I will, in Rapperswil

The city of Zurich is awesome – can’t argue that, but the villages surrounding the city, soothe the soul in many more ways than one…the city of Polish influence and style and recovery….an afternoon in Rapperswil. The Fischmarkplatz hugs the lake and draws the residents and tourists to its famous lakeside restaurants, cafes, and shaded promenade – lovely, but the lanterns and small wooden doors up the small alleys impressed me more.

The village sits in the shadow of the thirteen-century castle that protects, provides, and embraces the foreign touch…the view is that from a professional, but still no justice would be found…

I had my first donor kabob for lunch (since Spain)…fell in love with Thomas Sabo…and decided churches and cemeteries will never get old to me…

I love to remember where I am on the map.

Basel Fasnacht 2009

Basel is the home of the largest carnival festival in Switzerland – BASEL FASNACHT! The festivities begin at 4am Monday morning and continue for three days. I wouldn’t dare to miss such an event, at such a time. Sunday evening, after dinner and many drinks….3:30am finally arrived….thousands of people filled the streets of Basel and at exactly 4am EVERY light in the city went out! And the piccolos started to hum and the drums began to beat…and the parades began. The only lights in the city were those lanterns sitting on the heads of the masks and the uniquely painted and themed lantern canvases held high in the air, leading each groups marching beat. Absolutely one of the coolest sites I have ever seen…and one of the most incredible cultural festivals I have ever been a part of….each mask distinctive in designed…tradition flowed through the streets like the lanterns in the air. 10am tiptoed in quickly…and daylight brought us out of the mystic and to the trains homebound…

Link to photo gallery of Basel Fasnacht, Greifensee, and Rapperswil:
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=258611471/a=156758901_156758901/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish

Enya

Introducing, Enya Monique Schnieder....my new girlfriend

Really...she is the cutest baby in all of Europe!

Link to photo galleries of Basel Fasnacht, Rapperswil, & Greifensee:
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=258611471/a=156758901_156758901/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish

My backyard

I live in Volkeswil, a town 10 minutes by train to the heart of Zurich. Scoping out my town one day I found my place of comfort and my sanctuary; my track and my backyard. A sidewalk runs along this lake, with hills in the foreground and the infinite alps in the background. I wish my feet could take me further…there are many secretly hidden villages waiting to be explored…but, then again, we are still so early in the trip. Tucked within the lakeside is a small village called Greifensee. On Saturdays city folk come to enjoy the lake, stroll along the waterway, have coffee, watch the kids play….last Saturday we were serenaded by a older German man singing only Cat Stevens…”from the moment I could talk, I was ordered to listen. Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away. I know, I have to go away.” Then he made us join in (completely surprised how many knew the lyrics in English I might add)…”All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside, It’s hard, but it’s harder to ignore it. If they were right, I’d agree, but it’s them they know not me.” All together now he yelled (almost as if trying to share a darken, suppressed desire) ….”I know I have to go away.”

Not sue if it gets much better than that….and the children played, caffeine buzzes filled the air, Cat Stevens played on, and the sun shined…

i enjoy taking up space here....