Watch and Learn

As usual, a lot has happened since I've blogged last.  Some days I'm not really sure where the day goes, but somehow we've already been here for a month.  In some ways it seems like no time, and in others it seems like we've been here much longer.  Not in a bad way, but more in the way we've gotten used to living here.  The weather has been up and down, but mostly cold and rainy the whole time we've been here.  I'm ready for Switzerland to get the message that it's spring already.

Munsterplatz in the morning

Despite what many people may think, daily living in Switzerland is not all skiing, cheese and chocolate.  Sorry to burst your bubble.  I've loved the transition.  I'm walking more than I ever did on a daily basis in Texas, learning many new things and being challenged in my way of life.  My life is not lived around what I want now, but more around what's available, what's open, and the logistics of making things happen.  For example, you may think you can decide what you want for dinner later in the day, but don't let 6:30 pass you by- all the stores in Basel are closed.  You'll either be eating whatever you can find in your fridge (usually not much since we go to the store daily) or going out.

I find that there are a lot of little nuances to living here (and anywhere I'm sure) that people forget to tell you.  How can I manage our life without knowing this stuff?  'Watch and learn' is the theme of my life.

Here are just a few examples...

• Women aren't the primary account holder on anything.  And I can absolutely forget it since I don't have a job over here.  Even for BK's bank account I have a power of attorney so I can act on his behalf regarding finances.
• People don't work late the day before a holiday. So no matter how many times BK asks, no we cannot have our household items delivered on April 30.  No one works on May 1 (Swiss Labor Day).  No compromising- they'll be here May 2.
• There are no checks in Switzerland.  The Swiss like to think this is a more efficient system.  In reality what it means is that they payer has to go to the bank and set up an invoice or a standing order (for something like rent that is paid every month) for money to be transferred.  
• You never get billed at the time of services in Switzerland.  You will always get an invoice in the mail later.  Swiss people are reliable- everyone pays.  Unfortunately for me these were all in German and I had no clue what to do with them or how to pay them.
• Do not set your basket on the check out conveyor belt at the grocery store.  Swiss cashiers do not unload baskets- you have to do that.  You also bag your own groceries in your own bag too.
• Swiss dogs don't seem to bark at anything. My dogs...not so much, but we're working on it.

Magnolia in bloom

Don't take this as complaining, but more as observations and things I've learned.  Like I said, lots has happened since I last blogged: I visited my mom in Florence, we found and were approved for the apartment we wanted, we had our first visitor in Basel, I started German lessons, and many other things.  As life gets into a rhythm hopefully I'll update you on those too.

P.S.- Right before I finished this one I went upstairs to switch out laundry.  Hopefully I don't get caught- we're not allowed to do laundry after 9:00 in our building.

An Update on Our Swiss Dackels

Dackel: German for Dachshund, or "like the hot dog" as people on the street comment often about the boys.

It's been right at a week since the boys arrived in Switzerland from Texas.  They flew United via Chicago to Zurich.  I don't get the feeling they were huge fans of flying.  Tanner was horse when he arrived- I'm assuming from all the barking he did in transit.  We were extremely happy with their care when with the transport company.

Reunited!

We were relieved to have them here, even though it does mean that I have to get up earlier to take them out (in the cold right now) and typically must make additional trips outside before actually leaving the apartment to do what I need to do.  I think the boys made it feel complete, like we were actually home here and everyone had arrived safely.

The Adjustment:
As each day goes on the boys seem to adjust a little more to their new life.  They did not let us out of their sight for the first few days.  The apartment is not that big, but if I went into the bedroom or kitchen, I always had the boys right there behind me; I guess just to make sure that I wasn't going anywhere. Toby has found a spot on the couch where he can watch both the living room and kitchen, just in case BK and I are not in the same place.

We did have one pretty big issue the first couple of days, and are still working on it.  Toby seems to have been traumatized by the fact that he had to ride in a crate for a long trip on the airplane, then until delivery.  They did get to get out and have walks, water and food, but I'm sure that's the longest they've had to be in the crate AND not had us come home to greet them.  When he and Tanner get in their crate (we brought from Texas) Tanner is fine and snuggles right up, but Toby yelps as soon as I leave the room.  Yikes in an apartment where you're trying to be considerate of the fact that others live around you! Yesterday he was down to only barking for a minute or so; hopefully he will continue to figure out that, yes, we are going to come back to him.

Toby likes to look out the window

Transitioning from a doggie dog and yard has not been a problem.  They both do well on the leash, with the exception of Tanner's constant pulling forward.  Tanner does not appreciate that it is cold and has been raining lately.  He has learned not to fight the coat quite so much, and I have a new appreciation for the coats, as they keep the apartment from not smelling like wet dog all the time.

On nice days I try to take them on a lengthy walk- usually 30 minutes to an hour.  For dogs whose legs are approximately four inches long, that can be quite a long walk.   We always walk with BK to his tram stop in the morning, drop him off, then head in a different direction to eventually end up back at the apartment.  This morning I took them to a park/forest and we ended up walking for about 1.5 hours, which has pretty much sacked them out since we got back.

