Lessons Learned Part 2

So Chris had an interesting experience a while ago with our car. I got a message on my phone telling me that he would be late because he thought he put regular fuel in the car. Regular fuel doesn't work too well in a diesel engine. He snapped a photo of the rental car getting towed. The rental car company told him that this happens regularly. He also found out that he wasn't the only Medtronic expat to have done this. Whatever makes him feel better! The tow truck dropped him off in the middle of nowhere and he had to walk 20 minutes and find a bus to get to a train to take him home.

Switzerland is a place of non-stop festivals and celebrations. Last weekend Chris found an exhibition that he wanted to check out. I had no idea what I was in for...

We traveled to St. Gallen and went to the OLMA "fair". It is the 68th year of this agricultural fair. It was huge!!! Blocks and blocks of street vendors, rides, confectioners, livestock pens, art, and exhibition areas that sold every thing from new kitchens to dental instruments. It was like they rolled the Box Elder County fair, the Sonoma Country fair and the Utah State Ag Day BBQ all into one giant event. The only thing that I have never seen at any one of those events was cow racing...

The races were "udderly" fabulous.

Honestly, who wouldn't buy a knife from this guy?


So on my way to the store I encountered these two cars outside our building. I had to add this for all the car lovers. The one closest is a Porsche 911 Turbo and the one further away is a Bentley Continental GT. Since the VAT tax is so outrageous making large purchases like cars about twice as expensive I can't imagine what either car would cost here.

Lessons Learned

I never thought I would be using index cards again other than for recipes, but last week I started my Deutsch (German) lessons so they have found other uses like conjugating verbs. I'm in an "intensive group course" which sounds more like I'm hanging out with Lindsay Lohan, but it just means I have class everyday for 2.5 hours. I missed the first three days because I decided to go with Chris to Valencia, Spain. Needless to say, I was very behind. There are six of us. Spanish is the primary language of four and one is from Poland, but she has spent the last three years in Spain. I have been able to brush up on my Espanol as well.

So my trip to Spain didn't start out real well. I had a few items stolen from my luggage. Nothing too expensive or irreplaceable, but just enough stuff to make me feel like my privacy was violated. It was absolutely my fault for not packing them in my carry-on...

While Chris went and did his thing at a conference I hopped aboard a tour bus and headed all around the city.

Plaza de Torros. Bull fighting arena and train station in the background.


I ended my day at the La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences).

Palau de les Arts (multi level theater) in the background and L'Hemisferic (IMAX and planetarium) in the foreground.

The following day Chris had half a day of work so I headed to Oceanografic which is part of the city of arts and sciences. It was a little like Marine World without the whales, rides, huge lines, and food but it was a great time filler. And I have to say the sea lions made me miss home :)
Chris joined me after he was done and I had to play tour guide for him.

In front of the Cathedral of Valencia. Built in 13th century.

This is a picture of the supposed Holy Grail. Historians believe that this is the most likely candidate since it dates from the first century. It's behind bullet proof glass and we could get maybe twenty feet from it. I dunno...

Chris happy to be done with work and ready to relax for the rest of the day. This was at Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Cool looking tower in background is the post office.

We got really lost for about 2 hours and finally found our way back to Plaza de la Virgen. From here we took a taxi to dinner and had the best seafood paella.

Happenings in Zuerich (not a typo)

I've joined the American Women's Club of Zurich. It is one of the oldest clubs of its kind celebrating 80 years in 2011. Its goal is to help facilitate integration of its members into the Swiss community. They have fundraisers for local charities, provide excursions for its members, have lunch dates and have an English library. About a week ago I went to a fundraiser lunch where one member and two Swiss played the Alpenhorn. We ate traditional Swiss recipes for hay soup and pumpkin soup.

The Alpenhorn is 3.4 meters long and made out of pine. They are used to communicate between
farmers in the mountains and to call their cattle.

I took this on my phone when I was out taking the recycling to the bins. The bins are located every couple of blocks. You have to sort by color of glass and metals. You take your plastic bottles to the grocery store along with batteries, milk containers, light bulbs and some other things that I don't have a clue what they are by the picture. Collections will take your cardboard and paper from the steps and your garbage is picked up for free on a weekly basis. Yes, I wrote free, but the garbage bags are called Zuri-sacks and you have to use them and they cost about $2 for one 35 liter bag.

This is the main street in our neighborhood. The road isn't closed, just not that much traffic at this time of day. This was literally finished in three days.

We've found a great park near by for Chopper. If there is a stick around she will find it and destroy it.

Some professional Alpenhorn music...

Last weekend we went to Jucker Farmart. I've heard great things about this place. Essentially it is a working farm that is open to the public. Every fall they have a huge pumpkin display. Their market is huge with all kinds of organic veggies and fruit.

Entrance

Part of the pumpkin and squash bins

Chris filling up a liter of yummy apfelsaft. They have glass containers filled with fresh apple juice. You find these everywhere this time of year here.


Chris and Shahab walking through the orchards.

Pfaffiker See and pear orchards.