Geneva Week 17 (8/30 – 9/5) – The Family is Back Together, Paddle Kayaking, and Fete de Vendange

During the four months we have lived in Geneva, there have been only a few weeks where not much has happened and they’ve flown by faster than I can catch a Frisbee. This was one of those weeks.

My and Natalie’s Monday was welcomed by light snow up at Hotel Schatzalp in Davos. Snow in August – that is unbelievable to many, but it came falling down like it was a winter day and Natalie has pictures to prove it!

(Snow in Davos in August!)

Three trains and five hours later we were well out of the snow and back in Geneva by Monday afternoon. It was nice to be home, but I already missed the incredibly clean air of the Alps and the prospect of playing in the snow.

Jason was still in the U.S. on Monday and would be until the end of the week. Friday seems like such a far ways away when one of your people is gone.

During the week, it was business as usual. I was back to my Tuesday and Thursday routine at DDC and Natalie got caught up from being out of the country for two weeks.

Natalie also cooked a couple of interesting meals, one of them being a citrus-roasted chicken with potatoes and brussel sprouts. She was so proud of her creation that she took a few pictures and asked me to share it on this blog.  I was proud of her creation too, but I showed my enthusiasm by scratching her leg for samples.

The citrus-roasted chicken consists of a trussed salted and peppered chicken that has been stuffed full of lemons and oranges. The citrus is quartered and mixed with olive oil, salt, pepper and dried rosemary, prior to placing in the chicken. Natalie then took halved new potatoes and brussel sprouts, which were also mixed with olive oil, and placed them in the pan with the chicken.

She roasted the chicken, potatoes and brussel sprouts all together at 450F for about one hour. The resulting dish produced an exceptionally moist chicken, accompanied by slightly crunchy potatoes and caramelized brussel sprouts.

(Natalie's citrus-roasted chicken)

We enjoyed that meal for a couple of nights and before we knew it Friday had rolled around and Jason would be arriving home that evening!

For me, Friday was a lazy day as Natalie was out most of the morning at her first meeting with the American International Women’s Club (AIWC) of Geneva. The AIWC is a club for English-speaking women living in the Geneva area.  From what Natalie tells me it’s a great opportunity to meet new people and get involved.

Since Natalie loves event planning and parties, she decided to get involved in the AIWC Special Events Committee. This Committee plans events, such as parties at the Club, the Christmas Luncheon, etc.  Friday was her first meeting with this Committee and I could tell, by her excitement when she came home, that she was going to like being involved in the AIWC.

Before I knew it, Friday evening rolled around and we were zooming in the Qashqai towards the train station. After waiting around at the station’s Starbucks for a while, Jason finally arrived and for the first time in almost a month the whole family was back together!

(On my way to pick up Jason!)

That evening we had a lovely and relaxing dinner at Chateau D’if, which is in the nearby town of Vesenaz. Natalie and Jason both enjoyed the entrecote of beef with housemade French fries. Natalie also couldn’t pass up a dessert of fresh cream from Gruyere, vanilla ice cream and crunchy meringue.

We all slept in a bit on Saturday morning (Jason obviously had some jet lag to work off); however, before long we were heading up the road towards DDC. Sure enough, I ended up at the doorstep of DDC that afternoon.

Everyone knows how much I love DDC; however, Saturday isn’t on my usual schedule, so I was a tad bit skeptical for about 5 minutes. Jason promised me he’d be back, though. I took his word for it and went about my playing business.

I came to find out later the reason I was going to DDC was because Natalie and Jason would be paddle kayaking on Lake Geneva! The kayaking excursion was about 3 hours long and consisted of kayaking from Morges to St. Prex and back to Morges.

It sounds like Natalie and Jason had a fantastic time kayaking on the beautiful lake; however, apparently it wasn’t completely smooth paddling. Natalie and Jason were in a double kayak, Jason being in the front and Natalie in the back. Well, the back person is responsible for steering the kayak. The front person really keeps it moving forward.

We all know, me especially, that Natalie lacks in the coordination and strength department (I don’t know how many times I’ve caught ‘earth-bound’ frisbees thrown by Natalie). Therefore, the trip from Morges to St. Prex made for a difficult one as Natalie couldn’t figure out how to steer the boat and Jason had to do all the work in the front. Needless to say, Natalie and Jason switched positions on their way back to Morges and it was extremely smooth paddling from there on.

After an exhilarating afternoon on Lake Geneva, Natalie and Jason picked me up from DDC and we found ourselves later that evening in our hometown of Anieres celebrating Fete de la Vendange! Fete de la Vendange is a festival that recognizes the beginning of wine harvest season.  During the Fete, we explored the festivities around our small town, ate some delicious moitie-moitie fondue and finished off the evening with Nutella crepes - a perfect end to an action-packed day.

(Natalie next to the (empty) pot of fondue!)

