Recycling the Swiss Way

  

No joke.  This is how Switzerland recycles paper goods...nice and neat.

Recycling in the U.S. is all about the one bin approach.  Back in our old neighborhood, the blue bin is for all things recyclable, which includes paper, plastic, glass; black is for all thing trash; and green is for all things compostable.  These bins are collected once a week, and we pay a fixed monthly fee for the job.  Simple and easy.  No difficult decision making involved and someone else at the recycling center do the sorting for you!

Well, fast forward, or backward, however you would like to look at it, to life in Switzerland.  All of a sudden, we find ourselves sorting trash.  More planning and organizing is required to get the task done.  Glass and aluminum recycling bins tend to be located on public domain such as the local city swimming pool.  So, I recycle on the days my boys have swim lessons. Batteries and PET are recycled at the grocery stores (Migros, COOP, Denner, etc.). So when I shop grocery, I have to make a mental note to bring my PET and used batteries.  I'm constantly being challenged to stay efficient.  If I don't, my house is over-run with empty beer cans, milk containers, wine bottles, and old batteries.

So here's how we do recycling the Swiss way:

Glass and alummium are taken to underground containers.  There is one receptacle for each type of color glass - green, white, and brown.  There is a glass and aluminum recycling station in every neighborhood.  Interestingly, our boys find it fun to recycle glass bottles and jars.  They like to sort by color and listen to the glass shatter as it hits the bottom. 

PET plastic bottles are placed into bins located outside supermarkets and grocery stores.  The rectangular opening is just large enough for a one liter bottle.  So for the likes of Costco super size containers, which don't exist here, you're out of luck.  You can either discard them in your garbage, which takes up 1/3 of the bag (there's a fee for garbage pickup) or find some way to re-use the containers.  

Batteries, electronic items, fluorescent bulbs can be returned to any store that sells like products such as an electronic store or a consumer goods store.

Paper, household goods, and yard trimmings are collected once a month on different days based on the schedule provided at the beginning of the year.  All boxes must be flattened and all paper stacked and tied.  

Occasionally, when feeling lazy and tired, I pine for the all-in-one container recycling.

Glass and aluminum recycling
To remove the glass debris, a special vehicle lifts the cylinders

and empty the bins.

Swiss recycling is the only time my kids are happy to help with chores.  Somehow they find it fascinating.

Endless Reasons Why You Should Visit Basel

Welcome to Basel all new expats.  There are many things to do in Basel in the summer.  Here are just a few.  (Repost of the write-up submitted to the Expatsblog.com)

Basel - a charming Swiss city located at the intersection of Switzerland, Alsace, France, and the Black Forest of Germany – is often overlooked by international tourists, who often go straight to the more popular Zurich and Geneva.  But don't disregard this city based on its looks and quiet demeanor.  Basel is a hidden gem, a culture-filled city offering a plethora of festivals and cultural events throughout the year.  The third largest city in Switzerland, Basel offers ample historic landmarks and 37 museums focused on everything from fine arts to regional history to children's interests.

Celebrating Timeless Pieces - Baselworld

Caught in the thrill and swept by consumerism, my girlfriends and I purchased our one-day passes to Baselworld last year.  With our newbie high (recent expats to Basel) and pockets full of purchasing power, we entered Messeplatz with every intention of leaving with a Swiss designer watch adorned on our wrists and unique necklaces wrapped delicately around our collars.  We quickly learned, after some disappointing attempts to enter the warmly glowing champagne filled hosting facilities, that our purchasing power did not exist at this fair and our consumerism had been reduced to browsing.  Semi-deflated, we made the most of our visit and chatted up with the various vendors, leaving the fair with greater knowledge about watches and gems and some beautifully illustrated catalogues by Rolex, Raymond Weil, and Patek Phillippe amongst other freebies (no free watches though).    

Baselworld is an action-packed, intoxicating, electrifying event that promises up close viewing and personal interaction with CEO's, owners of brands, designers and creators of draw-dropping precision instruments, and eye-popping jewelry.  This trade show, although open to the public, is a networking affair for the watch and jewelry industries.  For the consumers wandering around in a sea of dark tailored, form-fitting designer suits, the photo below pretty much sums up their experience at the show.

