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Posts Tagged ‘Baden’

Starbucks In Baden

29 Nov

Yes in fact hell has finally froze over and Baden now has a Starbucks.  The shop opened in the middle of November and is located in the train station building right on track one. There was some press for the opening, a small article in the local Baden newspaper, but besides that it has been quiet.

I was disappointed in the layout from what I say.  I guess I am used to these vast, expansive North American Starbucks shops where there are loads of comfy chairs where you can sit, enjoy a cup of joe, and maybe surf around on you mobile device thanks to free wifi.  What we have in Baden is yes indeed a Starbucks branded store, but the scale of the place is very European.

By that I mean I probably could have counted all the tables on my 10 fingers.  They do have some additional outdoor seating, but that is a bit useless at this time of year.  I just don’t image myself going to hang out for an hour or two in the Baden Starbucks, it’s just a bit small for my liking.

That said I did see a sign advertising some tasty looking holiday hot chocolate drinks.  Even if I don’t feel like hanging around the shop I think I’m still going to have to stop in for a hot chocolate to go and a little taste of home.

 

 
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Posted in Food

 

01 May

Zurich

We had a beautiful weekend this weekend.  I got tons of things done.  In started with a very good trip to the Baden flea market.  Where I found some junk I was looking for.  It really was.  I was amazed that I actually found everything on my ‘list’ of strange things to buy at the flea market.

  • Music Stand
  • Exercise Mat
  • Cheap 3D glasses with red and blue lenses

All of this junk as I will call it is for some projects I had been planning on doing the last couple of months but I just need to find the right pieces and parts.  Well this was my lucky day.

If you are looking to go to the Baden flea market is is the last Saturday of every month.  The flea market does take a three month break between December and February.

After the flea market I made a trip down to Zurich to take a few photographs around town.  They had some nice flags flying over Grossmunster so it made for a few good pictures as well.

 
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Posted in Daily Life, Shopping

 

Summer Comes Early

03 Apr

Castle Ruin in Baden

It was extremely warm this weekend.  It felt like summer had arrived, so much for spring.  I was out on the balcony cleaning up getting ready for a summer season most of the weekend.  I managed to get a few things cleaned, while at the same time creating a few messes.  It think in the end I didn’t make as much progress as I had hoped, but there is always next weekend.

Between a few sessions of cleaning the gutters on the balcony I made a quick trip up to the top of the castle ruin to take a few photographs.  I only spent an hour but could have easily spent half a day up there just enjoying the warm sun.

 
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Posted in Daily Life

 

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.

 
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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.

 
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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.

 
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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.

 
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Posted in Festivals

 

Fall View Of Baden

06 Nov

Baden On A Fall Day

I think this weekend is the last of the beautiful fall weekends in our corner of Switzerland.  We took a walk this afternoon and most of the leaves are on the ground.  I can sense that a cold snap is probably right around the corner and sooner that you know it we will have our first snow of the season.

With the clocks changing for us last weekend this was also the first week of coming home in the dark.  I never like that part of winter.  But the Christmas lights seem to make up for it somehow.

The city has already started to put up the holiday light display.  The city will have a lighting ceremony and celebration on the 24th of November so there are still a couple more weeks of work to get things into shape.

I haven’t heard anything about an ice rink in the bahnhofplatz so I’m thinking there must not be enough money this year.  That is too bad because I did really enjoy walking the 5 minutes from my apartment and putting on ice skates for 20 minutes of fun after work.

 
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Posted in Daily Life

 

Baden On A Cloudless Fall Evening

28 Oct

Cloudless Autumn Evening in Baden, Switzerland

I rushed home from work to get a photo of the clock tower on a clear fall evening.  This is probably 1 of 5 clear fall days that I can usually expect in our little valley.  Glad, I made it home.

 
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Posted in Photography

 

Villa Boveri Picnic

11 Jul
panoramic image

Time to post another panoramic image. Last week we went over to Villa Boveri for a picnic one day after work. I of course took my camera gear to grab a couple of photos.

This image is from what I think is an old reflecting pool that was turned into an outdoor area for a reception. You’ll see the roof over the top of the pool to keep guests dry.

I’ll also add this as a permanent addition to my Baden virtual  tour collection. I really need to get a few more images in there from the summer months. Looks like I will have my work cut out for me the next couple of weeks.

 
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Posted in Daily Life, Photography

 
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