Life in Switzerland
Showing posts with label Life in Switzerland. Show all posts

Swiss Birchermüesli

This summer, our favorite breakfast was what I like to call the Swiss breakfast of champions: Birchermüesli.

The cold cereal is perfect for those mornings when you wake up and complain, "How is it this hot already?" Funny, I never made the cereal while we lived in Switzerland, but I did have it as a snack at the various cafes that serve it. I've heard that it's not strictly a breakfast cereal but rather a light meal for dinner or znuni (9 am snack) or zvieri (4 pm snack). Any Swiss out there can confirm that for me?

Another funny thing is that while shopping at Whole Foods the other day, I came across this product from a Swiss company called Familia. Yup, you can eat Swiss cereal straight from the source. However, I prefer to make my Birchermüesli based on the recipe from this little cookbook.



Here's what I do:

Serves 4-5
In a large bowl with a lid, mix the following ingredients:
*two cups old-fashioned thick-cut oats
*two cups milk (I have been using a combo of rice and almond milk lately, but cow's milk is more original.)
*a handful or two of walnut halves (any nut will do)
*the juice of one lemon and one orange
*2 cups of your favorite fresh or dried fruit (My favorite combo is blueberries and raspberries in the summer, but the original recipe, created by Dr. Bircher himself over 100 years ago in Zurich, called for apples.)
*honey to taste
Finally, leave in the fridge overnight so the flavors can mix and so the oats soak up the milk.

The cookbook calls for 2 cups of milk to 1 cup of oats, but I found that ratio too watery. The ratio I mentioned makes the cereal nice and thick. I also like to add plain yogurt or kefir to make it creamier. Really, the possibilities are endless. Make this cereal your own!

***More Swiss love... Check out this new book called Swisscellany filled with fun facts about Switzerland! Here's a taste: Did you know Switzerland has 1.59 million cows?
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Switzerland: One of a Kind

Top of Small Music Box (A Final Purchase Before Leaving Switzerland)
It's been a while since I've written about Switzerland, but she's on my mind more often than not. Our short time there really left a mark on me and I'm forever changed. San Diego is my home now, but it's weird to think that Switzerland really was home for us too. I'm where I belong at this time in my life, but I do miss Switzerland. Why? Because she's so darned...

Fastidious -- From laundry room rules to noise ordinances to recycling procedures, Switzerland knows what she wants and how she likes things and that's that. I respect her for it.

Some details... Sometimes when I go to the laundry room at my apartment complex, I think about laundry day at our Swiss apartment. Now, I usually get it all done within 2 hours because there are four washers and four dryers. In Switzerland, we had one washer and dryer, and I hardly ever used the dryer. I hung my clothes on the lines in a special basement room with one of those machines that sucks the moisture out of the air. Laundry day literally took the whole day, and heaven forbid I miss laundry day one week because it would mean that I wouldn't get another chance until the following week. With six apartments in our building and six laundry days available to us (no laundry on Sundays, nope), each apartment signed up for a day. Lest someone else in the building sneak in and take "my" day, I tried to reserve my prefered day on the small calendar in the laundry room as many weeks ahead as I could!


Delicious -- From the cheese to the chocolate, you know what she's famous for, but did you know that her bread is amazing? Butterzopf, Buttergipfel... And will someone please ship me a box of Zweifel Brand Paprika chips/crisps? They're the best!


Precious -- From the medieval villages to the Naive Art of Appenzell, there is so much culture wrapped up in this tiny country. If you've never been, do pay her a visit. Beware, she's expensive yet priceless!

For more about Switzerland, visit Newly Swissed, my go-to source for all things Swiss.
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Soaring Over the Rhine Valley, Switzerland

Did I ever tell you that Isaiah's work colleagues all pitched in to send us on a private flight over the Rhine Valley before we left Switzerland? It was so thoughtful of them and certainly a unique, memorable gift. 

