch for a little bit and stumbled across a street fair, where I enjoyed some fried dough before we got back on the train and headed back home. See slide show from the day.

Videos:

Schloss Vaduz

Austria!!

Zibelemärit

2008-11-24T22:55:00.004+01:00

While Thanksgiving spirit over here may be lacking, the Bernese have their own traditions to celebrate. Today is "Zibelemärit" (onion market). It is a traditional folk festival where farmers from the surrounding area bring more than 50 tons of onions into the capital to sell. It is only celebrated in Bern. According legend, the Bernese awarded the people from the nearby city of Fribourg the right to sell onions in the city as reward for their aid after a fire destroyed much of Bern in 1405.

I'm told as darkness falls, the streets of central Bern erupt with partying that includes confetti battles, street jesters, and locals in onion costumes. Very strange. I'm thinking I know a few people that might fit right in with this crowd! :) See pictures.

Videos:

Zibelemarit

Berlin Calling

2008-11-16T23:19:00.000+01:00

We got off to a late start on Sunday after our whirlwind tour of Berlin the day before. Leaving Austin behind at the hotel (he was still recovering), Pam and I decided to return to the Riechstag to see if we could visit the dome. The Reichstag dome is an iconic glass dome constructed on top of the Reichstag building. If nothing else, it looked like there might be some nice views of Berlin from up there. We stood in line out in the cold for about 45 minutes before finally getting in. It was getting dark by this time, but I was able to get a few pictures off.

After walking around on the top of the Reichstag for a little bit, we decided to head to a nearby restaurant called Die Eins. The food was ok, but the real attraction was the nice location right along the river. Dorthe and Austin met us at the restaurant afterward.

We crossed into east Berlin and visited the Tacheles -- a squatting artists' paradise. Dorthe explained that artists (illegally) moved into the building after the Berlin Wall came down 19 years ago and turned it into one of the best-known exhibition spaces in the city. To be honest, it kind of felt like squatters had been living there for 19 years. The central stairwell smells of marijuana and urine. The structure is missing its back wall, and what remains of the building is covered in graffiti and peeling posters. It was no doubt an interesting place to visit.

After our tour of Tacheles, we decided to go see a movie at a nearby theater. The movie was called Berlin Calling, an independent german film with english subtitles. It wasn't bad. After the movie, we said goodbye to Dorthe and thanked her for her wonderful hospitality. Then Austin, Pam, and I headed back to our hotel for some rest. We flew back home the next morning -- us to Zurich, Austin to LA via New York. All in all, it was a great weekend.

See photos of second day in Bern.

Videos:

Tour of Tacheles

Austin to Berlin!!

2008-11-15T20:45:00.000+01:00

Pam, Austin, and I hung out in Berlin this weekend. Austin was in Germany to attend some film award show (one of his films had been nominated). Not sure how we decided to meet up in Berlin, since it was a bit out of the way for both of us. But it turned out to be a great weekend.

Pam and I flew in on Friday night. Austin, who arrived earlier that day, met us at the hotel and we spent a few hours catching up before we turned in for the night. We had an ambitious schedule the next day. After breakfast on Saturday, we took the bus to Checkpoint Charlie and then walked to what remains of the Berlin wall (most of the Wall has long since disappeared from the city). We also visited ruins of the gestapo headquarters basement, which has been turned into a tourist destination and memorial.

After the memorial, we made our way to the Brandenburg gate, but not before stopping for some Glühwein (red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon and sugar) and fried dough at an outdoor festival. It was getting bitterly cold out, but we pressed on. Unfortunately, without a guide book we were pretty much wandering aimlessly. We stumbled across Berlin's Holocaust Memorial and the Reichstag (a.k.a. parliament), then we walked into East Berlin to enjoy a few drinks at a chic bar. After drinks, it was back to the hotel for a quick change and the start of evening festivities.

First stop was a club to meet up with Austin's friend Dorthe who lives in Berlin. The band at the club (Cold War Kids) was just finishing up, so we left and headed to a 1930's theme party sponsored by members of Darthe's dance school. It was a bit awkward showing up out of costume, but we made the best of it. It wasn't long before we were off to our next stop: an improve comedy club to see some of Darthe's friends perform. After the show, everybody headed across the street for an after party.

It was about this time that my body started to seriously break down. I was exhausted. Pam and I decided to leave Austin at the after party. The last I saw of him that night, he was chatting it up with his new "friend" and showed no signs of slowing down. Some things never change...

See photos from first day in Berlin.

Videos:

"One of these is not like the other!"

It's Fall Y'all!!!

2008-11-08T18:07:00.005+01:00

Just a few weeks after the first snowfall in Bern, we are enjoying great running and walking weather. It's still fall...unbelievable!! Is this global warming? I think Al Gore is unto something. Anyway, Brian wanted to go for a walk to get some fresh air. He is a bit under the weather (slight cold) so a walk didn't seem too taxing.

