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There is a 600-year old Spring Festival tradition in Switzerland called Sechseläuten. The celebration is held on the third Saturday of every April. There is a huge costume parade (I'm talking "100s of marching bands, and thousands of people marching in costumes"-huge) with the main event being a massive symbolic snowman (called a Böögg) with a head made of explosives getting set on fire. The faster the head explodes, the better the summer, is what they say here in Zurich. Then, after the snowman burns down into an inferno of a bonfire, the huge throngs of people at the festival move in to roast their beloved Swiss sausages and celebrate. Lia and I thought it would be fun to see it with the kids. Our intentions were to check out some sights in downtown Zurich and old town, watch some of the parade, and then head back home before things got crazy. Well, the day was gorgeous, and so we got a little distracted as we meandered along the Lake...stopping to enjoy some musicians, getting the kids ice cream cones, watching the boats and people lakeside. That apparently set us back more than we realized, because after touring the cathedral, we started heading back towards home. However, we got completely stuck in a very large and very immobile crowd. I was trapped with Levi in the stroller, and Lia had Luke and Isaac...she could only inch along, but I was completely stuck because no one would let me move a millimeter with the stroller. I along with the rest of the crowd was on the verge of panic, as thousands of us were completely immobilized in a dead stand-still. It was honestly one of the more nerve-racking experiences I've had, and once Lia and I were separated, there was no reconnecting with each other. I just kept praying that she wouldn't let go of one of my boys! What an uncharacteristically "unruly" Swiss event. I am amazed that this country of rules and order hasn't come up with a better way to manage crowd control during the past 600 years. Another one of life's little mysteries! Thankfully, Lia came through again, and the five of us eventually reunited. What a scary way to end an otherwise wonderful day.
Aunt Lia is really a trooper. She is awesome with the kids, knows how to get around Europe, and is always up for anything. However, bringing three little boys on our first cross-country train ride while she was still in a pretty serious jet-lag cloud may have been testing her limits. We were off for a day trip to Basel!
Any train ride starts with a trek to the train station from our apartment (envision two sisters, three boys, a stroller, a kid-carrier backpack, and an overstuffed gear backpack). By the time we arrived at train station #1 of the day, the boys had already spilled a water bottle in the bottom of the stroller, ate some of our snack reserves, and we had a baby in need of his morning nap. Welcome to traveling Europe with kids!
Our day ended up being fantastic! We started by checking out two cathedrals. At the second Cathedral, we walked up a very old, very small, very steep wooden staircase to see the first level of the bell tower. The passageway was so small and steep that we couldn't continue to the top because we couldn't carry the kids through the space safely. Regardless, we still got some great views of the city and an appreciation for the inside of the tower. I kept imagining a little boy or a priest from the 1300s walking barefoot up those stairs to ring the bells. We then walked through most of Basel's very impressive old town, which was packed with people on a busy Saturday. The people watching was entertaining and the tiny cobble-stone lined streets, Swiss buildings, and architectural detail of every window, door, shutter, and rooftop was captivating. Finally, we walked to see the city gates that are still standing from the 1300's. Along our tour through old town, Luke and Isaac got some balloon-swords that were made by a street artist. Seeing them joust with their balloons under a 700-year old structure was quite the juxtaposition! I again found myself reflecting on how many people had passed through those gates over the past seven centuries, under such dramatically challenging circumstances during so many different time periods in history. What a humbling place to stand. By the time we walked back through town to the train station, we realized that we had carried and pushed Isaac and Levi for over 7 hours of walking, and Luke trekked it all with a great attitude. Arriving home 11 hours after setting off, I could see that Lia was jet-lagging but still smiling. If I was indeed testing her limits, she passed with flying colors!
Aunt Lia is here!!! Cue the rays of shimmering light coming from heaven and the choir of angels singing in the background...familiar, english-speaking, adult company is here!!! (and Lia isn't just any adult company, she really is an angel). I know this is going to be an awesome two weeks, and I know it will fly by! The boys are beyond excited, as their Aunts are all so awesome to hang out with. They adore their nephews, and Luke, Isaac and Levi know it! Let the fun begin!
The dogs in Switzerland just might be the luckiest dogs anywhere. Dogs are welcome practically everywhere. There are restaurants that you can't take your kids in, but you can bring your dog! (and by the way, I'm talking big dogs, not those dogs that chicks carry in their purses in LA) These dogs are quiet, and obedient, and well trained. Very Swiss!
