Hiking Around Mürren

Last weekend Adam’s friend Kyle was visiting us and wanted to go on an adventure. We had spent Friday bumming around Zurich, indulging in the unseasonably stellar weather and frequenting some of our favorite spots. On Saturday we walked around Bern dodging rain and grabbing beers with a few friends. But, Sunday we knew we wanted to get out and go for a long walk. It only made sense to go to the tallest mountains in Switzerland, which are only an hour and half away by train.

 

 

 

We took the train to Lauterbrunnen and caught the cable car up to Grütschalp (by the way, the higher you go into the mountains the more you’ll find words with less vowels and those that do remain probably have an umlaut. Pronunciation becomes extremely comical). From Grütschalp you can take several routes leading to Mürren, as well as other Bernese Oberland towns. We stuck with the flattest, which also offered unparalleled views.

 

 

 

It’s an extremely easy walk and took us about 2 hours, though we did break pretty frequently for photos. Most everyone suggests walking in this direction (as opposed to walking from Mürren) because the largest of the Alps stay in front of you. Specifically, we are interested in the Jungfrau (13,642 ft), Mönch (13,448 ft) and Eiger (13,025 ft) mountains, the three tallest in Switzerland.

^^still working on that closed-mouth smile…

Once we arrived in Mürren it was clear that we had reached the Alpine village of our dreams: old chalets with window boxes dripping with gorgeous, vibrant flowers and tiny paths that connected all the homes and restaurants together. It seems so obvious that this is such a popular destination for hiking during the summer and skiing during the winter. No cars are allowed in the village so it has a very peaceful and easy feel to it.

After watching paragliders zip through the valley (as someone who is afraid of heights I literally cannot image the simultaneous terror and exhilaration of paragliding in that setting) we took the cable car to Schiltorn, one of the highest lookout points in the area at 9,740 feet. On the way, there is a brief stop at Birg where you can take a few pictures and wait for the next cable car up. They have a sky walk lookout point that was fun for everyone but me. I make it a rule not to stand on metal grates pretty much anywhere, sidewalks included, and this vista proved no exception. The fellas had a nice time though.

^^Phil, being a nut

Arriving at Schiltorn, we were treated to a stunning view. I can’t believe how fortunate we were to have such clear skies, especially given that Bern was shrouded in fog when we left. It’s proof enough to me that you just have to get out and explore and hope for the best.

Man! What a good day. I can’t wait for more visitors so we can take them here. It might just be one of my favorite places in the country.

Hike Up Mount Pilatus

Last weekend Adam, Phil and I hiked halfway up Pilatus, a beautiful mountain that sits on Lake Lucerne. With fall weekends being so unpredictable it seemed silly not to take advantage of the ideal weather we’ve been having lately.

Adam and Phil had a pretty idea where we were going. The plan was to start at Hergiswil, one of the base towns, hike about halfway up and then take the cogwheel train (the steepest in the world!) and cable car to the top. We settled on an easier route, two mountain men out of a total four, one that would take us about 3 hours to complete.

 

I shudder to think of what a level three, or even four!, would be because this route was tough. It was very steep, and though not dangerous by any means, it had us all panting and seeking a shady spot in which to recover. In short, it exceeded our fitness expectations but turned out to be a wonderful climb with beautiful views (once the fog burned off).

 

 

 

 

After three hours traveling through various pastures, woods and barely marked paths we saw an Alpine restaurant in the distance, convinced we had made it to our destination. Upon closer investigation it turned out to be about 45 minutes away from where we were headed, but ended up as our final stop anyway. What we didn’t know before we set off is that the cable car from Fräkmüntegg to the Pilatus Kulm is closed until next spring. They are in the midst of building an incredible new cable way and we won’t have a chance to experience it until April 2015.

 

 

Given how tired we were, we were content grabbing lunch at Alpgschwänd and taking in the views. Making it above the cloud line before lunch is not a bad feat.

What are you up to this weekend? The weather looks beautiful tomorrow so we’re thinking about taking a day trip to a nearby city or maybe even trying another hike. Fall can be very unpredictable around here so we’re taking advantage of the favorable conditions.

