This happens only in Switzerland!

So after all my ranting and raving about how I miss Seattle, how Switzerland is horrible! I found one good thing. On Sunday we decided to go hiking to Windgällenhütte (don't try to say it!) or Golzern. I think the place is off the track from Thalwil. So SBB suggested, we take 3 trains and then a bus and then a gandola to get up to Golzernberg to start the hike!
(Thalwil - Zug - Arth-Goldau - Erstfeld - Golzern Talstation - Golzenberg)
I am hike this is crazy! It was suppose to take 1:58 min total, and 4 - 6min to change the trains. But being Switzerland, we could count on trains being on time and making those 4 min connections, and we did, both times while going up there and coming back! Amazing, how things work out when every one and every thing is on time! I have also often made 2 - 3min connections, but making 4 in a row was great! (the train to Erstfeld was 4 min late to start, but I think it caught up or the bus waited!)

Even now, when we hike, something seems always missing. I don't know what it is, company of friends, the feeling of remoteness or whatever. But I get more tired than refreshed on hikes here.

In Napoli

Finally reached here after visitng 3 great volcanoes. Pompii was great, but decided to skip Vesuvius. Its not really a hike afterall and after the 3 great volcanoes, it wont appear great anyway. Had some good oven cooked pizzas of course. Waiting to get some great Napolean pizza now. Off to Florence and Cinque Terre next.

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tuls

sicily

In Sicily now. The state of Italian train is no better than Indian. They too r almost always retarded. Its kind of fun after the insanity of Swiss people. Coast line is interesting. We also had the first moment of tourist traps, always happen

Rome!

Finally able to make a trip to Italy. After more than 12hrs of train (including overnight) got to Rome. Spend 2 days here to see all the major sites. I think 4 days is more appropriate time here. We had to cram all site seeing of this ancient city in 2 days and did not get to go to any ancinet museums. Next time probably. An ideal itinerary would be take 2-day open bus tour and see what is there in the city.
Food - suppose to be great here. But we have not yet discovered so. I tasted 2 wines, both definitely good given my selective taste of non-reds. Pizza was good, but can't wait to get to Sicily to taste the real italian food.
Off to Sicily now where Etna is erupting, all fingers crossed to see a good light show and be able to get on the mountain (sort of conflicting wishes!).

4 months after

Its been 4 months, and a goodish summer. Hiking is exciting again, new places, new things, new challenges. Almost every trail here is either Mt Si or Mailbox peak, nothing less steep. And you don't always go up to see towering Mt Rainier, or snow capped Olympics or North Cascades. But you see something different, or cows, or huts and people etc. etc. I know every hiker's dream!
This place is still no home. Always after a hike I have mental image of reaching my Kirkland home. The cool homely home and am almost disappointed to reach the Thalwil apartment, full of light and hard floor. Oh well! I miss Seattle. When I look at my pictures from Swiss hikes, its feels like a trip. The pictures from Seattle hikes feel like images from home, the familiar, the fun place. I seriously doubt that Zurich will ever become home. It will remain a place where I 'stayed'.

Miss you Kirkland!

I really miss everything about my life in Kirkland. I donno what I was thinking when I decided to move. It was so perfect there, almost everything I wanted. I miss my cool apartment, tiny comfy kitchen and 'forces you to relax' furniture. I miss my office, the nice corner desk with view of road, and my own little place. Of course I miss my car :( Shopping at REI :( Salsa, Zumba, swimming, running from one activity to other, not knowing when the day started and when ended. The weekend parties, hiking with friends, Mt Rainier, 520, lake side, a rare view of Mt Baker on runs! It was all just so awesome, so comfortable, people were so great, life was so nice. Any problem there seemed so easy, so solvable.
Its the total opposite here, I hate the place, hate the people, it feels like a hostile environment to live in, apartment is not comfortable, even the walls are harsh rather than the smooth plastered walls of my apartment in Kirkland.
I can't believe I am saying this, but I want to go back, back to the life I loved and end this insanity of moving here :(

The most amazing thing

... I have seen
Can't be one, so here are 5

1. Glaciers sitting on top of Kilimanjaro

2. Wild lions in Serengeti

3. White endless mountains of Alaska and the sunrise-sunset colours there. We went there to see northern lights. But I was totally amazed by the vast whiteness of the place. Endless Yukon plains and mountains, all covered in perfect white. There was something completely soothing and refreshing about being there. One place I would love to go again and again.