It was the perfect Saturday morning, just a week before our departure back to the States, when we met our pilot, a full-time commercial pilot and part-time recreational pilot, at the local airport (St. Gallen-Altenrhein). The flight lasted about an hour, and we flew over Säntis, near the pre-Alps of Graubünden, over our apartment, and past the Open-Air music festival in St. Gallen. 

Isaiah even got to take control of the plane for a bit, though we had a close call with another prop plane. Yikes!


The Runway
Lake Constance
Open-Air Music Festival in St. Gallen
Säntis

To this day, we feel so blessed to have met the people we met. We're so thankful for their kindness and look forward to returning to the Valley for a visit someday soon...
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Is that Cinnamon?

Gluten-free Cinnamon Roll from Mariposa Bakery in Oakland, CA
Ground hazelnut paste looks a lot like cinnamon goo (like the kind on cinnamon rolls). When visiting Swiss bakeries, Isaiah and I would often spot some delicious-looking pastry filled with what appeared to be cinnamon goo. Time and time again we'd order the pastry hoping maybe this time it would be cinnamon-y. We actually never learned our lesson and never found a pastry made with cinnamon. 

Friends in Switzerland, does such a pastry exist? Perhaps in the French region? The only time we ever had cinnamon rolls was at an American-Swiss household. Now don't get me wrong. The Nussgipfel makes a sweet breakfast on the go, but I think the Swiss ought to experiment with a "Zimtgipfel."
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Fair Trade -- The Movement


At the supermarkets in Switzerland (even at Denner), I would spot the little blue, black and green label and know that product made it to my shopping basket after passing through the hands of a worker who received fair pay for his or her labor. Here in San Diego, it seems like I have to search far and wide for fairly traded products. Even then, I am mostly limited to chocolate, tea and coffee (all essential elements in my kitchen, of course), whereas in Switzerland we could also buy Fair Trade certified bananas, cotton underpants, cotton swabs, dried fruit, rice, quinoa, pure cane sugar, fruit juice, spices, jams, flowers, soccer balls, baking cocoa and chocolate drink mix.

So what's with all the fuss about fair trade?
FACT: To bring you that $3.00 cup of non-fair trade coffee, the farmers earned about 2 cents.

I think it's safe to assume most people understand that when Fair Trade certified producers pay their workers a fair living wage, families thrive. Kids get to go to school. There's more nutritious food on the table. But how can consumers be sure that workers' families are really benefiting from better wages?

What I found most impressive about Fair Trade as a movement is its system of accountability for both producers and buyers. In order for producers to receive Fair Trade certification, they must work closely with an organization called FLO-Cert (a division of FLO International). For example, family-run coffee co-op X must provide evidence of several factors before FLO-Cert gives them the green light to sell their products as "Fair Trade Certified."

First, producers must prove that all workers are treated with respect in a safe working environment, which includes assurance that no one is working under forced labor and there exists equal opportunity for all employees regardless of gender or race. The organization also prohibits child labor. Next, there must be full disclosure of every step of the process from planting to harvesting. Finally, FLO-Cert wants to ensure that co-op X's farm land will still be fit for future generations of farmers, so producers learn to abide by sustainable farming methods. As a result, their practices involve environmentally responsible approaches to the use of chemicals, water and other natural resources as well as careful disposal of waste.

Producers do have to pay a fee to earn Fair Trade certification and it seems like a rigorous process, so is it all worth it? It appears so. On top of certifying particular products, FLO International also has partnerships with national and regional organizations that oversee the actual trade process. For example, gourmet shop Y in California wants to start carrying Fair Trade certified products. The buyers look through a list of certified producers and products and decide they want to purchase coffee beans from co-op X. That's fine and dandy, but the only way gourmet shop Y will be able to put a Fair Trade certified label on those beans is to go through TransFair USA, which is basically a labeling and licensing organization. (The Swiss equivalent is Max Havelaar.) TransFair USA only grants permission to use the label when the trade between the two groups is indeed fair.

