New Setting, Same Rush

Can't say I have been doing much lately, but I did manage to get my behind to Switzerland on time, a small miracle if you ask me. I am now typing on Philippe's computer. What? Don't believe me? Want proof? Here are some keys that I don't have on mine:

çéàü€

see? Would I lie to you folks?

I had to get up at 4:30 to get my ICE train to Bern, but once I was on it, I didn't have to change trains again, and I was able to relax a bit in the seat Phil had reserved for me (yay!). This was all going well until the most disgusting human being ever sat across from me and began to eat a series of jelly donuts VERY loudly and sloppily, which I found irksome.

keep it to yourself, buddy!

The goal of train travel is for us to make it to our destination while remaining relatively undisturbed by outside happenings...that includes the consumption of ung-dly quantities of pasteries, Monsieur! Luckily he didn't get on till far into the trip, and I was soon in Bern where I joined Phil on the trip back to Lausanne.

The city is really quite pretty around Christmas. In the countryside there is snow on the ground and the mountains are breathtaking as always. We have 4 days of skiing planned with the understanding that last time was not a rousing success (me falling down a mountain repeatedly to shouted cryptic instructions like "put your weight on your TWO ski" isn't however a total failure..I DID make it down in one piece), so we'll go MUCH SLOWER this time.


yeah, kinda like that!

I am hopeful though, and I have the cutest ski gear possibly of all time ever (pictures will be posted when they become available).

Today has been spent bumming around and gloating that we have already done our Christmas shopping, something I recommend you all should do while watching others running about madly--often with small children in tow--on a mission to BUY PEOPLE STUFF! I also got the chance to write people winter cards (December was nuts, so you are getting WINTER cards and not CHRISTMAS cards), a very chill day in a nice city (with a high of 42...suck on that icicle, Chicago!).

We also found out something very important about Phil:


He has rarely met a cheese he didn't like, but Dutchmen, you are officially on notice.