A picture a day of life around Neuchâtel, Switzerland, and farther afield by two Americans.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Colmar Christmas


We stayed in Colmar only long enough to visit the tourist office and pick up our rental car. Most of the buildings in the old town were already decorated for Christmas like this: with large dioramas attached to the facade.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Basel buffet


We took the train to Colmar, France, last Saturday, changing trains in Basel, where there is a noticeable difference between the French and Swiss train terminals. This former buffet is on the French platform.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Morat church


The ramparts and the decorative roof of the German church in Morat.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Swiss bride


In Morat on a very cold day.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Myself I shall adore


These sculpted landscape figures in Montreux brought to mind an aria from Semele, the opera we saw earlier this month: "Myself I shall adore, / if I persist in gazing. / No object sure before / was ever half so pleasing."

Friday, November 25, 2011

Montreux Ramseyer


Plentitude (1985)
An André Ramseyer sculpture on the waterfront in Montreux to add to the survey from early July.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

St. Imier sculpture


A sculpture of St. Imier himself, founder of the town.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

St. Imier clock


One of the clock towers in St. Imier. This type of single-hand clock is common around our part of Switzerland. 
The text under the clock face says, "Be careful because you don't know what hour our Lord is coming."

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Tête de Moine


Tête de Moine (monk's head) is a local cheese made in the nearby Jura mountains. 
We visited a cheese factory that makes it in St. Imier.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Cow art


Kinetic cow sculpture in the Migros grocery store in the city center of Bern.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Bern donkeys


We visited Bern yesterday to tour the Parliament Building and see the old-town sights. At one end of the market, there was a fundraiser for people with genetic diseases featuring a small pen with donkeys for petting and riding.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Christmas chocolates


Both grocery chains stocked their Christmas chocolate aisles a few weeks ago. 
Here's the holiday classic: milk chocolate cat tongues.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Christmas party


Zak will be one of the four MCs at his lab's Christmas party this year. The theme is Neuchâtel through the ages.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Fog


I'm fresh out of new photos, but here's an oldie I took back in March. This is what Neuchâtel looks like in
winter: heavy fog. If I were to take this photo today, there would still be leaves on some of the trees
(see Sunday's photo, which was taken from the road above/behind the car wash), but the fog is accurate.
Goodbye, Alps. Farewell, other side of the lake.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Minimum wage


The concept of a minimum wage is up for a vote in a couple weeks.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Safety bands


Swiss children of a certain age wear these reflective safety bands when walking to or from school.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

French class


I made a short recording and snapped a quick photo near the end of my French grammar class on Monday.

...transformer cette...cette phrase et dire, "Beaucoup d'accidents sont arrivés ce mois." Mais on étant "il est arrivé," je mets à distance. C'est quelque chose qui est beaucoup plus factuelle, beaucoup plus objective, que si je dis, "Beaucoup d'accidents sont arrivés ce mois."

Je mets le fait en évidence. Je mets l'information...[cough].... Les verbes pronominaux: "Il se peut qu'il revienne demain" c'est très utilisé. "Il se peut que...il est possible que." "Il se peut qu'il revienne demain...il est possible qu'il revienne demain." Là j'utilise "il est possible" qui est aussi une forme impersonelle, évidemment. Les verbs attibutives...

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Onions


Thanks to a small misunderstanding over the price, we purchased a decorative strand of onions last weekend. These strands commemorate an event in 1405 when the city of Bern was on fire, and the farmers from the neighboring area of Fribourg helped put out the fire.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Swiss band


A sign listing the bands playing at a local festival a couple weeks ago. I can't help but wonder how the last band listed on Friday, a local Swiss rock band, came up with their name.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Reformed Evangelical Church


Without the cross on top, I might never have guessed this is a church.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Stadttheater Bern


We went to Bern yesterday to see Handel's opera/oratorio Semele at the intimate State Theater.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Hauterive waterway


I find Hauterive to be one of the most charming towns we've visited.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Swiss agriculture


"Farmer, but also a specialist in well-being. Swiss farmers ensure the well-being of animals."

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Horse parking


This sign is posted in the center of Hauterive. Loosely translated: don't leave your horse here.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Burritos à la suisse


This sign caught my eye as I was walking to school yesterday.

Mexican burritos -- Swiss beef and red beans
Indian burritos -- Cold chicken with curried mayonnaise
Chinese burritos -- Swiss honeyed pork and bean sprouts
Oriental burritos -- Lamb