Sunday was a restful day, which included sleeping in and a day-trip to Chamonix. No matter how often we visit that place, we always find it to be magical. Whether it is the sparkly stream filled with imaginary tadpoles, the majestic Mont Blanc, or the endless trails of tree-covered hikes, we always find something to enjoy in Chamonix.

(The always beautiful Mont Blanc - especially on a sunny day!)

(My new favorite stream in Chamonix for tadpole fishing)

The weeks ahead are going to be busy with visitors and I can’t wait to share with our visitors and you the many adventures awaiting our discovery.

Paws,

Sabrina

Geneva Week 16 (8/23 – 8/29) – Natalie comes home from the U.S., Jason goes to the U.S. and a return to Davos

I’m back from my little summer break, my paws are all rested and I’m ready to share some great adventures from Week 16 here in Geneva.

I have to say the first part of the week was quite relaxing, thankfully. Natalie was still in the U.S. and would be until Thursday, so I just hung around the house and spent time with Jason after he arrived home from work.  I didn’t go to DDC this week due to Natalie and Jason’s travel and work schedules. At first I was annoyed, but I do enjoy sleeping in, and the opportunity for long, undisturbed naps on my couch.

On Wednesday evening, though, Jason and I did venture out - all the way downstairs to Christianne and Silvio’s.  Jason had a very tasty dinner of stuffed courgettes (squash) and great conversation, while I spent some quality time with Eliot.

Thursday morning marked the end of my ‘relaxing’ week. We were up before 6am to catch a 3-hour train to Zurich! Zurich would be where Natalie was flying into from the U.S. Rather than have Natalie catch the 3-hour train home (after close to 15 hours of airport and travel time), Jason thought it would be a good idea to meet up with Natalie and all take the train home together. I didn’t really think it was a good idea but I went along for the ride anyway.

I was certainly glad I did go along for the ride, since I was really happy to see Natalie! I caught of a glimpse of her sitting at the airport Starbucks wearing a gray shirt and the army green Gap khakis she’s literally had since she became part of my pack over 5 years ago. In my excitement, I pulled Jason towards her, completely forgetting I was in a crowded space and should have some manners.

I didn’t realize I’d miss Natalie so much given she’s spent 24/7 with me since she left her job in February, and she drives me kind of crazy sometimes. However, ‘absence does makes the heart grow fonder’ and the same goes for Jason when he travels – it is during these periods of time away from each other that I’m reminded how much I’d love to have both Jason and Natalie around 24/7 if I could.

After we picked up Natalie we got back on the train and ventured to the nearby town of Lucerne, where Jason and Natalie were going to have lunch. Once we arrived in Lucerne, we strolled around town a bit; however, it was a very warm day and Natalie, given her fatigue and the fact she hadn’t showered in over 24 hours, was grumpy. Therefore, we stopped at one of the first places Jason could find and Jason and Natalie ate at a non-Europe-like pace (i.e., quick.)

We walked at a brisk pace back to the train station and caught the train back to Geneva right before Natalie was about to melt down. After 3 more hours on the Swiss trains, we arrived in ‘Ge-90 degree-eva’ and Natalie got her shower and a nap.

Luckily, dinner that evening was a much better experience than lunch. Jason asked Natalie which restaurant she missed the most while she was in the U.S. and her response was none other than Café des Marronniers.  She had her usual mesclun salad and a mini-Parma pizza and she was even gracious enough to offer me a few bites.

Friday rolled around and, again, there was no sleeping in to be had! At least we weren’t up before the light came out, but we weren’t too far behind the daybreak. To make matters worse, it was pouring rain. The day before the heat was atrocious and now it was pouring rain! At least in San Francisco, the weather is generally consistent – foggy with a chance of more fog. Geneva is all over the map!

The rain wouldn’t have been a major issue; however, we were going to be walking in it. Friday was the day that Jason left to go the U.S. for a week and we were all going to the train station to see him off. Natalie hasn’t yet figured out how to get to the airport by car, so the best she can do is see Jason to the train station, where he then grabs a quick train to the airport.

I was quite upset to know that Jason would now be leaving me, just over 24 hours after Natalie’s return! However, I do understand and Natalie promised me a fun weekend ahead, although I didn’t know what that yet included.

We arrived at the train station mid-morning and were soaking yet. Jason and Natalie thought it would be a good idea to take the bus and walk to the station rather than drive. I think, after the rain drenched their clothes, phones and everything else exposed to the open air, they regretted that decision.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have an opportunity to say goodbye to my Jason since his train was leaving literally the minute we arrived and he had to run to make it in time. I tried to find him and I didn’t obey Natalie at her attempts to pull me along; however, I finally obliged. Rather than heading towards the exit back into the rain, though, we actually headed towards another ‘voie’ or train boarding area.  About 10 minutes later, we were zooming out of Geneva towards Natalie’s new favorite Swiss town, which is Davos.

We arrived in Davos that afternoon and immediately made our way to Kaffee Klatsch, which is also one of the reasons Natalie loves Davos. Kaffee Klatsch is a comfortable cafe that serves good coffee and a wide variety of flavorful and unique homemade baking and pastry products. 

