Gruyères et Genève

Gruyères

City of Cheese

Lately, I've been in a bit of a Pumpkin Pie Frenzy.
I had no idea how much fresh pumpkin I should buy, so I just bought a very large jack-o-lantern pumpkin. So far it has made 2 large pies, 1 small pie, soup for 4 people and there is still enough for another pie and more something else.
Luckily everyone who has tried said pies has liked it quite a bit so it's no problem finding tummies for it all.

Usually, Cyril, Jacques, Vanessa and I go somewhere together every weekend.
Examples:

Cheese factory/museum in Gruyères.


On the way to the castle.


At the castle.


In the castle.
You will find that upholstery in my house in 10 years.




We love castles quite a bit.






The only street in the village.




We had to faire le stop to the train station because we accidentally took the train in the wrong direction.


Genève
City of English-Speakers


Playing in the park, as usual.


We stopped for coffee and aspartame drinks.


Video cameras are fabulous fun.


To the market we go!
Sorry about the indecent lady there.






Things are literally falling apart and it's still not that cheap.


There are also very strange things there, but I like it.


We stumbled across the Friends set.

What should I be for Halloween? It's only a week away or something.

Round the Corner from my Hood

Where I Actually Live
(For real this time)

You might have heard about this: There was a violent riot in Bern a few weeks ago!

The story goes: The right-wing party of Switzerland, the SVP, were planning to have a party in the middle of Bern but the police told them it was not a good idea (those who like them really like them and those who don't like them really don't like them) but they did it anyway. The extreme left guys got really mad and crashed their party and thre things over and burned things, right in the middle of Bern - the sleepiest city in the country. By malchance, Myriame was caught in the middle of everything and got shot with a rubber bullet! She is okay though.

I don't feel bad for the SVP. Besides their recent win in the elections (boo), they also do things like this:

You don't need to know what the words say, check out the image.

How can crazy things happen here?




The cat, Micio.


Bike rides!






Who is that little boy?


PAPILIORAMA


We dressed colourful to attract butterflies.
It didn't work, but that was just as well because I realised I didn't want butterflies on me once I got there.


Miss Fish and Jacques has a short, but sweet love affair.


Butterflies like flowers. So do I.


Vanessa is a pirate.


On the way to the zoo.


"Can I have a sugar daddy, please?" Cyril
"Ein Zuckerwatte?" Man
"Yeah, sugar daddy" Cyril


Bunnies at the zoo!


Llamas!


Mountain goats!


Children jumping in leaves!

I need to work on this updating business. Although if you knew the love and attention I put into making these photos just right before you lay eyes on them, you would forgive me entirely.

Gimme some love.

Strasbourg, France

Where Babys Come From




The region of Alsace in France is where all the storks in the world live. We all know that babys are given to parents by storks, so one will conclude that all babys come from Alsace.
Killer Road Trip Part II:


A little Road Trip TLC for Cyril with Jacques and Phantom Planet



Strasbourg avec Julia Weiser.


This is what our road trips are about: snuggles


My brother and sister side by side in France.
I found them like that.


Those trees were an amazing colour.


Alsace style houses.
The storks usually hang out on top of them, but it is too cold for them now.


Cyril started it.




Cyril bought me this house.


Favorite colour: blue.


We later had coffee by the river behind the trees on the left.


Jacques is fluent in French. Although I am quite capable, thank you.
It was useful, especially when my meal came with bacon in it once. The French word for bacon: lard.


Europe is wonderful.


Lovely Julia. She's going to Nepal for several months soon, boo.


The only former Nazi concentration camp on French soil. Called Natzweiler-Struthof, so chilling you can't believe it.


After that place we needed to know there was still love in the world! Don't panic, there is.
Story: Reiner (remember him from the last post?) wanted to know at breakfast who was together with who. I said Cyril is my boyfriend and he says "why?. We didn't know what to say to that, so Jacques said he was together with Julia and that they met on the Love Boat and that Julia saved him from the water. Clearly a made up story but it worked for Reiner. So the rest of the trip Jacques and Julia were a faux-couple.


View from the road.


Trying to find somewhere to eat, we found a hidden jem.


The streets of Barr, France.


I do not suggest trying to find someplace to eat at 5pm on a Sunday in Europe.
Sundays suck over here, by the way. You can't do anything, not even buy flour at the grocery store if you're out and you want to make muffins.


Alsace specialty: la tarte flambée

How was Thanksgiving? I was wondering when it was and then I saw pages for getting over the stuffed-full-of-food-ness and I realised it's been and gone. Or has it? Cyril and I are going to scour the market on Saturday for an acceptable pumpkin (or 2 or 3) to make into a pie and pumpkin seed snacks. It just doesn't feel like Thanksgiving time yet - it's so warm and sunny and there are only a few Autumn displays here and there and catalogues for Christmas are already out. So it's not here yet or I already missed it...