My New Swiss Family Gasser
Trip Start
Jun 08, 2008
1
54
65
Trip End
Dec 08, 2008
Bern,
Swiss Alps,
Switzerland
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
We spent the first day just hanging around and killing a day. We quickly found out that Bern, yes was beuatiful, lots to do, not really. We toured the church and basically just walked the streets. It was getting late so we went to the grocery store and picked up dinner, Yup, Pasta again, you surprised. I was just hanging around and walked in 2 guys that we had met in Gimmelwald the night before. Not planning on seeing them it was a nice surprise to hook back up. They mentioned that they heard about a Jazz concert going on in the city and asked if we wanted to tag a long. I was toally game, the others were tired and decided to hang around the hostel. By then the snow was starting to fall in the city and becoming that European wonderland you see in so many post cards.
We trekked through the snow, caught a bus and ended up at this little jazz club. I now know to be the best club in town. An all women's jazz band from Canada, USA and Europe were nothing but amazing. A good hour and half set and they had the crowd on their feet. It was a pretty wicked little concert. When we came out of the club the snow had piled close to 2 or 3 inches deep and it was feeling like a really nice winter evening. A few snowballs, and a bus ride back to the hostel and we called it a night.
The next day was insanly beautiful. The ground was covered in snow, the building roof tops were sparkling in the sun light and it was warm. It was the perfect Autum day. Crisp, snow, and beautiful colour on the trees. What do you do in days like that. You walk. We took a long walk along the river and just took it all in. Manny and Will thought it would be a great idea to drop a Snow Boulder off the side of the bridge. That didn't turn out to be the greatest of ideas.
When they picked up the boulder it crushed in their hands. They should have taken that as a sign and not pick up the second one. Well they did, lobbed it off the side and watched it fall the 200 feet to the river. Unfortually it didn't hit the river. It hit he pedestrian bridge instead. When it came into contact the slats on the bridge immedialy broke a part and hit the water with the rest of the snow. The woman that was crossing the bridge at the time was not overly impressed. To say the least we booked it and booked it hard. Scared the hell out of Will and Manny, I wasn't feeling all that great either. So nervous that someone might get hurt by not seeing the open slats we decided to head down to the bridge to see the damage. It looked a lot worse from the top then it was but poor Tori was still concerned but there was nothing we could do. The Swiss are on the ball though. It wasn't more then about 2 hours when we crossed the bridge again, looked down and saw that the slats had been replaced with new slats. This meant that Will, Manny and Tori could all sleep well. Me on the other hand, I was tired I was going to sleep well either way.
That night I was craving Fahitas so that is what I cooked. I think Manny was slightly impressed with my mexican cuisine.
The next day was even more unimpressive then the day before. WE DID NOTHING!!!! Tori and Will had taken off to Geneva and Manny and I were still in Bern. I had a dinner date with my Swiss family and Manny was going to try and hook up with an old friend. The afternoon was taken up by killing time before we had to head out.
I called Reglua just to touble check the train station I had to get off at and she came and picked me up within minutes. She came with her little 8 year old daughter Alyssa and we drove back to their house. Regula and I waited form Markus to arrive home from work. ALyssa and I chatted through Regula about Halloween in Canada, what we do compared to them and about their recent trip to Thailand. About 20 minutes later, Mikko arrived throuh the door, their 10 year old son. Mikko was just starting to learn English in School so it was really fun tring to communicate with the little guy. He pulled out the Europe map and wanted to know exaclty where I had been what I had done. I left out parts such as Oktoberfest.
Markus arrived home from work and we all sat down to an amazing plate of Swiss meats and Cheeses. Cracked open a few beers and I was more then relaxed. It was so nice being in a home of a fmaily as welcoming at these guys. The converstaion was so easy, and it felt like being at home around the kitchen table just catching up. We hit every subject from, my trip, to work, to politics, you name it. The kids were so interested in Canada, what was different what was the same. Markus told me that the kids loved to have visitors in the house but I had no idea. I felt bad for mom and dad though having to translate every sentence.
About 7:00pm Alyssa and Mikko got all dressed up and prepared for a night of Trick or Treating. Now it was really feeling like home and it was so cool to be there on Halloween night. The only weird thing was that they sent the kids out with no supervision. No adualts at all. I couldn't beleive it. Not a hope in hell would that ever fly in Canada or the USA. They returned about an hour later with not nearly as much candy as our little kiddies back at home. I guess that is a difference between the two cultures, they don't need the massive amounts to be satisfied.
Markus, Regula and I sat around the kitchen table and had the most incredilbe fondue. 6 types of cheese, meats, veggies, bread, you name it. Polished off a few bottles of white wine and I was feeling really good. Eating for about 3 hours was not a problem for me. Like I said what made it special was that fact that I was so comfortable and it really made me feel like I was at home. Regula prepared the most amzing traditional desert of Chestnut Spaggetti and Ice cream. Only eaten in the fall when the nuts fall off the tree. I left about 1:00am when Markus drove me back to Bern where I said my good byes and thanked him for an experience that can't be bought. I still owe them a great deal of gratitude.
The next day I was off to Geneva, do think Manny hung on or do you think it was time for him to fly on his own.................................
Comments
teasers...
You are getting really good at keeping us hooked!