The Family

The whole reason for our trip, right. So Eli finally met his grandpa and got to see his aunt and cousin again after two years. We even saw a couple of my uncles and a handful of cousins.

The 12 year age difference didn't matter to him, he knew my niece, Cirila, was still a kid. She pretended to be into cars and marbles. She was the only person Mr. Clingy would be in a different room with.

Grandpa ("Grosspapi") trying to show the ever-cautious Eli how fun the slide was. He never went down.

Despite everyone's efforts to warm up to him, Eli never left my side, especially after Brian left. Well, actually, I got to go to the bathroom by myself twice, but he always came running after a minute. He did like everyone, though. He was always excited when my sister Simone was coming up the walk way, "Mone! Mone!" and when we got on the plane to come home, he said he wanted to go to "Bop's home." The night we got home he even cried because he missed my dad, sister, niece, and Heidi.

Don't tell Brian, but he didn't get as upset when he realized his dad had left us while we were still there.

The Scenery

Bodensee (Lake Constance)

Appenzell (only one of MANY goat encounters)

Brienz-Rothorn (Eli's steam engine took us to the top to see Jungfrau from across and Brienz Sea and Interlaken from above)

Appenzell (farmers have a nice view, luckily the wife often runs a restaurant in the house so it was our dinner view too)

Appenzell again

Brian thought he wanted to go to travel far to big, famous cities, but he's a small town boy, so it makes sense that the picturesque farming town Appenzell was always his favorite. Hopefully I can get him to write about his adventurous hike and pick only a few pictures to share.

Getting Around

By the first week we'd used practically every mode of transportation possible. Buses for around town, a car to see the sights and a few others, just for fun, like a horse drawn wagon. When we walked, Eli always had a reason to exclaim "MOM!" with all the buses and trains going by.

Bri got an international driver's license so we could rent a car. I only got scared a couple of times, it was surprisingly stressful for him driving there despite how well-organized and marked things were. We definitely wouldn't have survived in Italy. Although well-maintained, country and mountain roads are quite narrow.




Take this mountain pass, cliffs and opposing traffic to the left and a sheer drop to the right, all on a road we would consider wide enough for one car. Did I mention the fog? Never seen Brian so scared.

And there were always fun things to stop for. Mostly cows on an open range or farmers bringing them from the field for milking, but also goats whose trailer blocked the road while the most spry of the farmer's sons tried to wrangle them. Not just unexpected animals brought us to a halt. Obviously pedestrians have the right of way, but it was good seeing programs like a police officer teaching a small group of brightly-marked kindergarteners how to cross the road or teaching elementary school kids how to ride their bikes in traffic.

The whole trip Eli was teaching us an appreciation for trains. This little green one in Brienz was especially exciting. A 200 year old steam engine pushed a couple of viewing cars up a mountain, through steep cow pastures and all kinds of tunnels("toe teens," as Eli calls them) to an amazing view of the Jungfrau, among others.

Finally a train like Thomas, that blows smoke and steam and has top stop to drink water.

Eli wasn't quite as excited about the big ship we rode on, but he was thrilled when we got off and he saw it was full of cars and even a tour bus that also wanted to cross the lake.

And, as with any other time we visit my dad, there is walking involved. More than you are used to. Luckily he seemed to take it easy on us, probably because I'm pregnant. But it was the best way to experience the land.

The Flight

5 a.m. Post. Good way to make myself useful during the wakeful effects of jet lag. Last night I was just waking Brian up all the time.

Eli was amazing. He definitely got antsy and didn't sleep much, but our supply of movies, candy, toys and books kept the crying at bay. I was happy he liked using his homemade backpack (filled with his lightest toys: foam plane, felt book, tiny plastic animals and cars) so he could be like mom and dad. On the plane people kept saying how good he was. He loved running through the airports to make connecting flights, so it was fine that I forgot the stroller. The planes, escalators, and these moving sidewalks were super-exciting.

It was the home flight Friday that I was worried about. Two hours longer because of the jet stream, no Brian to help, stinking customs, and it would require us to fly all night. Again, the little man was an angel, but had reached his limit after the 9 hour flight when we landed at the now-dreaded JFK airport. I'm sure everyone around me was feeling sorry for themselves as his whimpers slowly turned into a screaming tantrum, poor boy had been so patient and couldn't understand why the plane had landed and was still but we couldn't get off for another half an hour because our gate wasn't open. I'll blame it on pregnancy, but I started to cry at the thought of telling him we still had to get on another plane. Then, as we got off he thought we were going to see Bri. (I was very careful not to mention that we were going home or going to see Bri until we were walking off the Salt Lake plane because he doesn't understand time and it would have made him less patient, so I don't know where he got the idea.) Sore and tired and sweaty, I made it across the poorly planned and slacker-staffed airport holding the maximum number of carry-on items (a bag, a purse, and one personal item, in case anyone's wondering) for two people and only carrying Eli like a football while running when I heard my name on the intercom.