4. Machu Picchu

5. Mt Rainier from many points in Seattle. I know its cliche, but to see Rainier rising about the clouds from many unexpected places in Seattle area IS amazing!

Americans just have something right!

I cannot believe I am saying or even thinking this! But America just has something right in it. Life there was nice, welcoming, comfortable. Its just something in the culture that people from anywhere in the world soon find themselves settled and comfortable and part of society. I am realizing this after I moved here. Ok, yes, 9 years vs 2 months, huge diff, still. I don't see myself ever getting that comfortable here. People around are not nice and welcoming, it feels like a 'foreign' place and I think it always will. I am not saying that I came here with expectation that Europe will be all rosy and nice, I have read history and I was expecting some hostility. But I can feel the famous - 'don't like foreigners' saying in the air here. I have not yet encountered open racism, at least not that I am aware of. But I do wonder if part of hostility I feel in environment is coming from that.

And I don't even want to talk about hiking! Again American has just nailed it. The numerous national park, especially in the north-west are just amazing. You can be in middle of everywhere and feel like nowhere! Here you hike in artificial forests, and when you pant and sweat your way up, there are people clicking heels who just came on the cable car! That would be ok, if on foot I got a chance to see and be in absolute natural beauty. But no, there are cows and smell of dung everywhere, barbed electrified fences. Not really my idea of a hike!

So in all, yeah, at this point I am regretting moving here! I miss Seattle, I miss St Helens and sight of Rainier. What the heck! I miss hiking Mt Si. Top of Si had more beauty and remoteness (yes I did say Si and remoteness), than I have seen on actual 'hikes' here. I hate this place.

Unfriendly place

Since I have been here, there was a nagging feeling at back of my head. I could not put my finger on it, but I think I realize it today. I think this place is really unfriendly, people around are not friendly, things are just not nice and comfortable. It just does not seem like a place for a worrier like me. As oppose to US, where I was comfortable and had confidence that things won't go terribly wrong. And here its not. First of all, I have no confidence that even in daily life if I wanted money urgently for something I will get it. Its like bank has locked away my money in name of security. It was not so there. Bank people were nice and friendly and made you believe they are there to help you. While here its like - why r u here, its not our problem. And I believe this easy access to money brought a sense of security with it.
US was probably better place for me, at least this one is not.

We are not from here!

So this 'incident' happened a while ago, around the Royal Wedding time, if u know what i mean. I was in train back to Thalwil, and there were a bunch of Canadians on the train. Teenagerish, definitely college students. I am guessing lost, must have been trying to get to London to attend the 'wedding'. So anyway, these folks were on train, speaking their canadian english, and I was feeling good to finally hear and understand conversations around me and smile at jokes. We are all getting along, and we arrive at Thalwil. This group also wants to get down there, and they are standing in front of train door. Shouting at each other - open the door aye, it does not open aye, what is wrong aye! how are we going to get down aye!

And some of us 'from switzerland' are telling them calmly - you have to press the button, the one that is shinning green. They finally did it. They tell me - "We are not from here, aye, so we are still confused, aye". I was sympathetic, so I told them don't worry, I was doing exact same thing less than a month ago :) How fast we learn!

So why was I reminded of this - bcoz on Sunday I decided to take ferry to Thalwil from Zurich. As I was boarding, there were all these people with maps and camera and what not, 'the tourists'. And I had this funny feeling, I am not a tourist in this very touristy place! I live here every day! how funny is that! Its like living in Switzerland! or Paris!
(we always wondered where do those people go for vacation! Do they just keep visiting each other!)

The machine that keeps your clothes hostage!

Yesterday finally got around to washing my clothes in the machine. As expected, all instructions were in German, but I could manage my way around 20 different programs to find the one that I like. So I put in the clothes, did in-pin-safetypin to put soap in one of the 3 slots, and told the machine to wash for 30min. No response. I tried again. No responsem, except the 30min counter was counting down. There was a coin thingy, so I put 20c in it. No response. So I thought, maybe I asked it to wash 'after' 30 min. I come back after 30 min, and its doing something and saying will take 20 more min. ok. good. I come back after 20 min and its done. wow! that was good. But wait, it won't unlock the door. I cannot take my clothes out. The machine is keeping my clothes hostage. No washing powder has been used either. It just ate the 20c and now wants more if I want my clothes back.
Now I don't know what to do. Give it more money, or just wait till one of us give up. I decided instead to call the neighbours. They were also kind of not sure what is going on, but advised I pay. So I put in another 20c. It started doing some work again. This time using the soap and told me to come back in 20 min. After 20 min, again its the same status. My clothes are still hostage to the machine. So I decided to put in another 10c. This time its rinsing and spinning. ok, that is progress. Spinning is the last state, it has to give my clothes back after that. This time it said come back in 10 min. No way I am leaving my clothes now!
So I wait there for 10 min, watching it rinse and spin. And guess what, after 10 min, exact same status. Still not ready to give my clothes back. I put in abother 10c. This time it said 2 min. I waited 2min and phew finally the door opens.

