Switzerland

After morning classes in France, my friends and I would walk down the hill, cross the border into Switzerland, and hitchhike into Geneva. The summer sun didn't go down until 10 pm so we would have a nice long day to explore and pick up food in crowded pastry shops where the people who pushed to the front were served first. I would choose between croissants stuffed with cheese, spinach, and mushrooms (this would often be my dinner) or with chocolate and cream. I had never had such delicious pastries before!

I didn’t find exactly the same thing at Alpine Pastries and Cakes in Concord where both owners were trained in Switzerland, but they were still very good. Suzy had the custard filled chocolate éclair, I had the fruit tart, and I took an apple strudel home to Mom and Dad. I would have taken the deep dish apple pie, but another customer got the last two before I noticed them. Suzy’s éclair was a little sweeter, a little messier (in a good way), and better quality chocolate than an American version. My fruit tart had thick cookie crust, a thin layer of custard and was piled high with blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, and kiwi. The apple strudel that I took home had a flaky crust and a thin layer of apples. If you want to attempt Swiss desserts yourself, here are some ideas: https://www.lacademie.com/swiss-desserts/

To have a Swiss meal, my sisters picked me up from the airport and we headed straight into San Francisco to the Matterhorn Restaurant and Bakery. Carmyn and Suzy ordered the mild fondue and I decided to try the traditional one which was more strongly flavored with Swiss cheese. We added the special potatoes and the apples to the pickled vegetables, regular potatoes, and fabulous bread. We had the smores fondue for dessert. Suzy keeps telling me she wants to go back. I would be happy to return after I’ve circled through the rest of the countries!

The next time I am in Tahoe, I want to try Swiss Lakewood Restaurant and Lounge in Homewood. Swiss food extends well beyond fondue as illustrated with these recipes: https://www.helvetickitchen.com/recipes/category/Classic+Swiss+Recipes

I have two favorite books from Switzerland. The first one is Heidi by Johanna Spyri which I read repeatedly as a child, and which can be found here: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20781

There are several movie versions of Heidi. The 2015 version is the most recent: https://tubitv.com/movies/488992/heidi

My other favorite book from Switzerland is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (written in Switzerland, set in Switzerland, I’m counting it because I love it so much). Ignore all the horror movies that have been made about it. This is the story of a man who neglects the being he brought into the world and the result of that neglect. I find it meaningful. Project Gutenberg has several printings and even an audio-version. Here is the most frequently downloaded: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/84

This article on “Hunting for Frankenstein Amid Switzerland's Melting Glaciers and Nuclear Bunkers” has a beautiful gallery of photographs and interesting details about what Switzerland has built to protect itself: https://www.wired.com/story/searching-for-frankenstein-switzerland/

For Swiss music, of course I have to include yodeling, and this song from Melanie Oesch was much more contemporary and interesting than I expected: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwJNDF2Jfbc

I also enjoyed this relaxing music and scenery as it reminded me of all the time I spent around Lac Léman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRyLAR6A1Wc

There are two videos about Swiss art at The Khan Academy:

· Arnold Böcklin, Self Portrait with Death Playing the Fiddle: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/symbolism-artnouveau/symbolism-art-nouveau-switzerland/v/arnold-b-cklin-self-portrait-with-death-playing-the-fiddle-1872

· Alberto Giacometti, Walking Man: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-1010/post-war-european-art/postwar-art-in-switzerland/v/giacometti-walking-man-ii

If I learn the Swiss game Jass, will anybody play with me? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUedIgfK_HQ

To see Switzerland in California, one might visit the Swiss National Day Fair in Whittier the last Sunday of July.

If I went back to Switzerland, I would visit so many more places, including some of these: https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-places-visit-switzerland/#more-6888. I would love to go back! I look forward to that time when we can travel broadly again. In the meantime, I’m hoping we all survive, thrive, recognize our mutual humanity, learn to deal with our conflicts, and allow peace, health, and safety to flourish in Switzerland and throughout the world.

Photo Credit: Neil Bates https://unsplash.com/photos/F2Q__mnv23A