Barfussweg: the Bare foot path

I am trying desparately to take my mind off the fact that my nose has been running since approx. 4:23pm - it's 11:26pm at the moment and I don't dare lay down. I finished a nice walk this afternoon and the allergies took over.



I have a love/hate relationship with Fall. Right now, I would like it to start freezing at night so all the molds/mildew will die a quick death. AND, I would like it to continue to be 65 - 70 F during the day for my pleasure. Small requests, I know.



I will therefore share our family escapades from Saturday above Engelberg. (Linds - would have love to stop by and say hi! to Marge but the wee one was having issues and timing was not right) We ended up at the lift to the Brunni Huette although we meant to go somewhere else. My bloggy friend Linds had posted about the new lift/play area above Engelberg at the beginning of summer and I thought the girls would love it.



They did. Here is the pond the "Barfussweg" encompasses. For us, winter is approaching and with it comes the fog/clouds - we needed a little escape from Zurich. So being above the clouds and in the sunshine at nearly 2,000M was a bonus. The idea is: you take off your shoes/socks, place them on a conveniently placed shelf and begin your trek around this large pond barefoot. It's designed for sensory stimulation. You walk into the COLD water, onto stones, then water, then wood planks, water, moss, water........

It was fun to see what the girls thought about the different textures. Some we liked and some we didn't.

This - MUD - I did not like. I only smiled for the camera. It felt gross. It smelled gross. Ewwwww! I think they supplement it from the cow pasture. I'm NOT kidding. Kendra thought it was cool but, then again, she wishes to have little piggies as pets.

At the end of your walk, you enjoy a warm foot bath. There is also a faucet for cleaning your feet and paper towels to dry them before putting your boots back on. Lovely!

All the while I'm thinking "OK, no one has any cuts or open abrasions on their lower limbs that when through the mud, right?"

"Paranoia will destroy ya....."

The view above the clouds:

Sometimes you feel you're on the edge of the world:

It's just so beautiful:

And then there are those who don't move regardless of the occasion:

There is always a little place to stop for a coffee. This house and barn serves as dairy, restaurant and home.

We had to try out the Rodelbahn (summer toboggan) before heading home. Now that is a good time!

The land of outdoor fun!

Well, I'm at the end of this post and still think that laying down with a running head is a bad idea. Worse yet, is that previous experience tells me this allergy reaction will lead to something more due to the inflammation, etc... that comes with it. Hope it settles soon. Especially as my idea of running around with tissue in my nose didn't sound too appealing to Kendra. She thinks I would be a bit embarassing.

Hah! She's just short of 9 yrs. I haven't even begun to embarrass her yet!

So close and yet so far

So - Are you ready to take a little quiz?

Match the packing picture with the child. Those of you who know the girls will probably have no problem with this but the pictures will offer clues.

Upon being asked to pack for CA this summer, these were the results:

1. 2.

Here are the girls doing their homework:

Kendra

Rachel

Can you match the packing photo to the right child?

It amazes me how two people can be so close and yet so totally different. I know it doesn't amaze anyone with kids. We see how different they are every day. I love their differences even though it can drive one insane - I live for nights when everyone is pleased with the dinner choice.

I could have added pic's of their rooms but that would have been a dead give-away. AND, you would see what I let them get away with. I'm not a good enforcer of room rules (other than NO food) and prefer to close their doors rather than fight it.

I love them so much and so very happy to be their mom. Thank You God!

So far, I've only found 2 things cheaper....

in Switzerland than they are in the United States: Nespresso machines and Ski lift tickets.


I've checked the prices on the Nespresso machines (budgeting for things we must buy/replace when returning back to the States) and they are about $30 - $50 dollars higher than in Switzerland. However, I would guess that perhaps they go on sale in the States occassionally and absolutely DO NOT over here.

That machine is on the needs list vs the wants list. Bart and the girls will agree that I am human after that first cup.

Ski lift tickets. Kendra and I are already wondering when we'll have the first snow. A little sick, I know.

You can buy a daily lift ticket in Switzerland (Davos, St. Moritz, Flims) for $46 - $55 (50 - 62 CHF) . A daily lift ticket at equivalent skiing in the US (Heavenly, Vail, SunValley) runs at $75 - $80+.

