Fête des Vendanges

So I have this friend named Chris. Chris is from Simi Valley, but he lives in the small city of Neuchâtel, 

 in Switzerland. Chris has visited me in Edinburgh three times since I moved here. Not specifically to see me, but because he loves Edinburgh. And after meeting his girlfriend Stephanie in Edinburgh on New Years Day 2009, the city continues to hold special a sentimental spot in his heart. Anywho, Chris has been asking Adam and I (who he also met New Years 2008/2009 through me) to come visit for aaaaaages. So this year we finally did! 

 

Over the last weekend of September, Adam, Emma and I flew to Geneva on Friday afternoon and spent a few hours walking around there before heading to the Neuch. A giant jet of water spewing up in Lake Geneva is the city's only claim to fame. The excitement was palpable. not really. Geneva is the quietest city I've ever been to. And as I later found, the Swiss in general are a quiet people. 

Trying to be excited about the Geneva Jet, as I like to call it. Adam isn't feeling it. 

After a while we jumped on a train and headed for the Neuch. Trains in Switzerland, like clocks, are efficient and always on time! It was a nice change from the UK where random breakdowns and delays occur far too often. 

Every year Neuchâtel hosts the Fête des Vendanges, or the Wine Festival. It's a huge event, people come from all over to drink wine, eat food from street stalls, buy random souvenirs, listen to live music, and dance the night away under a shower of confetti in the middle of the street. For the stoic Swiss, this is the time to let their hair down. And indeed, they do. 

 

 People fill the streets from 8 pm until 3-5 am on Friday and Saturday nights. Wine is sold in plastic cups, and what with all the people around and the random confetti-bombings, you better drink fast or else your drink will be either 1) all over you or 2) filled with confetti. Neither option was desirable, so we just drank fast.  Chris here demonstrates the only way to save one's drink:

Chris, Adam, Stephanie, me, Emma (and top of random guy's head)

Once the confetti started raining down we got down to some serious dancing. It was an insane, hilarious, magical event. Confetti falling everywhere, people moving everywhere, the beat of the music defying anyone to not dance-it was like taking a step out of reality into a universe where rain was made of paper and glitter.

Once morning dawned, the Neuch was a different place. Quiet and sleepy streets winding across the landscape, butting up into Lake Neuchâtel. The buildings are quintessentially continental European. Rising taller than they are wide, painted in vivid colours with eaves and shingling that you would expect to only find on a gingerbread house. 

This part of Europe has given the world so many images of a time and way of living through literature and art. I still love seeing it for myself. 

On Saturday, while the other Fête revellers slept, we toured the town, breakfasting at a cafe in the square with delicious pastries and visiting the castle, a lovely church, and generally taking in the view.

 

Pondering my ethnographic future...

 

View of the Neuch from the Castle

 What a happy building! 

Saturday night, we had a traditional Swiss dinner at Chris' flat-Raclette!  Raclette is a type of cheese, and also a dish indigenous to parts of Switzerland. The way it is often served involves an electric table-top grill with small pans, known as coupelles, to heat slices of raclette cheese in. Generally the grill is surmounted by a hot plate or griddle. The cheese is sliced, accompanied by platters of boiled or steamed potatoes, other vegetables and meats. These are mixed with potatoes and topped with cheese in the coupelles that are placed under the grill to melt and brown the cheese. It was AMAZING! And a really enjoyable way to start the night! 

 Ready for Raclette!

On Sunday we went hiking in the Jura Mountains to the Creux du Van, a beautiful natural rock formation. The mountains lie between France and Switzerland and although the Jura aren't as high as the Alps, that hike was HARD! Probably the steepest hike I've done, and slippery ground to boot! But there were little amusements along the way...

 Goats just chillin' on the trail

 Creux du Van

 Doing ballet on top of the Creux du Van

 France is over there

After a the hike, and a filling but delicious dinner of fondue, I was well and truly wine and cheese-d out. After a relaxed last night, Adam, Emma and I headed back to the UK on Monday. As we walked through the town, vestiges of the festival were still present, slowly being torn down for another year. 

 As Stephanie and Adam waved us off (he left a few hours later) Emma and I settled in for another efficient train ride back to the airport. 

One more vacation over, summer behind us, and good memories to hold onto until Christmas! Viva la Suisse! 

<3 Kim

Aphrodite's Isle

Summer 2011 was full of vacations for me. Being so close to so many places, and with a job that gives me 6 weeks paid vacation plus national holidays, how could I resist? Now, before you all start hating me for getting that much vacation time, let me remind you that my job is really VERY unpleasant, and without a chance to escape for long weekends, I might have gone insane by now!

So this year, as the mania of the Edinburgh festival was winding down, I flew off to the Island of Cyprus for 4 days of sun, sea, and Yara time! 

