From the old and pleasantly situated village of Mayenfeld, a footpath winds through green and shady meadows to the foot of the mountains, which on this side look down from their stern and lofty heights upon the valley below. The land grows gradually wilder as the path ascends, and the climber has not gone far before he begins to inhale the fragrance of the short grass and sturdy mountain-plants, for the way is steep and leads directly up to the summits above.
Heidi, Johanna Spyri
So I don’t know about you, but my childhood was filled with reading books, so my first impressions of Switzerland were always going to be based on books like this, beautiful descriptions of mountains and goats, cheese and bread.
So I’m in Switzerland in what is not the capital (I had never stopped to think about what the actual capital of Switzerland was and much like Australia, it appears everyone gets it wrong!!). My first impressions of Switzerland were formed as I crossed the Bodensee yesterday afternoon on a car ferry. It was wet and cold.
I’m not sure I should have been expecting anything different, it’s Europe, it’s autumn, I was crossing a body of water. And I’m not staying in a log cabin, either. I’m staying in the Technopark and like most Technoparks around the world, its designers have gone for dystopian. I’m not saying I don’t like dystopian its just a big shock after cabins in Finland and the lovely surrounds in Jena (where I had an awesome time, just worked lots).
I’m staying in an interesting hotel. They have done their best to get as many rooms as possible in without worrying things like walls in the rooms. And is that a cupboard you ask?
Why no, that would be the highest toilet known to man and one has to almost climb on it to use it.
I think what I find most disturbing is the fact that there is no door handle on the toilet door. It is literally like sitting in the cupboard. So where is the shower then?
Why that would be beside the bed. But I’m not complaining, the room is quite comfortable and I don’t think I’ll be here much, too much conferencing to do. And speaking of the conference, it’s in a beautiful location, I just feel smarter being there. They had some wonderful traditional music this evening. I went to some fantastic talks, heard about dative clitic pronouns in Old Catalan and Construction Grammar and stuff.
What I have discovered about Switzerland is that if you can’t think of how to advertise something, for some reason you stick this guy on your ad!!
shesnotdeadyet 