Morocco (8/18/10-8/23/10)

But wait -- there's more!

At the very end of my time in Zurich, I got an unexpected opportunity to visit Morocco. I have 500+ pictures to organize and caption, so I'll need a little bit of time. :) Please check back in mid-September!

Reflections: A Summer in Europe (8/27/10)

Until I immersed myself in a new environment this summer, I didn't realize that there's a catch to my normal everyday routine of multi-tasking whenever possible: routines increase my efficiency, but also decrease my contextual sensitivity. In the past three months, I have been forced, sometimes painfully, to reevaluate even the most simple of tasks and basic of assumptions. The issue of transportation is one that was most obvious to me, probably because of my legendary lack of navigational skills: the U.S. decided at some point to address the issue with cars and highways, and Switzerland with trains and tracks. Transportation and otherwise, I appreciated seeing firsthand how another group of people came up with a different solution to the same problem -- for the first time, I truly understand that alternatives always exist.

Also, I discovered that even simple tasks in new surroundings require thought. In Zurich, I was constantly confused by which ways doors opened -- I seemed to always push when I was supposed to pull. Yeah, I felt like the kid in that Far Side cartoon.


I had to dig deep and call upon what little mental math abilities I still possess because everything is measured differently: in the gym, I had to convert from kilograms and kilometers to pounds and miles; in conversations about the weather, I had to figure out the formula for moving from Fahrenheit to Celsius. Results included entering speeds on the treadmill that almost broke my ankles, selecting weights that almost broke my wrists, and having conversations about temperatures that almost mistakenly broke records ("it was only 40 degrees, can you believe it -- oh yeah, sorry, that's in Fahrenheit").

And even my most basic assumptions were tested. I didn't realize that I expected so much consistency. In Zurich, hot weather does not preclude the possibility of rain (shod in leather sandals and clad in a summer dress, I was caught in a cold downpour that evening without a hat or umbrella or jacket); the seemingly family-oriented Old Town zone, replete with colorful candy shops and Mom-and-Pop bookstores, does not exclude the appearance of adult "nightclubs" (with my eyes averted, I felt so Puritanical when I walked briskly past these establishments). Paper comes in different sizes. Bad words aren't necessarily bleeped out on TV or on the radio. I never really thought about who and how and why these decisions are made, and I never before realized that I never had thought about it.

I have learned that, when I am quiet because I cannot speak the local language, I rely not on verbal communication but my powers of observation to figure out what to do. I have learned that I could work all night while working out of Zurich because Mountain View is just starting as I'm leaving the office, so I just need to power down my laptop after a certain time. I have learned that the sun is truly precious, and fun seasonal activities can emerge as a result of the narrow window of golden warmth. I have learned that serene moments dedicated to just one purpose can be surprisingly productive. I have learned to appreciate not only what I have but what others graciously share.

I am grateful for all of the opportunities that I have been offered these past three months. Although the core of my being won't change significantly as a result of these three months, I hope that a more nuanced perspective will help me become increasingly curious and exploratory, understanding and empathetic. It's good to be home, and here's to many more eye-opening trips!

Last Sunday in Zurich (8/15/10)

What did I do on my last Sunday in Zurich? I ate lots of yummy sweet things, of course! Here I am with Ziad, with whom I worked in Google Mountain View over five years ago (eons in Google time). He was actually the one who told me about Conditorei Schober, so I have him to thank for the many brunches I've enjoyed here!


After our delicious meal, we walked around town to burn some butter. Both of these snapshots is, at least to me, iconically Zurich.



Later that night, I met up with Angela for our last dinner together in Zurich. She suggested a place called Cakefriends. With a name like that, how could I refuse?! I took a picture of the ceiling, which featured their logo.


Unbelievably, when we ordered the cake sample -- yes, our dinner -- they told us that they had run out of cake. I thought it was terribly ironic that a place with "cake" in its name only had tarts available! Luckily for us, they were absolutely delicious. We shared a savory feta cheese and spinach tart, and each ordered a sweet berry tart. The filling had the feel and taste of warm cheesecake from the oven...so good!


I saw a drink called "milk caramel" and knew that I, caramel fanatic, had to get it. You know a drink is good when it comes with an attendant glass of water.


Finally, fresh loaves of cake came out of the oven. I'm not going to lie: they were scrumptious.


And so ended my last Sunday in Zurich: sweetly!

Street Parade: Zurich, Switzerland (8/14/10)

The Street Parade in Zurich is an annual "demonstration of love, peace, freedom, generosity and tolerance [that] has remained an unfathomable phenomenon even after being repeated 18 times." Angela told me that it reminded her of the parades in San Francisco, and I'd have to agree: it made me feel like I had returned to the Bay Area for an afternoon! It felt like a cross between Halloween (everyone dresses up) and Thanksgiving (it's a family affair, as parents bring their kids).

