Back to Sargans

It's been a lazy sunday, and I am loving every minute of it. No guilt, just soaking up the sunny rays and sipping coffee like a good girl. My goal was to begin and finish a mural, which hasn't started yet, but I will make a start before I go to bed today. It just feels so good to stop.

On Wednesday, Laura and Daniel and I had a computer party in the dining room, and Thursday, the Zermatt gang reunited to go to the "blindekuh" restaurant, about five minutes from the flat. The boys were looking sharp, so Laura and I dressed up, too, ironically, to not be seen. Yep, the "blindekuh" translates to "blind cow." The first restaurant was in Zurich, and now they are apparently all over the place. All the servers of the restaurant are blind, and the whole experience is designed to heighten your senses and help you experience the world of a blind person. As we were going through the light trap, we made a train, to arrive in a room of complete darkness, hearing some conversation and silverware clanking. I think this is when I felt the most "lost-in-translation," because they were speaking german to me, in the dark. Talk about being clueless. We felt around for our place setting, and found wine glasses, too many forks to be casual, and linen that for all we knew was tie-dye. I ordered "schwein mit pflaumen und rotwein." I can't believe I left without a single stain. As for cutting the meat, I just skipped it. I turned a gourmet meat into fair food; stabbed it with a fork, and gnawed like a barbarian... in Ann Taylor. We were in the dark for about 3 hours, and when coming out, my eyes felt like they were being stabbed. Sorry, that is graphic. But it was a lot of fun, a great new experience. Afterwards, went for drinks at Eiopso, a bar next door that is in an old warehouse. It was almost like cafeteria lunch tables, with funky dim light fixtures, and an ultra-hip bar; so many juxtapositions that could only come together in a city like Basel. Being in a warehouse like that, it kind of felt like Zoolander; I was just dying to see a walk-off.

On Friday, I went to Sam and Cat's new penthouse-warming party, plantless. It's funny to think about that whole "being an adult" thing. I just think of people in a sitcom, going to someone's new house and bringing a plant... do people do that in real life? 

Saturday was back to Sargans to see Sepp and Brigitte again, the couple that I met the second weekend or so in Switzerland. Doesn't seem that long ago, but it was. It was awesome to see them again, and cool to see Sargans went it wasn't storming. The mountains were gorgeous; no matter how many times I see them, I am still in awe. I just want to take photo after photo, but none of them capture the feeling the mountains give you: small, but enlivened. Went thrifting, and then to Bad Pfafers with Brigitte, which is famous for its pure and healthy hot spring water. People have gone to this region for hundreds of years because of its "healing" powers in the water, staying in the water for 6–7 days! It was absolutely stunning to see the cavern/gorge, where the waters cut through.

Apparently, the water takes 10.5 years to come from inside the earth to the surface; we saw water from the 90s!

Here we are, enjoying our day together...

Also, met a group of people running a printing press at the old resort at the springs. They apparently got the press from Coshocton (sp?), OHIO! How cool! They let me do a print, but I was totally not cut out for it. It was so heavy!

Walked back from the springs to the town, and encountered waterfall after waterfall. It was like we were walking in one of those moving photos that they sell in mall kiosks.

That evening, we made fondue, my first taste of it! It was awesome to have my first fondue in a Swiss family home. It felt homey and authentic. I think fondue is to the Swiss, as tomato soup and grilled cheese is to Americans. Perfect for a cold winter or rainy day. 

Afterwards, we went to church, and by chance, the leader of ICF Zurich was speaking. He is the founder of the ICF in Zurich, which also planted a group in Basel, where I go. He seems like a great person, with a great heart. The message was entitled, "Pimp my Life," a spoof on "Pimp my Ride." I didn't see how this was going to be biblically related; there is no way Jesus had big rims and a fishtank in the arm rest of his donkey. But it was cool, he explained it as "pimping" your heart and life with God, focusing on your inner life. I don't think I caught everything, as my translation was Brigitte whispering into my ear, and I still don't love the whole "pimping" analogy, but it was good to hear, and be encouraged to keep deepening my relationship with God.

Going to Austria and Germany this next week, and then before I know it, will be back in the States again to begin another quarter at UC. Doesn't time want to stop for a cup of coffee?

Take care. Love Linds.