Some of me favorite Swiss blog-chens

I will be in Frankfurt today, sailing down the Rhine in a small pleasure boat, sipping a sparkling and refreshing Riesling while watching the sun set over the financial metropolis of Europe... woops, wait, that is what I wish I were doing in Frankfurt today. Instead, I will be, um, working... yeah... So instead of me going on an on about what it is that I am doing at the moment, with work and all, because I can hear the collective yawns now, I thought I would feature a few Swiss blogs that I am really into at the moment. Enjoy!

Towe and Anders
Great blog with amazing photos of this family's adventures in Lucerne and all around Switzerland and Europe. My mouth waters with every new haute cuisine photo, that they prepare and eat themselves! (Please have me to dinner, please?!) ;) This couple seems like they would be the life of the party, and they throw a few of them as well... visitors are always order of the day over at this blog that shows up as '.' in my feedreader. Besides that small gliche, I love this little blog.

Queso Suizo
Besides the fact that Amanda totally came to me with the idea to have a blogger meetup (it's not too late to sign up to come - we're meeting on the 26th of April!!!), and for that she is completely the bomb, I really enjoy her style of writing and she and her hubby are always out and about. It is completely inspiring to see what a newly arrived expat couple gets up to in the winters of Switzerland. My favorite post thus far is the one about the water park (I am so there as soon as it warms up and I can imagine going swimming), and did you read about their dangerous run in with an avalache?!?! Oh yeah, read it. It's good. Oh and she writes me emails... I love emails. ;)

MyKugelhopf
I have written about Kerrin's blog recently, but I figured I would mention it again. I am in love with the photography, the food, and the fantasy. I want to be a media relations person for the New York chocolate show... I want to be nominated for the best travel blog (vote for Kerrin here)... I want to make crepes! Aw... well, life is too short to be so envious. ;) I guess I will just have to stalk her daily on her blog and live vicariously like many others through her well written and colorful blog posts.

One's to watch:

• Swiss Watching - Read about Jackie and Seth living just outside Lausanne... great photos (can you tell I am a sucker for photo blogs?), and a clever little site keep me coming back (and lurking) on their blog.
  
  
• Phil and Allison's blog - something about the fact that this couple is getting married soon and writing about their adventures draws me in... I remember those days before Jace and I were married... oh the love. I also love seeing what their up to through the photos.
  
  
• Tales of a Young Traveler - a thought provoking blog that talks about love and loss... although I don't read it as often as I should - darm blogs that start with letters at the end of the alphabet, showing up at the bottom of my feed reader - something is always drawing me to the end of the list, checking up on this blog and Young Traveler's progress in overcoming life's obstacles.

Want more?
There is an entire list on the right hand side of this blog. I am also pretty tough when it comes to who is posted there. I generally only post blogs I actually read and enjoy. Also, I have started to use Bloglines just recently. You can see a list of some of the blogs I read here. (Ps. Not all blogs I read are here as I mostly use Sage Feedreader on Firefox at home... so if you don't see your blog here, don't stress... just send me a comment and I will add you to my public bloglines.)

Enjoy! Next time, non-Swiss blogs I love!

Zurich by Mike

I really liked this cartoon, founds on swissinfo.org yesterday - pity I found out about this because the cartoonist passed away at age 52. The cartoonist, Mike van Audenhove, was an American expat that chronicled his life in Zurich through his unique cartoons. Here is an interesting profile of the cartoonist and author. I have seen the "Zürich by Mike" children's books around town actually and always wondered what they were about...now I will definately be picking one up for a read.

Full size cartoon here.

One way to burn off all that chocolate...

Now get your mind out of the gutters in regards to my title -

I mean marathon running of course. Geez. ;)

Jace ran his first marathon over the weekend, and he did great. The race was in Wintertur, 11 km, UPHILL. That is right, the first 8 km were uphill, the 9th through the snow, and the state of the back of his pants makes me think that somewhere in between he and the other participants had a mud fight.

It was really inspiring to see everyone on the finish line, too - especially all the senior citizens, fresh off the run with rosy checks and legs of steel - boy does Switzerland have some fit old men and women in their ranks.