At a local "Cow Wash"

Even the cows are clean in Switzerland!   

These photos were taken at a self car wash in Aesch.  

(Photos are courtesy of Bonnie S.)

"Moooo" 

"Mooooissed a spot"

All Things Basel

Photo from Dianda.Basel website

I have lived in Basel for over a year and have yet to find an all-in-one souvenir shop with a plethora of Basel products...until today.

While on my hunt to purchase the painted Blaggedde, I came across a wonderful Basel souvenir shop located in the Spalentor neighborhood of old Basel.  This gem of a find stocks everything from keychains to jewelry to oil paintings, all reflecting the Basel theme.  According to the store clerk, Dianda.Basel carries a selection of Fasnacht products products throughout the year, but a wider selection during Fasnacht season.  If you walk to the back of the shop, you will find an entire section of just Switzerland souvenirs.  I could spend endless hours here perusing all the neat items.  Oh did I mention, they also sell Fasnacht Blaggedde, but only during the weeks leading up to the carnival.

Dianda.Basel carries English books too, albeit a tiny selection and all of them about Basel and Switzerland.  The shop also stocks the book title:  "Sali Zaemme - Baselduetsch Survival Guide".  According to the book's publisher, Bergli Books, learning Baselduetsch will be "downright fun" with this book.

You can visit the store website for more information or to place an order online.  Stop by the store to have a closer look at the multitude of souvenir products.  I guarantee you won't leave empty handed.

Dianda-Basel
Schnabelgasse 8
4051 Basel, Switzerland
www.dianda-basel.ch

The Colors of the Blaggedde

Basler Fasnacht is about vibrant colors and blaring music.  The gold, silver, and bronze single tone pins are simply elegant, but I like colors in my "Blaggedde" to represent the booms and bangs of this unique celebration.  

Hence, I went on a hunt today to find the rare hand-painted "Blaggedde".  Thanks to a referral from a friend, I found them in front of Pfauen, Freie Strasse 75 in Basel.  The pins were lovingly painted by a woman called Waldi who sets up her stand outside this department store every year.  She is only there from 11:00 to 15:00 on weekdays (not sure about the weekend) until the Monday of Fasnacht.  

If perchance you missed her this year, you can catch her next year.  Waldi sets up shop on the first day the Blaggedde officially go on sale until the Monday of Fasnacht.  She offers both the hand-painted pins as well as the traditional gold, silver, and bronze ones.  Each pin is painted in a unique color scheme conceived by Waldi.  In the pin above, Basler Alti Dante is painted in black and white, the colors of Basel-Stadt, while Chienbaese Traeger is painted in white and red, the colors of Basel-Land.

I love the colorful Blaggedde.  The characters appear to come alive.  Is Basler Alti Dante flirting with Chienbaese Traeger?  Or is he courting her?  You decide.  

The ABC's of Basler Fasnacht

2013 Silver Basler Fasnacht bragadde

On the brink of the 2013 Basler Fasnacht, I thought I should blog about Basel's famous carnival.  I don't know what happened last year that kept me from writing this post.  I suspect it was the exhaustion of attending three consecutive parades in less than a 24 hour period.  I did blog about Chienbaese and Morgestraich, but some how the Cortège fell to the wayside.  Here is my attempt at redemption.

Basel is not just known for its Basel World, its Basel Art, and its biotech/chemical industries.  This Swiss metropolitan center is also famously recognized for its celebrated carnival - so legendary that even USA Today wrote an article about it.   Basler Fasnacht is the biggest and only Protestant carnival in Switzerland.  Baslers, or "Bebbi" in Basel dialect, look forward to this festivity every year and plan months in advance for its arrival.  

Halloween Basel Style

Basel, like the rest of Switzerland and most of Europe, does not recognize Halloween as a holiday - surprise!  So, how do American expats ensure their children have the opportunity to celebrate this well-loved holiday while they are abroad?  Well, it's complicated and here's why.