The buyers at gourmet shop Y must pay a minimum price that will at least cover all the costs associated with producing the beans, including fair workers wages. (FLO International sets the minimum standard.) Shop Y also pays a special premium to co-op X that they use to invest in projects around their community. Finally, the two groups form a trading partnership that ensures co-op X can count on future business from gourmet shop Y. Increased business, community empowerment, social and environmental responsibility -- I know it's easier said than done, but it seems worth the investment.

Another great part about the Fair Trade movement is that it's easy to support. You love your coffee beans, so buy the ones with the Fair Trade label. It's true, they can be a bit more expensive at times, but isn't it worth it?

I know, I know, this coming from the "On a Budget" gal. What can I say? I guess I'm not so cheap after all. (Actually, things like coffee or tea don't cost much more if at all. A chocolate bio-FTC chocolate bar from Migros costs 2 francs as opposed to 1.70 - I can deal with that!)

Look for these labels when you're out shopping:

Clockwise from top left: Older FT logo in USA, Outside of USA/Max Havelaar label, and newest labels in USA.
One more part of the movement includes membership of international organizations that are fully committed to fair trade practices. WFTO and FTF are organizations that screen companies and other groups who wish to make such a commitment. If they are found to exemplify the goals of the movement, then those groups become members of that particular organization. Many online fair trade shops for apparel, jewelry and other non-agricultural commodities belong to one of these organizations.

Click here for a list of FTC stuff you can buy from shops you already frequent in the States.

Click here for a list of new FTC products available in CH.

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Swiss Shopping Snippets

A guide to supermarket shopping in Switzerland:

1. Lidl is great for everything from cheap Glühwein to random housewares to dairy to Suisse Garantie produce.

2. Migros has three types of markets available: the M is small with a limited selection, the MM is medium-sized, and the MMM is the largest with the widest selection of goods (clothes and groceries). Migros also offers the store-brand called "Budget." If you shop here enough, it's worth it to sign up for the club card because you can earn cash back in the form of vouchers.

3. Coop has everything Migros has and then some. There's stuff you can get at Coop that you can't at Migros, especially alcohol. They also have a good generic brand called "Prix Garantie," much like the Migros "Budget" brand.

4. Denner is a smaller store with a small selection of meats, frozen products, dairy and produce, but it's mostly good for picking up something you need urgently like TP or a bottle of wine.

5. Aldi Suisse is a good place to buy specials on clothing, coffee, cereals and other dry goods.
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Shoe Shopping and Celebrity Endorsements

Warning: I am about to reveal evidence that proves I am a shoe snob. I understand that some readers may disagree with my opinions about the shoe selection in Switzerland, but perhaps you can understand where I'm coming from if you realize that my parents raised me to appreciate gorgeous, well-made leather shoes. Furthermore, I have been disappointed with my shoe shopping experiences in this country not for lack of high-quality shoes but for lack of value for my money.

Up until recently, I was on the lookout for a new pair of flats. (Ever since the ankle incident of July 2009, I have not been able to successfully wear high-heeled shoes. And since I don't really care to wear sneakers for the next six months (or longer) until my foot finally heals, I'd decided to treat myself to some cute flat footwear to cheer me up.) My requirements were simple: something stylish, comfortable, versatile, well made, and reasonably priced. However, in my current neck of the woods, these basic principles of shoe shopping are completely nonexistent. Here it seems I have only two options: pay super crazy prices for designer and/or well-made leather shoes or pay mid-range to crazy prices for poorly made, cheap-looking shoes. (See? Snob.)

Back in San Diego, my problem would be fixed in a jiffy with a trip to Nordstrom (during a sale) or Nordstrom Rack (or my trusty shoe shop on the Mexican border, which shall remain nameless because then you'd know my secret place for buying fab shoes on the cheap.) Here in Switzerland, the issue isn't that I can't find a decent pair of flats, but rather that I refuse to pay 150 CHF or more for them! At the lower-end shops, similar to Payless, you'll pay Payless prices for Payless quality. Then there are shops in the mid-price range that, unfortunately, still look like Payless shoes. I will admit, though, that when my sister was here, she managed to find two pairs of cute boots for around 50 CHF per pair, one at Max Shoes and the other at a shoe boutique in St. Gallen. (A stroke of good luck, I tell you.)

