But What Do I Know? My Favorite Posts Of 2012

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Schwingen In Switzerland

I listed the top viewed posts of 2012, but thought I would post a list of my favorite posts of 2012 too.

Duomo’s Rooftop, A Sculpture Garden In The Sky – I just like the pictures.
Dubai’s River, It’s Other Waterfront – I liked how different Dubai was from Geneva and loved its mix of cultures. While you can see cool skyscrapers lots of places, there aren’t many where you can see the old wood dhows and the people from all over the world who trade on Dubai’s waterfront.
Millennium Trilogy Walking Tour Of Stieg Larsson’s Stockholm – Part Two – I loved The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (Men Who Hate Women in Swedish). When we went to Stockholm, I toured the sites mentioned in the books. Most of them were in the super-cool Sodermalm neighborhood.
Mohawks Welcome But Not Required At The Groezrock Festival– We love live music and a European Music Festival is something to experience. This one had a great lineup and was well worth the resulting fatigue (better described as exhaustion).
The Toblerone Line, One Sweet Barrier– We looked all over Switzerland for this puppy. Once we found it, we couldn’t stop seeing it places (Reichenbach Falls, near Thun, etc.).
Why I Love Running– One of my favorite things.
Weingut Otto Laubsenstein – Fantastic people + fantastic wine = unforgettable time.
It Wasn’t Premeditated, Our Hike Up Rochers-de-Naye – A reader suggestion and one of the best views in Switzerland. If you’re not up for hours of hiking straight uphill, you can always take the train there.
The Shock Of Your Life – Culture Shock – I tried to keep it real.
Les Contamines – Although we’ve done a lot of skiing, this was one of our favorite days because we spent it with wonderful fr

Schwingen In Switzerland’s Top 10 Posts Of 2012

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Schwingen In Switzerland

Since everyone seems to come out with a Best of 2012 list at the end of the year, I thought I would list my top 10 most viewed posts this year.

Everything You Don’t Need And Can’t Live Without – I don’t like to sit still, don’t nap and hate to be bored. I realize that it doesn’t always make me the most relaxing person to be around, but it’s generally pretty entertaining. When we had a free Sunday, I decided to go check out a little shindig they had going on in the cool Carouge neighborhood. Unexpectedly, this post was selected for Freshly Pressed.
Tschäggättä Parade To Celebrate Carnival In The Lötschental Valley – One of the best things about Switzerland is its festivals. This one was unlike anything I’d ever seen. This was my first post to be Freshly Pressed.
More Pictures of the Versoix, Switzerland Ice Storm – Remember the picture of the frozen car? Well, since it was taken in a suburb of Geneva, I couldn’t help myself. I went to get the shot. On a side note, it would have been smart of me not to wear high heals when doing so. A couple of nice Swiss gentlemen helped me off the ice. Yep, I’m an idiot, but the pictures are great.
Our Basement Bomb Shelter, Otherwise Known As Our Storage Unit – I’m glad other people are as intrigued by this phenomenon as I am.
Mt. Blanc, The Tallest Mountain In The Alps – I am profoundly grateful to have seen such beauty.
The Spaghetti Tree Hoax, Aka Happy April Fool’s Day From Switzerland – Hilarious. Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself.
My Introduction to French Cinema, A List of Great, Entertaining and Fun French Films – While I posted this before Jean Dujardin won the Oscar, some of his comedies made the list.
Why Didn’t Hitler Invade Switzerland? – This was a hard one to write as it’s a difficult question. I hope I didn’t screw it up too badly.
Another Cultural Difference…Men In Spandex – Sometimes, it’s the little things…
What The Heck Is A Bidet? – Please feel free to comment with any additional uses you can think up for a bidet.

Got Wood? The Swiss Stack A Strong Woodpile

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Schwingen In Switzerland

Whenever we hike in Switzerland, we see woodpiles…everywhere. In typical Swiss fashion, they are neatly stacked and very organized.

The OCD part of me loves that this family had their stacks numbered by year. You can see their dividers in the photo below. Strong.

I think that daily life in Switzerland can keep you pretty active and people seem healthier than other places I’ve lived. Perhaps chopping all of this wood is part of their fitness plan?

This time of year is the perfect time to cozy up in front of a fire, so go ahead and knock on wood.

Don’t Let The Cows Out! (schwingeninswitzerland.wordpress.com)

Passage De Monetier, A Not So Secret Passage

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Schwingen In Switzerland

is an historical passage in Geneva’s old town. You enter at the top of the Rue du Perron (by No. 19) and exit off the alley Monetier, at the base of the old ramparts. The passage zig zags between medieval buildings for around 100 meters (328 feet), narrowing to 50 cm (20 inches)!

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Given layout between residential buildings, darkness and narrowness, it’s not surprising that this secret passage is open to the public only during the last two days of Geneva’s Escalade festivities. The rest of the year, it is closed. Get in on the action this weekend while you still can!

Occupied since Roman times, Geneva is ancient. Over time, Geneva grew and extended its fortifications. The passage began as a simple path between early fortifications sometime during the 600-1100 A.D. that protected the hill of Saint-Pierre (on which Cathedral St. Pierre sits).

In the Middle Ages buildings weren’t glued to each other. As new fortifications and buildings were built, Passage Monetier became a passage or alley. It took on its current route around 1300-1400 A.D. and allows access from one neighborhood to another without detours. Without indoor plumbing alleys served as an open sewers and it probably didn’t smell great.

The Savoyards came along the Aarve River, assembled at Plainpalais and attacked from the back of the city.

There’s an urban myth that says the passage had something to do with the surprise attack by Savoyard troops sent by Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy during the night of 11–12 December 1602 to attack Geneva. Alas, it is just that, a myth. Neither attacks, nor the battle that night took place near there. Its opening merely serves as one of the festivities comprising L’Escalade festival which celebrates Geneva’s win and usually occurs in 12th of December.

L’Escalade à Genève, 1602. The Escalade in Geneva in 1602. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Weekend From 1602: Celebrating Geneva’s l’Escalade (livingingeneva.wordpress.com)

Schmutzli, St. Nicholas Vigilante Style

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Schwingen In Switzerland

from http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ajnNXQOpEU/TuXv9AYoxEI/AAAAAAAAAPc/B2a5F–1xt8/s1600/schmutzli+bad+santa+switzerland.jpg

I am ashamed to admit that until I met my husband, I didn’t even know the Feast of St. Nicholas holiday existed. They celebrate it in the German parts of Switzerland with St. Nick and his heavy, Schmutzli.

Drawing of Schmutzli and Santa from http://2.bp.blogspot.com

Unlike the holiday in the US, in Switzerland St. Nicholas brings his thug buddy, Schmutzli, with him. For reasons I don’t fully understand, instead of reindeer, St. Nick usually shows up with donkey. Schmutzli is a dirty guy dressed in brown hooded cloak and smeared with soot. Unlike jolly old St. Nick, Schmutzli traditionally beat naughty children with a switch and carried them off in a sack to be eaten in the woods. Now, he’s a little bit less of a felon/child abductor. He passes out the goodies and delivers stern lectures on proper behavior. It’s pretty unique and highly entertaining, therefore, I’m giving Schmutzli two thumbs up.