2 weeks ago, Kate and I decided to trek across the country to the city of Basel which sits precariously near the border between France, Germany, and Switzerland. It is a famous art city and this was evident by the myriad frescos, sculptures, and fountains.
Oh, and this.
We spent a great deal of the day getting lost but it was still a good time. I mean, come on, I don't think that you can really have a bad day after seeing a pig train with popping eyes.
That Saturday night was Museum Nacht in St. Gallen which is an event in which all of the museums and art galleries are open from 6 until midnight. I was all geared up to go with my host parents, but at the last minute my host sister (who I like to refer to as my Swisster) surprised us with 3 free tickets to see the musical "Chicago" at the St. Gallen Theatre.
Let me tell you; if you are ever presented with the opportunity to see "Chicago" in German, you take it because it's fabulous. I spent most of the first act trying to translate the songs in my head (since even "All That Jazz" got the Deutsche treatment). But by the second, I was too tired so I just focused my attention on the amazing sets, staging, and singing. The best part (and the cheese probably stands alone on this one) was when my host parents translated the song titles for me. For instance, the song "Razzle Dazzle" translates in German to "Hocus Pocus" and the song "My Funny Honey" was pared down to simply "My Man". I guess they make sense but the only Hocus Pocus that matters stars Bette Midler.
After the show I went into the city to explore the remnants of the Museum Nacht. I went to one of the prominent churches in the old part of the city because they were having special tours of their tower where you could see a panoramic view of the city. As I approached the church I heard thumping music and opened the door to witness as whole dance party complete with a DJ and uplighting on the organ pipes. It was FABULOUS. I think this just proves that churches are multi-functional spaces with great acoustics. On my way up to the tower, I passed the church bells while climbing the rickety staircase.
Basically living the team dream of being Quasimodo for a night.
Also, I keep seeing this poster when I walk through the city and it's probably one of the top ten things I've seen here so far.
I have absolutely no idea who the Swing Kids are or that a "Swing Miracle" occurred and now there's a true story about it, but I'm glad I know now. So look out, because the Swing Kids of St. Gallen Switzerland are coming to a city near you (unless you live in Boston, Kyoto, or Paris in which case you missed them). The girl with the trombone in particular is giving some major 'tude and spunk and I appreciate it.
Now for my birthday!!!!!!!!!!!! I turned 21 a week ago and I had the best Swiss birthday I would have ever asked for. It was a gorgeous day so I decided to start my 21st year off right by going for my first Swiss run.
This is the "after" picture. Due to the hills and my complete lack of stamina, I did a combination of running and walking. And representing for Pittsburgh.
That night I went out to dinner with my host family and Kate where we all had traditional Swiss dishes. I ate Spaeztli served with meat sauce, which the English version of the menu called "the Swiss response to Italian pasta". If there is pasta in some form or another, I can be trusted to sniff it out. My host parents gave me a box of Lindt truffles and a Swiss army knife and my host sister gave me a scarf. I basically felt like a naturalized Swiss citizen!
The next day, my host mother took Kate and me to Peter and Paul which is a wildlife park where you walk along some paths and observe animals native to the region. There were lots of deer species that live in the mountains and some marmots. I almost took one of those home.
It very nice to see the animals so close and to enjoy the beautiful views of the surrounding area. However, there were some terrifying wild cats. I guess there is a species of cat that's between a domesic house cat and a lynx or something that just roam around the forests of Switzerland. I was kind of horrified because they were basically like house cats but 5 times the size and with weird fur patterns. If you are a cat lover, then clearly this is the country for you because you can see them not only trolling the streets but also in the wild.
The next day one of our classmates invited Kate and me to come to her house and partake in a very traditional Swiss meal called raclette. Raclette is melted cheese served over potatoes and melted butter....It happened.
Raclette requires a special griddle where you can cook meat and vegetables on the top and melt the cheese underneath. The pictures above show the process of melting the cheese and subsequently drizzling it over your potatoes. I was over and out after only 1 and a half servings. It was absolutely delicious but definitely a meal you need to train for. Both Kate an I enjoyed it immensely.
In a week and a half, Kate and I will be visiting Rome, Venice, and Paris WHATTTTTT!!! And then my parents and real sister are coming and we are going on the Official "Sound of Music" Tour!!!! Oh, and we're going to Germany and Austria. Stay tuned!!! More adventure and singing to come.
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