In my price range we have Dosenbach: Home of Cindy Crawford for Dosenbach, a.k.a. the Fifth Avenue Collection. I kid you not. (Cindy, really? Really?) When I first saw an advertisement for her collection (ha!), I got all excited because I think she's a pretty fab supermodel, so I figured that surely she would only associate herself with fabulous shoes. Not so. OK, so the shoes are made of real leather (wow), but the styles are just unacceptable. At 50 Euros a pair or more, which is the equivalent price of a decent pair of Nine West shoes, I expected there to be a lot more going on.

During a recent trip to Bern, I had my eye on a couple of different pairs of shoes in the 150 CHF - 220 CHF price range. Isaiah was ready to buy me a pair for my birthday, but I just couldn't allow him to do it. Me and shoe shopping in Switzerland will never do well together because I don't do RETAIL and Switzerland doesn't do DISCOUNT. Well, at least not the way America does it. In the States, if you know where to look, you can buy well-made, stylish shoes that originally retail for $150 but are available at half price. These deals happen all year round, not just during government-mandated sales season. I just couldn't bring myself to buy cute flats for 150 CHF while knowing that back in San Diego I could get two pairs of equally cute shoes for the same amount of money. You see, I've got principles.

Sneakers it is. At least for the next couple of months...

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Wrap-up

Here's a wrap-up of what I was up to the first half of December:

December 6, 2009. A glimpse of St. Nicolas while drinking Glühwein with friends at the Bregenz, Austria Christmas market. Didn't realize how much of a social event it is to meet up with friends for mulled wine out in the cold at a Christmas market. Also didn't realize how strong mulled wine is. Two tiny mugs = drunk Mandy.



December 9, 2009. Christmas market in Dornbirn, Austria with Cindy. Apparently St. Nick likes to climb trees.



Christmas came early! We got a package from Mom and Jim full of goodies we can't get here, among other things like books and such.



I baked Swiss cookies with Dee. Thanks for showing me the ropes! (Spitzbuben shown here.)

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Mosterei Kobelt and Co.

Ever a proponent of purchasing homemade and locally-crafted goods, allow me to introduce you to a family-owned and operated gem tucked away in my neck of the woods: Kobelt and Co. Mosterei and Brennerei (Cidery and Distillery). Prominently located on the main road cutting through the village of Marbach, in the Rhine Valley, Kobelt and Co. proudly produces a line of elegant brandies, liqueurs, Süssmost, Apple juice, Apfelschorle, and more.

I had tried their signature Süssmost before as a guest in a friend's home, but until recently I hadn't realized that I could pick up my very own case of it so close to home. What exactly is Süssmost? According to one of the proprietors, Ruedi, "It's the Swiss name for sweet (unfermented) cider, or Apfelsaft." And Apfelschorle? Karen, co-proprietor and Ruedi's wife, explains that theirs is 60% Süssmost and 40% top-quality sparkling mineral water from Appenzell. Although I still have a bit of trouble understanding the differences between all the apple beverages Kobelt and Co. has to offer, one thing is for certain: they are wonderfully tasty and worth the trek out to the Rhine Valley! (If you are unable to come have a taste for yourself, you can visit their website, place an order, and arrange to have it shipped to you.)

Over the weekend, at the company's yearly "Open House," I had the pleasure of trying some of their new Edelbrände: Vieille Abricot and Vieille Poire, or apricot and pear brandy. Sipping my glass in a tasting room surrounded by family heirlooms (an impressive collection of weaponry), I couldn't help but feel like I was discovering some secret place known by very few people. It's true that Kobelt and Co. is not a mainstream label, but it certainly is no secret. Just ask any true Marbacher, or Rheintaler for that matter, and you'll find they keep at least one Kobelt product or another stocked in their cellar. (Even the local castle serves Kobelt beverages!)

