Month: February 2013

We had been hearing about the big Swiss party called Fasnacht since long before we came here. Basel’s is the biggest, Lucerne’s is the noisiest, Fribourg’s is also highly recommended. Which shall we see? Any of those 3 would require train rides, hotel bills, and Jon taking off work (it’s a multi-day party) to “do it right”. So we decided to simply go to the last day of Bern’s Fasnacht and see the parade and hear their “Monster Konzert”.

We were in place, waiting with 1,000’s of others behind barriers lining the street in preparation for the parade, well positioned with a view straight down the street. Finally, here they come: half a dozen men in flapping green, red and yellow costumes with HUGE cowbells on their hind ends that clanged with each step. And there they go: into the McDonalds on the corner.

Hunh? Is that it? Wait. Wait. Wait. Oh, now I hear a band. Where are they? Oops, we’re facing the wrong direction! We worm through the crowd, find some short people to stand behind, and for 2 hours watch the over 50 bands and other miscellaneous groups pass by. Tunes were nearly recognizable: ABBA, Bob Marley, John Denver.

Unlike American parades, there were few floats, none mechanized. One was a big white ship with sailors, with an outhouse on the back that the swinging door showed was in use. Another was a castle attended by its dragon and knights with a cannon shooting purple confetti. MC got a direct hit.

But it was the costumes, make-up and big fake heads that were so different from what we have ever seen. Fantastical, brilliantly colorful, and unique. Each group or band had a theme–similar colors, fabrics and style and usually the same make-up–but each individual had their own details, making them seem both elaborate and ragtag.

After the parade, the bands scattered about the city, on different corners or bandstands that had been set up. This was their “Monster Konzert”.

The streets were lined, as for any event, with vendors, some selling confetti or kid toys, but most offering food. We headed home a little after sunset. Half a day of partying being enough for us.

It has snowed AGAIN!!

This past week Thursday was warm (10 Celsius) and the last bits of snow had melted.  But Saturday brought a new light coating and now as I report from my living room there’s a fresh thick layer from last night and more coming down.  It is all white and pure and, as ever, fluffy.  Jon says this kind of moist light snow which piles on trees and bushes like pillows is rare in Iowa, but here it seems it’s the only kind they have.  A new fairyland about once a week!

Thoughts of skiing were put aside this weekend, mostly because Jon was still recovering from a cold and the strain of the winter concert schedule.  Instead we plowed through planning for the sabbatical.  We will have no computer with us and we are aware of the difficulties we had on past trips finding our way, finding food, finding campgrounds.  So these cold dark winter nights are spent in true European style:  planning vacation.

After spending all Saturday indoors on the computers, I insisted on a walk Sunday afternoon.  Jon was a bit skeptical of heading into the woods, knowing the paths would be muddy, but I so prefer to be engulfed by life, rather than surrounded by the concrete boxes of town.   He’s still fascinated by figuring out where all the paths lead so we headed down a few not yet taken.  We came to a section of path lined by a fence of huge rocks.  Leaning over the fence, we saw a canyon with a steep wall so flat and smooth, Jon was sure it was concrete.  Following the track further and going around the fence we came to a road leading into the canyon where it became obvious this is the quarry of Ostermundigen which we had heard of from a co-worker.

We’ve seen other quarries where rock or sand are being taken out, but here this exceptionally solid and consistent stone is cut out in large blocks.  What looks like stripes are seams where the cuts were made.