The other thing we're working on, and it is a serious work in progress, is not barking at everyone and every other dog on the street.  They've actually improved in the week they've been here, but we still have a ways to go.  We also haven't really let them off the leash in parks yet.  I'm usually outnumbered, so we'll wait for BK on that one.

How Tanner prefers to spend his time

This afternoon we're headed to our first vet appointment over here and will be riding the tram to get there.  This should be interesting, especially considering that it's raining, which Tanner will absolutely love.  I'm thinking about putting him in my bag, then I only have to deal with corralling Toby.  I'll have to let you know how it goes.  Wish us luck!

Getting a Little Bit Settled

It's been longer than I anticipated between posts.  I initially thought: I'll be experiencing new things every day and will post stuff.  It's true, I have experienced new things each day, but learning to live here and figuring out my work schedule seems to have consumed all of my time.

I often find myself wondering where the day went.  I've discovered there's really no more of the I'll just run down to here or there to grab something.  Running somewhere typically means I either have to walk five to eight minutes to a tram station, then go somewhere else in the city center OR just walk to where I want to go, which is generally 15 to 20 minutes at the least.  I have chosen to walk places- it just depends on how much time I have and what I have to carry back with me.

We moved into our furnished apartment on Tuesday (Monday was a holiday here) AND the dogs arrived to the apartment about thirty minutes after we got here.  More about that transition later.  BK had the quarter close this week, so he's been very busy this first week as well.  We're getting a little bit settled, and it's really nice to not be living in a hotel room.  As much as I love BK, we really function better in more than just one room, with only enough space for one of us to work at the desk.

Apartment hunting happens on Wednesday, and lots of people have asked if we're doing House Hunters International.  We're not doing it, but I hope to post some videos of the ones we see so you can check it out too.  To get started, here's a little tour of our current apartment. Please excuse the sniffles (I seem to be stuffy in the morning) and snapping in the middle (trying to corral the dogs into the apartment)- I'll work on my video skills this week!

The Sights and Sounds of Paris

There is really so much to see in Paris, I feel certain that French people, and probably even Parisians, don't get around to all of it.  We were there for four days and really just hit the big things that people say you should see.  We didn't find ourselves enamored with the city, as many people thought we would be.  We also didn't find that everyone hated us because we were American, and actually didn't feel this at all.  People were generally very helpful and not rude at all.  All in all, Paris has some pretty amazing things to see.  You will wait in line for everything you do, but it's all worth it.

Notre Dame
The first thing we saw in Paris was Notre Dame.  This was not really on purpose, but we were walking around the city and found that this was the first thing we came upon.  It is a beautiful place, as are most cathedrals in Europe.  The detail in the stonework and stained glass throughout the cathedral must have been painstaking at the time.  It's something you should make time to see.

Moulin Rouge
I would highly, highly recommend Moulin Rouge. The show was fun and engaging. We also had dinner there, which was ok, but you could definitely hit a bistro beforehand as well. From the flashy costumes, singing, dancing, animals, and even the acts between- it was all great and a must do.  And yes, there is some nudity, but it's done very tastefully.

Chateau Chantilly
Chateau Chantilly may be somewhat unknown to people outside of Europe, but we had some people recommend it to us to go see while we were in Paris. We debated between this and Versailles, but couldn't decide on which one, so we did what all indecisive adults do- flipped a coin, and this one won. It is outside of Paris, but another easy train ride gets you there.

It is a sprawling estate that's been around since the middle ages and has been the home of various French dignitaries.  It has elaborate decor and one of the largest art collections in France (behind the Louvre).  There's also the park and gardens, which are very well kept and offer a quiet place to walk around outside and a restaurant that serves a small selection of food and drinks.  We stopped in for a brief beverage and snack and indulged in the Chantilly Creme before heading back to the city.

Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe is a must see in my book.  It is a huge landmark built by Napoleon that sits in a huge traffic circle in Paris.  We went at night, which I would also recommend, as it offers great views of the city, including of the Eiffel Tower lit up over the skyline.  You have to climb up a long spiral staircase, then come to a rest area, then up another long set of stairs to get to the top, but it's absolutely worth it.  Back on the ground, the Arc has great sculptures throughout the landmark and you can also visit the tomb of the unknown soldier, which has a flame lit each night at dusk.

Eiffel Tower
Of course, the Eiffel Tower is also a must see if you're in Paris. The line will likely be very long to get in, but it moved pretty fast when we were there.  Unfortunately they closed the top just as we got up to purchase our tickets; apparently they had let too many people up to the top, and no one else could go up.  We climbed the stairs on this one too to the first level, and then again to the middle of the tower.  The views are incredible and just the fact that you're in the Eiffel Tower is pretty awesome too.  The tower is massive; you get the feeling more than other landmarks around the world because you can actually walk through it at ground level.