Ruedi and Karen Kobelt in the tasting room

Part of the "Open House" festivities included dining on sausages cooked in one of the stills, atop grape seeds and skin like those used for making grappa, and homemade potato salad. (Yum!) Gathered with friends, eating Treberwürtse, drinking Apple Champagne, and enjoying the atmosphere made for one of those nights here in Switzerland that I'll never forget.


Another part of the "Open House" is browsing the display of gift-ready bottles in the Torkel (pressing room), perfect for the holiday season. Although I didn't take home a bottle of pear brandy with a whole pear trapped inside, I did walk away with a six-pack of their refreshing (hard) cider known as "Bartli's." Each bottle features either a classic photo of previous generations of proprietors (Ruedi is the fourth generation of Kobelts to continue with the company) or the face of a farmer whose fruits have contributed to the success of Kobelt and Co. This year, Ruedi and Karen bought fruit from 180 farmers throughout the Rhine Valley, Appenzell, Wallis, and other areas of Switzerland.


Curious to know more about the distillation process at Kobelt and Co.? Feel free to contact Ruedi or Karen to request a tour of the facilities. (Saturdays are best for visits.) Ruedi would be glad to share with you the care that goes into choosing each fruit before producing a top-notch bottle of brandy as well as other steps to yielding high-quality products. According to Ruedi, most of the process from pressing to bottling is completed in-house, including bottle fermentation in their cellar, so customers can rest assured they are purchasing an excellent product made with passion and attention to detail in a little Swiss village called Marbach.

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Quarkini

Isaiah and I discovered this irresistible treat earlier this year one lazy Sunday during a visit to the local bakery (one of Nellie Rolle's chain of cafes and bakeries in the Rheintal).

Since Nellie rarely labels her goodies, Isaiah and I just ended up pointing and smiling at what we called, just between the two of us, little donut balls.

Now, don't mistake them for donut holes, as they differ in size and texture. Plus, they're so much more delicious.

The key to their deliciousness? Quark -- a type of fresh cheese with yogurt-like creaminess. (Hence the name Quarkini, or Quarkbällchen in Germany.) Quark makes the doughy insides of these donut balls ever so moist and tasty.

Sadly, the next time we returned to the bakery, they were gone! I did hear from some reliable sources, though, that Quarkini tend to appear in bakeries during the Fasnacht season beginning in November, so we made sure to get some for one of our breakfast feasts when Sister was in town. Natürlich. I'm just glad I saw them pop up in Migros last month so I could examine the label. Now I can properly ask for them by name.

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For the Shopaholics: Swiss Outlet Shopping

I just wanted to share two things with you today. One, here is what it looks like in Au since our first snowfall yesterday. Oh yeah, and remember how Hercules is my main mode of transportation? Well, that means I must ride through the slush you see in the photo. Don't worry though, I've got some warm waterproof winter boots and a giant yellow rain poncho to protect me!

The other thing is that I am happy to inform you, if you didn't already know, there is a new factory outlet shopping center that just recently opened! It's called Alpenrhein Outlet Village and it's located near Chur. The best part? It's open on SUNDAYS!!!



Also, please enjoy some video footage from Monday's snowfall, taken around noon!

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Thankful

In a lovely house in Southern California, my family will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day without me, yet again. Lauren and I won't be there to tell our ridiculous arm stories -- oh, how we will be missed. Instead, we'll be frolicking in Interlaken, and then digging into a Thanksgiving-style dinner on Friday.

This time last year, I wasn't as "into" my blog as I am now, so I was hardly writing any posts or sharing any autumn reflections. Today, as sunshine fills my bedroom, I feel compelled to share the many things for which I am thankful this year.