I am staying on the ground for a long time.

But then we saw Bri and we came home to a clean house, beautiful new floors, and a warm dinner on the stove. It was Christmas at midnight in September when Eli was reunited with all of his toys.

Switzerland or Sleep?

Appelzell, Aug 05

St. Gallen, Aug 05

We chose the first. Our tickets are for August 27 through September 18th, Brian coming home one week earlier. I'm already worried about the long journey and how our picky little sleeper will do without his crib in his dark, quiet room, especially since our cheap flight drops us off Zurich at 8 a.m., aka midnight our time. After that will he be extra dramatic since he only takes good naps in his crib? To some this sounds trivial when compared to a chance at a trip across the world. But I have met no mom that takes sleep lightly.

Sleep shmeep. I'll try and spend the next six weeks anticipating a memorable trip. Brian's excited about the touristy things: visiting notable sites, taking in majestic views, shopping, and eating gourmet food. I look forward to the simple things, like eating berries out of my dad's garden, listening to church bells for the time, Eli meeting his grandpa, and playing with his aunt and cousin. I must also admit I'm hungrily anticipating some of my favorite foods. I told Brian I'm probably only going to eat bread, wurst, and cheese. And yogurt, yes. I don't know how Americans put up with the nasty stuff here. Luckily Brian adapted quickly to the strong, stinky cheese, he likes it as much or even more than me. I'm also making note of all the recipes I must copy down from Heidi, my dad's woman that is a fabulous cook.

It's only taken us 4 years to find enough money and Brian availability to go. Can't wait.

Swiss Days or Utah Days?

My sister and her beautiful little family went to Switzerland a couple of days ago to visit my other sister and dad. Here in Utah, Swiss Days in Midway is as close as we got this year. Every time we go I tell myself, "We're not going next year, it's just a bunch of Utah handicrafts and bad food." But there's something about entering a small mountain town with Swiss flags and architecture. It is also well-organized as if the Swiss government were orchestrating it. There's free parking and frequent shuttles taking people to the event which has lots of entertainment being performed , free drink and even hand-washing stations set up. Now the downside. Food stands have names like Swiss Tacos and Swiss Hamburgers. Yikes. The saurkraut is so concentrated it makes your cheeks go hollow and eyes squint. We were sure to arrive full.

Today I found the best food available, caramel apples. Eli only appreciated the caramel, sending the naked sour apple slice back. This wasn't the only treat this year. Luckily, we stuck around long enough to hear some impressive yodeling (click here for a tame example) and I even saw a couple of guys in lederhhosen. Now we're getting authentic. There was even a stand set up by the Swiss Consulate giving out free Swiss stuff (the only real Swiss stuff there) to encourage people to go to a website and share their Swiss heritage. It was all a small, not-so-realistic taste of the experience my sister's family is having, but it was still fun to get out and experience some familiar sites and sounds.

Happy 1st August!!!

This is the perfect day to talk about my Swissness. I don't even know any history, but today is the 717th anniversary of the forming of the Swiss confederation. The fabulous Swiss Consulate sent me an invitation to a party with music and a children's parade at Sugarhouse Park. I sure hope nobody tries to speak German to me. The language barrier is the one that always makes me feel like I don't belong, but since my passport is red, it's a matter of documentation, not my self conscious notions. As soon as we can afford it, we will go again, until then we must reminisce about our August 2005 trip.
1) Here is the darling school where my sisters and I attended kindergarten. I have a few memories of walks with my class in the forest, snacks of cucumber and fleischkaese, and my first little crush (of whom I still get reports on whenever I go back).
2) Next is a view from a walk in Appenzellerland. Why people from here are considered hicks and are often embarrassed to call this home, I don't know. (You MUST click to enlarge)
3) Now comes THE Rhine River that had Brian in awe. (Wait until you see the mountains, honey)
4) It wouldn't be a trip to Switzerland without trying to keep up with Papi on a trek around the Saentis mountain range, the mountains closest to home. This is where Brian got... lets say, "uneasy". Apparently the Idaho mountains aren't this intensely jagged, steep, and soaring.
5) He was further impressed when the pilot pointed out the Alps on the way home. Poor guy later told me he was planning to show me what mountains really looked like, but was saddened that it happened the other way around.
I'm feeling better already. It's not all in the language, there has to be something to say for heritage and memories. Hopefully this newfound confidence will stick with me tonight.