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Archive for the ‘Daily Life’ Category

Too Many Teachers In This Country

29 Jan

I was out this weekend with my photo gear taking some photos in town and I have come to the conclusion there are just too many teachers in this town.  I don’t know if there is something in the water or what.  But everywhere I went this weekend some Swiss was trying to tell me how I should and should not do things.

The first encounter was near the train station where I was taking pictures of crowds of people going in and out of the station. A woman came by and told me that I should not be doing that because I was doing something not allowed, and then she mumbled something about security.  I kindly told her that I was in a public place, and as a photographer I can freely photograph the area.  She gave me some kind of evil eye like I was the devil and stormed off.  I was  half expecting security to find me but they never showed, and she probably in the end realized I knew what I was talking about.  After all if she was right, then every tourist in the country might was well not bring a camera because it would be useless.

My second encounter came this afternoon when I decided to walk down to the old town with my tripod and some gear to practice some flash photography.  The reason I went to thisspecific area was because the the beautiful cobblestone streets, and the relative lack of traffic.  In the past I have stood on the street for 2 hours and not seen a single moving vehicle.

Of course I get to the area and setup my tripod and not 5 minutes after getting things together an elderly woman walking a worn dog stops next to me to ask me how long I plan to stay.  At first I am a bit confused by the question.  Then she jumps into a lecture telling me that I should not be in the street with my tripod because there is alot of traffic. She is absolutely right,  all those 80+ sunday church goers taking over the old town on foot  on Sunday afternoon.  I also found it a bit ironic as here pace was not exactly speedy and she was not moving much faster than my tripod.  But back to her point, yes the people in the street were walking so fast they might not see a man in a red ski jacket standing next to a triopod in the middle of the road.  Politeness got the best of me of course, and I calmly responded that I will not be more than 5 minutes before moving on.

In all fairness, I was on the street for 45 minutes, and I did have to move once.  Only once, when the police came by in their van, probably looking for strange foreign men standing in the middle of the road with tripods.

 
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Posted in Daily Life, Photography

 

Swiss German: Töggeli Kasten

15 Jan

Töggeli Kasten

 

Swiss German: Töggeli Kasten
High German: Tischfussball
English: table soccer

 
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First Christmas Away From Hom

28 Dec

New Years 5km Candle Lit Nordic Walking Event

 

Christmas this year was a totally new experience for me and my family this year.  It marked the first year in my life that I spent the holiday away from home.  Since our little baby was so small this year we made the difficult decision to stay in Switzerland.  We did have family join us in Switzerland for the holiday so we weren’t alone, but it was very different.  Some old traditions were put aside.  Others we tried to replicate here as best we could in this new setting.

I don’t think having Christmas outside of the U.S. will be a permanent change, it feels like only a temporary arrangement.

Due to the fact that were were here we did get to do some local things that we wouldn’t normally have a chance to do. We bought our Christmas tree in the plaza under our apartment as opposed to the Jumbo home improvement store.  Usually we don’t have that option because the vendors start selling trees in the city a little late for out tastes.  We did get to keep one long standing tradition which was eating fondue on Christmas Eve.  And I have to say I think it was better in Switzerland for obvious reasons.

We also participated in the new years nordic walking evening on Baldegg.  The event was a 5km candle lit trail followed by a pasta dinner.  Most of the hike was in the pitch black forest with the trail lit by some 1000 candles according to my calculations.  It took a good 15 minutes to get used to walking in the complete darkness as the candles just didn’t have the power needed to illuminate much of the trail at all.  My sister-in-law described it like stumbling 5km for the bathroom in the middle of the night.  A perfect description.

Our family will be here for another 2 weeks or so.  That is beautiful in a sense that we will have 3 extra babysitters around, and that they will have a chance to spend so much time with the newest member of the family.

 

 
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18 Month Flea Market Hunt Comes To An End

28 Nov

I had an amazing Saturday.  So many things were falling into place for me.  The most surprising was the fact that my 18 month search for the perfect Alphorn playing jacket came to successful conclusion.  When I started playing alphorn I thought it would be be cool to pick up a traditional black velvet mens jacket with red trim from the Bernese Oberland region. For whatever reason I just think the “Berner Mutz” has a cool look about it.

At first I thought that if I bought an Alphorn I would just put down the cash for one of these crazy jackets, but after some research and talking to a local who grew up in the Bernese Oberland I learned that the starting price for one of these beauties was about 400 Swiss Francs.  As cool as the jackets are, there was no way I was going to put down 400 Swiss Francs for a jacket that I might where a few times a year while playing Alphorn with some buddies.

That is when my friend offered to call some friends that new some guys in the local yodeling club back in the old ‘heimat ort’.  Unfortunately nobody in the yodeling club was looking to part with a used Mutz.  My search would have to continue.  And continue it did for months and months until this Saturday when I spotted a Mutz hanging at the monthly flea market.