1. We'll spend a long Thanksgiving weekend with my sister! (Isaiah's taking Thursday and Friday off.) Although we had a great sort-of Thanksgiving last year, I am thrilled to have family in town this year.
2. We've had a really mild autumn. That's why I am posting these pictures of a hike we took last month (Rappenlochschlucht, a gorge in Dornbirn, Austria). I want to savor the beauty of fall before winter hits. Last year I complained a lot about winter lasting 6 months, starting in October, but I can't really say that this year. Yay!
3. Hercules, my bike. Although she's offered me some major bruises, and she's a bit too big for me, she gets me to where I need to go!
4. Isaiah's month-long winter break. Looking forward to lots of R&R (in Sicily).
5. People who read my blog. You make me so happy. Thank you so much!
6. Time. I have time to do stuff I never had the chance to do when I was working full-time as a teacher.
7. My bible study ladies: Dee, Jodi, Cindy, Berty, Jenny, and Cornelia. You challenge me and bless me.
8. My Migros Monday morning breakfast club: Sigrid, Cindy, Dee, Ursula, Katie, and Trudy. Because of you, I look forward to Mondays.
9. Skype. I love to chat with my family and friends for free or for cheap -- forever grateful for this service!
10. My husband. Isaiah, I am in awe of the countless ways you support me. You are a loving provider and so much more. Full of wisdom and passion, you inspire me. I love watching our relationship grow everyday, and I am so thankful to share this crazy Swiss experience with you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Transitional Hiking

Well, it's been long gone for weeks now, but the summer (and early autumn) hiking season is officially over. Many mountain taverns closed shop at the end of October, tucked away in areas that will soon be buried in several feet of snow and possibly attacked by avalanches.

Starting in December, some of them will reopen during the ski season, while others won't welcome guests back until next spring. Luckily, there remain many opportunities for winter hiking, and some mountain Gasthäuser will continue to offer warm drinks and meals, especially those at the more prominent summits with cable cars (e.g. Säntis in Appenzellerland).

For now, in this transitional period, we can still go hiking among falling leaves and melting patches of snow, but the paths are deserted. The landscape appears to be in between seasons and so do our clothes. It's too warm to hike in our winter coats, but too cold to wear just a fleece. Also, we can't count on re-energizing with pommes frites, so we pack snacks and a picnic lunch. We head out late morning on a Saturday and take our time up the mountain, relishing the stillness. Once at the top, we find a wooden bench to enjoy our meal. It's never been so quiet.

We're back home with enough time to stop at the supermarket before it closes. We gather all the necesities for a lazy evening: ingredients for a pizza, Paprika chips, ice cream, and Coke. Just another quiet weekend at home near the Alps.

Here's my favorite subject posing in Malbun, Liechtenstein.

The snowy peak in the distance is Säntis.

I was too late capturing a funny Isaiah moment. In this shot, he's just slid down "the perfect hill for sledding" minus a sled. We didn't think to bring ours, but that didn't stop Isaiah from sliding down in his jeans.

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The Harvest

Our friends Ueli and Berty live in a house that goes by the name of "Türli," which means little door. (How cute is that?) The story goes that when they registered to live in their town, the council explained that their house should bear the name "Türli" because long ago in the very spot where their house now stands once stood a little door. Anyway, in their front yard they grow grapes. For weeks I had been bugging Berti about remembering to call me when she and Ueli would have their yearly harvest. With the weather so dreary for the past couple of weeks, I was beginning to think it might never happen.

Today, I finally got to help them pick some grapes, along with Cindy and Doug. These grapes don't go on to become wine. Instead, they yield organic grape juice. Deep purple and plump or white and sweet, we clipped the bunches from each plant and picked out the rotten ones by hand. Because we had to harvest them and get them pressed all in the same day, we worked from morning until evening. I'm exhausted.



After clipping the bunches into a bucket, I planted myself in this quiet corner to prune. Clip, taste, prune, repeat.