Should you come over during the winter, bring some gear and take a run or two on the slopes. Seriously.

These price comparisons lead me to briefly touch on Target (oh, how I love thee, let me count..). A thanks to M(IA) who blogged her love of Target - just a little torture for me. I'm running out of Ziploc baggies and miss their 2 boxes for $5 specials!

My aunt returns from nearly two weeks in Italy and one of the first things out of her mouth "Oh, honey! I miss Target." Yes, I know. I did my best to console her and commiserate with her. Love you Aunt E.

See, she was suffering from a cold/congestion and would go into the pharmacies and be offered one remedy item. The price - about $14 - was also a factor.

She said "I'm used to choices and the store staying open until 10pm." "And on Sunday" I added.

There will come a day when we will once again live in a land where stores are not closed by 6-8pm during the week, 4-6 on Saturdays and closed entirely on Sundays. When we will no longer import a small pharmacy on return trips. However, one does adapt and I am very tuned in to what I need and when I need to get it. We have more planning and fewer one-off errands - that's a good thing, right?

It's really hard to communicate these kinds of things without the experience to go with them. It's hard to say " Oh, the stores aren't open as long and things cost more here." Aunt E was getting the full experience.

I try not to cost things to death but we are still too practical to throw our coins to the wind and say "Sure Rachel, you DO need new shoes so lets get those VANs." Because the VANs over here are 100 - 130 CHF and I know that Uncle Jason & Aunt Kris can hook us up with a VANs outlet when we're in SoCal come December. I'm talking a basic VANs shoe - not the tricked out leather versions.

There is also the shock that occurs when visitors open their first menu and realize how much it costs to eat here - Switzerland and Europe in general. We highly recommend grabbing sandwiches/drinks at bakeries or buying snacks at a market and really eating out only once a day. A family of four eating out for lunch and dinner can easily spend $60 - 80 (lunch) and then $100 - 140+(dinner) depending on what they have. And our family of four includes 2 girls who still order off the children's menu (they don't like it when adults order off the childrens menu OR when adults try on kid's shoes..........) Drinks (3 soda's & 1 water) will comprise $15 - 18 of the bill.

So as you think of your trip to Europe (I know you are!), budget accordingly for food and enjoy yourself out on that beautiful mountain with that cheap lift ticket. As ski season starts, I will be reminding you all of the hazard known as a "Swiss lift line." Really, that's an oxymoron as 'line' or 'queue' don't really belong in that phrase.

Numero 300!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Numero 300 is easier than Nombre drei hundert.

Regardless of how I spell it, this is the 300th post on Swiss Family Olson. I can't believe I've thought I had enough interesting things to say or share over the last 3+ years. Wow!

I should have a little cake or something. But then I'd have to eat it all myself and that wouldn't be pretty, would it?

So I would like to thank my friends and family who read this blog for your very kind comments. Huge thanks to my friends who also have blogs because it makes me feel connected to life back home. It's been a great way to share our life here in Switzerland and offer a look at what I'm thinking since I can't exactly call you at my "primetime" of 10am and discuss my thoughts. You're all in bed and I'd end up with fewer friends and family I think.

Along the way, I've picked up a few readers who I don't know in "real life." Thank you also for reading and any comments you've left.

I never thought in my wildest dreams I would ever - EVER - meet people I 'met' on the Internet. Then again, I never dreamed I would sign onto Facebook and be plunged into a world of people I haven't seen in 20 - 25 years - and find it's fun. I like knowing where they are now and if they offer, what they're doing.

I don't have a lot of 'outside' readers. At least I don't think so. If so, great! but you're lurking and never tell me who you are. Then again, I may not want to know. Please feel free to continue lurking.

So - it may come as quite as a surprise that I have actually met two wonderful ladies who stumbled upon our Blog once upon a time. They are as nice in person as they are on their Blogs.

So this post is dedicated to these Bloggy Friends.