Also, does anyone participate in the New York Times wine school? Last month was Chianti Classico (we’re a bit behind on our homework) and I’m hoping to pair our bottle with lamb and a wild mushroom risotto. Sounds like dinner this weekend has been organized…

 

A Year Here (and 500 posts)

It’s hard not to be reflective when you pass major milestones, especially when the establishment of such markers is so fresh. I wonder if I’ll feel as prone to reflecting on our move to Bern after we’ve lived here for ten years, or even fifteen.

That was a joke for the benefit of our families. I’m not in a position to make promises, but I’m pretty sure we won’t be here that long.

We’ve been in Bern, Switzerland for just over a year and it’s been an exceptionally rewarding experience. The timing of it almost perfectly parallels our first year of marriage and I can’t help but conclude that the wonder and intensity that we’re experienced over the last 377 days are an amalgamation of those coinciding experiences. Both are life-altering on their own, but when combined the sensation can be overwhelming at times.

I’ve collected a few (read: over 50) images that create a brief, if non-coherent, picture of what the last year has looked like, both in Bern and abroad. Many of the images are repeats, but some are fresh. They aren’t all my favorite pictures, but I think they’re interesting and expressive of our experiences. To see the rest of them and to enjoy a recap of our last year, click below…

Holiday Hike

 

Last Friday was a Swiss national holiday, Confederation Day, and we took the opportunity to meet up with new friends and go for a hike in the Bernese Middle Land. It was cool and foggy in the mountains, but there were many other folks on the train, along with these contented cows.

Adam and I made a goal at the beginning of summer that we would take more trips like this throughout the warmer months, but unfortunately we haven’t made good on that promise to ourselves. Between poor weather, fun visitors and general intrusions by Life, this was one of our first real hikes of the season.

 

 

 

 

I want to say that I hope we’ll get out on more hikes this year but I honestly don’t know if it will happen. We’ve got a couple weekends at home in the States in August and will be away for much of September on our honeymoon, the two months in which good weather can reliably be counted on. What luck!

 

 

 

Artist: Cindy Sherman

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Tuesday I went to Zurich for the day because I had a free day-ticket and Adam was having a training there. We agreed to meet up for dinner at our favorite pizza place, but before that I shopped the sales and walked around as much as I could given the pouring rain. While on the tram I saw a poster for the current exhibit at the Kunsthaus Zurich, Cindy Sherman–Untitled Horrors and made it a special stop for the afternoon.

If you’re not familiar with Cindy Sherman, here’s a brief primer: Born in New Jersey but raised in Long Island, Sherman is one of America’s preeminent contemporary artists. She is both a film director and a photographer, and is well known for her role as challenging representations of women in mass culture and media. Her portraits are probably her best known work, yet many people don’t realize that she is her only model. In fact, she does the styling, make-up, costumes, direction, and shooting for all her productions. It’s incredible when you look through her entire oeuvre and see the magnificent transformations her body and facial expressions undergo.

The current collection at the Zurich Kunsthaus is a special collaboration between the art houses in Zurich, Oslo and Stockholm. It features the most grotesque and horrifying works from all her of series and truly is a disturbing selection. I was there alone but I wished desperately for a companion to help me dissect and discern so many of the worrying images.

This particular collaboration, like many others, encourages viewers to question traditional gender roles and fundamental issues of human existence. What does it mean to be beautiful? At what age are we no longer considered young? Why is sex glorified? Why do body parts, taken out of context, horrify us?

It was one of the more thought provoking art experiences I’ve had, although I truly wish I had had someone with me to (attempt to) unpack it all. There’s a companion catalogue published in conjunction with the exhibit, which you can purchase here if you’re interested. I sat with it for quite a while, transfixed by close-ups of all the photos. There’s no real art criticism in the book, rather there are original pieces by contemporary authors such as Miranda July and Lars Norén. Sherman doesn’t find much at favor in art criticism, considering it to be trite and a misrepresentation of her work.

