Overheard last week in Zurich:
Happy Turkey Day!
It's Turkey Day?
I mean Happy Thanksgiving.
Oh, I thought you meant it was Turkey's (country) national holiday.
Yep, we're not in the U.S. any more. Further evidence included the fact that I worked on Thanksgiving, Chloe had school on Thanksgiving and stores here moved straight from Halloween merchandise to Christmas.
But we celebrated anyway in our own way on Friday by inviting our friends over (one family of 6 and a friend of theirs, and our single guy friend) and eating all the old standbys. It actually felt exactly like Thanksgiving when we all piled into the house, toys were flying by, kids were in every room, food was everywhere and there was barely enough room at the table for all the people and food. Chloe went to bed at 10 p.m. if that is an indication of the good time we were having.
Oh, and tonight is all about leftovers...so frankly, it feels just like home.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Holiday Tourists
This week, I made two visits to the Swiss Embassy to get a work visa since I'm spending so much time there. The easiest way to get there was the 414 bus - and online, it said it was a 40 minute ride. That didn't sound too bad - I thought I'd end up reading the entire way. But within seconds, I was car sick, so started watching out the window. And frankly, it was a lovely trip.
I passed the history museum with a winter ice rink and merry go round out side. I passed the Victoria Albert museum with holiday decorations outside. I passed Harrod's, and felt like a child, enthralled by its lights that made the huge building look like it glittered. I passed Hyde Park, where they are holding a Winter Wonderland. I passed the huge arch in the middle of the city (can't remember its name!) and then Marble Arch. It got me so excited again that I live here, so on the way back, I got off at Harrod's and walked around for a few minutes - and the effect is dizzying. I hadn't been in Harrod's yet - amazingly - and I can't wait to go back when I have a day to get lost!
The next day, I had to take a different bus back from the embassy, to head to the office, and it took me down Oxford and Regent Street. Again, the lights, the stores, the people - it was fantastic.
So, this weekend, we scrapped plans to go to the National Gallery Museum (it was too nice a day anyway!), and we headed to Oxford Street. Chloe is doing a little play at school soon, and is a duck, so needed some specific clothes. We shopped - along with a million other people - our way along Oxford, had a wonderful lunch in the middle of it all, walked through Mayfair (likely the poorest people there!) and ended up home late in the afternoon exhausted from being holiday tourists. It's a lot of work!
But, we're not done yet. I have an extensive list of holiday activities to get in before we head back the states - a visit to the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, a visit to Covent Garden for reindeer petting, ice skating in one of the many places around (once Chloe's new double-bladed skates are delivered)...
But first, we are going to celebrate Thanksgiving on Friday with some friends. The turkey is ordered, the ingredients for the sides are purchased and we hope to overeat - American style.
I passed the history museum with a winter ice rink and merry go round out side. I passed the Victoria Albert museum with holiday decorations outside. I passed Harrod's, and felt like a child, enthralled by its lights that made the huge building look like it glittered. I passed Hyde Park, where they are holding a Winter Wonderland. I passed the huge arch in the middle of the city (can't remember its name!) and then Marble Arch. It got me so excited again that I live here, so on the way back, I got off at Harrod's and walked around for a few minutes - and the effect is dizzying. I hadn't been in Harrod's yet - amazingly - and I can't wait to go back when I have a day to get lost!
The next day, I had to take a different bus back from the embassy, to head to the office, and it took me down Oxford and Regent Street. Again, the lights, the stores, the people - it was fantastic.
So, this weekend, we scrapped plans to go to the National Gallery Museum (it was too nice a day anyway!), and we headed to Oxford Street. Chloe is doing a little play at school soon, and is a duck, so needed some specific clothes. We shopped - along with a million other people - our way along Oxford, had a wonderful lunch in the middle of it all, walked through Mayfair (likely the poorest people there!) and ended up home late in the afternoon exhausted from being holiday tourists. It's a lot of work!
But, we're not done yet. I have an extensive list of holiday activities to get in before we head back the states - a visit to the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, a visit to Covent Garden for reindeer petting, ice skating in one of the many places around (once Chloe's new double-bladed skates are delivered)...
But first, we are going to celebrate Thanksgiving on Friday with some friends. The turkey is ordered, the ingredients for the sides are purchased and we hope to overeat - American style.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Zurich
Since I spend about half of my working hours in Zurich, we thought it was a good idea to bring the family for a weekend and see this little city up close. The truth is, during the last five months, I have seen little more than the office building, two hotels and a number of very nice restaurants with very beautiful views (but that I'm usually too tired to enjoy). So, it seemed like time.
I got here on Thursday to do two days of work, and then Mike brought both kids on the plane to meet me. That's right - I said Mike brought both kids on the plane (Rowan on his lap for goodness sake). And, while I had already lugged our huge suitcase and one stroller with me, it was not an easy feat. The morning before he got on the plane, I got an email saying, "remind me that I can do this!"
But he did, and he did it with great patience. When they arrived everyone was happy and the kids proceeded to spend an hour putting on a "light show" with the many light switches in reach from the bed.
Saturday, we had a perfect day. We headed early to the Dolder Sport Complex up in the hills to ice skate. This was the first time Chloe had ever ice skated, and the rink had little double bladed skates that hooked right to her boots. We got to the edge of the ice, and I lifted her to set her on the ice...and she refused to put her feet down. I thought that might be the end of it, but instead let her sit on the edge and set her feet on the ice and she was up immediatly. It probably took us 25 minutes to get around the first time, and then, she refused to hold my hand and shimmied her little way around the second time with barely any help. They had little polar bears that had handles and I could pull, while she held on. She wasn't as into that, because frankly she just wanted to skate alone. Sometimes she would give me both hands so we could "go fast" and I'd do my best to move us quickly without falling on our heads! Even Rowan gave it a try - we let him hold onto the polar bear and walk around on the ice in his little boots. It was such a great time - skating around for almost two hours, with beautiful trees in the background, thinking about the fact that Chloe (and Rowan for that matter!) can say the first time she (he) ice skated was in Switzerland.