American expats (and other expats who celebrate Halloween) don't live in the same neighborhood, making it difficult to organize a neighborhood trick-or-treat.  Since the Swiss don't celebrate this holiday, most Baslers are not inclined to participate in this old American tradition, nor are they willing to open their door to sounds of children screaming "trick-or-treat" on Halloween night.  For the expats who do live in a couple of densely concentrated expat neighborhoods, they reap the benefit of a neighborhood organized trick-or-treating.  For the rest, they are left to find a way to bring this bit of America to Basel.  Last year, in order to fill this gap, a couple of American expat moms came up with the idea of "Trunk-or-Treat".

What is Trunk or Treat?  It's like this.  On Halloween evening, you find an obscure empty parking lot somewhere in one of the suburbs of Basel, invite your expat friends to come and park their decorated cars there, then open the car trunks and hand out treats.  When I think about it, this sounds a whole lot like a family style Halloween tailgate party.  As the adults enjoy wine and beer, the kiddies parade up and down a row of cars asking for treats.

Last year, on a very cold but fun afternoon, I picked my boys up from their afterschool activities and drove them to a discreet parking lot.  At 5 p.m., the Winter gloom in Basel encircled us and added to the dark Halloween ambience.  When we arrived, the festivities had already started.  My boys joined in the trick or treating procession seamlessly.  We brought two big bags of candies to share and returned home with four full bags!

Even in this festive mood, my boys and I felt something amiss...the knocking on doors, the pretend surprised expressions on the givers' faces, and the cacophony of voices calling out "Trick-or-Treat".  But, this was as good as it gets on October 31 in a country where Halloween is not observed.  Sometime you just have to make the most of a given situation.  I can't wait to find out what the craze to celebrate will be next year.

Happy Halloween y'all!

Trunk or Treat

Basler PapierMuhle

Basel Paper Mill Museum

The Basel Paper Mill Museum is housed in a 500 year old paper mill in the historic part of Basel known as St. Alban. The museum is dedicated to papermaking, book printing, and writing. This facility is both a museum and a working paper making and printing site.

The museum is perfect for children who love learning through hands-on activities. Kid friendly activities are abound, including making paper from scratch (see pics below), printing the old fashioned way, and creating interesting artworks.

Each of the four museum floors are designed around a theme.

"Soup-pa" (Business is closed)

"Fish" Soup

One afternoon, after German class, my classmates and I decided to stop for lunch at Soup Basel. We heard from other friends that the soups here are good, and the meal is cheap (by Swiss standard).

Since I never get to eat fish anymore (children with seafood allergies), I opted to try the "fische" soup in a bowl and a drink. My bill came to almost 20 francs. Unless the soup size is the cup version and without a drink, expect to spend this much - the average price for lunch in Basel. I still think the price is steep for a meal of just soup and sparkling water.

When I ordered, I had visions of a fishy soup similar to the kind of fish chowder my husband used to prepare, before we had kids, before the demands of parenthood, work and all that good stuff that bought us all the good stuff we have today. What I received instead was a bowl of pureed corn bisque with boiled whole shrimps that had sunk to the bottom. Don't get me wrong...the soup was quite tasty, but I was disappointed I didn't get fish. Sheesh, if my German was better, I would have inquired about the discrepancy. Everything aside, I could not finish the bowl of soup. It was just too much food for me. Next time, I'm going for just the cup.

Click here for locations.

Basel Kunstmuseum

Kunstmuseum

Photo courtesy of Margarita

I am embarrassed to admit that I mistook the Kunstmuseum, Basel's art museum, for the paper mill museum. How could I have done that?  The fact that I can not read German may be a factor.  I don't know, but my children and I made the most of our misdirected adventure.

We explored an amazing collection of artworks from renowned impressionists such as Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet and others of this era to Alberto Giacometti, a Swiss painter/sculpture so highly regarded in Switzerland that he appears on the 100 Swiss franc bank note. The emphasis of the museum collections is paintings and drawings by artists active in the Upper Rhine region between 1400 and 1600 and artworks produced in the 19th and 21st century that focused on Cubism (Picasso, Braque, and Leger), German Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism and American Art (Lichtenstein, Warhol, Jasper Johns). The Basel Kunstmuseum boasts the largest collection of works by the Holbein Family.