We walked to the zoo and saw some animals. Then to the spot where I sometimes (weather permitting) do my stretches and lunges after a run. We were just enjoying the weather. It was a beautiful day.

See Photos

Videos:

The Aare River

Pam's spot

Gantrisch

2008-10-25T19:28:00.011+02:00

One of my colleagues at work, Oliver, kindly invited Pam and I out for a day of hiking. He suggested the Gantrisch region, which is a beautiful rural mountain area located in the triangle between Bern, Fribourg and Thun. The Gantrish mountain range is actually considered part of the Alpine foothills and it is one of the few areas in Switzerland not easily accessible by train, so Oliver drove.

It was a foggy morning but, as we drove up into the mountains, we crossed through the cloud cover and were treated to some amazing views. The hike itself offered countless other picture taking opportunities. It turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous day. From the summit, we were able to scan across the horizon and see essentially all the famous Alpine peaks -- the Jungfrau to the east, the Matterhorn to the south, and even Mont Blanc off to the west (in France). Oliver even pointed out Bern's own little Mt. Gurten poking out through the cloud cover to the north.

Surprisingly, we had enough energy left after the summit to hike back down to a beautiful nearby lake. Oliver said he remembered the lake from his childhood, but he hadn't been back since. Seeing it for the first time myself, I can understand why it made such an impression on him. It was a special place. But by this point we were pretty hungry, so we found a nice little restaurant with a table outside and enjoyed some delicious traditional Swiss food before heading back home.

See pictures from Gantrisch.

Video:

"Where we came from, where we're going."

"Top of the Gantrisch"

Matterhorn and Mont Blanc

"Walking back down"

Paraglider takes off!

Mt. Pilatus

2008-10-18T17:13:00.000+02:00

I had so much fun climbing Mt. Niesen last week that Pam and I decided to climb Mt. Pilatus (2132 meters) this weekend. The weather forecast promised a nice day. Pilatus is not too far from Luzern. In fact, we were able to see the summit of Pilatus when we strolled through the streets of Luzern back in August with my Dad and Gretchen. At the time, I remember wondering what the view was like from the top. This was our chance to find out!

We didn't have the time -- or the conditioning -- to attempt the full 4-hour hike from the bottom, so we jumped on a gondola at Kriens for the 30-minute ride up to the small hillside resort of Fräkmüntegg (1415 meters). From there, we set out for the summit. It was a moderately steep two hour hike up the rocky mountainside. Fortunately, the path was well marked. Fog rolled in as we neared the top, but it was clear on the other side of the mountain and, when we reached the summit, we were able to enjoy stunning views of Luzern and the lake below (it was far better than I ever imagined!).

Given that it took so much effort to get there, I suspect we enjoyed the view just a little bit more than those tourists who took the gondola ride the whole way up! :)

See photos from Pilatus.

Video:

From the top of Mt. Pilatus.

Hiking Mt. Niesen

2008-10-12T09:35:00.007+02:00

Summer has turned into fall, which means its hiking season in Switzerland! It seems like everybody loves the great outdoors here. In the winter, people ski. In the summer, people boat on the lakes or float down the Aare river. And in the fall, people hike in the mountains. The Swiss take hiking pretty seriously. There is no shortage of hiking options. Switzerland's population even accepted an amendment to the constitution stating that the administration is obliged to support private efforts in creating and maintaining hiking paths.

Marco and Arno invited Pam and I to join them on a hike of Mt. Niesen this weekend. Unfortunately, Pam was unable to go because her friend Arlette was arriving from Amsterdam. But Arno's girlfriend, Bianca, joined us. Niesen is a 2,262m (7,749-ft) mountain overlooking Lake Thun, and its perfect pyramid shape make it a local favorite. We took a morning train from Bern to Mülenen, at the base of Mt. Niesen, and started walking from there. The weather was spectacular. We got a little lost along the way, but eventually made it to the Schwandegg funicular stop about halfway up the mountain. Hungry and a little tired, we decided the train was our best option for the rest way. :)

Once at the top, we enjoyed fantastic views of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz below, and from afar we could see the triumvirate peaks of the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau. We relaxed at the outdoor terrace restaurant and enjoyed a delicious lunch before heading back down. Marco, Arno, and I didn't have the patience to stand in line for the cog railway, so we decided to hoof it. There were a few steep, narrow and exposed places along the way (especially near the top), but we managed to make good time. We met up with Bianca back at Schwandegg and took the funicular back down together.

It was a great day. The experience definitely opened my eyes to all the hiking possibilities in Switzerland. Can't wait to get back out there with Pam next weekend!!

See hiking photos from Mt. Niesen

Videos:

Are we there yet?!

"It's absolutely beautiful from up here!"

View of Lake Thun from the top of Niesen

Look Mom: Narrow ledge, no safety net.

Michelle blogging from Switzerland

2008-10-07T21:44:00.019+02:00

(MMC aka BklynGem blogging from Switzerland)

Ah, so it is Tuesday, Oct 7, our last day in Bern. Let me try to recount the past week in this one post without boring you too much.