From there, we walked up this huge hill (stopping first to climb up a huge rock) and found a very Swiss little restaurant called the Adlisberg. It was in the middle of cow fields, with a horse stable next door. We had a wonderful meal, a nice glass of wine and two cooperative kids. After visiting with the horses for a long time, we walked back down, caught the adorable little train back down the hill, and then roamed around little cobble streets where Chloe actually passed out in her stroller...so we headed to the main shopping area Bahnoffstrasse, and while Rowan was content and Chloe was asleep we just walked around and talked. It was lovely.
We got to the lake as Chloe woke up, played in a big square for awhile, and then roamed a bit more, before catching the tram back to the area with our hotel. We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant (funny, since we were in Zurich) and then Chloe and I went swimming in the 32nd floor infinity pool of the hotel. It was beautiful, the view was amazing and we had a great time. One of the best moments of the day for me is when the spa attendant brough in a tray of cups of orange juice. You would have thought she brought Chloe a pile of chocolate she was so happy. In fact, with no prompting, she toasted me, holding up her cup with both hands and saying, "cheers mommy." I almost died with love.
Sunday, we had the great pleasure of going to our friends' house outside of Zurich for lunch. They let the kids run wild while their 7-year-old daughter took total care of them and was thrilled to do so. We had a nice meal, and then headed to the lake to feed the ducks. We walked around their little village, and then back to the house, where Rowan took a nap, Chloe watched some TV and at one point, Mike was actually able to sit out on the terrace with his friend, have a beer and look at the sun shining on the lake. Something he deserved after all the work he'd put into getting himself and the kids there!
What did this weekend teach me? A few things - first, Zurich is very pretty. It isn't a crazy tourist place, but it is all about simple beauty. Second, my kids are incredible and patient travelers. Third, my husband is a saint.
Oh, and most importantly, happy anniversary Mike! You gave me a great gift this weekend.
I got here on Thursday to do two days of work, and then Mike brought both kids on the plane to meet me. That's right - I said Mike brought both kids on the plane (Rowan on his lap for goodness sake). And, while I had already lugged our huge suitcase and one stroller with me, it was not an easy feat. The morning before he got on the plane, I got an email saying, "remind me that I can do this!"
But he did, and he did it with great patience. When they arrived everyone was happy and the kids proceeded to spend an hour putting on a "light show" with the many light switches in reach from the bed.
Saturday, we had a perfect day. We headed early to the Dolder Sport Complex up in the hills to ice skate. This was the first time Chloe had ever ice skated, and the rink had little double bladed skates that hooked right to her boots. We got to the edge of the ice, and I lifted her to set her on the ice...and she refused to put her feet down. I thought that might be the end of it, but instead let her sit on the edge and set her feet on the ice and she was up immediatly. It probably took us 25 minutes to get around the first time, and then, she refused to hold my hand and shimmied her little way around the second time with barely any help. They had little polar bears that had handles and I could pull, while she held on. She wasn't as into that, because frankly she just wanted to skate alone. Sometimes she would give me both hands so we could "go fast" and I'd do my best to move us quickly without falling on our heads! Even Rowan gave it a try - we let him hold onto the polar bear and walk around on the ice in his little boots. It was such a great time - skating around for almost two hours, with beautiful trees in the background, thinking about the fact that Chloe (and Rowan for that matter!) can say the first time she (he) ice skated was in Switzerland.
From there, we walked up this huge hill (stopping first to climb up a huge rock) and found a very Swiss little restaurant called the Adlisberg. It was in the middle of cow fields, with a horse stable next door. We had a wonderful meal, a nice glass of wine and two cooperative kids. After visiting with the horses for a long time, we walked back down, caught the adorable little train back down the hill, and then roamed around little cobble streets where Chloe actually passed out in her stroller...so we headed to the main shopping area Bahnoffstrasse, and while Rowan was content and Chloe was asleep we just walked around and talked. It was lovely.
We got to the lake as Chloe woke up, played in a big square for awhile, and then roamed a bit more, before catching the tram back to the area with our hotel. We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant (funny, since we were in Zurich) and then Chloe and I went swimming in the 32nd floor infinity pool of the hotel. It was beautiful, the view was amazing and we had a great time. One of the best moments of the day for me is when the spa attendant brough in a tray of cups of orange juice. You would have thought she brought Chloe a pile of chocolate she was so happy. In fact, with no prompting, she toasted me, holding up her cup with both hands and saying, "cheers mommy." I almost died with love.
Sunday, we had the great pleasure of going to our friends' house outside of Zurich for lunch. They let the kids run wild while their 7-year-old daughter took total care of them and was thrilled to do so. We had a nice meal, and then headed to the lake to feed the ducks. We walked around their little village, and then back to the house, where Rowan took a nap, Chloe watched some TV and at one point, Mike was actually able to sit out on the terrace with his friend, have a beer and look at the sun shining on the lake. Something he deserved after all the work he'd put into getting himself and the kids there!
What did this weekend teach me? A few things - first, Zurich is very pretty. It isn't a crazy tourist place, but it is all about simple beauty. Second, my kids are incredible and patient travelers. Third, my husband is a saint.
Oh, and most importantly, happy anniversary Mike! You gave me a great gift this weekend.
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