After soup, bread and dessert, Natalie and I took the now familiar funicular up to the now familiar Hotel Schatzalp where we got checked in and settled in for a restful long weekend.

That Friday evening, we walked down to town from the hotel and back up, occasionally being accompanied by rainstorms. We enjoyed nice views from the hotel’s porch and had a most delicious dinner at the restaurant next door that consisted of a butter-roasted lobster amuse bouche, veal served ‘Zurich-style’ and a dessert of passionfruit and chocolate.

(The view of the mountains from the front porch of our hotel, the Hotel Schatzalp)

For those of you that don’t know, ‘Zurich-style’ veal is veal slices stewed in a rich mushroom-cream sauce. This veal stew was served with rosti and fresh green beans that were wrapped in bacon.

After a very restful night’s sleep in the cool and comfortable room, Natalie and I were ready to start our Saturday. Saturday’s adventures consisted of running to and around Lake Davos (Davorsersee in German).

Lake Davos is a small lake in the town of Davos Dorf, which is right near Davos Platz (our hotel is in Davos Platz.) It’s a beautiful blue lake with wooded trails surrounding much of it. It also has a small beach perfect for tadpole fishing.

We started our descent towards Lake Davos at around 10am that morning. I ran Natalie down the hill to Davos Dorf and then through the downtown and we finally reached the lake about an hour later.

(An exciting rushing stream we found on our way down to Davos Dorf)

Although rainy, the run was a majestic one. Surrounded on one side by the lake the entire time, we ran and walked through forest, along meadows and even over a bridge. At one point, we found a little beach cove where I got into the sparkling water to fish for invisible tadpoles (there are no tadpoles in Lake Davos but I refuse to accept this truth) and be tempted by squirrels, all at the same time!

(Crossing the bridge, which is at Lake Davos - my 'tadpole cove' is just below this bridge)

(A view of Lake Davos from my tadpole cove!)

After 3+ hours of walking and running, we ended up at Kaffee Klatsch again! This time Natalie helped herself to a large Greek salad with a generous portion of crumbly Feta cheese and for dessert she had a fresh raspberry tart. This tart had a flaky crust, sweet and smooth pastry cream, plump and flavorful raspberries and a glaze that was like a thin layer of raspberry Jello. According to Natalie, this glaze was a perfect compliment to the fresh raspberries.

(That delicious raspberry tart from Kaffee Klatsch)

We cleaned up (well, I slept and Natalie showered) at the hotel and then made our way back towards downtown (this time on the funicular) for a fondue dinner that evening.  The weather, although cleared up from the afternoon rains, had the first hint of Fall in it, including the slightly icy chill that just begins to hit your bones. It was perfect weather for a pot of gooey and tangy Emmenthaler-Gruyere fondue!

Natalie thoroughly enjoyed every cheese-soaked piece of bread before making our way back to the hotel and back to that ever so comfortable room where a long night’s sleep was enjoyed.

Since we were planning on staying in Davos until Monday, the entire Sunday could be spent hiking and further exploring this magical town. For our Sunday adventure, Natalie decided to take the two of us on a Swiss Alp hike up to Strelapass.

According to the well-marked Swiss trail markers, this hike would take us about 1 ½ hours and by the end of it we’ll have reached about 7,500 feet above sea level (from about 4,800 feet!) Therefore, needless to say most of the hike to Strelapass would definitely be uphill.

After a hearty breakfast of kibble (for me) and croissants and yogurt (for Natalie), we started out on the hike at around 10am. Lucky for us, there was not a cloud in the sky and rain was not in the forecast!

1 ½ hours later and after climbing from within the tree line to well above the tree line, to being the only ones on the trail to seeing handfuls of happy hikers, and to me being the only 4-legged creature in sight to coming nose-to-chest with true alpine cows, we arrived at Strelapass!

(On our way up to Strelapass - the village below is the town of Davos)

Strelapass had a quaint little restaurant with an outside patio, which was perfect for a quick rest prior to heading back down the mountain. I laid out in the sun on the warm patio after a few healthy gulps of water and Natalie marveled at the fantastic views and the very happy cows lazily munching on grass right below the restaurant.

(Taking a break on the warm patio at the Strelapass Restaurant)

(The amazing view from Strelapass)

(An Alpine cow taking a break from munching on grass to pose for this picture)

We rested our legs (and lungs) for about a half hour and slowly started to descend the mountain. Thanks to all of my efforts the day before to get Natalie down the hill towards the lake as quickly as possible, Natalie’s legs were burning at every step she took down the hill. Needless to say it was a slower walk down than up, with Natalie begging more than once, ‘Breena, please slow down.’ I tried to obey, but there was way too much to explore and sniff.