The day started off with a BBQ at Angela's apartment, which was near the parade in Bellevue.


That's a good-looking' grill!

We then walked out to the parade route. I could not believe how many speakers were mounted on each of the flatbed trucks. I soon discovered a new meaning to "feeling the music."


There was lots of flesh to behold, even though the weather was distinctly un-parade: cold and windy, the day saw the rain intensify into a true storm that evening.


The floats were all super-colorful:




Parents dressed up with and brought their children:

Everyone was packed together, elbow to elbow:

That night, we decided to go to a sit-down restaurant because we had been walking and standing all day. It felt so good to rest my legs!

Dessert for Dinner: Zurich, Switzerland (8/13/10)

Angela made the mistake a while back of telling me about this dessert sampler at Terrasse, a very pretty restaurant in Zurich: with fantasies of chocolate curlicues and scented creams and pastel ices dancing through my head, I harangued her about going to Terrasse every time I saw her. We finally found a day that worked for both of us, and it was heaven! Seven full-size desserts for 35 CHF is expensive as a sweet ending to dinner, but a good deal if it is your dinner.

Here is the "before" shot:


And the "after" shot:

The tiramisu was the best. Wrapped in a thin layer of white chocolate, the spongy cake and rich cream partnered to create the perfect finale. Good thing we went salsa dancing afterwards -- I'm sure I sugar-bombed my system in the extreme!

OrangeCinema: Zurich, Switzerland (8/11/10)

For one month during the summer, Orange (a Swiss telecom company) organizes an outdoor movie experience. I say "experience" because there's nothing half-baked about OrangeCinema even though it's a temporary theater built on the lake for 30 days. The screen is clear, the sound is surround; the restaurants, built solely for OrangeCinema, use real china and silverware. I was duly impressed with the layout and setup, and enjoyed Robin Hood while working my way slowly through the ice cream bar included in the 22 CHF ticket price. Here's a picture of the theater, courtesy of Angela:


I was worried that it was going to rain; in fact, I saw lightning in the distance and heard rain falling on leaves close by. But nary a drop landed on our area!

Man, it's going to be hard to leave Zurich.

Brunch, Bunnies and Bratwurst: Zurich, Switzerland (8/8/10)

Angela and I went to get brunch today at my favorite place, and ended up talking all afternoon in a very European-feeling room with chairs upholstered in red velvet and lamps dripping in sparkling crystal. Of course, since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped to look at the bunnies. There's a new one, and he's really tiny and really cute! I loved his ears: one sticks straight up, and the other flops to the side.


This bunny, whom you'll recognize from a former posting, started cleaning himself and looked so simultaneously adorable and comical that I pressed my camera to the glass so that I could capture the process. (Refresh your browser if you don't see a video directly below.)

Since Angela and I spent five hours chatting -- we were just as surprised as you are -- we decided that we might as well get an early dinner. We headed to Bellevue and decided on Zurich's famous bratwurst. We split one meatstick and one piece of bread, since we felt like we had just finished eating brunch.


Honestly, though, how can you refuse this?


And then I just had to get gelato because it was right there, so we each got a waffle cone even though it was pouring rain. And in case you're wondering, yes, I have three scoops (melon, mango and strawberry).

I then walked about 20 minutes to the Central tram station, which was a gorgeous stroll by the water especially because the sun suddenly emerged from behind the clouds.

I can't remember the last time I had such quality time with a girl friend, and I loved it. Thanks, Angela!

Zoo: Zurich, Switzerland (8/7/10)

For pictures of the Zurich Zoo, please click here.

Ever since I found out that Zurich has a zoo, I've wanted to go. But I decided that I'd save it for a day during which I had nothing else to do because I would be: 1) capable of getting there on my own (Tram 6 simply ends at the zoo), which is remarkable because I get lost going everywhere; and, 2) so distracted by the animals that I'd definitely have a blast on my own, which is rare because I prefer doing everything with company. So here is a collection of my favorite pictures and videos from my trip to the zoo! For all pictures and videos, click here.

These elephants looked like they were trying to unlock the door and escape. They are obviously intelligent animals with surprisingly limber trunks, so I hope that the zookeepers installed an elephant-proof lock!

I loved this guy's haircut. Unfortunately for me, he was too far away to pet. His buddy, however, was not only within arm's reach but also busy trying to eat some white substance from a can -- so I took advantage. I also literally got my hands on some goats and a camel. Yes, they were busy chowing down, too. Hey, if I am presented with an opportunity, I'll always take it!

I really enjoyed walking through the aquarium. The only downside is that it made me want to go scuba diving.