Sacre Coeur
Sacre Coeur was highly recommended by a number of people in Paris, but honestly I would probably pass on this one.  It is a cathedral situated high on a hill a few minutes outside of the city center; you walk through the neighborhood of Montmartre, which was apparently made famous by Chat Noir and Theo Picasso (as told to me by an art history major we struck up a conversation with at the Eiffel Tower). The building is beautiful, but you really go up for the views of Paris.  Unfortunately for us, it was cloudy pretty much the entire time we were there, so we were not able to see much.  On a clear day it might be a better experience, but I'm mixed on this one.

Louvre
Let me just put it out there: The Louvre will kick your ass and take your name.  I had no idea of the area or sheer number of pieces in the Louvre.  Despite that, it was one of the best things we did.  The art is not only beautiful, but the presentation of the art and even just the building are remarkable.  The lines can be intimidatingly long, but if you enter via any other entrance besides the main entrance (the pyramid) your wait is not too long.

We spent about four hours here on our last day in Paris.  If you want to see EVERYTHING, I would recommend giving yourself two days to do it.  We skipped all of the paintings (BK says he can only take so much Madonna with Child) and focused on sculptures and artifacts, which was really interesting.  At one point BK said to me, "What are you doing? If you don't hurry up, we're never going to get through this."  I found this funny and ironic, as I was just trying to look at some art that I found interesting.  He wanted to make sure we saw everything we wanted to before we left.  This is also a must do while in Paris, even if you don't consider yourself a fan of museums.

If you have the chance to go to Paris, do it- the city has so much to offer.  It will be expensive, so save up if you're going.  I also wish you much better weather than we had!

What A Way to Ring in 32!

In the grand scheme of things, 32 seems like a pretty insignificant birthday number.  Who would have thought that I would get to celebrate 32 in Paris?  I definitely did not, but then it just happened to coincide with when we moved to Switzerland...what a great treat!

BK and I headed out from our home of four days and took the TGV to Paris.  I would highly recommend this type of train if you're traveling around Europe.  It is essentially a bullet train that goes about 200 mph, and got us from Basel to Paris is just a little over three hours.  It was sleeting when we left Basel and Paris greeted us with gray skies and very cold temps and lots of wind.

Paris can be a little overwhelming, but mostly because you think you need to get out and do as much stuff as possible while you're there.  When you first arrive, unless you have done some serious studying beforehand, you may find the public transit system a little confusing.  Often they have all types of public transit (Metro, RER, T, bus, etc.) depicted on one map which can leave you feeling like you'll never figure out how to get anywhere.  We figured it out enough to get us where we needed to go- the M is the Metro and was built first as an inner city transit system; it makes many frequent stops, but will pretty much put you anywhere in the city.  The RER is the "suburban" train line; in addition to going outside of the innermost zones, it also crosses the city, but with fewer stops in between.

Little Palace Hotel

We stayed at the Little Palace Hotel, which was your typical European hotel- nothing too exciting, but it's also never my plan to spend lots of time here.  It was in a good location, with relatively easy access to anything you could need.

I'll tell you about the sites in a separate blog, but I have to rave about the food.  All the food we had in Paris was amazing.  BK asked me at one point, "What do you think makes French food so good?" My response: lots of butter, fresh herbs and full fat everything.

The food was ridiculous.  Nearly any bistro or brasserie you walk into will have a cozy feel to it and will offer traditional casual French food.  Croque monsieurs, tartines, mixed salads with seasonal veggies...you name it, it was good.  These places are on nearly every corner and probably feel cozy because each place tries to stuff as many tables as possible into one space- upcloseandpersonal with all who are around you.

We also had nice dinners each night we were there.  On Friday after we saw the Arc de Triomphe we happened upon a little place on the opposite side of Avenue des Champs Elysees called Chez Georges.  It was a white tablecloth restaurant, but we easily got in without reservations.  It was by far one of the best meals I've ever had.  We had escargot to start and a veal chop meant to split with new potatoes.  YUM! 

 

Beware if you ever go to Paris over Easter weekend.  You may find that many things usually open are closed for the holiday, which is what happened with the both restaurants we initially chose in Paris for dinner.  Saturday after finding that the restaurant we wanted was closed, we then found Les Deux Canards, a restaurant specializing in duck l'orange. Again we had escargot, plus mushrooms to start, then BK had duck l'orange and I had duck confit.  If you're not a fan of orange in your main course, I wouldn't recommend duck l'orange anywhere, but my duck confit was excellent.  We ended the night with creme brûlée, which they caramelize at the table with a branding iron of sorts.

 

If it sounds like the food was indulgent, it was.  Throw in some champagne, wine and desserts at every meal, and you're really over the top.  As they say, "When in Rome," well this time for us, it was, "When in Paris."  I have a feeling you'll be seeing that theme in our travels quite a bit now.