(A glimpse of Lake Davos caught during our descent from Strelapass)

(We saw many things on our hike including what appeared to be a mountain made of rock)

(Here I am looking towards Davos during one of the rare moments I actually stopped pulling Natalie down the mountain)

After we made it down the hill, we continued walking and even found ourselves back at Lake Davos. By now, Natalie’s legs felt like they really were going to fall off and 6 hours later from when we first started out on our hike towards Strelapass, we found ourselves at Kaffee Klatsch (again!) enjoying soup, lemon cake and a well-deserved beer (for Natalie, of course).

(Lake Davos is beautiful, but it is even more magnificent on a sunny day, as was the case during our hike on Sunday)

Given the incredibly long hiking and walking day we had, we certainly deserved the nap both of us took when we got back to the hotel that afternoon.

Dinner that evening was had at the same restaurant as on Friday night with Natalie getting the exact same dish – Veal strips Zurich style. We went to bed early in preparation for our final morning in Davos and our 5-hour train ride home.

As I reflect on our weekend in Davos, It is certainly times like these that make me so thankful to be living in such a beautiful country as Switzerland. There really is nothing like the Alps and the naturally majestic beauty of those mountains. Not to be forgotten, of course, there is also nothing like the many scents lurking in the Alps and the many squirrels waiting to be chased....if only I could climb trees.

Paws,

Sabrina

Geneva Week 14 (8/9 – 8/15) and Week 15 (8/16 – 8/22) – My Summer Vacation

In order to restore creativity, keep my writing skills fresh and rest my paws, I have decided to take a Summer Break from the blog for Weeks 14 and 15. It is common for Europeans to take a long vacation in August and as they say, ‘When in Rome…’

Since it’s impossible for me to not write something, I can at least quickly recap these couple of weeks. 

Natalie was back in the U.S. visiting her sisters and working on her and Jason’s apartment; Jason worked and went to Germany for a night; I got to spend the night at DDC while Jason was away; and I also had quality time with my Jason exploring various parts of Switzerland and Chamonix.

Since I also can’t avoid posting pictures, here are a few snaps from these two weeks!

(It was curry night at Lindsay and Ken's house (Natalie's sister and brother-in-law.) Here is Lindsay enjoying this very delicious and aromatic curry dish!)

(The next day was curry day for Ken and Lindsay's two sons! Here's Conor with the evidence of his curry consumption in plain view!)

(Tommy got into the curry action as well and here's an action shot of him enjoying this flavorful dish!)

(It was Tommy's birthday and he wanted a football theme for his birthday party. Therefore, Natalie and Lindsay (along with some much needed help from April and Stephanie) made football cupcakes for each of Tommy's friends!)

(To stay true to the football theme for the birthday party and to celebrate one of Tommy's (and Ken's) favorite teams, Natalie and Lindsay made a San Diego Charger's football helmet cake. This particular cake is chocolate with a vanilla icing)

(In order to make sure everyone at the party had enough cake, Natalie and Lindsay also made a Notre Dame football helmet cake (another one of Tommy and Ken's favorite teams.) This is a yellow cake with vanilla icing...and by the way, most of both cakes did get eaten!)

(It's hard to see me, but I am at the end of the dock right by the lake. Jason and I visited Pontresina, which is in the Italian part of Switzerland, while Natalie was in the U.S.  On the train ride home, we made a couple of stops, one of which was to this crystal clear lake.)

(On the train back from Pontresina - I love it when I get my own seat)

(Jason and I hiking near Chamonix and admiring a beautiful view of the snow-capped mountains!)

(My new favorite spot in Chamonix - a little stream that is perfect for tadpole fishing and cooling off after a long hike!)

Starting with Week 16, I’ll be back with fresh paws and ready to write about our ongoing adventures here in Switzerland. Until then, À Bientôt!

Paws,

Sabrina

Geneva Week 13 (8/2 – 8/8) – Fêtes de Genève, the Joy of Breakfast Pastries, and My ‘Gimp’ Tail

Since I’m so behind in creating blog posts, I practically forgot about our Week 13 adventures! After searching my memory and consulting with Natalie and Jason, I did manage to recall the high (and, unfortunately) low points of this week.

Let me start out with the high points – I didn’t have any overnight guests by the name of Baboutcha, I got to go to DDC, Jason was home all week, which meant family dinners every night, and Natalie and Jason took me to Chamonix where I discovered a pleasant little stream perfect for tadpole fishing.

For the most part, I certainly can’t complain about my daily schedule and the weekend adventures I get to take part in. However, it seems like poor health and injuries are sometimes my friend, as was the case with this week.

Early on in the week, Natalie noticed that my tail looked a little (in her words) ‘gimp.’ Natalie was right in that something was definitely not right. My tail wouldn’t follow my emotions or my silent commands and when I tried to wag it, it wouldn’t really move and just shifted to one side.

This little ‘problem’ was quite a burden and painful, so much so that Natalie, Jason, and Otto from DDC (thanks Otto!) all agreed I should visit Dr. Luka, my veterinarian.