On Aphrodite's Beach

The first thing you must know about Cyprus is that it is FAR away from the UK. Context: Cyprus is closer to Lebanon than to any part of Europe. Yet, when you step off the plane and start driving across the small island, you immediately feel like you're in Southern California. The terrain is SO similar to Simi Valley, it's kind of disconcerting. Especially because the climate was so different. Hot, just like I had expected but also very humid. Walking outside was like walking though a bath. Definitely conducive to a slow island lifestyle! 

But Cyprus is also very Greek. The Greeks and the Turks, amongst many other civilisations, have fought over Cyprus for centuries. The Northern part of the Island is still under Turkish control, while the southern part is part of the European Union. There is so much history in Cyprus, so many old ports, ancient roads, and crumbling ruins that when you walk around you can actually feel just how powerful the ancients were, and just how devoted they were to this tiny island and it's claim to fame: Aphrodite. 

Aphrodite's Rock

According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite (the Greek Goddess of love and beauty) was born when Cronus cut off Uranus' genitals and threw them into the sea, and from the sea foam (aphros) arose Aphrodite. According to the Cypriots, this sea foam was off the coast of Cyprus, and they claim their land as her birthplace. There are temples to Aphrodite all over the island. 

Aphrodite's temple in Limassol

Such posers!

I had such a good time visiting Yara and meeting her mom and sister. They were so welcoming and generous, and Yara's friends were a lot of fun. We lounged around by the beach, visited ruins and mosaics in Limassol and Paphos, ate delicious Mediterranean food, and tried not to move too quickly until the sun set each evening! 

The view from Yara's flat

Paphos Mosaics

Climbing the ruins

It was such a nice way to spend bookend the summer, especially since Edinburgh experienced the WORST summer ever this year. It's nice to know that I'll always have the Mediterranean to save me from the rain and cold! :-) 

<3 Kim

The Summer That Was...

Sunshine over Edinburgh

Summer is coming to a close up here in Edinburgh-and the summer of '11 has been full of adventures, goodbyes, and schizophrenic weather. As is the annual fashion, there was some gorgeous weather in May and June that lulled the residents of Edinburgh into a false sense of security that THIS summer might be better than last year's...So we took advantage of the weather with a picnic in the Meadows.


Sylvia was very proud of her Tabasco
Too cool for school
Smiles

We basked. We gossiped. We ate. I even got a bit of colour on the half of my body that was facing the sun. It is these memories that keep one going when the rain comes pouring down for a week following three days of sun.

July brought the graduation and inevitable leaving party of my friend Tanya. So we toasted her leaving Edinburgh for the next stage of her life at a gorgeous cocktail bar called Dragonfly.

Cocktails!

So a Mexican, American, and Kenyan walk into a bar...

August brought the Edinburgh Festival. I did theatre reviews this year for the Edinburgh International Festival. Including this amazing opera, Thaïs. All music and singing-no acting. Definitely a different opera experience. You can see my reviews at www.playstosee.com.


Á l'opera

August also brought the worst possible weather one can imagine for summer. Climate change is really not doing Scotland any favours. Except maybe ensuring that there will never be a drought on this waterlogged island. anywho...

I have almost lived here for three years, but I still find new things around Edinburgh that make me smile...

Random alleys always make me smile...

It is these random finds, the small intricate details in the architecture, the new angles and small closes off the main streets that allow Edinburgh to maintain an air of mystery and magic centuries after being built.


Sunset around 11 pm

So now summer ends, the sun sets a bit earlier, and even though I know the fall will bring hurricane-like winds and rainstorms that strike like ninjas,  I also know that there will be a few more new discoveries, and maybe an indoor picnic or two! And so life goes on...

<3 Kim

Tattoo-riffic!

A few weeks ago I attended a world-renowned, everyone-should-do-once, Edinburgh-only event:

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Held only in August every year, the Tattoo is "...an annual series of Military tattoos (military display/ military performance) performed by British Armed Forces, Commonwealth and International military bands and display teams in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. The event takes place annually throughout August, as part of the wider Edinburgh Festival." (Thanks Wikipedia!)


Walking up to the Castle

Held on the Castle Esplanade, the scene is set for the Tattoo as early as June every year. The massive bleachers go up, security is everywhere, and tickets go on sale. The show is only held in the evening, and after seeing some of the impressive lighting displays and the dramatic backdrop that night provides to the performances, I cannot imagine the Tattoo having the same effect during the day.

Me and the Castle...waiting for sunset!

The show is opened by 9 bands of pipers. Many from Scotland, but there was also a pipe band from the British Marines and the Nepalese Gurkhas! I love bagpipes, and the intense melodies created by nine bands was a stirring way to begin the show.

Following the pipers, there were performances by military bands from the Netherlands, Germany, Brazil and the rest of the UK. Also, there were military presentations, such as a demonstration about how the Navy deals with piracy, and dancing by traditional Scottish dancers.