In my opinion, Switzerland appears and acts much larger than it actually is...who knows what gives it so much character, I might say ballsy even. With the many mountains, lakes, castles, and rich history, I guess there's reason to be. So needless to say, we didn't get to do everything we wanted to (no trips to Zermatt to see the Matterhorn for example) or maybe we were subconsciously planning a return trip to finish the sightseeing ;-)

What we did do can be found in the many, many photos we took. Nadine and I are a bit of a nightmare with the camera. Love those candid shots. Sorry Brian and Pam.

Highlights include:
- Neuchatel (see photos): it's been noted that the yellow buildings appear to have been carved out of butter.
- Milan (see photos): Gucci, Prada...like a beacon calling us home ;-). Also, the possibility of a husband (seriously that was his first question before even trying to sell his silly bracelets). The panhandlers were a bit aggressive here. I noticed that the train system was very much like Boston's...color train lines and charlie ticket type system, more likely vice versa, since the Pine Street Inn tower (here) is supposedly a replica of this one in Italy. I wonder what else Boston copied from Italy?
- Fribourg (see photos): FONDUE. Enough. Said.
- Lake Geneva a la Montreux (see photos): This might have been the closest we got to France. The lake, the mountains...just MAGNIFIQUE!!! Even the train ride is a sight to behold with the vineyards on one side and the lake on the other. Here, I was the lone nerd who wanted to go into the 12th century Chateau de Chillon to see where Lord Byron scribbled his name on a pillar in support of Francois Bonivard, prisoner of the Duke of Savoy. There's a famous poem and some history there, or something ;-). It was pretty cool, though, and I got some video in one of the crypts (note the ominous sound of my boots purposely done for effect-lol), and some great views from the watchtower.

There was also a brief jaunt for lunch in Sion where I was somehow left standing on the platform while everyone waved from the train...hmmmm. But I was not complaining, the train system in Schweiz is excellent and runs frequently. I was on the next train within the hour. And I had my trusty iPhone (ha, knew I was gonna plug at some point) to let the others know I was just fine.

I should also mention the lots of walking around in and around Bern (see photos) where we visited with Pedro in the Bearpit, the Rosengarten, Kornhaus, and of course there was CHOCOLATE.

In summation, let's put it this way: Flight to Suisse - $1,000+, RailPass - $800+, Fondue Moitie-moitie - $25+, spending time with family - PRICELESS.

SMOOCHES!!

Videos:

"They are obsessed with Ovaltine!"

Welcome to Fribourg!

The Fribourg Strangler

Watch the "Amazing" video in Fribourg

Entering the Watchtower in Chillon.

Video in the Dungeon of Chillion.

Last Day in London

2008-09-14T23:31:00.008+02:00

Today was our last day in London with Pet and Claude. After breakfast, we drove to Epping forest for a leisurely walk and Sunday brunch. Along the way, we passed West Ham stadium for a quick photo op. Claude grew up near West Ham, and he remains a passionate fan of his hometown football (a.k.a. soccer) club. In fact, I would say Claude is as passionate about West Ham as I am about my beloved Patriots. Sadly, major news broke over the weekend that the team's primary sponsor -- XL Airways -- suddenly shut down and immediately ceased all operations. Wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that XL Airway's logo is so prominantly displayed across the front of the team's jersey. On the bright side, I guess that makes it a collectors item now.

Anyway, Epping forest was beautiful. It is a large woodland (6,000 acres) between north-east Greater London and the county of Essex -- not too far from where Pet and Claude live. It was a great day for a walk through the woods. Afterward, we enjoyed a "proper" English brunch before heading off to London City Airport for the flight back to Switzerland.

It was a great visit with Pet and Claude. They were such great hosts. Thank you guys!! Look forward to seeing you again soon! In the meantime, enjoy the slide show of our last day in London.

Stonehenge and the City of Bath

2008-09-13T21:17:00.000+02:00

Pet, Claude, Pam, and I took a bus tour to stonehenge and the city of Bath (of Canterbury Tales fame) on Saturday. It was nice to get outside the City and see the beautiful English countryside. Some people have dismissively referred to Stonehenge as a "just bunch of rocks in an open field." Others consider it the "eighth wonder" of the world. I guess I fall somewhere in between. I must admit I am a little intrigued by its mysterious origins. But the cynical side of me can't help but wonder if it is all just a scam carried out by some local farmers looking to boost tourism. Remember the famous crop circles - those mysterious huge circular patterns that first started appearing in wheat fields in southern England in the 1960s -- which were later proven to be an elaborate hoax? Well, I kept wondering while I was looking at stonehenge if it might be something like that. Who knows. See slide show of stonehenge.

