No. 3: Architecture (Swiss Top 10)

The medieval charms of Europe are pretty much undeniable...it's what draws most of us North Americans to the continent in the first place. Switzerland is certainly no exception, with plenty of red-tiled rooftops, old houses huddled together inside protective city walls, pedestrian squares...usually home to the bi-weekly market which has been taking place for a thousand years or more. The photos above were taken on some of our weekend day trips within the last 3 weeks. They are of 3 different villages in 3 very different regions (different languages included!). Our recent trip to California really helped to drive home just how eternally charming the architecture here is...and how lucky we are to be able to feast our eyes on it every single day. :-)

The 3 villages: (Murten, Auvernier, St Ursanne)

http://www.murtentourismus.ch/en/welcome.cfm?
http://auvernier.ne.ch/ (only in French)
http://europeforvisitors.com/switzaustria/articles/st_ursanne_jura.htm

No. 2: Nature (Swiss Top Ten)

We are so lucky to be constantly surrounded by such stunning scenery! It seems I had forgotten to even stop and look for a while. We live in a suburb, but we are able to walk a few minutes to reach a forest which is full of things waiting to be explored and birds that sing so loudly you can scarcely hear anything else. There are mountain views, swans on lakes, and frogs on lilypads. The air is clean and so is the water. I can't believe I live here....

Switzerland Top Ten: Lauerz

Our trip to California has sparked so much renewed interest in the positive aspects to life here that I decided to blog my "Switzerland Top Ten" list. Number one just has to be Lauerz, population around 800, a lakeside village about an hour and a half from where we currently live. Lauerz is the "Heimatort" of both Matthias and Alex, meaning it's the place where all of their people originate and to where you are eternally connected. It means roughtly "homeland" but the concept goes much deeper than that. Here, it's not important where you live or where you were born...what counts is your Heimatort (regardless of whether or not you've ever even been there!). It's listed on your passport and virtually all other official documents.

Lauerz is beautiful. My father-in-law had a small holiday chalet built on his inherited piece of land (he doesn't live there either) and we go there all the time for long weekends. It's right on a small lake, has a beautiful view on the mountains and is just generally surrounded by nature and typically Swiss chalets and farmhouses. Going there is truly one of the best parts of our life here. A chance to spend quality time together in a meaningful place...on land that has been in the family for as long as the place has existed.

Is this how you imagine Switzerland?

p/s the swan above is actually in our garden, as they very often are. A bit fairytale-like...

Under A Wave

Home Sweet Home

We loved seeing you all!

It's taken me a long time to post something after our long-awaited trip to California. Partly, I didn't know what to write and partly...well, it's taken a VERY long time for us to get back into the rhythm of life here. We had a wonderful time...almost perfect actually. The weather, the socializing, convenience...everything was exactly how we had hoped it would be. I went there expecting to visualize us all living there in the near future. But leaving here and getting a bit of distance from daily life has actually made me see all of the beautiful things about life here. The simple pace of life, the public transport, the distinct seasons, the mountains, the respect for the environment, the multilingualism, the low crime....the list seems longer each day. I love California, but I guess it's become clear to me that Switzerland is my home now.

At least for now.

Spring

It's official. February has been significantly warmer and significantly drier than even the month of August was. We've had sun, we have trees and flowers in bloom, and we've had virtually no snow. The Alps without snow! Imagine. It looks like we didn't even need Fasnacht to help drive out the winter this year...it just never came. Fine with me!




So we bask in the sun (while being crawled on).


and make things out of daisies...which would normally not even be growing yet.

Nice!

unmotivated

So the posting has been sparse, clearly. I don't know what has gotten into me, or why it always happens this time of year....but I am totally unmotivated. To write, to talk, to go out, to read...nada. We desperately need a holiday (news on that shortly), so perhaps that's part of it. I'm always insanely homesick in the winter (for where exactly I don't know). We've taken amazing day trips and I didn't bother to take a single photograph (oh, what's another medieval old town or castle anyway). I'm here, in body if not in spirit, truckin' along.

I'm sure I'll snap out of it soon. :-)

new haircut

Kinderfasnacht

So here we are at the yearly Fasnacht...this particular parade was for kids. Fasnacht (Carnival in English) is basically lots of costumes, music and noisemaking, also some rhymes/poems about local and current events and of course a bit of partying! It's supposed to help drive out the winter...er, which we're not really having this year. But anyway.

Alex first wanted to be a devil and then (deciding that he doesn't really like to be fully costumed) chose this chicken hat. He played his flute as we walked through the village, the marching bands were playing, kids were dancing through the streets and when we got home...we had herbal tea and Fasnachtschuechli, the traditional snack for the occasion.

Oh, and then we did a bit of sunbathing. In February.

crafty

And now the sun is shining and it's incredibly warm and feels a lot like Spring. Strange. We sat on the terrace all day and played and made things.


Like this playdough:



and these pinecone bird-feeders (already half-eaten!):

first snow

So there it is. The very first snow this winter...and it was really only a tease. These photos were taken about a week ago, the snow stayed on the ground for oh, 5 minutes. But it was exciting for Alex just the same.

Christmas 2004

A blast from a Christmas past...


Alex...2 yrs. And so cute I want to eat him up!


and his parents...Mr. and Mrs. Cool.

nature walks

To pass the time, to get out of the house, for fresh air, for exercise, for learning...we go on frequent nature walks. They look a bit like this:


puddle splashing...

singing...

reed bending...

moss feeling and mushroom finding.

Much is stuffed into pockets, and much finds its way under cushions and tucked away into drawers and as food for stuffed animals. I love the slowness of my life with Alex, and watching the different seasons unfold with him.

Our lives clearly go through similar seasons...thriving summers, fading falls, dying winters, and springtime renewals. I can tell you now...without a shadow of a doubt...that I'm in a sort of "winter" at the moment. But with a little "spring" on the side. :-)

edge of the world

More "atmospheric layering"...this time without the sea of fog, but with storm clouds looming over the Alps. This viewpoint for these photos is called "The Edge of the World" in German, and strangely enough, it really feels like it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

-Wishing you health, happiness and lots of inspiration in the coming year. See you in 2007!

alex et l'univers

more above the fog photos

...because I just can't believe it! So cool...just standing above the fog layer in a different world. Doesn't it look like water? Crazy.

above the fog

Er, I really must remember to consider a more interesting pose next time...


just look at this! looking down at a sea of fog....literally! that's our city under there!! and the ahhh-alps in the background.


I really should post more Swiss nature photos, because it really is what's best about this place. The weather of course, is not perfect here...plenty of grey days. The nice thing, however, is that being a mountainous country, there is always a high point to escape to...just above the fog, where the sun is shining and the air is a few degrees warmer. We went up the Bözingenberg here in Bienne today. It's about 15 minutes from where we live. It was nasty and foggy, so we decided to go for a hike and look for some sun. We found it!

last christmas photos

Here are a few photos from the 2nd Christmas celebration at Matthias' family's home near Zurich.


He naturally prefers the plant eaters...


Alex getting a little something from Grandma....


And us, all toned-down and mild-mannered, as we always are in the presence of family here. "Switzerland, where the mild things are.":-)