Bits and Pieces about our stay in Switzerland

Our Year in Lugano, Switzerland - Fall 2004

The cross of Mendrisio by artist Willi Inauen

Sometime in the fall:   A funny story in our daily life   I am adding this story after our year has finished. The reason? Rick felt my parents would worry about us if I had published it on my website at the time it happened! It was a Friday afternoon, and Rick normally finished teaching English at SAMS at about 4:30pm. I know he sometimes would stay a bit later helping some of the students with their English, but I was watching the time and it was 6pm, I thought it was getting a little late, but I wasn’t totally worried yet.   Then came 6:30. I started to worry a little more. It was dark out by now, and Rick was using the electric scooter for transportation. I started to think of what could have happened to him! He has to drive up our mountain, and there are areas which have no guard rail. I always worried that if he had to swerve to avoid something he’d just go flying off the mountainside. Who would ever know or ever find him?   I decided that I’d wait until 7pm before I started making calls. Since we had only been here a few months, I still didn’t speak Italian well enough to call the police. Fortunately our neighbors, Veronique and Francesco, both spoke French and English also, since Veronique was from Lausanne. At 7pm I called Veronique to have her help me. She was so kind to first call the police and then she called the two hospitals in the area to see if there had been an accident or if he was taken in with an illness. Nothing. Well, no news was good news – unless he was run off the mountain as I was fearing! Veronique offered to ride with me in the car to search the route between the school and home if needed.   A few minutes later Rick came walking in the door, soaking wet from sweat. Boy was I happy to see him! You can’t imagine what had been going through my mind – thinking of finding myself alone in Switzerland with possibly a dead husband and having to deal with all that would have to be done in that situation! Veronique called back at that moment and I told her the good news and thanked her so much for her help and concern.   Here is Rick’s story. He stayed after school to help a couple of the girls, so he got a late start heading home. At the bottom of the mountain, by the soccer stadium, the scooter ran out of power. The indicator had said he had enough when he went to school that morning. He let the bike sit for a bit and then tried starting it again. Luckily it started and he made it 1/3 of the way up the mountain, where it stopped again, but luckily in front of SPAI, the school in Trevano where he taught PE. Berny had told Rick where a plug-in station was located on the property, and luckily Rick was able to plug it in, as the lid was left open. (he didn’t have the key to open the lid with him!) He waited about 15 minutes, but the bike was not charged up enough to start up again. There was only one thing to do: start hiking up the mountain by foot!   Now, Rick also had a large book bag with all his teaching supplies, and he had to carry that heavy bag too. Across from the school there is a path, well, mostly just steps, going up and up the mountain. It was a mild, foggy evening. During the hike up Rick had to cross a couple of streets. At one street he thought he was where he had to walk down that street to a side street up to our neighborhood. Soon he found out that he he made a mistake and was not yet finished climbing the mountain! It was so dark, and this path goes through a wooded area and had no lights, so it was very difficult for him to find his way.   He fortunately made it home safe and sound and dripping wet! After this incident he made sure he located all the plug-in stations around Lugano, only to have the company that runs these stations change all the locks a few months later! October 17, 2004 Town of Bré on left - view looking east to Italy October 19:  My parents have been visiting for just over a week now. The first week we had very chilly, rainy weather, but this past weekend, the clouds parted and I soon realized that chilly rain on the lower elevations means snow in the mountains, and we were blessed with these beautiful views! The scenery was better than in the summer, since there were more colors in the trees, and the snow of the mountains just painted a spectacular picture!   We drove up Monte Bré to the town of Bré - seen on your left in this picture. We had to keep Sam and Lorraine from screaming (beacause of the very narrow road) and when another car came in the opposite direction - well, you can imagine their fear! We drove all the way to the top, enjoyed some coffee and the views in the warm sun - we could even see the Matterhorn in the distance towards the west, and then I walked with my mom and dad down to the town - about a 30 minute downhill walk, while Rick drove the car down. We were blessed with this great picture on our walk down.   From Bré we drove along the coast to Menaggio, Italy. There were more snowcapped mountains to the east and north of us - mountains we never noticed before. It was a beautiful, warm day for October, and we ate lunch outside along Lake Como, enoying the views of Bellagio and the surrounding mountains. The parents made it home safe and sound - after keeping an eye on Rick`s driving thru the vary narrow streets - instead of looking at the scenery!   I just have to say, I am in total awe in seeing the mountains with snow - and this is just the beginning. I`m truly looking forward to winter! Sam, Lorraine, and Rick on the top of Mt. Bré View of Lugano from Mt. Bré, with snowcapped mountains, including the Matterhorn, in the distance View of Bellagio, Italy from Menaggio, Italy October 16: Since the clouds had cleared up north, we took a drive through the valley where the highway runs north and south through the canton of Ticino where we live. During part of the trip we took the highway, and the rest we took local roads. The snow on the mountains was so beautiful! Here is a picture of a typical view in the valley and also one of the highway. Here, the highway is either going through a tunnel or you`re driving through the air! The valley in between Lugano and Ariolo in Ticino The highway in the sky           October 5:  The weather has been so nice and warm! But with the warm weather is fog. The mountains have been hardly discernable through the white haze, but yet the sun seems to shine at the same time, and since there is no wind, it's very warm. I walked all the way down to the lakefront, a 55 minute walk downhill all the way, in just a t-shirt and capris. From Comano to Lake Lugano it's the equivalent of walking down a 76 story tall skyscraper - elevation wise. (I take the bus home!) After dinner today, the air was still so calm. We've still be eating our meals outside. We took a walk through the old sections of our town, which are extremely charming at night, with the buildings lit up and then you can see inside some of these old buildings - the wooden ceilings and beams. Very cool! We also walked to a couple of our favorite fig tree spots. One tree is up on a terrace (because we live on the slope of a mountain), so being nighttime, I quietly climbed up the terrace, and in the dark felt for the ripe figs. I know no one is eating these figs, as the ripe ones have been raining down on the little street below. I handed them to Rick and then filled my hands with more - I just can't get enough of these fresh figs right off the tree! They're like candy! So now tomorrow I have to scrape the bottom of my hiking shoes, since underneath the tree it was full of old ripe figs, so now the bottom of my shoes are the consistency of Fig Newton cookies!   October 3: Today we went to church at the top of our mountain. About once a month the mass is held in the afternoon at the little church up there. It took Rick and I about 30 minutes to walk through the woods up the mountain. It was a beautiful day, so we were sweating by the time we got there! On the way down, we filled our pockets to overflowing with chesnuts that can be found all over this region. They are encased in spiny coverings which fall to the ground. As they dry, they split open and there are usually 3 chestnuts inside each. My pants were so full of chestnuts I must have looked like I was wearing saggers! And while we were gathering them, we had to watch out for new falling pods! Getting hit by a sharp, spiky pod does not seem pleasant! As we continued out of the woods and through the town, we passed a plum tree with branches hanging over the road. Some fresh plums had just fallen, so we gathered those up too. Since I was hungry, Rick and I went over to one of the many fig trees in the area - but this one is on some abandoned property - so I'm taking the liberty to eat the figs! It seems like most people let the figs just fall and don't even harvest them. We were testing all the figs to pick the ripe ones, and to me they are just like candy when eaten off the tree! Mmmm!  We had a bountiful afternoon! PS. There is even a kiwi fruit "vine" in our town!