I obviously never look forward to a vet visit and this one was no exception. What made it worse was that Dr. Luka was not in and I had to see someone else. The Dr. was nice enough, but I am used to Dr. Luka.

At the vet, my back and tail got x-rayed and Natalie actually helped the vet do the x-rays, since the vet’s assistant was pregnant. I’m not sure how I felt about Natalie holding me down to get those pictures taken of my insides. She’s supposed to be my advocate, not help the vet in putting me through torture!

Well, the x-rays found nothing, so the vet just chalked it up to tendonitis, or something else unknown. Either way, going to the vet is never a fun visit, especially when there isn’t a solution for my problem.

Luckily, the tail slowly improved throughout the week, but I wasn’t allowed to play as hard, or dig. To this day, we don’t know what caused my ‘gimp’ tail. I’m happy the condition has finally gone away and I certainly hope this doesn’t happen again. Not being able to wag my tail is like Natalie and Jason not being able to smile.

My tail issues were the week’s low point for me. For Natalie and Jason, the tougher part of the week came towards the end at a certain festival called ‘Fêtes de Genève.’

Fêtes de Genève is an annual festival held along the water in downtown Geneva. The festival contains rides for all ages, from bumper cars to roller coasters that spin you up, down and sideways, plentiful amounts of fair food, concerts, and of course, many stations for cocktails, mocktails and the like!

Thousands of people visit Geneva each and every year for this festival and, in addition to the many tourists filling the streets and attempting to drive on the somewhat confusing roadways, the City of Geneva also closes down certain roads for the festival. One of those roads happens to be the one that leads to our house.

Now, Natalie and Jason are not necessarily festival people and the blockage of traffic definitely caused them to dislike festivals even more so than before!

Since Fêtes de Genève is such a big event for the city of Geneva, Natalie and Jason did feel obliged to at least walk through the festival during one evening in the middle of the week. They were actually pleasantly surprised! I stayed at home, of course. Festivals, with all the crowds, are really not my thing.

According to Natalie and Jason, the festival was not overly crowded. The food was good (they enjoyed Nutella crepes!) and the environment was lively.  Natalie and Jason were quite mesmerized by this one particular roller coaster that hung people upside down at the very top of the ride, which was at least 100 feet up in the air!

(One of the cocktail and mocktail booths at Fêtes de Genève. The individual drinks were taken (or more like siphoned :-)) from those giant glasses!)

This would not be the end of Fêtes de Genève for Natalie and Jason, but I will get to that later on in this post.

Besides veterinarian visits and an intro to the ‘festival that takes over Geneva,’ the other highlight of this week was, of course, food – specifically, in the breakfast pastry category.

This week, Natalie discovered the perfection of the Pain au Chocolat (French for chocolate croissants) from Manor. Manor, as I’ve mentioned before, is Switzerland’s major gourmet grocery store. For you Bay Areans, it is similar to a Mollie Stones.

One thing Manor has that Mollie Stones doesn’t is an eat-in café that serves European-style sandwiches (think cured ham with butter on a fresh baguette) and breakfast pastries.

Well, on one weekday morning, after Natalie dropped me off at DDC, she decided to stop in at her neighborhood Manor (which is in Vesenaz) and get breakfast.  Natalie had been to the Manor café many times before and had even eaten their delectable regular croissants, but she had never ventured to try the chocolate croissants.

On this particular morning, the chocolate croissants looked extra delicious and Natalie could not stop herself from trying one. Needless to say, she’s glad she succumbed to temptation.

This croissant, by all standards, was large - it was about the size of a 6 x 8 picture. However, Natalie could’ve eaten one the size of an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper, without regretting one calorie.

The croissant was, of course, extra buttery; however, it was not overly buttery. The pastry itself was flaky and light, but not so flaky that remnants from the meal were visible in your teeth for the world to see, or got all over your lap when trying to bite into it. The croissant was also not so light that it felt dry.

The chocolate was soft and if you weren’t careful, the chocolate would dribble on your chin a little bit after biting into the croissant. The chocolate was also a perfect amount to not overwhelm the pastry, and not be overwhelmed by the pastry.

All in all, this chocolate croissant was unparalleled to any Natalie has ever had and it’s safe to say there will be many future trips to Manor just for that croissant!

(The perfect chocolate croissant from Manor's café)

Besides the chocolate croissant discovery, Natalie also made a breakfast pastry at home to continue fulfilling her self-determined requirement of baking a treat-a-week.  For this week, the treat exercise was brioche!

Now, Natalie is a fan of brioche and really, who isn’t? It’s buttery, rich and versatile. It can be used for bread pudding, French toast, or as hamburger buns.

Natalie decided that she did, in fact, want to make brioche hamburger buns to accompany one evening of meals and she also wanted to make brioche muffins.

The difficult part about this week’s task was the yeast. There are varying types of yeast in France and Switzerland and Natalie wasn’t sure she had the right one. The yeast Natalie ended up choosing for her brioche was called Hefe Levure. It had a picture of challah on the front of the package and since Challah is a similar type of dough to that of brioche, she figured that she was on the right track for the type of yeast to use.