First time I have seen a machine that kept my clothes hostage till I fed it money.

wowed :)

Finally I saw a view that I had to say wow! while biking down (up?) from office to new apartment. Here I am speeding down a hill, looking at a lake and distant mountain, feeling the usual blessedness that comes from a sunny day! Something was amiss though, did not fit the picture. Then suddenly it hit me! These are not Olympics! These are Alps and that is lake Zurich not Washington! I slammed by brakes, almost toppled over and climbed back for a better view. And wow! The mountains were just sitting there, looking great! They were blurry, distant and not as clear as Olympics on a sunny day, but it was still an awesome view. And I had to say wow! I felt bad for not considering moving to a place further away from office but with such a view. It was almost worth the 40 min a day commute!

run Thalwil to Enge

Finally moved-moved into the new apartment. Almost saw a good sunrise. The view from apartment is such that you can almost see what you are missing! Still the day was nice and cloudy, temperature perfect (mayvbe tad bit warm) for running. What's the best way to make first commute from new apartment to office - run :). The distance is about 9km, and with rolling hills. I heard that view is good from 'top of the hill'. Of course first had to run up the hill :). And yeah, it was good, folks who live there are lucky! But still it was not so bad, except for one little hill, it was smooth sail in ~1hr. Hoping to bike back. Found a route that almost look devoid of steep hill, we will see. Go SPC!
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4471688

And my latest favourite Sheldon quote -
“Ah, memory impairment. The free prize at the bottom of every vodka bottle!”

I hate this place!

yes, I hate it! I want to go back to comfort of my awesome double bed, cozy little car and easy banking. Spent panicky 30 min trying to find the 20 numbers and passwords and cards and what not required to access the bank account. Finally had to call help line which thankfully spoke English to figure things out. I hate this place, I don't understand the language, I miss Rainier, hiking at truly peaceful places and I miss my car, swimming, going for salsa :(

I hate this place!

yes, I hate it! I want to go back to comfort of my awesome double bed, cozy little car and easy banking. Spent panicky 30 min trying to find the 20 numbers and passwords and cards and what not required to access the bank account. Finally had to call help line which thankfully spoke English to figure things out. I hate this place, I don't understand the language, I miss Rainier, hiking at truly peaceful places and I miss my car :(

Judge food by taste not cover.

In so many ways Zurich or Europe is literally half way between India and US. People still know how to use brain and common sense here. I found this conversation on a hike interesting -
x: hey, what are you eating there?
y: Its dried apricot, a bit old, I am not sure if they are good anymore. Maybe I should not eat, that's why I am not offering to others.
x: If it tastes ok, then it should be ok. Let me try.
(x takes a bite and says its good)
z: Let me try too.
(z also declares that its good)
x: hmm, maybe its good. Does anyone else want to try?

At first I was surprised that no one looked at the cover or mentioned expiry date or even asked how old it is! It was all - if food tastes good, then its good.
Of course that is how we treat food in India, but I would have expected it to go like this -
x: hey, what are you eating there?
y: Its dried apricot, a bit old, I am not sure if they are good anymore.
everyone else - freak out! freak out!
x: what! have you checked the expiry date? How old is it? OMG! Don't even touch it if its expired! Throw it in this bin marked "bio hazard". I am not even sure if it can be composted! SEE THE EXPIRY DATE!

I am so glad the conversation went the way it did. I am beginning to feel more and more at home here.

Identity crisis!

I seem to be in sort of middle of an identity crisis here. I cannot at all decide where I am from. I feel Seattle is home and sight Starbucks brings feeling of 'home'. But then I can never identify myself with US, that will always be in India. But in some sense, I am lot more used to lifestyle in US and when comparing things, I always compare them with US. I have very little idea of current Indian lifestyle. But then culturally, I still feel much closer to Indian culture and nothing for US culture (if there is such thing as culture there!). Of course I feel some connection to Indian folks on street, but then if I find a Seattlite, I am sure I will feel even stronger connection with them, but rest of US, I don't care.