Guess what? Chicken butt! Sorry, I couldn't resist. :) These chickens had long feathers on their legs, which looked like avian legwarmers to me. The rooster was really beautiful -- he definitely strutted through the pen proudly.

This was probably my favorite exhibit of the entire zoo. Do you think we're looking at them, or are they looking at us? :)

These guinea pigs were adorable. This one was super small and, therefore, super cute.


This tortoise was HUGE. He must have been, like, 500 pounds. I couldn't help thinking that he must have come from an island (Galapagos?) without predators because he's really slow and really meaty! The tortoise's pen-mate was very small. I infer from their living arrangement that Junior may grow up to be just as big -- but I will be the first to note that I know nothing about turtles.

Even though I was surrounded by screaming kids all day and had to fork over an astonishing $30 for my lunch, I had a really good time. If you're in the area and like animals, I'd recommend a visit!

For pictures of the Zurich Zoo, please click here.

Sunday, Sunday: Zurich, Switzerland (8/1/10)

Sunday. Officially August. I can't believe I'm leaving later this month!

I wasted no time being as Swiss as possible, especially on Swiss National Day (August 1st). Angela and I headed to another part of the lake to get our BBQ on.


My favorite item was the sausages wrapped in bacon. I mean, what's better than meat wrapped in meat?! I loved the little cartoon character on the wrapper: he's a sausage wearing a bacon vest!


It was such a beautiful day. Can you believe that it was fiercely cold and rainy later that evening? As a Californian, I have absolutely no barometer for imminent weather in Switzerland.

As I looked around our verdant surroundings, I was surprised to see something gray and fuzzy. It didn't look like a goose, and was too big to be a duck. I then figured out that they were baby swans, which I had never before seen! Unfortunately, they're uglier than I somehow imagined them to be. :(


With the buttery bread, toasty corn-on-the-cob and juicy meat from the grill, I was in tailgating heaven -- Swiss style!

Sweets, Sunbathing, Smirnoff: Zurich, Switzerland (7/31/10)

Okay, besides looking at cute bunnies, I did manage to do other stuff on Saturday. Angela invited me to go to the lake with her and her co-workers/friends, which I gladly accepted because the rain had finally stopped. I brought along some Sprungli delights that I couldn't wait to eat.


This particular bathing house cost 7 Swiss Francs to get in. It consisted of a small restaurant, bathrooms, two floors of wooden docks (no, they were not as large as you might think), ladders that descended directly into the water, and some floating docks not too far from the shore.



It was nice, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay money again. Letten was free, and the people were much nicer, as we found out upon arrival. So this is what happened: Angela and I were trying to lay out our towels; as we carefully surveyed the crowded space, trying to select the most space-efficient layout, some dude appeared and told us to move over. He was really confrontational and really rude about it -- I was shocked by the unnecessarily unpleasant attitude he had. Most infuriating was that he wanted a configuration that wasted tons of space because he and his wife "wanted their faces in the shade but their bodies in the sun." After some snippy comments and brushing aside the fact that we were there first, he said, "oh, now she's upset" as his wife stalked away -- as if it were our fault! I felt keenly aware of everyone's gawking at us, and I said, "this is obviously quite difficult; I'll just move over." The people around us looked sympathetic and rearranged their towels to give us room. Oh, he was such a jerk!

That night, we went out with Angela's friends, one of whom was leaving Zurich after a two-year assignment. We ended up going to a Roman-themed lounge in Hardbrucke.


While I was taking pictures of the lounge, one of Angela's friends was like, "what are you, a tourist?" I nodded my head and gleefully snapped this photo:


As a joke, the guy sent to buy drinks purchased the "Ladies' Special" for everyone else. Here they are, drinking the fruity "Bubble Butt" (I did not make that name up):


We then headed over to a nearby club that played everything under the sun. My musical horizons have definitely been expanded forcibly since I been to Zurich! The last event of the night was the icing of Phil (the one returning back to the States). It was funnier in person because of the build-up -- you have to be really sneaky so that the victim has no idea it's coming -- but here's a video of the event!

Bunnies: Zurich, Switzerland (7/31/10)

Right next to my favorite brunch place, I discovered a pet store with the cutest bunnies. I almost had an apoplexy from excitement when I first saw them, and I visit them as often as I can. Here's one standing in his food on Saturday:



He proceeded to clean his front leg, which made him even more adorable:



Here's his friend, who has the floppy-eared thing down pat:


Sadly, some of the others seem to have been sold -- the first time I came, I counted six fuzzy fellows. Then and now, I couldn't stop oohing and aahing over how cute they were. I thought back to my 26th birthday, for which Josh surprised me with a traveling petting zoo replete with a little pink pig, elegantly feathered chickens and lots of furry bunnies. That was one of the best birthday presents I ever received!