Luckily, Natalie incorporated the correct type of yeast and the brioche she created was probably her best ever! She’ll obviously test and taste the recipe again to make sure the first time was not a fluke, but regardless, Natalie and Jason enjoyed delicious gruyere-burgers that evening with brioche buns! There was even plenty of dough leftover to make the brioche muffins and give a few to Christianne.

(Natalie's brioche muffins!)

As the end of the week neared, Natalie and Jason were looking forward to their first and last weekend together until September 4^th. Soon, Natalie would be going to the U.S. to visit family and as soon as Natalie returned to Geneva, Jason would be taking a trip to California!

On Saturday morning Natalie went for a 16 mile run in preparation for her marathon in October, which is going to be in Palma, Mallorca.

We all spent Saturday afternoon taking a leisurely drive around the nearby French towns, which included me going for a short, easy swim in Amphion (my tail was still not totally healed), Jason and Natalie buying bookshelves for the loft in the bedroom, and an espresso break in the charming little town of Samoens.

Unfortunately, Saturday evening was not nearly as enjoyable as the daytime, thanks to Fêtes de Genève.

As mentioned earlier, Jason and Natalie’s leisurely stroll through Fêtes de Genève during the week would not be the last time they’d visit the festivities. 

On Saturday night, Natalie and Jason went to Fêtes de Genève to see the end of festival fireworks everyone said was one of the best fireworks displays ever. Well, Natalie and Jason weren't the only ones with the great idea to see the fireworks. 500,000 people also crammed themselves into the small downtown area by the lake to catch a glimpse of these must-see fireworks. I, luckily, stayed home.

Natalie was not happy. Large, stuffy crowds are definitely not her ‘cup-of-tea’ unless she’s fighting her way to the front seats at a U2 concert. The fact that she was shoved between people at a festival and watching fireworks (which, she’s never really been a huge fan of) was cause for Natalie to be in a not-so-great mood. Poor Jason, who enjoyed the fireworks and the corresponding classical music that kept in time with the firework display, had to endure Natalie and her frustrations.

(The firework display at Fêtes de Genève)

(The firework finale - see the jet d'eau in the middle. It started jetting (on purpose, of course!) as the fireworks were going off all around it)

It was a long night (they didn’t arrive home to see me until 1am!) and we were all happy to climb into bed and sleep off a very interesting evening.

On Sunday, after having rested and recovered from the night before, we all went to Chamonix for a walk and lunch. We also visited the Micro Brasserie de Chamonix, where Jason and Natalie had their usual beers and French onion dip.

(Here I am in Chamonix begging for some poulet roti, which is roasted chicken in French)

On Sunday evening, we all had a lovely barbequed meal in the garden with Christianne, Silvio, their friends, and Christianne’s daughter Laura (who, by the way, has started meeting with Natalie for a French-English language exchange...Natalie needs all the help she can get in this area!) 

The weather was nice and it was a relaxing end to a week of adventures as we continue to navigate our way through this interesting city and amazing country.

Paws,

Sabrina

(Harvest is almost here! The fruit on the vine has grown and has even started changing color from green to the familiar dark blue-purple of the wine grape)

Geneva Week 12 (7/26 – 8/1) – Squirrel Discovery, Zuger Kirschtorte, and Running Adventures in Davos

This week now officially marks the end of our third month living in Geneva, Switzerland.  It’s unbelievable how time flies!

In just three short months I’ve managed to sniff my way through Lucerne and the Jungrau region. I’ve accompanied Natalie and Jason around the lake, on the lake and sometimes, in the lake, to visit towns such as Lausanne, Montreux, Evian, Yvoire, and of course, Etoy and St. Prex.  I’ve also dug endlessly in Gryon with my new friends Vicki and Eliot and let’s not forget the discovery, digging and swimming I’ve been able to do right in my comfortable and familiar home of Geneva.

We’ve even hit up some towns deep in France, including big ones like Paris and smaller ones like Chamonix and Annecy.

Since I enjoy my DDC so much Jason and Natalie have also been able to sneak away to far away places such as Sicily and to not so far away places, like London.

In what is becoming a trend of travel during our time here in Switzerland, Natalie and Jason did not disappoint in this week 12. At the end of this week, we ventured into Davos, Switzerland, which is on the other side of the country.  I will get into the wonderful time we had there in a moment, but I should first quickly recap our week (which, was pleasantly uneventful and thankfully didn’t involve houseguests.)

Since the weather was finally cooling down and Natalie didn’t feel the need for me to go into the lake every single day (I have a different opinion, of course), we made our way back to Twilight Park after a short hiatus.

I enjoy Twilight Park and can generally keep myself entertained, but, on this particular outing, one of the main reasons for my existence was skirting along the treetops in this hauntingly, peaceful park. It was, you guessed it, the squirrel!