Dutch Group

Navy Demonstration

German Group

Everyone lined up

Every group that performed was unique and impressive. The Germans wore traditional lederhosen and played Alpenhorns, the Dutch band played while riding bikes (that bit was scary), and the Brazilians had Carnival dancers. But it was definitely the lighting, perfectly synchronised with the music, that helped make the performances really touching. By the end of the evening, the theme had come back around to Scotland as you can see below:


The Celtic Dragon


The Scottish Royal Standard


The Saltire- St. Andrew's Cross


After the touching last performance of "Scotland the Brave" by the Piper Bands, the Lone Piper ended the evening with a stunning solo song from atop the Castle.

The Tattoo was, by far, one of the coolest, most touching things I have ever experienced in Scotland. Seeing such a carefully studied tribute to Scotland, and other nations, was really enjoyable and really helps you understand why Scotland is such a proud nation, and why the Tattoo is one of the most popular events in the country.

Just to give you a taste, check out the video I took of "Scotland The Brave" by the Pipers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEvJw0dSjzs
Disclaimer: I rarely take video with my camera, thus the sideways bit...ooops!

<3 Kim

Season of Change

Sometimes weeks, months, seasons go by without any huge changes that impact our lives. Things sail along in the harmony of routine. Sometimes boring perhaps, but equally offering a sense of security and foundation.

The summer of 2011 has not been one of those seasons. Beginning with the wedding of my dear cousin and visit of one of my Edinburgh friends to California, to the death of my dear grandmother in early July. August will take me to another new country, and summer will hopefully end with less grief and more positive moves for my future.

I had an awesome trip to the US over Memorial Day through mid-June. It began with my friend Yara visiting, which was exciting for numerous reasons. She was my first friend who I met in Edinburgh to visit my home in California, and she (being raised in Cyprus and Lebanon) loves and appreciates the sun, sea, and outdoors more than the lure of Hollywood (thank goodness...I can't handle LA for more than a day at a time). We spent a lot of time with my parents as well, and I'm pretty sure they would adopt her if she suddenly found herself in need of a new family! Later this month I will be travelling to Cyprus to see her and her family, sunshine ahoy!

Yara and I in Ventura

After her trip came the wedding. My lovely Lauretta married Ed, her longtime boyfriend who has been a part of our family since she was 16. The wedding was amazing, set in the stunning mountains surrounding Yosemite National Park. The couple, so clearly in love and easily moving into the next stage of their relationship, made their special day such a beautiful testament to all of the people and things that they love. I had so much fun with my family, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins...it was definitely a special trip! 
The Bride and Groom

Fam at cocktail hour

Jesse and Grandma Barnes

Aunties and me!

The last leg of my trip was a bit more bittersweet. I went up to Seattle for a few days to see my family and friends up there. It was so nice to see my Auntie, my lovely friends, my cousins and Uncle, and my Grandma-but it was also very hard. I had not seen my grandmother since she had her stroke, and when I got there she was ill and in quarantine, still unable to talk, and having a hard time both communicating and getting around. It was devastating to see her that way, after so many years of knowing and loving her personality and idiosyncracies-now both shadowed by silence, confusion, and forced submission to her confinement while sick.

Getting Pedicures for Grandma's birthday

Hot tub fun!

While I spent much of my time with her not knowing what to say to a person who cannot respond back, and feeling both awkward and uncomfortable, small moments reminded me that my grandmother was still inside the shell. Her strong hands that would squeeze mine, her laugh, and her long hugs. THese helped bolster me, and made it easier to continue telling my one-sided stories. And I'm so glad that I did.

Three weeks after returning to the UK, my Grandmother passed away. I was devastated that I could not be there for my family, that I was not there to say goodbye in person. But I know that wherever she is now, she is so much better off than she was here. She can probably talk, and laugh, and walk without aid. And I hope that her and my grandfather are dancing through eternity together to the sounds of never-ending big band music.

Christmas 2007

Although the sadness is still raw, especially when I write about it, I find it cathartic to do so. My paternal grandparents were dynamic, fantastic people. I'm so glad that I have so many memories of them left, and I have them to thank for my love of travelling, cultural appreciation, and experiencing new things.

On a happier note, my newlywed cousin is also expecting her first child. More apropos timing could not be possible. One life ends and another one just beginning. I know that her child will be welcomed by loving parents, surrounded by an extended family full of equal love, laughter, stories, and strength. My maternal grandparents have nurtured a large family that keeps growing. We are all family by birth, and I am happy to say that we are friends by choice. This side of the family gives me my love of large families, the knowledge that different beliefs and lifestyles can be celebrated, and the reality check that drama queens sometimes need!

If there is one thing that I know now that was a less defined belief before June, it is this: family really is an amazing thing. Family has the power to build you up, appreciate your uniqueness, accept our differences, and move through all stages of happiness and grief with a strong, yet intangible thread binding it together. Family is also what you make it. I have some family members that feel like strangers, who do not attempt to nourish the relationship, and some friends that are closer than blood and bonded to me as such. These things happen in life, and all we can do is try our best to be understanding to those who cannot appreciate the human familial bond, and hold on all the more to those in our lives who do.


My fabulous family!

After a winter/spring of maddening routine, I am still living this summer of change. Lets hope August doesn't let me down!

<3 Kim