RSS
 

Archive for the ‘Festivals’ Category

Miss Bus 2011

14 Aug

The advertisements have gone up.  We are getting close to this years ‘Miss Bus Garage 2011.”  Every local RVBW bus has is not displaying a proud poster for the 27 August 2011 beauty pageant to be held at the bus garage.

I would like to go just because it seems like such a strage place to have a beauty contest.  Yes the contest is sponsored by the local public transport company, but you would think they could come up with a better location than the mechanics garage.  How about a public park or something.  The awards are great as well. You can win a hair cut, some clothes from a K-mart-esque store a handbag all sorts of goodies.

The contest will be moderated by Anita Buri, a local celebrity and former Miss Switzerland.  Anita has one of the most uncomfortable websites to browse.  I’ve commented it about it before.  She kind of hangs out and stares at you while you browse.

So mark your calendars for the 27th of August and I’ll see you at the bus garage.

 

 
No Comments

Posted in Festivals

 

Fireworks Over the Castle

03 Aug

 

We had a great party and a great show for the first of August this year.  All to celebrate the 720th birthday of Switzerland.

Our annual party turned out to be one of the better ones this year.  So a run down of the ‘cultural contributions’ for our pot-luck buffet.

  • Miller Genuine Draft Beer (US)
  • EKB Beer (DE)
  • Swedish Meatballs (SE)
  • Salsa (US)
  • Banana bread muffins ( US)
  • Tortillas ( ES)
  • Watermelon ( US)
  • Sierra Nevada Beer (US)
  • Root Beer Floats (US)
  • Bison Grass Vodka ( PL)
  • Brownies (US)
  • Bread Pudding (UK)
  • Pretzels (DE)
  • Pear Schnapps (DE)

I am sure I am missing a few things.  In the end we had plenty of beer , and plenty of food and lots of fun.

 
No Comments

Posted in Festivals, Food

 

Gearing Up For The First Of August

30 Jul

Baden is getting ready for the upcoming first of August holiday.  The flags went up on the tower across the street early Saturday morning.

I’m getting ready as well.  Stocking up on chips and beer for our annual party.  This year will be the first year I’ll be trying one of the self-cooling beer kegs.  No ice needed. Thank God for that because it is just too difficult and costly to get ice here.

From the guest list and the number of RSVP’s we’ve gotten this year I expect a good turn out.  I’ll of course pull out the Alphorn for a a couple of songs as well.

Every year we always tell our guests that if they would like to bring something, they should bring something that represents their cultural background.  In the past we have had cup cakes, nusstollen, German Beer, taco dip, Capriana’s.  Lets see what comes this year.  It is always a great surprise.

 

 
No Comments

Posted in Festivals, Food

 

Badener Fasnacht: Day 4

06 Mar

Stage in Baden's Cordulaplatz

The massive Baden Fasnacht festival continued into the early morning hours today.  I was so tired from walking around all day with my camera gear that I managed to sleep through it.  I think it was a little different for my wife last night.

The battle continues to see who has the best costumes and music.  The strange thing is I always wonder how they judge the best music.  Is it loudness, outdatedness of the selected pieces or what.  A lot of the music seems to be classic hits from the 80′s or early 90′s.  Somehow that must seem appropriate for brass and drum bands.

To give a little more flavor of the sounds of the festival below I’ve included a short video taken late in the evening. There is a constant stream of people walking around banging on drums and it can really get on your nerves after a day or two. I can feel that I am reaching my limit. Thank God this will all be over soon.

 
No Comments

Posted in Festivals

 

Badener Fasnacht: Day 3

05 Mar

Day Time Celebration

Moving into day 3 now.  Saturday is always the first day when the celebration starts early and goes late.  The music outside of our apartment started around 10:30 this morning and I suspect it will go all night.  By all night I mean until about 6 in the morning.  I am just taking a break after a couple of hours of photography and then I’ll head back out and get a beer and ‘enjoy’ more of the music.