Boy did I get a deal too.  When I bought the jacket the woman surely knew I was a foreigner from my accent.  She said to me, “you know these are usually 400 Swiss Francs.”  I replied that I was well aware, and that was why I was almost ripping the jacket out of her hands for the price she was quoting me for the thing.  My wife has a wonderful way with words sometimes, and I probably couldn’t have said it better when she turned to me and said, “You are the only person I know that would buy a used marching band jacket at a flea market.”

 

 
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Posted in Shopping

 

Swiss View: HD TV for Parents

18 Nov

I recently welcomed 2 new additions to the family.  The first was a 40 inch, 17 kilo TV.  The second was a 47 centimeter, 3 kilo baby.  The former was purchased in large part to help us deal with the later.  These life events as I will call them are also the reason that I have not been posting as regularly. I’ve just have not had time to sit down and pontificate as I usually like to do.

So what I have I learned in the 6 weeks since my daugther came into this world?

First, having a baby seems to impact your sleep just about as much as moving abroad.  I say this of course from the male perspective not having to get up for feedings in the middle of the night.  For me the fact is still that my sleeping, or lack there of seems to be about as bad as it was when I first arrived here.  I had a hard time sleeping with the stress of a new job and new environment.  The only difference is before I could usually at least get in one or two good nights of sleep a week.  For now, not so much.

The other things I have discovered is the joy of television.  My wife and I have never been big TV watchers, but now with a baby it is easy to sit down and zone out to any old stupid TV program.  One of my favorites because it is so mindless is called Swiss View.  It is the kind or program that the station plays because there is absolutely nothing else to show.  It is literally some dude flying over Switzerland taking HD video overlayed with what I will call meditation music.

Perfect for late nights in front of the TV.  You can catch Swiss view on the HD Suisse Channel or pick up a DVD at your loca l exLibris store.

 

 
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Buying A TV in Switzerland

16 Oct

I recently embarked on a journey to purchase a new TV.  This TV would be the first new TV I had ever bought.  Not being a big fan of TV  The last TV that I bought was a second hand model that I paid 20 dollars for  back in university.  Now as a ‘professional’ I thought it would be a good time to get something that was up to date and had all the features I was looking for.

So what was I looking for?  That was  good question.  I knew I wanted something larger than my 21 inch computer screen which had been my staple for watching movies over the past 5 years.  I knew that after trying to watch my wife’s Mac in our well light living room I needed something with an non-relfective screen.

I was also looking for the following features:

  • 40 inch or larger screen
  • built in DVR recording
  • Internet connectivity with built in wireless LAN capabilities
  • Integrated Skype with video capabilities
  • Multiple HDMI inputs and Computer connections

Then my search started.  I did most of my shopping in the local interdiscount shop which had a large display wall and lots of models available.  As a deep contemplator I was getting into the habit of stopping by the store about 2-3 times a week over a period of about 3 weeks.  Was I a bit obsessed, maybe, but the shop was on my walk home from the office and it wasn’t out of the way.

After about 2 weeks I had narrowed down my thoughts, looking at a few Sony models, and a few Samsung models.  The decision was made based on the screen.  The Sony EX700 series had the right features and the right screen.  I liked the Sony HX800 screen and the Samsung’s screens better, but in my living room with the huge windows I knew the HX800 and Samsung’s glossy screens would  just not work.  I’ve had the EX721 for a couple of weeks now and I can say I am happy with my purchase.

So how about the shopping experience?  Let me give some thoughts on all of the websites and stores I visited.

Fust

I check out a few sales advertisements for Fust and their website.  I found their website not very useful and The selection did not really have anything that interested me. Their website doesn’t have a way to browse the available TVs, rather it is just a place where they post a PDF of their latest sale paper.  Totally useless in my opinion.

Interdiscount

I found the interdiscount website one of the easiest to use.  While the graphic design is a bit dated the site does allow you to filter results based on screen size, brand, and a host of other features.  The only disadvantage of the site is that the technical data on the models is not necessarily complete.  From the store perspective they have alot of their stock available for viewing in the store.  They also have a HD video clip playing on the display TVs that is very good for comparing the TVs.  If has a fast action scene for checking motion blur, and dark scene for getting a feel for the contrast of the TV, and some color rich scenes.  Interdiscount has a large selection and their prices were also very competitive.

Mediamarkt

Mediamarkt has just launched an oneline shop this year.  And it shows. There are some basic search features to filter by brand and size, but there is not much choice on their website.  The store is a different experience.  I visited the newly remodeled  Mediamarkt in Dietikon and found it to be comparable to any big-box shop like best buy in the U.S.  Their instore selection was good.  Non-sales items were a bit higher priced than others, although their sales prices were comparable to other chains.  The one negative about the Mediamarkt store, was that the TVs are not setup in a way where one brand of TV is next to another.  This makes comparison of image quality very difficult in the store. Interdiscount was much better on this account.