As I recounted the exhibit to Adam over dinner I couldn’t help but feel squirmy and uncomfortable yet again. I love how art can have such a visceral effect on us, much like books do, at least for me. Art doesn’t have to “mean” anything, but I do believe it should make you feel something. Appreciation, confusion, anger, disgust, joy, warmth, what have you. If it stirs emotion within, then I think it’s a success.

Have you ever seen anything by Cindy Sherman? She’s been at MoMA several times and regularly has traveling shows. Her work is truly incredible. If you’re in Zurich, the exhibition lasts until September 14th. I didn’t include the truly gruesome images because this is a family-friendly space, but if you’re interested, I’d encourage you to dig around a bit and let me know what your impressions are.

“I think people are more apt to believe photographs, especially if it’s something fantastic. They’re willing to be more gullible. Sometimes they want fantasy. Even if they know it’s fake they can believe anything. People are accustomed to being told what to believe in.” –Cindy Sherman, BOMB Magazine, Spring 1985

(image 1 // image 2 // image 3 // image 4 // image 5 // image 6)

Sisters in der Schweiz

I recently read that planning and anticipating a trip can provide more satisfaction than the trip itself. Before the trip occurs there are no disappointments that a highly anticipated meal turned out to actually be quite bland or that a beach everyone was hoping to lounge at is suddenly closed for a massive clean up. No one has snapped at anyone (yet) and the haunting feeling that your inbox is reaching maximum capacity hasn’t slowly started to ruin your vacation. It’s a compelling argument for the power of our imagination and expectations.

Thankfully, blessedly, now that my sister and brother-in-law are blissfully traipsing through Paris on their own for the remainder of the week, I can safely say that our few days in Switzerland and the week we spent in Greece both lived up to and exceeded all our expectations. It was, in short, one of the best vacations of my life.

My sister and I are wildly close despite differing personalities and such concentrated time together does wonders for our soul, especially since we live so far away from one another. That’s not to say every moment was perfect, because of course it wasn’t. We’re sisters so we bicker and poke fun and get mildly annoyed and then move on. It’s what we do. But, getting to sing songs (that we made up, or chose to sing atonally for the benefit of no one but ourselves) and shriek in laughter and share what’s new and just take in stunning sunsets and plenty of beers comprised most of the time we spent together, and like I said, it was good for my heart.

As was getting to spend time with Courtney and Jared as a couple and as individuals. I loved getting to know them more and getting to share what our day-to-day looks like around here. I remember when we first moved here I defined so many places in terms of whether or not I would want to share them with my family and it was fun to finally be able to do that, almost a year later.

Below is the beginning of what will be a week of massive photo dumps. There are so. many. pictures from the past ten days and I hope you enjoy getting a little idea of the shenanigans that went on around these parts. I won’t share everything with you because I’m a lady and because I understand that sharing a million pictures of us all laughing at an inside joke just doesn’t translate well, but here are at least a few fun moments from our time in Switzerland. More on Greece to come later!

A hike un the Gurten was the perfect way for these kids to snap out of jet lag (and nearly crippling allergies).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

^^poppin bottles, as usual

^^back in Lucerne with the swans!

On Friday Courtney, Jared and I spent the day in Lucerne. This is the third time I’ve been to the charming, idyllic city, but honestly, it never gets old. I saw a lot of familiar sites but also had a chance to do something new, explore the old city wall. It was fun to be able to show them the places I saw with Mom and Dad, as well as enjoy some quiet time by the river with our books and couple of beers.

^^they’re pretty much always holding hands ::swoon::

^^Friday night dinner at Klosterli Wine Cafe–one of my favorite meals in Bern (get the tartare and entrecôte). We had an amazing meal on their patio (not on someone’s roof, as it looks) to celebrate the start of everyone’s vacation.

Saturday was for brunching, riding bikes, beers and bocce ball at the Rosengarten. We had a few tasty brews at Barbière, our favorite neighborhood spot, and then relaxed at the park for the remainder of the afternoon. We had dinner at Lötschberg, a fun place for traditional Swiss food in a non-stuffy atmosphere. We furiously packed for our early flight the next day and closed the night with about an hour and a half of Jimmy Fallon clips on YouTube. The stuff that dreams are made of, as far as we’re concerned.