After stonehenge, we walked back to our crowded tour bus and patiently waited for an hour while our guide frantically searched for a couple that had gone missing from our group. Given that we were at stonehenge, I suspect they may have been abducted by aliens. :) Anyway, we didn't stick around to find out. We eventually left for Bath without them. Hey, we had a schedule to keep!

Bath is a charming city with a lot of history. We drove by Jane Austen's former house, the Royal Crescent building, and a circle of Georgian townhouses known as the "Circus." The Circus is a pretty posh area of town; Nicholas Cage, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt all apparently own townhouses there. After the short bus ride through town, we got off and toured the famous Roman baths. That was amazing, if not a bit smelly (sulfur). Afterward, the four of us picked up some sandwiches and scones and headed to a gorgeous park along the river. A little shopping for delicious fudge afterward and then it was back to the bus for the 100-mile ride back to London. It was another great day. See slide show of Bath.

Videos:

"I think I'll go for a swim."

The Roman baths

"It's hot down here!"

Video of lunch in the park.

St. Paul's Cathedral

2008-09-12T23:51:00.001+02:00

Today we decided to go to St. Paul's Cathedral for the tour. It's the church Diana and Prince Charles were married in so I saw it on TV decades ago. Once again, I did not see this on my last trip as we went to Westminister's Abbey then. St. Paul's an enormous church with great views from the top (I climbed the 500 plus steps). After the tour, we decided to head to Canary Wharf where Brian was having his meetings. We sat outdoors for drinks with his co-workers then we headed back to Pet's house then headed out to dinner at Rodizio Rico for some Brazilian bbq where we stuffed our faces with meat and more meat then waddled home. See slide show.

Video:

From the top of St. Paul's

Arrive in London

2008-09-11T19:16:00.003+02:00

(Pam) Brian and I arrived in London last night to stay through Sunday. Brian is here for work, but we decided to stay through Sunday to spend some time with my cousin Pet and her family. Pet took Thursday and Friday off from work so I was really happy and it was so good to be around family. We decided to go to the London Eye as it did not exist the last time I was in London. Even though it was cloudy there were some really good views. It took all of 30 mins on the eye itself so there was not enough time to get dizzy. I guess it only does a half rotation.

After the London Eye, I wanted to hit some shops on Oxford St. I got a great jacket at this new store, Primark which is like H&M (discount shopping!!). When we got on the tube there were Primark bags everywhere. I was exhausted though, Oxford St. reminded me of NYC - hectic! After being in Switzerland it was a nice change though. We headed back to Pet's place for some dinner and then I left to meet up with Brian. I spent about an hour on the underground because I got lost but all ended well and Brian and I had a drink at a bar near the Victoria station. It was a relief to ask directions and not have to worry if the person speaks English as is usually not the case in Switzerland. See slide show here.

Blathering and other Thoughts

2008-09-03T21:10:00.002+02:00

We've been through the routine several times, but it doesn't get any easier seeing visitors head home. We had such a wonderful time with Terry, Sherry, and Bree. They were so eager to explore and experience this wonderful country. We were just happy to be along for the ride. Terry did an amazing job with the blogs. His posts were a perfect mixture of description, humor, and sentimentality. Who knew "Mr. Fussy-Pants" was such a talented writer?

I won't attempt to rehash all our journeys, but one of the highlights for me personally was accompanying Terry back to Fribourg after 40 years. Surprisingly, he didn't collapse into a pathetic heap of tears like we all expected/hoped. But his calm demeanor and stiff upper lip belied a flood of emotions bubbling up on the inside (or was that the fondue I heard rumbling?). Anyway, his semi-delirious mental state became plainly evident the moment he opened his mouth. He started spewing a series of non sequiturs. The "blathering" continued as we walked passed the administration building at his old college dorm. Fortunately, I just happened to have my video camera rolling (sorry, Terry). See video of Terry blathering. The "chief monk" line cracks me up every time.

All laughs aside, I have so many great memories from their visit: floating down the Aare with Bree, riding a zip line over the Aletsch Glacier, peering down on lake Lake Thun from atop Berchtold's castle. How can I choose just one?

Reflecting further, I am reminded of a quote from Lord Byron, who said: to have joy one must share it. And so too I have come to realize that what makes all these moments special for me is not where I was, or what I was looking at, but who I was with. Sharing the dream with those that mean the most to you makes it so much more rewarding.

So, thank you Terry, Sherry, and Bree for coming to Switzerland. Thank you for sharing in this wonderful experience with us.

Look forward to seeing you on the "other side"....

Videos:

See "hand it over" video.

See video of Terry, Sherry, and Bree saying "goodbye."

So Long, Farewell...

2008-09-02T15:04:00.012+02:00

While tomorrow would technically be our last day in Switzerland, we left Bern today to head to Zurich where we would stay overnight for a morning flight out. With that, we considered this our last day here.

You know how Father Time is always yanking living experiences from us and shoving in our hands those ever-fading receipts with “Memory” stamped on them. I understand that those exchanges are not always to be rued, but giving up this Swiss experience for a “Memory Receipt” was going to be painful, and we knew it.