Basel Ignites with Lanterns

Standing under dimly lit streetlights, surrounded by an unbelievable number of Baslers and tourists, grabbing our children's hands tight, we were overwhelmed and unsure what to expect. Behind layers of spectators, we searched the crowds for a gap large enough for our children to squeeze through for a glimpse of the long awaited parade of lanterns. Still lost in indecision of whether we should venture forth to Marktplatz or stay put when, at that same moment, the street lights switched off. The city became a sea of darkness, and for a milli-second, all was quiet. Then suddenly a reverberating eruption of cheers broke the silence. The shrill sounds from the piccolos pierced the clamor as the drum majors bellowed out "Morgestraich, vorwårts marsch!". Basel radiated with vitality precisely at 4 o'clock on a very cold morning in February. As the procession advanced toward us, the music resonated louder and the lanterns that were just earlier tiny and far away, quickly emerged vibrant and full of life. So, there began Morgestraich and the commencement of Basler Fasnacht which lasts for 72 hours.

Click here to view a video of the lantern procession.

The crowd at 3:55 a.m.

Delectable Swiss Food at Walliser Kanne

Not many restaurants in Basel offer butter as an accompaniment with bread

It was a nice treat for us.

We hosted our very first visitors from the U.S. this past weekend...our good friend and her husband who was celebrating his big milestone birthday while in Switzerland.  I thought, what better way to kick-off a Switzerland birthday weekend than sampling some authentic regional cuisine.  

My first inclination was to make reservations at Baccara Zermat for some traditional fondue.  Unfortunately for us, a private party had booked that restaurant for the entire evening last Friday.  So I began my search for an alternative restaurant and stumbled on Walliser Kanne.  To ensure it was the "right" place to bring our friends for a traditional Swiss meal, I checked the reviews on TripAdvisor.  The overall rating ranges from very good to excellent, so we reserved a spot for three adults and two children.

Best Affordable Lunch at Del Mundo Cafe

Del Mundo is hugely lauded on Tripadvisor as the "Best cafe in Basel" in English, German, and French!  So when the opportunity arose to have lunch with a friend, I gladly suggested Del Mundo.  

This cozy neighborhood cafe is located in the Gundeldingen neighborhood of Basel just behind the SBB Bahnhof.  It is best know for its coffee, home-made pastries, and quiches.  Indoor seating is limited and cramped; however, they do take reservations for lunch.  Click here Del Mundo for contact information.

When we arrived at the restaurant, sans reservation, we almost turned around and left.  Both indoor and outdoor seatings were full.  My friend, who is fluent in German, went inside to ask the staff for some recommendations to nearby eateries.  Rather than returning with information, she waved me in to wait for a table that was in the process of paying its bill.  The wait was well worth it!  Both of us ordered the same dish...pumpkin soup with a slice of vegetable quiche...delicious!  The quiche tasted light and was seasoned perfectly.  I would certainly come back here again for lunch and perhaps breakfast too.  

Allschwil Fasnacht 2012

If slide show does not load, click here (Fasnacht Photos) to view photos from the parade.

After eight months of living in Switzerland, we finally hosted our first guests...dear friends from the U.S.  They surprised us by making a side trip to Basel while on their way to Madrid for their European vacation.  The timing could not have been better!

Given their short stay in Basel / Switzerland, I asked what they wanted to get out of the trip.  "A general flavor of Switzerland and Basel" was the answer, and this they did receive.

The timing of our friends' arrival was impeccable...Fasnacht season and great weather.  So, on the last day of their stay, we drove to Allschwil, a lovely and quaint city on the border of Switzerland and France and just 10 minutes from our house, to watch Allschwil's version of the Carnival (according to a friend, the second biggest celebration to the Basler Fasnacht in this area).  With a bit of luck, we found good parking just a short walk from main street.  Then, at my eldest's suggestion, we stood on the tram platform that runs down the middle of the street.  As the procession proceeded down one side of the tram platform and circled back on the other side, we had the pleasure of watching the parade twice by merely turning ourselves around.  

"Fresh" in Aesch

Daily lunch special

After a morning of cutting and glueing shapes to make Fasnacht costumes for our children, my friend and I were famished. Around 13:00, starving and hurting from hot glue gun inflicted blisters, we drove to downtown Aesch in search of food. My friend, who lives in Aesch, wanted to try this local restaurant which just opened last August.

