my favorite chefs

Kate and Kyle

Italy is a country that has become synonymous with good food. Ironically, some of my favorite meals in Italy (and Switzerland) weren't restaurant-made. They were made by the hands of two Americans, my sister and her husband. In Switzerland they wooed the family with a delicious cheese fondue chased by pear liquor. My sister gave all the gastronomic rules to follow (which included drinking lots of white wine!) to avoid an upset stomach from the mass amounts of cheese.

In Italy we hit a few good restaurants on Lago di Como, but Kate and Kyle gave even those Italians a run for their money with two of their meals. The first was a beautifully prepared apricot and sage pork chop, the second an eggplant Parmesan. As good chefs, they let the available produce inspire the meals. On the drive to Italy, Kyle spotted apricot stand after apricot stand, so we weren't surprised to see the apricot a top our pork chops. Thanks for the good memories and full bellies, you two!


Eggplant parmesean


Swiss fondue

jura hike

From Baulmes to Sainte Croix through the Covatannaz Gorges. The hike starts in a small Swiss village then cuts through beautiful gorges. The sound of water at the bottom of the gorges, nature's music. Cows in pastures. The sound of their bells picks up when rushing water leaves you. The hills are green and soft. Dandelions and wildflowers grow densely where the cows don't graze. The hills are alive.

rolex learning center

Amazing place...check it out. My bro Kyle works @ EPFL. If you ever visit, Satellite is a must-visit. Can you say cheap Belgium beer?

swiss sofa

Rue de l'Ale, Lausanne

Inspired by Bill Keaggy and his book 50 Sad Chairs.

wasp

I learned that Vespa means wasp in Italian. Cool. Not only does the Vespa look like a wasp, it sounds like one!

"WC publics"

Lausanne Flon

swiss alps

Heading through the Simplon Pass from Lausanne, Switzerland to Lake Como, Italy. It was a breathtaking drive. Breathtaking at times because of the beauty, other times because of the fear factor. Fun video to follow.

château de chillon

Made famous by Lord Byron and The Prisoner of Chillon. Here are the first and the last of its 14 parts.

I

My hair is gray, but not with years,
Nor grew it white
In a single night,
As men's have grown from sudden fears:
My limbs are bow'd, though not with toil,
But rusted with a vile repose,
For they have been a dungeon's spoil,
And mine has been the fate of those
To whom the goodly earth and air
Are bann'd, and barr'd - forbidden fare;
But this was for my father's faith
I suffer'd chains and courted death;
That father perish'd at the stake
For tenets he would not forsake;
And for the same his lineal race
In darkness found a dwelling-place;
We were seven - who now are one,
Six in youth, and one in age,
Finish'd as they had begun,
Proud of Persecution's rage;
One in fire, and two in field,
Their belief with blood have seal'd,
Dying as their father died,
For the God their foes denied;
Three were in a dungeon cast,
Of whom this wreck is left the last.

XIV

It might be months, or years, or days -
I kept no count, I took no note -
I had no hope my eyes to raise,
And clear them of their dreary mote;
At last men came to set me free;
I ask'd not why, and reck'd not where;
It was at length the same to me,
Fetter'd or fetterless to be,
I learn'd to love despair.
And thus when they appear'd at last,
And all my bond aside were cast,
These heavy walls to me had grown
A hermitage - and all my own!
And half I felt as they were come
To tear me from a second home:
With spiders I had friendship made,
And watch'd them in their sullen trade,
Had seen the mice by moonlight play,
And why should I feel less than they?
We were all inmates of one place,
And I, the monarch of each race,
Had power to kill - yet, strange to tell!
In quiet we had learn'd to dwell;
My very chains and I grew friends,
So much a long communion tends
To make us what we are: - even I
Regain'd my freedom with a sigh.

smooth ride, on time

montreux

Just an afternoon walk along Lake Geneva to a castle...

lausanne at night

Chalet Suisse




Chalet Suisse

lausanne

28 hours and 23 minutes ago I left Vermont bound for JFK. Final destination: Lausanne, Switzerland. After a van ride, two flights, a lovely train ride and an uphill walk, I arrived. As I put my delirious self to bed, I'm still thinking about my souper suisse...rösti! Thanks to the hermanos for playing host and translator : ) What a beautiful place to call home.

À bientôt!

today is the 60th of march

It's been more than two months since I've seen my sister's face or heard her voice. Today we video chatted for the first time since she's been in Switzerland. We had a great time speaking horrible English to each other. This morning I spent three hours speaking only Spanish. She spent her morning studying intensive French. As we reprogram our minds to think outside of English, coming back to it sometimes feel very silly, though not as silly as the mistakes we are making in our non-native languages. Just ask Kate. Today is the 60th of March, or so she told her French class. Back to the books we go!