August 15, 2009
I really enjoy how walkable Zurich is, and am always exploring on foot. I recently discovered that by going only a little bit out of my way, I could get down to the neighborhood shops via some very pretty footpaths.
First, into the forest...
...past the grazing sheep...
...turn right at Bin 24...
... and then back down into the town.
July 20, 2009
I’m still going on about language since I’ve been enjoying some actual progress with my German. I can understand the occasional word and even a phrase or two if they are common ones, plus I can talk even more (although simply). Another motivator is that I truly like German. I find it to be an interesting language with some pretty fun words.
Most of us have heard of the word Schadenfreude. Here are some other great German words and phrases from the book Tingo, which is a collection of unusual words from around the world:
I’m not sure if any of these are used often, but some of them are very handy expressions. Who hasn’t worked with someone who is fisselig?
July 8, 2009
Since I’ve been learning German, I’ve been thinking a lot about language and its relationship with culture. I’ve always enjoyed humor that has fun with words, but of course I mean English words, and I particularly like British humor. German culture doesn’t have the same tradition of comedy, It gets me wondering whether the English language is especially good for humor.
July 5, 2009
Red Currants (Johannisbeeren in German).
Our garden here is overgrown and weedy, but that’s what makes it such a treasure-trove. Right now we have red currants, raspberries, gooseberries, and wild strawberries ripening all over our yard.
Raspberries (Himbeeren in German) on the bush.
Recently we picked about a quart of red currants off our one bush. I made a cake, some syrup, and froze the rest. I’ve also been picking raspberries almost every morning.
A typical morning's bounty.
Raspberry Müesli.
It’s great to have fresh-picked raspberries in our morning cereal. We make our own recipe of Müesli, that typical Swiss breakfast: we just mix together yogurt, dry Müesli cereal or granola, any handy fruit, and a splash of apple juice. I’m having lots of fun with this, and will let you know what I decide to do with the gooseberries.
Gooseberries (Stachelbeeren).
June 4, 2009
This past weekend I got to go on my first European trip, and spent four days in Madrid with Alan. The food was awesome, the sights were wonderful, but my favorite discovery was the Reina Sofia Museum.
The 18th-century (left) and 21st-century (right) buildings of the Reina Sofia Museum.
The Reina Sofia Museum opened in 1986 and is one of the world’s great modern art museums. The original building was a hospital completed in the 18th-century, and in 2005 an additional building by Jean Nouvel opened. These two buildings combine to make a magical art-viewing experience.
The new building is very exciting. The interior courtyard has a high red roof and uses a mixture of glass, matte black, and glossy red materials. The layout separates it from the busy street, and right away you feel like you’re somewhere special and new. The galleries inside are white and simple so the art collection can take center stage, but transitions to each floor have the same feeling of architectural drama. There’s also a terrace on the top which you have to see. The combination of glass, reflection, and height make it both striking and dreamy in the filtered light.
Terrace of the new building.
Joining the new to the old building on each floor are hallways with dark walls, emphasizing the change in architectural styles and making it into a little journey. The 18th-century building also has a courtyard, which is cool and tranquil.
The courtyard in the old building.
The original, older building is filled with eccentric rooms which the curators use in innovative and imaginative ways. In the new building I focused on checking out the art in the permanent collection, but in the new one I was excited to discover a Juan Munoz retrospective. His works were in rooms on two floors, and sometimes in the hallways, in the courtyard, or on the small 3rd-floor terrace.
Enigmatic figures on the 3rd-floor terrace.
Balconies and staircases were subjects featured in his early work, and the retrospective featured two rooms of Munoz’s prints, which you had to climb up a spiral staircase to view on thin, delicate balconies. Another great example of the museum’s presentation is “Many Times”, an installation of 100 figures. Not only are you are allowed to walk among them, which is an eerie and strange experience, but from another room you can also peek through a window to watch the museum-goers among the sculptures.
Juan Munoz: Many Times. 100 gray, same-looking footless fellows. (This is not my photo since photography isn't allowed inside the museum.)
Juan Munoz: Hotel. Munoz's early work often featured balconies, as well as staircases and minarets, and turning outside into inside. (Once again, not one of my photos).
As an expat I loved Juan Munoz’s themes of displacement and the strange mood of dislocation they produced. It’s enjoyable when your personal life resonates with the art you’re viewing, giving you the bonus of a strong emotional connection. And when you’re lucky enough to experience the marriage of an enchanting setting and pieces so thoughtfully displayed, it’s extra rewarding to be an art-lover. If you like contemporary architecture and art, I highly recommend visiting the Reina Sofia Museum and seeing Juan Munoz: Retrospective (through August 31, 2009).