Don't even talk about telling people where I am from! I thought in US when visiting other places I had problems defining that, but its twice as worse here. Do I tell that I am from Seattle / US or do I tell that I am from India which I left 9 years ago. People around me get majorly confused by my answers.

If I say I am from US, they get confused as I definitely look Indian. And I do not exactly speak like a ABCD.

If I tell them I am from India, it works mostly. But it gets confusing soon when I start telling Seattle stories. Or when I say 25C is too hot and I can't tolerate sun. Then I have to explain I have been living in a cave for 6 years. And I have been told more than once that I speak english with an american accent! how dare they! Maybe they just don't know where to place my accent and dump it on America :)

So now I have settled on -
Where are you from?
"I have been living in Seattle, US for long time."
If they want more details - "I was in Seattle for 6 years"
Rest they can assume. If they don't look at me and realize I am of Indian origin, I don't know what's wrong with them and I can't help it!
If they are still interested, I can open the book of my life and tell them all about where I grew up, how I went to CA, then Seattle and then NY in between. Well, they asked for it, I have a complicated life! It has not happened yet :)

Also people seem very interested in why I am in Zurich. I did not come directly from India. I was living in US, a very comfortable life. And I have nobody here, and I did not go to school here. So what the hell am I doing in Zurich. Mostly I have settled on "I wanted to move from Seattle and Zurich is one of the few places which qualify as upgrade in natural beauty"
... or some version of it depending on how good their english is. Most people just agree.
Sometimes I say that I had hiked in most areas around Seattle, so needed a new place. But that is so not true! But partly also true. I was feeling less excited about trails around Seattle. You cannot beat the great views (I am doubting that even Switzerland can beat it), and the idea of hiking will always remain exciting in itself. But in some sense 4 out of 5 places seemed 'seen' or 'familiar'. I had stopped taking pictures and hiking just for the fun of it. Here on the first hike, I could not stop taking pictures. Even though it was not the untouched mountain slopes you see in Seattle, but it was new and different. I do miss getting out into places with no cars or human civilization, just the hikers out there to enjoy nature.

One more hike

yeah, well sort of. I am getting disappointed by the state of 'hikes' here. We would never call such things hike. We started on a nice somewhat foresty train (think Tiger mountain), which was ok, but soon there were houses and sheep, which was cute. But then soon there was a road and cars and random people on 'top'. And from there we took a motor road down. Well, my friends, that's not what you call a 'hike'. Its a walk in park with some elevation gain. We did get to see Alps, but there was also civilization in between. Beautiful lake had 2 bridges and houses all around it. Rolling hills were all dotted with houses. You get a much better remote experience on Tiger Mountain. It did not even meet that standard (which is the lowest of any hikes in Seattle). Maybe its too early, maybe I should just appreciate the fact that I am out hiking in sun while its all cloudy and snowy in Seattle. But the scenery needs to get better else I will be packing my bags soon. I don't think I can spend many months without getting away from the civilized concrete world of houses and fences.

Speaking of sun - its way to strong here. I was completely dehydrated yesterday and its suppose to be spring! what's with that!

PS: I do have pictures from hike, I will post soon. Right now I dont' have internet at apartment.

Apartment!

Got the keys to apartment today! finally! It seemed lot less painful than what people described. I guess I did not have too many constraints. I can slowly move now in next 4 days of chutti!

funf minute!

I forgot to mention another exciting moment. When I was coming back from signing lease for new apartment (oh! I found an apartment! if it was a surprise to you, pay attention!), I stopped at the bus stop to see when was the bus to train station. There was a very old lady there, she was looking at me with interest. I saw the timetable and then looked at my no-watch wrist (yeah, I live in Switzerland and don't own a watch. (Oh! wait! did I just say I 'live' in Switzerland!!)) [back to point].
So I looked and obviously did not find the time. The lady who was looking at me with interest said - "sthg sthg auto sthg funf minute sthg sthg sthg", and guess what! I understood she is saying the bus will be here in 5 minutes. Then she also said "die post", and then I was all confused! But I got it!
It was a Dei Post bus and it came in 5 minutes! woo hoo! Of course I still have no idea what all the other things she said, but I did get 5 words!