Does it make me want to get out there and run? Um, no, not really. But perhaps it does make me keen for Spring, when the warm weather will beckon me outside again to my own form of fresh air fitness. More than anything, it makes me proud - because Jace had a goal and he achieved it. I think that is wonderful... perhaps it won't get me off my big bum, but it might just inspire me to take on that next hurdle myself - not physically, it's all metaphorically over here...

But one thing is for sure - the more he runs around in those tight pants, the more ideas I get when it comes to ways to burn off all that chocolate, thank you very much. ;)

Put it in your belly: Magenbrot

While at the Fasnacht in Zurich last weekend, I ran across a confectionery that is from Urdorf, and when I saw the familiar pink bag, I just had to stop and grab a treat for the train ride home. Alas, let me introduce you to a delicious street vendor treat, available at almost every chilbi, holiday, or outdoor event - please say hello to the humble Magenbrot.

Now, prior to looking this gem up on Wiki, I could not understand the name because this is not Brot (bread) nor does it have anything to do with your Magen (stomach) - besides perhaps expanding it, as a fine colleague of mine said. So I had no idea why it was called Magenbrot.

Then comes the Wiki definition and it is all intreagingly clear. Translated from the Wiki entry for Magenbrot:

"Magenbrot contains 'stomach friendly' (hence the name) spices such as Cinnamon, Star Annis, Muskat and something called Gewürznelken in German. The dark brown color is due to cocoa and the sweetness was previously from honey but today sugar is used. Magenbrot is a specialty from Switzerland, where it was earlier called "Kräuterbrot" (herb bread), before it was jazzed up with chocolate."

These little nuggets of dense, chocolaty, gingerbread like cake are absolutely delicious. I highly recommend that you buy a bag, go for the 500 grams you risk taker you, you only live once, and enjoy them thoroughly. I know I do and will for some time to come.

Fasnacht Zürich 2009

As promised, here are the faces of the Zürich Fasnacht. To be honest, I literally bumped into the Fasnacht and decided to stay for the show on Sunday afternoon. The parade was really good - less about the floats in comparison to Urdorf and more about the masks and the bands. And shockingly, it was way smaller than the Urdorf Fasnacht- Urdorf had over 50 entrants, whereas Zurich had a meager 21.

To start, the similarities with Urdorf: the parade started with a group of men carrying big bells (where do I sign up, or rather pump up, for that for next year?!), followed by awesome masks, great Gugge bands and confetti. Lots and lots of confetti. The difference: Zurich's Umzug featured the cultural mix of the big city. Lots of entries from Southern American countries were present, and boy could they dance, in heels, all day long. It was something to see those booties shaking. I am still green with envy. Take me to the Salsa Boat...

I felt like the masked crusaders in Zurich were a little darker, a little more braven, a lot more cheeky than Urdorf - but perhaps the hassling I got had more to do with me being alone on the street, pointing my camera in everyone's direction and asking for attention myself - so it is probably my own fault.

Regardless, it was great to get a double dose of the parade, giving me even greater reason to ask for Fasnacht Monday off next year to make the midnight pilgrimage to Basel... 2010 Basel here I come.

Want more? Here is another, even better write-up from Kerrin on my new favorite Swiss (awarding winning travel!) blog, MyKugelhopf. Enjoy!

Tomorrow - a favorite Swiss treat found on the streets during Fasnacht - and no, it doesn't include confetti.

Urdorf Fasnacht 2009

Saturday was awesome. Not only was the weather delightful - sunny and warm (um, yes, 45F is now officially warm) but it was also the perfect day to celebrate Fasnacht in our little dorf. I have been looking forward to checking out the festivities in Switzerland after celebrating in Cologne, Germany more than 10 years go (jeez, I am old...), and they did not disappoint one bit. I will preface my comments on the Urdof Fasnacht by saying that in the end I did not make it to Basel - not out of lack of desire of laziness, then again, a girl does need her beauty rest - but rather because after having seen the Urdorf AND Zurich parades, I was officially Fasnacht'd out. More on Zurich tomorrow. So while I didn't see the most famous Fasnacht of them all, I nevertheless feel that I got a taste of the celebration right here at home - and Urdof was better than Zurich... that's all I'll say for now, more throughout the week.