We began the day with our last trip to that delightful bakery around the corner from Pam/Brian’s apartment. We packed like we were under water - deliberate-like slow-motion - until we could put off the train no longer. Brian had started work early so he could join us for dinner in Zurich and Pam was left to deal with our sullen (in my case, probably surly) mood.

The hour train ride to the airport, the shuttle to the hotel to check in, confirmation of the flights the next day and a short walk to the Rumlang train station nearby to return to Zurich had us eating a small bite in the early afternoon at the city Bahnhof.

After that we set off on a small walking tour (any other kind in this place?) of the Bahnhofquai and the city. We went to Fraumunster cathedral with its stunning stained glass windows by Marc Chagall and across the river to Grossmunster where Zwigli reigned in the Reformation. (No pictures allowed inside so they could charge for their postcards.) The Swiss have no shortage of history but this was another beautiful day and we were by the river that had its sidewalk cafes calling us to enjoy their contributions to Swiss culture as well. We succumbed to sit and watch the idyllic scene until we started walking back to meet Brian for dinner. Again, we found an outdoor restaurant and we feasted. To be honest, I’m not sure what we talked about. The end was near. We all walked back to the station, Brian wanting to come with us back to our McHotel (not a joke - it really was!), we saying no, we had to try to get some sleep for the ordeal the next day.

And like that, Brian and Pam were gone. Twelve hours later, so were we.

For all these months - even years, I looked forward to returning to “The Place” I had come to love. My expectations were exceeded, and further enhanced because I could show off my past to Sherry so she could understand why I am, in part, as I am, and to Bree, so she can come back without us and finish this place off right! Even Dave got to be a part of the Act!

But I learned, as travel often teaches, that the highlight of my trip “home” was watching the adventure unfold through the eyes of others - especially Brian and Pam. Their appetite to experience everything this wonderful country has to offer is contagious. And for those out there who have not yet experienced their hospitality in Bern, you may rest assured that you wouldn’t remember so much how gracious they were (though they are) nor how funny they were (though they are) nor how accommodating they were (and, OH, they ARE!) You’d take away the sense that they truly want you to feel the excitement of this special time they are having. They want to Share!

To you, Brian and Pam, we can only say, “Thank you from the bottoms of our hearts!” We offer the following as token remembrances, to make reading that fading print on the “Memory Receipt” easier in the future:

Blathering
Chief Monk
More Cow Bell!
Water Slides for Mice
Swiss Killer Swans
5-10 minutes. . . MAX!
Blinders

Lock and Load!
“At least you don’t snore!”
“They don’t give me responsibility.”

Thank you both so much.

See slide show of last day in Switzerland.

Basel & Last Night in Bern

2008-09-01T23:13:00.014+02:00

Being a non-Labor Day work day, Brian came up with some lame excuse to bail out of our activities for the day - Work! But he cheerfully threw Pam under the bus to commit her to accompany us on our trip to Basel. We were going in spite of the iffy weather forecast to just see what trouble we could get into. We arrived around noon and Pam led us to the tram that took us directly to the Marktplatz, the central square that holds all the city's festivals. In fact, it was the very square that held the Fastnacht celebration in 1971, which a contingent of Fribourgois and I attended. Hard to believe, to be sure, but the Platz was recognizable to these 40-year-older eyes. It was a party that lasted all night and through the day for us. For the Swiss, it is a Three Day Binge that allows them to keep their austere exteriors for the remainder of the year without snapping from the stress of being Swiss.

We had lunch at an airy cafe on the Platz and just as we were beginning our walking tour of the Rathaus and old town, the skies opened up, forcing us to slog our way dutifully around the prescribed route to the Munster cathedral, basking in our grit, if not the sun. After we came out of Munster, the skies had dried up but I think we were drained. Foreswearing the zoo and the art museum, we meandered our way back to the Bahnhof to return to Bern so Pam could go to her class. See slide show of Basel.

Had it been earlier in the week, I truly believe we would have forged ahead, but with only 2 days to go to return home, neither the legs or the spirit were willing. It worked out that Brian could join us as Pam was starting into class (like our being alone would violate our alien permit or something) and we shopped for different things on the way home to await Pam's arrival.

Being our last night in Bern, we went to the Kornhaus -- a huge subterranean palace of a restaurant with a 600-year history we won't go into. It was a festival of gourmet delights! We walked home a new way, down the steps of the big bridge, and made it back in time to collapse and think of the morrow. Zurich is awaiting us in the morning as we get ready to leave this fairy land. See slide show of last night in Bern.

Farewell to Fribourg

2008-08-31T22:36:00.005+02:00

Today the plan was to train to Lausanne, meet up with Dave from Geneva, have lunch and take the boat across Lake Geneva to Evian to drink some of their damned water. And so we did. The end. Wait. You don't get off that easy.