 

 

Practice Snaps

Last week I spent some time getting to know my camera a little better. The only thing that disappointed me about this exercise is that I waited so long to do it. I watched a few online videos that are perfect for the novice photographer as they are certainly not mind blowing in terms of content. But, I learned a lot of about adjusting aperture, ISO, shutter speed and white balance and the experience has left me feeling more confident and capable with my camera.

I took a few practice shots at the Rosengarten, which you’ve seen quite a bit of on both this blog and my Instagram. As if the overwhelming number of pictures taken there isn’t confirmation enough, let it be known that we spend a lot of time there. It’s literally directly across the street from our apartment and makes for a great place to hold picnics, happy hours, date nights and casual afternoon bocce ball tournaments. It is home to 220 types of roses, 200 species of irises and moor beds and contains at least 20 different types of rhododendrons. Azaleas, crocuses, daffodils, flowering trees and many other flora and fauna can also be found there (along with a very cool capoeira club that spends a lot of time “free-styling”).

To note, I have a Canon EOS Rebel t41 and have been shooting with a Canon EF-S 18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens. I also have a 50 mm lens that shoots great close-ups and detail shots. If you have any suggestions or tips I would love to hear them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Engagement Anniversary, Adam!

Adam proposed on the bench right behind us–this was taken by a grumpy passerby a few minutes afterward : )

 

Well, we’ll just celebrate anything, huh? You bet! I love celebrating. I love surprises. And I love my husband. This weekend honors all three.

One year ago today I was staring dumbfounded at the Departures screen in Newark airport, looking for a flight to Portland that didn’t exist. Everyone asks if I knew Adam was going to propose when he took out my passport and said we were flying to Zurich rather than Portland like I thought. In that moment I was too shocked to think much farther than the fact that I would enjoy La Stanza coffee and a New Point kebab much sooner than I had ever dreamed. But, flying across the ocean I think I had some idea that, yes, perhaps he would ask. This would certainly be the time and the trip.

I can’t believe how much has changed since Adam proposed–exactly one year ago tomorrow. It’s nutty to think that only a year ago I was still planning on a life in Charleston, hopefully with a job in publishing or magazines, and weekend trips to the beach with our best buds. I miss Charleston and all our life there entailed, but I’m so happy to be here with Adam pursuing our passions and interests. Cheers, my dears.

What are you up to this weekend? We will be sipping champagne at some point and I hope we get to spend some time outdoors as it looks like the rain has cleared for at least a few days.

If you have one, do you celebrate your engagement anniversary? Do you think it’s cheesy? My life is basically one big cheeseball so I’m more than happy to indulge in these fluffy celebrations, but I know some people don’t see the point or necessity. I’m currently reading The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion and the sudden loss of her husband has thrown my own marriage into sharper relief. As Adam and I approach our one year anniversary next month I can only hope for a long life together, much like the one Joan had with her husband. It wasn’t always easy of course, but to read of her longing to simply share one minute piece of her day with her husband reminds me of the importance of acknowledging how fortunate I am to have a committed husband by my side every day. It is with that same spirit that I will glad toast to Adam on any and every anniversary.

No links this week, but I will leave you with a sweet song that we’ve been listening to a lot as we wedding plan. Happy weekend!

 

More Balcony Progress

Back to the balcony, folks. It just feels so good to get out there and be primitive with the dirt (even if I madly sweep up after I’m finished and put all refuse in the compost–very, very Swiss). Unfortunately my Heavenly Blue plants contracted (or maybe started out with) a fiercely aggressive virus that turned them a depressing shade of black, made all the more so by the contrast between its surly shade and the gorgeous vibrant blue of the buds. Into the compost it went.

Similarly, the pansies on either side of the balcony were so pretty right after planting, but soon they just depressed me. I could never see the flowers because the stiff leaves grew at an alarmingly faster pace and each bud died so quickly! They, too, needed to surrender to the depths of the compost heap.