Digitec.ch

Digitec is a former web based shope that has recently started opening small show rooms.  The digitec website as the best tools for searching and comparing TV models.  You’ll need to read a little German, Italian or French, there is no English option.  I used the Digitec website to do most of my research.  I did visit their showroom and with only about 6 TVs on display it was a bit of a joke.  Digitec had some of the best prices and offers delivery or pick-up in the showrooms. If you know the specific model you would like to purchase it is definately work checking out.

Migro Electronics

Migro Electronics had very limited selection but they had the best prices.  I actually ended up purchasing my TV from the local Migro Electronics shop.  It just so happened that Migro carries a good selection of Sony and Samsung TVs and they have some great sales prices.  I think the key to getting a good price at Migro is to wait until there is an electronics sales. One negative about the shop was the HD video clip playing on the display TVs.  The clip is just a loop of store advertisements and it is almost impossible to use to compare the TV quality in the shop.  For model comparisons visit another shop like interdiscount.

That wraps up my thoughts on TVs in Switzerland.  Good luck with your search. If you have any additional ideas or experiences leave a comment.

 

 

 

 
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Wiener Chicken

06 Oct

 

The cafeteria at work is at it again.   There was a great offer last week for a plate of Wiener Chicken.  Mmmmm sounds good to me.

 
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Sharing The Expat Experience

27 Sep

A friend of mine at work put me in touch with a new Expat last week.  He has been ‘in-country’ only a couple of weeks.  We got a chance to meet for coffee today.  It reminded me of when I arrived. So many new things and all sorts of new ways of doing things.  He asked a couple of good, relevant questions for new comers to Switzerland.  They are worth repeating.

What are the orange boxes on the buses?

Those orange boxes are ticket validation machines for multi ride passes.  If you have a 10 ride pass, or a day ticket, it needs to be validated.  Stick it in the slot and the machine will time stamp your ticket.

What about dry cleaners?

Yes dry cleaners do exist in Switzerland, and like everything else they are expensive as compared to the U.S.  A typical dress shirt is about 5 francs to clean and a suit is usually around 20 francs.  Dry cleaners are most likely found by public transportation hubs.  Train stations and airports as an example.

Where is the best place to get a haircut?

In Switzerland you’ll pay about 27 francs as a minimum for a basic mens haircut.  If you are used to walk-in type shops like Cost Cutters, or Fantastic Sams in the U.S. you’ll want to consider a chain called Gidor.  They do not take appointments and are the most reasonably priced.  For men, you’ll need to be prepared to tell the stylist how long you want your hair cut in millimeters, and it is also good to know the word auslauf, or we would say ‘tappered in the back’ in U.S. English.

If you have any other questions about life in Switzerland leave a comment and I’ll see what I can come up with.

 

 

 

 
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Photo Time

20 Sep

Life has gotten away from me lately.  I have had so much going on between home and work that I haven’t spent as much time on my hobbies as I like.  I don’t think I have really picked up a camera for a serious day of photography in a couple of months.  Tonight I was going through pictures from our vacation this year and found this little gem from the U.K.

At least this past weekend I got a bit of a kick start.  A friend from work just got his first DSLR and he asked for some tips.  We went out for a couple of hours last Saturday afternoon and talked a bit about what he wanted to improve.  Then we spent a bit of time working through a few ideas.  Hopefully it will do some good for his upcoming trip to the U.S.

Afterwards we took a short trip to the local mediamarkt where my friend reciprocated and we discussed and reviewed LCD TVs.  I’ve been looking for one for several weeks now but I just don’t know what to get.  Right now it is a toss up between Samsung and Sony.  The one problem I am trying to overcome is the large number of windows in our living room.  With all the large windows I have a concern that the high gloss Samsung screens will be too reflective to view comfortably.  The Sony TVs seem to have more of a matte finish.  If anyone reading has experience with either brand leave a comment.

 

 

 
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Posted in Photography, Shopping

 

How About a New 1500 Franc Iron?

28 Aug

Can you imagine an American buying a 1500 dollar iron?  I sure can’t.  But for some reason there are plenty of them around Switzerland.  I should say its not just an iron you are buying for 1500 francs, its a way of life.  The 1500 franc iron come with a hugh 1.2 liter water tank that is capable of producting 3.5 bars of steam (50 PSI).  And with 2200 watts of power you can iron all day long.

I was thinking this would make a great Christmas gift for my wife, if I want a divorce of course.

But who buys these irons?  There has to be a market because they have them.  I need to meet someone who has purchased one just so I can get a better insight into this strange corner of Swiss culture.

If you have one leave a comment, and let me know what motivated you to make the purchase.

 

 

 
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Posted in Daily Life, Shopping

 
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