The Bern contingent didn't get off and running on time. We were awake but missed the 10 AM train and almost blew off the 10:30 one. We arrived one train late in Lausanne and Dave had patiently waited for the second train figuring we were lazy doofi (plural of doofus) and he was right. We walked down to the lake front, which is actually a different town from Lausanne, a small burg called Ouchy. We were obviously walking into some kind of event because the roads were barricaded and crowds were congregating at what appeared to be a Start/Finish line. And sure enough, we had come on the day of their Triathalon. So we found a nice outdoor cafe to eat our lunch and we watched those poor fit running bastards drag themselves to the tape while we noshed pasta, croissants and ravioli, swigging our beer. Delightful!

We found the boat to Evian, which was close by as it turned out, after having walked a few thousand miles in the wrong direction, and we crossed Lac Leman, enjoying the delightful breeze in the sun. The French Alps had a mist on them that kept us from seeing Mt. Blanc, but our walking tour of Evian was really very enjoyable. The view back across to Lausanne and down to Montreux was one from a postcard and we walked up to the high vantage point in the city to take advantage of it. We opted not to go to the bottling plant 4 kilometres out of town (surprise) and instead drank some of their damned water from the spigot coming out of the mountain. The lab results should be back next week to help us figure the correct treatment for whatever we got in that water.

The vague idea was to find a place to eat dinner either there or in Lausanne, but Bree our Food Guru came up with the idea to go back to Fribourg again for a "Last Supper" and show Dave what all the fuss I had made all these years was about. So we crossed back across the lake, found a bus to take us back up the hill to Lausanne Gare (for free!) where we went off to Fribourg for fondue at Cafe du Midi and a vista view of Fribourg for the last time in a while.

Perfectly timing our departure, we arrived on the platform within 5 minutes of both trains to Geneve and Berne leaving. We said our goodbyes to Dave and arrived back at the apartment just as the last light of the day was fading. Coming from the station, I swore I saw lightning over the Alps to the southeast, but no one else did. Brian wouldn't believe God would do that to me and actually possibly rain while in Switzerland! We were tired, of course, and, as Brian correctly noted, "We squeezed all the sunlight out of this day, too!" See slide show of Lausanne/Evian.

(Note: As I type this the morning after, we suffered through one Hellacious Thunderstorm last night! I DID see lightning over the Alps!!)

Videos:

See video of boat ride to Evian.

See video of boat ride back to Lausanne.

See SILENT (yeah!) video of Terry saying farewell to Fribourg.

Geneva

2008-08-30T20:18:00.006+02:00

After the appropriate emails on Thursday to set up our rendezvous with my ex-stepson, Dave, who arrived in Geneva this morning for a week-long UN conference he is attending, we set out for Geneva on the 9:04 train. The day was hazy but warm and full of promise. We arrived, and made our connection with Dave by phone who met us on the waterfront where we made our way into Old Town. After a delightful lunch, we toured the cathedral and returned to Dave's hotel (the Kempinski - tres posh, merci beaucoup!) so he could get his travel pass and we set off to the UN for a tour.

Getting off the tram at the entrance to the UN, I had just taken a picture of that famous chair with the broken leg erected by the anti-land mine people and was checking the outcome in the camera when this renegade curb leapt out of nowhere and pulled the street right out from under me. As the curb cackled with glee (I distinctly remember that!), I proceeded to execute what would later be described as a near-perfect face plant on the public thoroughfare, landing on top of my camera then rolling like a landing parachutist, jetisoning non-essentials like shoes, glasses, camera batteries and the like until coming to a rest about 10 feet from the initial point of impact. I'm told it was a sight that evoked moans of sympathy and averted glances from the Swiss passersby who are unused to witnessing such carnage in their streets. I was fine but for a minor abrasion on my elbow and we proceeded up the hill to the guest entrance for our tour of the place.

We were told that we could only take a guided tour and that wasn't starting until 4 (now being 2:50). Dave was disappointed because he could have shown us where he was working this week without the tour structure, but we nonetheless decided to keep walking up the hill to find the gardens to kill some time before the tour.

The walk took us past the permanent delegations of Russia and the United States assigned to the UN. Each delegation is akin to an armed outpost stationed in a hostile land. Walled, gated and guarded, Dave told us not to take any pictures of the Russian delegation lest they react negatively. As it turned out, when Brian took a picture of the US delegation, a Filipino mercenary guard I'll call "Pedro" started calling Brian an "***hole" (verbatim quote! And I always wondered what "***" sounded like with a Filipino accent. ) and waving his arms at him as we continued walking past on the sidewalk in front of the compound. Not finding the gardens on top of the hill, alas, we had to return to the UN along the same route bringing to life our friend Pedro again, who apparently couldn't excite his fellow guards to kill Brian for his transgression.

We passed by without evil consequences and proceeded to hook up with the guided tour, brought to us by the friendly female German Guide who undoubtedly had a day job of a professor teaching corpses how to sleep (BORING!). Sucking the life's blood from our already tired bodies, Dave at least could give us a side commentary as we walked along the halls, though we could not roam the grounds due to "security concerns." Where in God's name do they get the idea we could care what the hell they do there?!

