A close-up and personal look at Switzerland
Speaking in German is like talking in picture books. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Everything you say somehow brings up visuals. The animal kingdom is well represented in many languages. I’ve noticed a lot of idioms,… Read moreIdioms and Animals in German (Horses, Donkeys)
I’m not very political but it seems like these days there’s no escaping the political turmoil. If it’s not one country then it’s another. So what better time to look at it than the present? Don’t worry though, I’m just… Read morePolitical Systems in America and Switzerland
Believe me, vegetables are not really my strong point. If someone had said that I would write a post about vegetables someday, I would have said ‘right, dream on’. But here I am, good to go. Asparagus and celery are… Read moreVegetables
Believe me, there were a lot of things that I had never eaten before I came to Switzerland. Foods I didn’t even know existed. Not that all Americans are so food-dumb, I think it was just me. Here are two… Read moreStrange fruits in Switzerland
So, now that the August 1st festivities are over for a year, let’s talk about the Swiss Flag. It’s the number one symbol of Switzerland, well, if you don’t include the mountains, chocolate, cowbells or Heidi. Around this time of… Read moreThings You Need to Know About the Swiss Flag
What makes a Swiss, Swiss? It can get pretty blurry if you’ve never been here. The non-knowing usually end up with the wrong perception. Typically it is a picture of someone wearing leather shorts, a green hat and drinking beer…. Read moreWhat Makes a Swiss Swiss (part 2)
I was never very big on gardening. Of course, I lived in the middle of Berne for 26 years. There wasn’t really any room to do anything with plants, except maybe houseplants. Now that we live in the ‘country’ there… Read moreSwiss Horticulture and Gardening
What makes a Swiss, Swiss? It can get pretty blurry if you’ve never been here. The non-knowing usually end up with the wrong perception. Typically it is a picture of someone wearing leather shorts, a green hat and drinking beer…. Read moreWhat Makes a Swiss Swiss (part 1)
The ‘Kindlifresser’ or Little Child Eater fountain in Berne is a real attention-getter. Really, how often do you see statues of ogres eating children? Berne has more than 100 fountains, 11 of which are sculpted allegorical figures made almost 500… Read moreThe Little Child Eater Fountain in Berne
When the genealogy bug bites, it usually bites hard. I guess it’s an age old thing to try and find out where you come from. If your last name is Weber, Smith, Jones, Miller or even Armstrong, well, good luck…. Read moreGenealogy, Looking for Your Roots
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