In my crazy summer of posting, not posting, I haven't shared my meeting with Judy. Now - some would call this story I will tell coincidence. I don't think so but I don't know yet why Judy and I stumbled upon each other. Unless it's simply to see that she and her family, former Expats (Singapore), adjusted back to life in the US of A and she has a tremendous heart for God. But God is not a God of Coincidence.

Here are Judy and I at the Mall of America in July. Had a great 2 hours visiting with her and her daughter. If her grown daughter is any measure - Judy is a person with a lot of heart, a great sense of humor and down to earth. Love it.

Here is where the funny story/coincidence comes in - I'll try to keep it clear:

Judy came across my blog via a comment I made on another blog with an Expat reference - about 2 1/2 to 3 yrs ago (!). She followed the link and in reading my posts that month, sent a message saying that she thought she knew my IA worship pastor who had been her choir director in Missouri. I checked with said worship pastor's wife and sure enough, it was the same person - Mr. KD. Small World.

THEN, last Fall, as I was writing about a missions trip the girls and I were going to take with worship group from IA, she comments again. It seems, the missions conference we would be at in Hungary would be attended by her best friend/friend's husband who are missionaries in Budapest. So last October (08), I met Judy's best friend. Who's husband was looking at me like I landed from Mars - what is the world coming to when you are meeting other people's virtual friends in foreign countries.

It sounds weird to me and yet this is what has been added to my life. I have enjoyed it.

So Judy and I met finally in July at the ever convenient Mall of America. She saw Bart walk past before she reached me and recognized him! Isn't that funny? A little?

And I'm re-sharing a picture of Linds and I whom I met in Engelberg, Switzerland at her sister's house. She is a delightful lady who writes wonderfully. Although she's been in Switzerland twice since, circumstances have been such that we haven't been able to get together again. Although I did see her sister last March when I took friends to Engelberg - beautiful place! We hope to get another visit in soon - all in the timing!

The post of that meeting is here: http://swissfamilyolson.blogspot.com/2008/12/its-all-boomamas-fault.html

So Thank You to all my Bloggy Friends, including those who were 'real life' friends before, for giving me some inspiration to keep this up.

Happy 300!

Melser Alpfahrt '09

Friday night, my aunt and uncle returned from their wanderings in Italy and crashed. We didn't plan anything too strenuous for the weekend and I thought a local Swiss culture outing would be fun. An Alpfahrt.


No, one isn't required to say "excuse me" after using such a word.


In the mountain regions of Switzerland, farmers graze their dairy cows/goats in high mountain pastures during the summer and keep them in barns/valley pastures during the winter. In late Spring comes the 'alpaufzug' when the farmers place bells on the animals and take them from the lower pastures up to the high pastures. Come Fall, they round them all up and bring them down again during the 'alpfahrt.'

There is a bit of ceremony attached to this transportation process. The families who's herds are 'coming home' prepare floral arrangements - for the cows, the herders are dressed in traditional shirts, the 'big' bells come out and food and drink are plenty for the on-lookers.

So off to Mels we went. Bart and the girls stayed home as 1) the girls and he had homework/work to do, 2) they have been before and 3) Kendra didn't want to go because of the noise.

We had some tasty Brats/drink while sitting on the curb waiting for things to start. It did start a little slower than my previous experience. But I suppose one can't predict how fast a cow can get dressed and start moving down the mountain, can one?

This pretty lady started off the parade. Quite the statuesque headpiece.

These bells can be as big as their heads.

Lovely and colorful in the colors and crest of Mels.

So, why is it that we wear these ridiculous things anyway? I just want to head to the barn and put my hooves up.

On her way to church?

Sweetest little baby.

And the winner is: Miss Blondie from Mels.

Although the dairy cows are the main focus, one cannot forget the source of yummy, yes Mom, yummy Goat Cheese!

I've been wondering where the Swiss sense of humor was lately and apparently, it was located in the hills and brought to town. Thank Goodness!

Let's not forget the working partner......

of the People:

I really need to get Bart a pair of these. I'm actually worried as I think we may have agreed to dress for Oktoberfest (business table). How do I get out of that one?

G & L - It was great showing you a bit more of Switzerland (Luzern was yesterday). Wishing you a safe flight home, Thank You for taking part of your vacation time to spend with us and see you again, live and in person, next Summer.