Leaving the UN, we hopped the tram back to the Gare where we stopped at a micro-brewer across the street and then found a delightful restaurant around the corner to cap off the night. A long train ride back to Bern ended the day with the prospect of France awaiting us tomorrow! See slide show of Geneva

Videos:

See "Welcome to Geneva!" video.

See "Haul your happy ass away" video.

PS: The following picture -- taken at the moment of impact -- is believed to be only known record of Terry's infamous face plant. View it here.

Rest Day, for Real!

2008-08-29T22:02:00.012+02:00

Today, finally, was the rest day we so rightfully deserved. Waking late, doing nothing with absolutely no schedule to complete, I worked on blogging, everyone else worked on waking up, rearranging packing, etc. until Brian and Pam took us to lunch at a nice little restaurant in Dahlholzi. With that, the ladies went shopping while Brian and I returned home and I started blogging again while he tended to home duties like food shopping. When the girls returned (late afternoon), it was time for Brian and Bree to take their turn in the Aare Float Down, so we followed along to record the event for posterity. I do believe that swim was one of Bree's highlights on this trip! It certainly looked like she was having fun! See slide show of swim down the Aare.

We returned to a wonderful dinner of roasted chicken that Brian prepared and we sat on the balcony afterwards, smoking cigars and curing the woes of our world until the persistent Elves of the Night tugged our hands to lead us down to their World of Sleep, whispering promises of Dreams and New Life. Bern is a delightful city.

Videos:

See "Wack-a-Mole" video.

See video of kids jumping off bridge.

See another video of kids jumping off bridge.

See video of Bree and Brian taking the plunge.

See video of Bree and Brian taking another plunge.

Zermatt and the Matterhorn

2008-08-28T21:07:00.015+02:00

Once again, a look to the live computer weather cam of the Matterhorn in the morning, and we were off to our prearranged destination: Zermatt!! I had already lost and found my passport in my room before getting dressed so I was already drained! Again, this was a train ride. . .this time to Visp. That meant riding toward Interlaken where we had debarked for our ride up to the Jungfrau. Shortly after passing through Spiez, however, we entered a lonnnng tunnel that lasted for 20 minutes or so and came out on the other side of the Berner Oberland and in the the Canton of Valais.

An hour after leaving Bern, we reached Visp and changed to a cog railway for the ride up the valley to Zermatt. The ride up the valley to Zermatt in the morning was unbelievable! We got off the train and started walking up the main drag and something was wrong. . .There were taxis running up and down, garbage trucks. . .and then. . .DUH!! They were all electric golf carts. We were in Munchkinland!

Walking up the street, Sherry kept on saying, "Every day is prettier and prettier!" I wasn't quite getting on board until I saw "It." Between the the chalets, gleaming in the morning sun, looking at us from God's perspective. . .there It was!! Matterhorn!! Pam and Brian had been there to climb the Breithorn in June, so they knew the drill. On our way to lunch, they showed us the cemetery where the climbers of the region who didn't make the "final cut" were buried, including the ones who, in 1865, being the first to successfully reach the top, died on the way down. Once again, Darwin having his way.

We ate lunch on the veranda of the hotel where Pam and Brian stayed in June when they came down to climb the Breithorn, munching away with the Matterhorn looming over us, patiently waiting. After lunch, we headed up to the cable car and took it in the direction of Kleine Matterhorn, stopping at the stop just below the summit to get the better view of the Matterhorn and avoid the snow line.

The pictures sum up the rest of the trip pretty much (see slide show of Zermatt) except that when we got back to Bern, Brian and Pam took us to a delightful restaurant in Mazili by the Aare so we could dine to the rhythm of bobbing heads coming down the river.

And then we ended our day.

Videos:

See "We are at the mouth of hell!" video.

See video of cable car arrival.

See video of cable car ride up to Trockener Station.

See video of Matterhorn from cable car.

See panoramic video of Matterhorn from the top.

See video of clouds slowly enveloping Matterhorn.

"Rest Day"

2008-08-27T17:14:00.002+02:00

Wednesday! Finally, a rest day!! After the trek to the Jungfrau yesterday, we were, frankly, BEAT! So we had decided that today was a "kick back" kind of day. No alarms; wake up whenever and see what happens. So, of course, we woke up to beautiful sunshine and we knew this was not a day to be wasted. Still, like a big lumbering airplane, we began our movements in a slow, deliberate manner. Sherry and I trundled across the street to the Bakery, where, as we turned the corner from the end of the apartment complex, the aroma assaulted our noses like a lion after wounded prey. Lions: 1, Wounded Prey: 0. We returned with arms laden with indescribable (at least in English) goodies which we leisurely devoured in 10 minutes or so. It would have taken less time but we had to stop to sip the wonderful coffee Pam and Brian make here!!