There are a few guarantees, I have learned, when it comes to Fasnacht.

1) People really love it. Everyone gets all dressed up and puts the face paint on (or chicken hats), and the Halloween costumes come out of hiding for the kids. Adults have been working on their costumes all year, the Gugge bands have been rehearsing to perfection, adults take the Monday off to recover, and everyone is pumped for the big day! It is an awesome atmosphere.

2) The first, and my favorite, is all the amazing masks. There is a man, with a little hut, and a few carving tools, and a great sense of humor, of course, somewhere high up in the Alps (I imagine) chiseling away at block after block of delicate wood, he probably only had one leg, but that doesn't stop him from creating some of the most charming and/or alarming characters imaginable. And they all make their appearances at Fasnacht, but he doesn't want any credit. The laughter of the children is all he needs. Oh, if only I could meet that man.


Perhaps it is just me, but it is hard, after awhile, to remember that these are masks and that the big shiny, happy face smiling at you is not real. They are just such lovable creatures. I am pinching their cheeks in my mind. If I could, I would like to have a small hoarde of these in my closet and wear them around when I am not in the mood to put on a smile. Just 'put on a happy face' and it can be Fasnacht everyday. Ooh you are just so cute.


3) With the masks, or perhaps with a bit too much drinky drink, these characters are cheeky bastards... ok, let me back up. My research shows that the role of these masked demons is primarily to go around and pass out candy and interact with the parade goers. While some are kind and happily hand out candy to the little ones, some are just darn right mean. They taunt and tease the kids, throwing handfulls of newspaper that scatter when they hit the ground, sending the kids running into the street for candy, only to be greeted by a puddle of confetti... mean.... and moreover, some grown men will come and throw confetti down your shirt and rub handfuls of confetti through your hair. There are no boundries on Fasnacht day. Be prepared... and don't stand next to a group of pretty young thangs because they are just easy targets.

4) There is confetti everywhere... floats are launching it using pressurized guns, kids are throwing it (...and then scooping it back up and throwing it again), masked creatures are propelling it... and just when you think that it is NOT HUMANLY POSSIBLE to create any more confetti because all of the world's supply MUST be in YOUR HAIR and down YOUR SHIRT and in crevises not generally reachable by one's self... more confetti appears and threatens to choke you out. FASNACHT = CONFETTI. It is EVERYWHERE... and still is days later.

5) The floats are pretty darn creative. I have heard that the bigger cities are more politically oriented when it comes to the floats, I know Cologne was. But Urdorf and Zurich were pretty low key - more culturally focused than politically. It was really inspring to see some of the clever designs they had. This one below was a medieval float with rock bean bags that they catapulted overboard.

This was also a favorite, the Gugge Elivs Squad. Clever, clever. And one of the most popular reality shows in Switzerland, Bauer ledig, sucht..., sponsored a few floats. And lordy, one can only guess why some of those tractor driving hotties have trouble finding a wife. Lordy, lordy... ;)
Some floats gave away drinks, some candy, some propoganda, but it all had such a community focus and feel. It was really wholesome. I went home and baked 14 apple pies just to spread a bit of the love around. Ok, so I did not really bake any pies, but I did make a cake today, does that count?

5) The Gugge music is really jamming. I got into it in a big way. The head was bobbing, I was showing off my German music knowledge, and I couldn't get enough of the bands. Some people cannot stand the Gugge, but I think it is a gem of Swiss culture. Give me Gugge.



Oh, and finally, it would seem that it wouldn't be a Swiss Fasnacht if the event did not start with a big cow bell - or better yet a dozen heavy cow bells - laboriously shuffled through the streets. The klang is both deafening and jarring. I loved it.

Obviously, 10 Punkte for Urdorf's Fasnacht... I loved all the elements, and especially the fact that it all took place in my backyard. I am in for next year... perhaps I can volunteer to wear the bells... ;) Zurich Fasnacht's up next...
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