I could hardly believe it, but sure enough those furry and fast creatures were taunting me once again.  I did my best to scale the trees in hopes of catching one and even jumped onto a couple of logs, to get myself further up the tree. I didn’t succeed in cornering any of the squirrels; however, I am convinced that if I keep practicing and keep rolling in a lot of stinky stuff (which hides my scent), one day I’ll be able to sneak up on those elusive little creatures and bring home a gift to Jason and Natalie.

(One day I'll get a squirrel - it's all about persistence...and figuring out how to climb trees)

Besides chasing squirrels, I went to DDC, Jason worked and went to London for a night and Natalie ran and baked – the usual activities of Horwath Swiss daily life.

The baked treat Natalie experimented with this week was the Zuger Kirschtorte. The Zuger Kirschtorte is a type of cherry-flavored cake originating in Zug, Switzerland, which is in the German part of the country. 

The Zuger Kirschtorte consists of a base layer of Japonaise (a meringue disk containing powdered almond that has been baked until it is dry and crispy); the second layer is a cherry-flavored buttercream; the cake, which is the next layer, is a Genoise sponge that has been well-soaked in a Kirsch liqueur. The cake is then topped with more cherry buttercream, and finally, another Japonaise disk is placed on top. The cake is then completely frosted with a very thin layer of the cherry buttercream, toasted almonds are pressed to the sides and a healthy dusting of powdered sugar decorates the top.

In concept, it should be a fabulous cake – It is moist, with just enough crispy and crunchy from the Japonaise and the nuts, and it is just sweet enough, thanks to some tempering from the generous layer of delicate Genoise as the largest component.

Natalie decided to try this dessert, as her chef from pastry school had asked her about it. We would also be heading to Davos over the weekend, which is in the German part of Switzerland, and Natalie thought it would be interesting to make a version at home and then try one made at a bakery.

Natalie’s version of the Zuger Kirschtorte did not turn out all that bad for her first attempt; however, it was a little too sweet, since Natalie cooked a bit too much alcohol out of the Kirsch syrup and you, therefore, didn’t get much of the Kirsch ‘bite’ in the cake. Also, her buttercream layers were a bit heavy on the buttercream (if there is such a thing as too much buttercream).  Lastly, Natalie could’ve baked the meringue a bit longer, which would’ve increased the crispy factor.

(Natalie's Zuger Kirschtorte!)

When Natalie and Jason tried this dessert in Davos, it met all the expectations Natalie had and then some. Natalie will try this dessert again soon and her goal next time will be to create that perfectly balanced cake she and Jason devoured in Davos.

(Zuger Kirschtorte from a bakery in Davos)

The end of the week finally rolled around and our weekend adventure to Davos began with a 5 hour train ride on Friday afternoon. Since Davos is all the way on the other side of Switzerland, it is not an insignificant effort to get there from Geneva. Two stops later in Zurich and Landquart, we finally arrived in Davos at around 9pm.

We arrived in the twilight of the day; however, this did not prevent my senses from kicking into action. All around me I could smell fresh alpine air, the forest lurking nearby and somewhere just a bit up the hill from the train station, I could smell sausages.

Sure enough, we all walked up the hill from the train station and entered into a lively village where there was an evening festival well underway.  I weaved my way through all the partygoers and quickly found myself staring up at a sausage and hamburger stand, where the most fragrant sausages I’ve ever smelled were being cooked to juicy perfection. Natalie and Jason both had beef sausages that were reminiscent of Polish Kielbasa and I got all to myself two (yes, two!) hamburger patties. Of course, I also had to try the sausage. Natalie and Jason grudgingly obliged and gave me a couple of bites.

Natalie and Jason washed all this down with a frothy German beer and we then slowly made our way through the crowd towards our hotel.

The only way to reach our hotel, the Hotel Schatzalp, was by a funicular train. This hotel was at the top of a mountain and it was too far to walk, especially late in the evening with luggage and a belly full of food. Also, you can’t really drive up there – and we couldn’t if we could anyway, since we trained in from Geneva!

A funicular train is essentially one that goes straight up the hill and needless to say, when I saw the train and the mountain it was going to scale, I was a bit apprehensive. However, once I boarded the little train and started climbing the mountain, all fear was pushed aside and I was exhilarated as the little train ascended towards the starry sky.

(Checking out this funicular train that would take us to the Hotel Schatzalp)

We reached our hotel, which had a vintage antique feel and checked in. Afterwards, Natalie and Jason had a cold cuts plate prepared by the kitchen and then we all headed to our comfortable room for a cool and peaceful night’s sleep.

(Do you see me? I was hanging out under the table hoping for bits of Natalie and Jason's coldcuts)

The next morning, we were up bright and early and a beautiful day in Davos was awaiting us. The hotel was nice enough to let me eat my bowl of kibble on the ground next to Natalie and Jason while they enjoyed their European continental breakfast of bread, cheese, meat, pastries, fruit and yogurt.