We decided that Thun was the first destination. This was a day to be handled in shifts: Pam had to return by 4 to attend her German class and Brian had to stay in the morning to finish downloading the pictures for his stupid blog he's making me write for him. So Pam led Bree, Sherry and me off to the train for the 20 minute ride to Thun with Brian to follow in a half hour or so. We arrived as predicted (the trains are punctual here!) and walked along the streets looking for an appropriate lunch spot. We knew we were going to head to the Schloss Thun but we were close to lunch and we had to scout out the "perfect" luncheon spot for Brian (he's become quite fussy.)

Thun is a small city sitting at the end of Lake Thunersee where the Aare again becomes the fast-flowing river that streams through Bern thirty miles downstream. Delightful in its architecture, we spotted a wonderful cafe next to a group of beautiful swans elegantly cruising their stately forms on the charming river. There were even a few black swans that let you know this was the perfect place to enjoy the noon repast. Brian indeed joined us right after we sat down and had ordered our drinks and we proceeded to eat and talk and laugh in the ambiance of the perfect Swiss backdrop until Bree spoke: "Look at that swan!" We turned in unison to witness one of those once magnificent birds viciously, deliberately, and "with much malice aforethought", struggle to devour what looked like a poor, defenseless baby bird. Perhaps it was the proximity - it was as if the bird had pulled up a chair to our table to dine with us. Maybe the incongruous juxtaposition of grace and savagery. WHATEVER! We left for the castle. Orc Swan Horde: 1, Sweet Baby Bird, 0.

To get there, we passed through downtown Thun, having a two-storied unique shopping street with mostly upscale shops. At the Rathaus (City Hall), we turned to start climbing the (seemingly) unending staircase to the castle at the top of the city. This WAS supposed to be a day of rest, remember. We arrived at the castle, shirt tails out, sweat pouring from us, to pay the admission fee and start climbing the stairs to get to the INSIDE of the castle. Once inside the castle in the common meeting room, we had to climb. . .ready?. . .MORE STAIRS to get to the views in the turrets. When we arrived at the top, I must admit, all thoughts of fatigue disappeared. The views were absolutely breathtaking! I submit, the countryside around Lake Thunersee never presented itself better than when were looking at it at that precise moment.

The time had come for Pam to return to Bern for her class, so we all walked back to the train station where we parted company as she went to do the responsible thing and learn the language of her host country, while Brian blithely bounced ahead of us, leading us to the steam ship to cruise around Lake Thunersee and see what we could see. Once on the ship, we learned that the closing times for any castles we would want to see was 5PM and the last useful ship departure time back home was about the same. Bree had found a brochure for some HingleFinger Schloss-something that looked close. It was the stop right before Schloss Oberhofen, perhaps the most famous castle in Switzerland because of its unique "tower in-water" design. Of course, we got off at the "Hinglefinger" stop, with Brian's assurances that we could "easily walk to Oberhofen" in "5-10 minutes - max!"

We debarked at, seriously now, Hilterfinger's castle, Schloss Hunegg, built in 1861 and furnished over the years with a Jugendstil and Art Nouveau style, unchanged since 1900. It was a residence that we all agreed would suffice if a fire somehow fatefully managed to destroy where we lived now, for some reason. . .like suspicious arson. Finishing the tour around 4PM, I asked the cashier lady how long it would take to walk to Schloss Oberhofen, to which she replied, "Using the upper road, 15 to 20 minutes. Faster than the lower road next to the lake." Wanting to be sure we arrived at the boat stop in time to see some of the castle and get on back to Thun, we opted for the upper road which, leaving HingleFinger's place, required us to climb. . .here we go. . .MORE STEPS!

Knowing that we had no clue as to our destination, our arrival time, or if we'd ever see home again, we were bookin'! But I must admit that we were walking along very quaint lanes lined with picturesque homes and, apparently condos, overlooking the Thunersee that would not turn off its charm. We arrived at Oberhofen in time to take our pictures, stroll the manicured grounds, get back to the boat stop, order and drink our water and board the side-paddlewheeler "Blumlisalp" (Flower of the Alps) back to Thun. See video of Blumlisalp. On our way back, one Swiss gentleman tried to explain to Brian in German something that only sounded like, "Jesus Christ had a villa along here." Figuring we had nowhere to go but down, I offered that I might understand if he spoke French. Whereupon, he began describing in French a flood from the lake about 38 years ago that washed boats down the river in Thun and caused a great deal of havoc. Not sure why we got that history lesson, unless Brian paid him to start talking so he could get a video or something. See video of Terry speaking "Franglais."

We arrived back in Bern after the hot, crowded train ride, shirt tails out, sweat pouring from us (again), just in time for Pam (just out of class) to show us where we wanted to eat, and we had raclette, fondue, weinerschnizel and had a wonderful dinner in the outdoors we've come to love. We must be turning into Swiss! See slide show of Thunersee area.