Yesterday we went to a store, Migros, that is kind of like a mini-Super Target. We bought some fresh fruit, gruyere cheese, a small pack of meat, and some healthy crackers full of sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and other delicious seeds along with raisins for our trip home (yes this IS important. Just stay tuned). Then Hannah and I went back into Zurich for one last hurrah. We walked around for a little while, popped into a little store where we were stalked by the employee. It was great, and kind of made me feel like Oprah when she visited Zurich last week.
We picked up these absolutely delicious things that are like mini macarons (not macaroons), but instead of being French they are Swiss. After filling a box to take home to our family the young woman behind the counter allowed Hannah to have one gratis, or free. She chose vanilla. She took a bite out of it and said, "OH MY GOSH MOMMY! This must be what heaven is like!" Well not really, but that's what I almost said when I tasted it. I secretly considered not saving them for my family and just eat them ourselves on the plane, but decided against it (even though my husband had full access to FREE macarons just weeks before I left for my trip and did not, I repeat DID NOT bring me a single one). Then Hannah said, "mommy, let's not bring them home. Let's eat them on the plane." I couldn't believe it AND I couldn't stop laughing. She is just like me. They don't look so pretty after crossing the Atlanta, but you wouldn't look so hot yourself after the nine hour flight they took.
We also stopped at a candy store and almost got this lollipop for one of you, but reconsidered when I realized you probably wouldn't even have it finished by the time I go on my next trip.
Last night we went out to dinner with Simone's family. They brought us up to a restaurant on a "hill". Simone wanted to show me something behind the restaurant. It was a tower like the ones back home for detecting fires in the forests. She suggested we climb it, but now that I'm on to her tricks I declined.
Many restaurants have menus in English, and this one was no exception. Most of the time it is a very good translation. This one WAS an exception.
Nutritious and Proven
Line-Conciously
Liked-Meat dishes
I got spaetzle with cheese and grilled onions. It's
typical Swiss.
The plan was to leave at 6:45 this morning. We were all packed up and had the bags outside, waiting for Simone's family to arrive. They pulled up, we loaded the luggage, loaded the people, when Simone asked if I had remembered my food! Oh no. The door automatically locks when it's shut, and of course I didn't take the key with me. There is a doorbell, but the only person who would ring a doorbell at 6:45 in the morning is the kind of person who would serve instant coffee. What to do... what to do... Just then the owner of the B&B walked up and let me in. Phew.
Once at the airport there were police with MACHINE GUNS stopping cars and telling some to pull over. Ours was chosen to be pulled over. They were looking for something and were not fooling around. It was very frightening. I smiled at one cop through the door and not only did he not return my smile, but he had my door blocked so I would not be able to get out if I tried. In Switzerland children must be in car seats until they are 12. We had one for Hannah, but it was a booster so the cop couldn't see it through the window. He asked how old she is, but I didn't know why he asked, so I offered to show her passport. Maybe they were looking for a kidnapped child? We really had no idea. He said quite seriously, "no I don't need her passport." Then he opened her door and saw her booster seat. They returned Andi's documents and said we could go, and Hannah said to me, "Mom, where's my gun? I mean gum. Where's my gum?" I almost had a heart attack.
Simone and I hugged each other for a long time and exchanged good-bye tears. Hannah and I were on our way. We did stop at some shop in the airport to pick up gum. It helps Hannah's ears adjust to the different air pressure, which is why she asked about it earlier. Before I left for Europe, I read an article that said Nutella is one of the most stolen foods. Here's one way to reduce theft. Yes, this is a real jar of Nutella and weighs 5 kilos which is 11 pounds. Remember what I said about European portions? Keep something in mind; this store is AFTER the security. That means it has to be for people departing, that means it must also be in the carry on luggage! Who on earth buys 11 pounds of Nutella and then carries it on a plane?
At some point during the security process someone handed me a US customs form. This is where my shopping list comes in to play. Question 11. Yes we have fruit and seeds;yes we have meat; no we don't have any disease agents or snails; yes we've been on a farm. Question 12. Yes, we HAVE been in close proximity of livestock. I hope you all don't have to read this while Hannah and I are sitting in some quarantine station. My only goal now is to eat all the meat, fruit, and crackers we brought. I'm sure happy I didn't bring any disease agents; I shudder to think what they might taste like if I had to eat those too.
We finished the crackers, lost the meat (I don't know how. How does meat get lost in a plane?), and Hannah made me throw the cheese away, "Mom please! It stinks." All that's left is the fruit.
After shoveling all that food down quickly I had no room for the in-flight gourmet delights they serve. HA HA HA HA.
Here the salami and cheese panini they gave Hannah. Where's the cheese? I didn't see it at first. It looks like a quick slather of mayo.
Our plane arrived a half hour later than expected, so we had 1 1/2 hours to make our next flight. "No problem," you say? We got off the plane, went through the very very ridiculously long line at customs, claimed "chocolate" on the form. We had to get our luggage and have it scanned for I don't know what. Biological agents that could be present on the chocolate? Go through another line where we returned our luggage, go through TSA screening (no shoes no belts type screening), and haul butt across the airport to make our connection. We had about 15 minutes once we arrived.
Our flight attendant did the BEST Vanna White impression I've ever seen during the "how to apply the oxygen mask" performance. I would've taken a picture for you, but all electronics were forbidden.
I've had some frequently asked questions since I left. The most common has been why Hannah and I went alone. It wasn't supposed to be this way originally. Hannah and I were going to go to the UK alone for 2 weeks, take a train to Zurich and meet the family there for another 2 weeks. One by one each member of the family dropped out or wasn't completely on board, and in the end it was decided we would go alone. Plans had been made, plane tickets purchased, places rented, even Simone's family adjusted their vacation for us.
Another question is about Simone, more specifically how we met. We met through a website called postcrossing. It's a site for sending and receiving postcards to and from strangers around the world. We just happen to contact each other, we're the same age, have children the same age, and we hit it off. Having a penpal at our age is a bit unusual, but not unheard off. We've been writing for 3 years, and when we went to Europe 2 years ago our families met in Paris.
The third most common question is what I miss most while gone. The truth is that I only missed one THING— American coffee, but I missed my family and friends, and toastmasters even more than I missed my coffee. The flip-side of that is what I had a difficult time getting used to— pay toilets. I know they exist in larger cities in the US, but it seems to be so common in Europe, and I cannot remember the last time I paid to use the bathroom in America. It's ok, it's how they do things. They don't have people peeing in the streets, it's just something one has to be mindful of. Go before you leave the house, and always have spare change.
Thank you for agreeing to receive my emails. Knowing there are friends back home who care about what I'm doing and where I'm going means so much. I got many emails from people extending sympathy after my crazy day going from Amsterdam to Zurich with the missed train, and it felt like a much needed hug from you. Thank you. Knowing there were people at home who would laugh at my misadventures made them all the more funny. As we drove down that mountain on Sunday, and my knuckles were dangerously close to being permanently damaged from the strain I was putting them through, I thought about how funny it would all sound when I told you the story. Again, thank you.
See you soon,
Diana
Grilled Portabella mushrooms with bleu cheese and balsamic glaze. 