After the harvest is complete, Ueli and Berti take the grapes to a lady with an apple press out in the middle of nowhere.


First, we crush them in a giant tub with a wooden masher. Then, the lady begins to arrange the grapes (juice, stems, seeds, and skin) into layers of wood, nylon, and grape-mush. (She sets a wooden frame on top of a flat square of wood, lines it with the nylon, places the grape-mush inside the frame, wraps the grapes with the nylon, then removes the frame, and places a new wooden square on top to form the next layer.) Once the stack is complete, the press begins to squeeze out the juice filtered through the nylon.



Next, the juice funnels into large glass jugs for pasteurization, more filtering, and then one more pasteurization process. The juice will be ready next year when Ueli and Berti bring the next harvest. This year they took home 80 liters of juice from last year's harvest.


Did you know, each plant should carry only 600 grams of grapes for optimal ripening and flavor?

Life lesson from the harvest: "Don't ignore the wrinkled ones." Although many of the wrinkled grapes were sour, some of them were the sweetest of the whole bunch. As for the shriveled ones, that's another story...

Views during the harvest: the peak on the left is Hoher Kasten and the one on the right is Säntis.

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A Weekend at Home

We stayed local this weekend, along with many of our Swiss neighbors. In fact, most of the Swiss we know aren't in a big rush to go on weekend trips, or even day trips. Why would they when not too far from home is a bike ride near apple and pear orchards or a hike through vineyards?

As much as I mourn my former urban and semi-urban lifestyles (four years in Manhattan and a year in Mission Hills, San Diego), I have begun to appreciate the quiet country life. Even the simplest instance of running into my Swiss neighbor four days in a row, not in our building but out and about, brings a smile to my face.

Friday, after Isaiah got home from work, we went for a bike ride along the canal that runs parallel to the Rhine. There's a bike path near our building that follows the canal through fields of cow manure and modern style residences. The evening air was the perfect temperature for a T-shirt ride, a cause for celebration since we couldn't be sure whether or not it would be our last ride of the season ohne jacket. We briefly crossed paths with our neighbor who was walking her dog and exchanged a customary "Grüezi."

Saturday morning was surprisingly sunny, so after a muesli and yogurt breakfast we went for a morning ride. The bike trails were pretty deserted, as I'm sure everyone was hitting up the shopping centers before they closed. This time we rode near the hillside vineyards just along the outskirts of Au and Berneck. Our neighbor, again, was walking her dog. We acknowledged one another with a casual "Grüezi" and big smiles. After some shopping across the border in Dornbirn, Austria, we came home and went for an afternoon ride from Au to St. Margrethen.

Sunday was pancakes and pouring rain and lazing about, but by the afternoon the sky cleared and the sun shone, so we went hiking through the aforementioned vineyards. This time the Wanderweg trails were fully occupied by singles, couples, and entire families walking-off Sunday brunch. Who did we run into? You guessed it. We longed to be able to say more than "Grüezi."




This morning I was back at the vineyards on my bike. Another gorgeous T-shirt weather day. I could get used to this! Of course, I ran into my neighbor again. This time I stopped.

She spoke, "Blah blah blah."

I nodded. I didn't have the heart to ask her to repeat herself langsam because most likely I wouldn't understand her the second time around either. I couldn't let her down - she seems to think I can speak German.

I couldn't really say "Grüezi" at that point because we were past greetings as she had launched right into chit chat. So I began, "Das Wetter ist..."

She finished my sentence, "Wunderschön."

I repeated. "Ja. Wunderschön."

I wanted to say something like, "I want to take advantage of the weather while it's nice, so that's why you've seen me on my bike nearly every day."

Instead I opted for, "Das Wetter ist sehr schön, aber wenn das Wetter ist nicht so schön, ich bin [miming sad face]."

She responded, "Blah blah Velo-touren jeden Tag, blah."

Yup, she definitely noticed that I had been riding my bike almost jeden Tag for the past several days...


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