	September 30: Today we decided to drive to the top of Mt. Bré, which goes right up from Lugano by the lake.  We stopped at the town and explored that for a while – a very cute, very old town on the top of the mountain. Then we hiked the rest of the way up to the top – about 30 minutes. On the way up, we see an old man climbing the stairs. We had to stop and rest from time to time, but he never stopped! Incredible! At the top, a German man was asking if anyone lost their car keys, since he had found some on the path up.   We then had some ice cream at the restaurant on top, enjoying the views, even if it was one of those typical white, hazy days. The sun was still shining and it was very warm and enjoyable outside. On our way down the mountain, we see the same old man walking up the stairs again! So I said “ancora?” Again? And he said (in Italian.. yeah, I’m looking for my keys) We told him they were found and probably left somewhere at the top of the mountain. So he had to hike back up a second time – again, not stopping to rest. View of Lake Lugano from top of Mt. Bré

	September 25:  Yesterday when Rick was teaching his English classes, his students told him that there was a big Grape festival in the town of Mendrisio on Saturday, and that it was a "must do" event! So this morning we first decided to go to Como, Italy, and then stop in Mendrisio on the way back. The festival was in the old center of town, encompasing quite a large historic area. There was wine tasting everywhere - actually you paid for a whole glass of wine - not little "tastes"! Vendors were selling breads, sausages and homemade items. There were also musicians in every corner. It was crowded with people, and in the midst of them all, who do we see but the director, Rino Fasol, of the school where Rick teaches English! It was so interesting to have him tell us about the town, and we were treated to special moments that we would not have experienced if we didn't run into him and his family. They took us to a jewelers shop, where we were invited in to view a large cross that, after many years, was still a work in progress. It was made from many precious stones cut into thin slices, and where a light inside made the cross glow with many colors. This cross has been on display in many places around Europe and may be going to Rome soon. We met the artist who created it. A smaller version was also made to use for the religious processions in the town. The previous cross was a couple hundred years old and falling apart, so this new one will be part of Mendrisio's history for a long time to come.   Then we were treated to some wine in one of the courtyards between the buildings in town. We were introduced to a number of influencial people. Then we were treated to an appetizer and more wine at a French Bistro which also serves as a cultural center for the appreciation of wine. (yes, we were appreciating the wine!)   From there Mr. Fasol invited us to dinner at his house, which was a short walk up the mountain slope. It was a beautiful, huge villa next to a vineyard, and the evening was really a treat! His wife Manuela made pasta with vegetables and homemade bread. Delicious!   So again, another episode of sheer chance, and a wonderful opportunity to go deeper into Swiss culture. The Cross of Mendrisio

View from Albogasio, Italy, while we listened to the locals singing "Volare".

evening concert in Comano's old section of town - of course after the power went back on!