May 13, 2009
Flower-covered field in west Zurich.
Not only does Zurich turn suddenly green in the Springtime, but flowers are everywhere.
The wild strawberries are blossoming.
This is what baerlauch flowers look like.
Not sure what these are, but they're pretty.
Mustard flowers
Besides all this flora, there is fauna too. Birds sing, bugs flit, and since we are near the forest, an occasional fox wanders through our garden. There are also normal-sized snails and larger SnOUSes (Snails Of Unusual Size).
The shell of this species of snail measures 37-47mm (1.5-1.8 inches) wide.
This kind of snail lives 5 years and hibernates during the winter by sealing off its shell. It’s also edible, and is what becomes escargot when cooked. But I let this little guy continue on his way and did not eat him.
May 5, 2009
Wanderweg on the Uetliberg. Spring arrives pretty fast around here.
I’m really enjoying my first Spring in Zurich. Everything burst into bloom so quickly, I’m surprised I didn’t hear popping sounds. First there were bare branches in March, and then by the beginning of April buds began to show up as little dots of green in a sea of gray and brown.
A tree begins to bud in early April.
Now I’m living in a world of green.
Look how green it is by the end of April.
There is still a chance of frost until May 13, and then after that I suppose nature will really get into gear. Wow.
April 21, 2009
Sechseläuten is a spring festival in Zurich. Usually on the third Monday in April, the stores close up after the morning, there are food stalls, a carnival, and finally the guild members parade through town in historical costumes to the burning of the Böögg. The Böögg is sort of the bogeyman of winter in the shape of a snowman on top of a giant bonfire, which is set alight on the stroke of 6:00 PM. For good measure, explosives are added to the Böögg’s head and the time it takes him to explode determines how nice summer will be.
It's noon on the Banhofstrasse and all the stores are closed, but the stalls are open for business.
Nothing is more fun than having a bratwurst for lunch while watching other people work.
It is, of course, a well-built bonfire utilizing Swiss craftsmanship.
A Teuscher Chocolate shop display for the occasion.
The guild members begin to gather for the parade.
This is a wine press from 1631. The guild is Riesbach, a quarter in Zurich.
It was a lot of cheerful fun. The paraders tossed candy and treats to the onlookers, and I myself scored an apple, a cookie, and a squirt of beer. I didn’t get to watch the Böögg burn since I had to get home, but I hear he exploded in a timely fashion and we should have a good summer.
April 15, 2009
I’ve now gotten comfortable enough in Zurich that last week I went into downtown to wander on my own. For the first time I walked all over the place, straying from the streets I knew already and into unfamiliar territory. At one point I did actually get lost; getting myself completely turned around so that no matter how many times I stopped to look at the map, I was not able to regain my sense of direction and find Lowenplatz.
But then here’s what’s so great about Zurich: it’s not huge, so there’s not too much chance of getting very far away from where you were aiming for; plus it’s covered with public transportation. To solve my problem, all I did was find a tram stop and hop on a tram that went to Lowenplatz. How simple!
It’s a relief to discover that I can quickly find my way again if I get a little lost exploring Zurich, since walking here is one of my favorite pastimes. There are beautiful old buildings, sleek modern ones, and even mundane things look different enough to be interesting to me. Here are a few photos from my wanderings:
March 31, 2009
The Uetliberg is Zurich’s mountain. At 2,857 feet high, it’s barely a mountain by Swiss Alpine standards, but it’s a great place to go for a walk. It’s criss-crossed with paths and usually busy with city dwellers exercising or having family outings, and tourists taking in the views.
I went for a walk there myself this morning, and while the weather has been cold and gray, nothing can stop spring from coming.
Young baerlauch (bear's leek), which is a wild garlic. It's starting to sprout like crazy now, and you can smell a pleasant garlicky odor when it's nearby.
There are streams and bridges on many of the trails, which makes you feel like you must be miles away from any city, even though Zurich is just beyond the trees.
Zurich is really just right there through the overcast haze.
The Swiss seem to be a healthy bunch. On my hike up the switchbacks I saw lots of retirement-age folk on what seemed to be their morning walk, plus even a few in full running gear jogging up the mountain. On a less steep path, I passed what looked like a kindergarten outing: 20 kids, cute as can be bundled up in their warm jackets, hats, and gloves.
The novelty of a mountain down the street and the chance to watch the seasons change has me planning to visit the Uetliberg often. I’ll post more pictures as things start really budding and blooming.