 
No Comments

Posted in Festivals

 

Badener Fasnacht: Day 2

04 Mar

Badenerfasnacht 2011

Fasnacht and sleepless nights continue.  As always you might was well join them because they aren’t going a way.  I really liked one groups set of costumes this year that were decorated in the motif of canton (state) flag.  Three stars, three strips, and black and blue. I can’t imagine someone dressing up like a state flag in the U.S. but here it seems to be acceptable.

I had several people ask me if I was a photographer for the local paper.   I guess the colored flashes and camera gear gave them the idea.

I am finding I don’t mind getting a little extra attention with the camera gear because some of the people that are dressed up are more likely to pose for you.

 
No Comments

Posted in Festivals

 

Fasnacht Begins

03 Mar

Baden Fasnacht 2011

Today marks the start of fasnacht in Baden.  That means we’ll have a week of drum banging and loud trumpets outside our apartment until next Tuesday evening.  I decided to join in the fun today while the celebration as still fresh and wasn’t wearing on me yet.  I know by Sunday or Monday I’ll be ready for it to be over.

I took the opportunity to play with a few birthday gifts as well while I was out.  I just got a few colored flash gels for my flash guns.  I was using a red and green filter for the image above.  One guy approached me and asked if I was shooting 3D.  I thought that was a funny, but good question I suppose.  I’m sure I looked a little strange out there with my gear.

 
2 Comments

Posted in Festivals

 

Western Spirit Rides Again

06 Feb

Western Spirit Over The Swiss Alps

Two weeks ago we went to the 2011 Chateau D’Oex International Balloon Festival.  It was the second time we had visited the the balloon festival.  This time around we managed to get a room at a bed and breakfast right in town so we could forgo the morning commute to the launch site.

We arrived late on the Friday night that the festival began and stayed for Saturday and Sunday.  I was a little disappointed that the weather didn’t allow for any flights on Saturday.  I attempted to go skiing on that day which was a bit of a disaster due to lost gloves, mountain fog, and really icy conditions on the slopes near Gstaad, but that is another story.

One of my favorite balloons from the last time we visited the event was Western Spirit, piloted by a couple from the U.S.  I was glad to see that the team had made it back this year as well.  We were so close to having a chance to meet the team as well.

For the ‘mass accenccension’  Which sounds somehow like a church event, we took up a position a few hundred meters above the launch site on a mountain rode.  Western Spirit ended up landing only about a quarter mile from where we were, but alas, there was an impassible gorge between us and the balloon so I guess we’ll have to wait until she rides again.

 
No Comments

Posted in Festivals, Swiss Day Trips, Travel

 

Choking on A King

06 Jan

Plastic King From a King Cake

Today was King Cake day (Epiphany).  In Switzerland that means the office is filled with king cakes.  A delicious and dangerous (to an American) tradition.

The tradition starts when a baker puts a small, approximately 1 inch piece of plastic shaped like a king into his cake.  The cake is then sold to the  unsuspecting  citizenry together with a cheap paper crown, a-la Burger King but not as big.

Office colleagues gather during their coffee breaks each taking a piece of the cake and gulping down their espressos.  As soon as someone starts choking on the dastardly horse pill shaped like a king the others rush forth, paper crown in hand, and adorn the head of the new king with his symbol of superiority.

Fun, yes.  Recommended for children under 4, certainly not.

 
2 Comments

Posted in Daily Life, Festivals

 

Glühwein: Great Cold Weather Drink

10 Dec

A cup of Glühwein at a Christmas Market

It is officially Christmas market season in Europe.  Last weekend we made a trip to Innsbruck, Austria with some friends to make the rounds at the local market.  Mulled wine called glühwein in the local language is always a staple.  The hot wine drink is a great way to warm your hands and your heart as you pass the time outdoors.

At most markets you’ll pay about 2.50 Euros for a hot cup, with an additional 2 Euro deposit on the mug.  Once you finish your drink and return your mug you’ll get your 2 Euro’s back.  For the expat, it seems to be a bit more difficult.  My informal poll indicates that other expats like myself tend to keep the mugs as a souvenir from the trip.  After all for 2 Euro’s you get a great little mug, with the city name and the year on it.  What else could you want.

 
2 Comments

Posted in Festivals, Food

 
« Older Entries