The outside of Fresh Restaurant and Lounge looks unassuming. The interior is hip and modern. Fresh offers a standard menu and a lunch special menu which changes weekly. We opted to choose from the lunch special menu. The portions were big. Tomato soup starter was very good...light and not too creamy. The soy sauce on top, however, was a distraction to the tasty, creamy tomato broth. The entree was two chicken sausages wrapped with bacon braised in a Bitang beer sauce and served with green beans, carrots and rice. Aside from the saltiness of the chicken sausages, the dish was quite delightful. We felt quite satisfied after our meal. Being the last patrons in the restaurant, we lingered and had a nice chat in broken German with the owners and their staff. A Thursday morning and afternoon well spent.

For more information about Fresh Restaurant and Lounge, click here Fresh Restaurant and Bar.

About the restaurant owners (from Fresh website):

From Indonesia to Switzerland

Nahot Manurung was born on the world's largest crater lake 'Lake Toba' in Sumatra, Indonesia. There, he opened with his wife Ariane Frey his first restaurant Rumba in Tuk Tuk. It still exists and is successfully continued by his sister. In 1998 they moved for political and economic reasons to Switzerland.

After completing his apprenticeship as a chef, Nahot Manurung gained diverse experience in various restaurants, including Hotel Engel, Restaurant Rollerhof, Noohn, and finally as a chef at Nooch.

Ariane Frey grew up in Aesch. After a commercial education and some language studies abroad, she worked in various large companies. In 1994 she moved to Indonesia where she met Nahot Manurung. Together they have two children. She currently works in Basel with an insurance company.

Cheese for Dinner (Baracca Zermatt)

Restaurant is open from November to March.  At the end of March,
the hut is taken down and stored until the following November.
Photo:  Courtesy of Baracca Zermat Restaurant

Imagine the most pungent cheese you know and multiply that by a factor of three.  That's the overwhelming aroma that greeted our olfactory senses tonight as we entered Baracca Zermatt Restaurant to meet friends for a traditional fondue feast.  Without a doubt, by end of the evening we were certain to leave the restaurant smelling like walking cheese sticks.

Vogel Gryff

Ever since the holidays, I have been dying for an adventure.  Since returning from the U.S., I feel like our life here has reached a comfortable level...almost too comfortable.  We have settled into our routines, and frankly, I'm starting to be bored.  The busiest weeks at the start of this school semester have dissipated.  The routines are back in full swing.  Now, I am searching around for something new, something different, and something challenging.  

Just as I was thinking this, one mom posted a message with an invitation to see the Vogel Gryff.  I had no idea what this celebration was, but count me in...rain or shine.  As it turned out, the Vogel Gryff is essentially a celebration of the existence of Klein Basel (the part of town on the right bank of the Rhine River).

View of Mittlere Brucke (and Klein Basel) from Gross Basel
just before the performance

Puppenhaus Museum (renamed Spielzeug Welten Museum)

In a week, my eldest son will leave for a week long ski camp in the Swiss Alps organized by his school. Starting with the senior school (grades 9 - 12) after Winter Break, each grade takes turns skiing in the Swiss Alps. I know this sounds excessive and overindulging but I promise you there is a premise here, at least for the primary school (grades 3 to 5). This aligns with the school's principle of teaching the children independence at a very young age. Once there, the children and parents are not allowed to contact each other until mid-week. At that time, the children will be given the option to call home...one phone call per child. Held captive (jokingly), they are expected to take care of themselves while learning to ski in the beautiful Swiss Alps. Life could be worse.

Feldschlösschen - A different kind of castle (a brewery)

The key take away from this Welcome Committee sponsored event is the Swiss are meticulous in everything that they do! Brewing rooms to filling stations are spotless. It's like walking through a museum. I am not a fan of this beer but definitely a fan of the clean brewing facilities.

The best part of this trip was sitting down to sample the various types of beer made by Feldschlösschen and meeting the other moms (and dads) on this fieldtrip. Cheers!

To schedule a visit, click here Feldschlosschen home page