updated

Been very busy lately. Too busy. When things happen, it seems as if I have to do everything at once. Projects, classes, homework, friends, family, installations, cleaning, unpacking, etc! It's still going to be busy. Don't get me wrong, I thrive on busy, having things to do, but I hardly have time to do the other things I need to do, like a doctor's appt for my mac and myself. I had one for today, in about an hour, but the bloody carpet people called today instead of yesterday and so are coming 20 mins after my appt is supposed to start, so I just hope my computer won't die. I also have barely any time to go out anymore. It feels like college again, when my weekends more often than not went towards working than playing.

Gerstensuppe

Switzerland was wonderful. All white and clean. We stayed in a small town called Flims, but it didn't really feel like Switzerland there. It was just overrun by all the wintersports tourists, (mostly Dutch snowboarders there for some competition incidentally, which irked my Dutch relatives a smidge, how can they talk in private now?) and just didn't feel authentic. I mean, it felt like Switzerland, just not how I experienced it the last time when I was in Mürren and Wengen. Maybe it was because most of the buildings were built in the last century. Falera, on the other hand, was the exact taste of Switzerland I needed. Tiny little town, crooked cobbled streets, mountains peeking through the houses, and old wooden buildings dating back well over a century. 

I must have had gerstensuppe at least three times. My favorite was after the circular hike that had several forks and shortcuts through the forest (oh how I wanted to amble through, but I was not alone, and those I was with prefer not to go off the beaten path). I forget the name of the restaurant, but it translated to something along the lines of the Ostrich Nest. In any case. This was the most delicious soup I've ever tasted. Delicate herbs, barley, tiny legumes, ham, and the finishing touch: freshly shaved horseradish. I bought a Graubünden cookbook that incidentally has this very recipe (not that I bought it just for that of course). Ugh. All the food was so good. I ate so much pig it's ridiculous (I'm so bad). Every morning I'd wake up nice and early, and get a ridiculous amount of food to eat: scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, nutty bread, salami, prosciutto, emmentaler, gruyere, brie, tea, and two kinds of juice. Now that's a breakfast. Spaetzle, gerstensuppe, fondue, pizokels, goulash, and so much else for lunch and dinner I can't even remember it all, but everything was delectable. The Swiss know my palate. 

Hours were spent winter-hiking, going up mountains, going down mountains, at one point crawling up a mountain, and every evening with my Dutch relatives (Uncle Rob & Aunt Beatrice, Uncle Cees & Aunt Josine, their friends, and my own mother and father). It was lovely to see them all, I hadn't seen Aunt Beatrice since Eileen got married five years ago, and I'd forgotten how much more she's like my father than their older sister (i.e. fantastic sense of humour). The only unfortunate thing about the trip was that I did not have my camera. Would have if I could have, but it was being held captive in DC. 

It ended with an overnight in Zurich, where I'd never been, but my parents have been traveling to for years. I adored Zurich. I would love to go back there when it's not so blistery out, but I thoroughly enjoyed my hours-long meander through the city. Topped it off with fondue and fingerlings.