Here we were the last week of March:

(I have to pause to mourn the loss of the big tree with the all the white flowers in the background of this photo. One day it was completely demolished and shredded into wood chips. It’s saddening because it was such a big tree, but mostly because it provided a nice barrier between us and the apartment across the grassy knoll and now we have basically no privacy.)

Now enter, the humble geranium.

(check out the replacement tree in the background–what a shrimp!)

Geraniums are insanely hardy and come in the most vibrant, saturated shades. The clouds outside are basically one giant diffuser, but you can really see the depth of color we are working with here. I think they’re gorgeous.

This genus, Pelargonium, is very low maintenance and simply wants regularly watering and full sun. And, they are a prototypical Swiss flower, to boot! Every chalet has window boxes stuffed to the max with these sturdy guys, and even in the cities you will find them everywhere. It feels good to fit in sometimes.

I picked up these flowers at the farmers market when I should have been buying herbs, but I couldn’t just pass these beauties by. I mean, what am I, some kind of monster?! (note: who am I, really? I never would have found myself saying that only a couple years ago) I brought home six plants and they’ve sat on the floor of the balcony for a couple weeks waiting for their time to shine. If properly cared for (ahem) they should last in the planters through the late summer.

Be your brilliant selves!

 

 

 

For those concerned, the rosemary is doing very well. I was afraid that the container was too big, but my dad assured me that this dude would take off. So far, it has. Just look at it a few weeks ago:

It sits on the corner (obviously) so it gets tons of sun and was drinking like crazy last week when it rained nonstop. I think all that nourishment really helped.

The lavender plant is likewise loving it here. But, no buds to speak of… With hindsight I realize I should have bought a more mature plant, but the delicious heady scent is still there if you dig your nose down deep enough. For comparison’s sake, here she is right after planting:

 

Finally, more herbs! So happy to have these friends around because I know they will be so useful. Nothing helps transform a dish like fresh herbs and cheese, and the basil, thyme, and parsley plants can help me with at least one of those tricks. I love how clean they look in the planter.

Basil grows like a weed so perhaps it could use its own container, but for now I like it grouped with its buddies.

Olive tree is still kickin’ it. Livin’ life and lovin’ the sun. Hopefully we’ll get to do some harvesting in the next three to five years…

I really did have a good time in the “garden” on Tuesday. A little CHVRCHES and warmer temperatures made for an ideal early afternoon.

What’s growing in your garden? Any fresh flowers to speak of?

 

 

 

An Interview + A Bonus Video

Two weeks ago I was interviewed by a friend of mine who works for the local news website, SwissInfo. The website covers national Swiss news, but is geared toward people who live outside of the country and are interested in learning more about local politics and culture. It’s a great resource for people who are interested in moving to the country or who have significant ties to the area.

When my friend contacted me I thought I would just be listening in on an interview but as the microphone sat perched between the three of us I quickly realized that I, too, would be queried and expected to provide thoughtful responses. Her podcast was on immigration and the process of moving here and setting up in a foreign country, which is, of course, something I know a little bit about. She has since turned part of that interview into a podcast, which you can listen to here. She will also be using our interview to put together a separate article on trailing spouses trying to find work in the country, and I will be sure to pass that along to you when it comes out.

My part is mostly at the beginning of the fifteen-minute podcast and two things immediately come to mind when listening to the interview as a whole: 1.) I don’t sound nearly as squeaky as I feared I would, and 2.) being an immigrant is destabilizing. To be fair, I really don’t think of myself as an immigrant, though I suppose that’s technically what I am. The other groups represented in the interview hail from far more exotic locales than safe, stable USA and it’s hard to imagine how different our circumstances are. While I do feel we suffer from a bit of discrimination due to our lack of language skills and obvious un-Swissness, I understand that it pales in comparison to other people’s experiences, especially in a xenophobic country like Switzerland.

It’s an interesting podcast and worth a listen if you’ve ever wondered about moving abroad or are interested to hear a few personal testimonies. Also, if you’re at all curious to learn what my voice sounds like, then here’s your chance : )

And just for fun on a Monday, have you seen this video?! It’s incredible! I don’t know a thing about racing cars, but this video of the difference between pit stops 60 years ago and today blew my tiny mind. Enjoy!