After a hearty breakfast, we walked through the hotel grounds and discovered Jason’s dream garden! All over the peaceful grounds were inviting patches of grass, gravel paths, and herbs and plants in interesting pots, which were showcased on logs, rocks and tree stumps.

One part of the garden had about 15 different varieties of sage resting on wooden pedestals overlooking the beautiful mountains, another section included strawberries planted inside a hollowed out tree stump and in the center of the garden was a beautiful fountain surrounded by greenery and rocks.

(Here is the thyme collection and me sniffing the thyme collection)

(Jason standing in the middle of his dream garden!)

(The view of the mountains from the front of our hotel - in the pots is the sage collection)

We all meandered through the grounds for a while and then found a hiking trail that would take us back down to the town of Davos. I wanted to take the funicular back to town since I had so much fun the night before; however, Natalie and Jason really wanted to get me out for a walk and discover a new trail.

Sure enough, the trail down from the hotel was magical. The rays of morning sunlight streamed through the tall trees onto the gravel trail, which made for a refreshingly cool walk. Little treasures met us along the way, including the random appearance of a gnome statue and the not so random appearance of live squirrels. And the sounds of nature at its best, surrounding us as we descended for a couple of miles into town, made for one of my best mornings yet in our new country.

(Jason and I walking along the beautiful trail down from the hotel)

(Natalie and I posing with the gnome)

Once in town, Natalie and Jason ate Zuger Kirschtorte and I sniffed my new environment. Natalie and Jason also discovered a delightful little coffeehouse where they enjoyed fresh squeezed juice and espresso.

Later that day, we all got back on the train again. I was obviously curious where we were going next and Jason informed me that we were dropping Natalie off in Klosters, which is the neighboring town to Davos. I was really confused why Natalie was going somewhere Jason and I weren’t, but I quickly learned that Natalie was going to Klosters, because this was the starting point for her half-marathon!

(The view of the Davos clock tower which is near the train station!)

(On the train to Klosters with all the runners!)

Natalie loves to run and participate in running races. This half-marathon, called the ‘K21’ (for 21 kilometers), is part of the Swiss Alpine Marathon series. The Swiss Alpine Marathon holds 7 races over the course of this one weekend. There’s a 78 kilometer run (no thank you), two marathons, the half-marathon run, a half-marathon walk, an 11 kilometer run, and a small fun run designed for children.

Jason and I dropped Natalie off and Natalie’s run started promptly at 2:05pm at the Klosters bridge and at approximately 3000 feet above sea level!  During the extremely hilly race, Natalie climbed 1,600 feet in the first 8 miles until she leveled out at around 4,500 feet for the remainder of the run. Natalie ran on trails, through the forest, across bridges, over train tracks, and along a lake until she finally finished 2 hours and 29 minutes later in the lively Davos stadium.

(The start of the race in Klosters)

(The race finish line!)

After the exhilarating run, Natalie, Jason and I headed over to a ‘biergarten’ where Natalie and Jason had two large Hefeweisen-type beers.

We finally made it back to that exciting funicular and since it was still daylight, I got to experience the magnificent view from the train for the first time.

(The view of Davos from the funicular)

(This is a view of the funicular track itself - this picture was taken as we were on the funicular climbing up the hill!)

We reached our vintage hotel, cleaned up, rested a bit and headed back down the hill (this time on the train) to a tasty cheese fondue dinner at a nearby restaurant called Pot au Feu.

(The clock in the hallway of our hotel - if this doesn't scream vintage, then I don't know what does!)

Natalie and Jason’s dinner consisted of the Swiss-German style fondue, which is primarily a mix of Emmentaler and Gruyere. It was, overall, a delicious dinner and after a long day of exploring, running, eating and drinking, we were all ready for another good night of sleep.

(I loved the fluffy down comforters at our hotel and, as usual, I was the last out of bed every morning)

The next day, which actually happened to be Switzerland's Independence Day, we lounged around town, went to that delicious café we found the day prior for a leisurely breakfast and headed out of my new favorite town at around 1pm, along with what seemed like every single other visitor to Davos! The train was packed all the way to Landquart. I was shoved between luggage and Jason and Natalie were sitting on the luggage I was shoved in between!

(Taking a few moments to get some sun while Natalie and Jason were enjoying breakfast)

(The treats Jason picked up for the train ride home - these were vanilla cake with a cream filling and were decorated in honor of Switzerland's Independence Day!)

(Squeezed between luggage on the train - this was not a lot of fun)

In Landquart, we didn’t want to deal with the crowds heading towards Zurich, so, we decided on taking a round-a-bout way home.  Four trains and ten hours later, and with stomaches full of rosti after a stop in Andermatt, we finally got home to Geneva.

(Delicious Rosti, with bubbling cheese on top, and beers in Andermatt!)

I was glad to be on solid ground (i.e., not moving), but at the same time I already missed the surreal town of Davos.

Another adventure down, and many more to go - life as a Swiss dog, I can’t complain.

Paws,

Sabrina