 On different ledges all the balloons would light up like this  Many hang gliders sprayed lights above us - it didn't look safe but the effect was stunning and the crowd loved it  These were a few of the kiddie balloons  This balloon was absolutely massive - we thought at first it was for cheese, but no, it advertised Swiss watches, which are by the way no less expensive here than outside the country, unfortunately! These are photos that another teacher took on Friday night of the balloon festival.
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This weekend I went to the top of the Leysin mountain for lunch and the view. I didn't realize we are at 4,000 feet! Here are a few photos from the day:  That white expanse in the center is a cloud, not snow!  Nancy teaches Theory of Knowledge.  A view from the cable car looking down, again it's a cloud in the center, not snow!  The view from where we had lunch - fondue and wine naturally!  We were in a beer igloo here, a huge ice dome with benches covered with animal skins!  Another view of the clouds from above!  What can I say? My Apartment at BeauSite, Leysin American School, Switzerland Thought you might like some photos of my apartment which I will jazz up a bit yet, but in the meantime it's perfect!  This is the kitchen area. On the table is the basket of flowers Katherine and Andy gave me as a welcome at their house. I thought it would cheer me to have it here, and it does too. (notice the big old green shutters outside the window that actually work)  This is my small sitting room but the views make up for the lack of space!  Here's the view from the kitchen table. Just as beautiful are the photos in that hot pink album on the table, from Katherine, Andy and the girls!  View from the entrance hall to the apartment. So nice not to even consider curtains!  Walking in and looking toward the sitting room, notice Katherine's matching blue down jacket!  The bedroom is at the other end of the apartment  Front window  also from the front - I think that's a little kite in the corner  No wonder Hannibal tried to get through! First Miserable Day in the Swiss Alps! Arrived in Geneva Friday morning at 8am and was picked up by Nancy Sullivan, the IB TOK teacher from Connecticut. She is a good friend of Vivek Bammi and Manjula Salomon so we've had great correspondence over the last months. Nancy drove us back to Leysin, a spectacular trek along Lake Geneva. The Alps were (are!) breathtakingly beautiful. There are loads of wineries too, and the vineyards are delightful to see, terraced along the roadway and over the water. We arrived in the tiny village of Leysin about 2 hours later and immediately into my little apartment in BeauSite at the school. It's great - small, cozy and blindingly sunny! The views are phenomenal! I was also happy to see two boxes sitting on my desk - a nice new MacBook Pro plus a very sleek Nokia cell phone. Two bottles of local Swiss wine were on the table - I can already say it's excellent! That afternoon we met a group of teachers and took off for Château-d'Oex, a nearby village with a Balloon Festival. The evening started with musicians, dressed in traditional flat black hats with their alpine horns. Achingly soulful music from those horns and the sounds carry forever. Oh Greg, I would have given anything to have you there! Next we climbed up to the church for the best view of the balloons and the show. The hot air balloons do not fly at night, but they were lit and displayed from many ledges. Eventually hang gliders appeared from all over the mountains, swooshing above us and spraying jets of golden firecrackers. Next came skiers carrying lights from a far distance, sashaying down the mountain and ending in a formation that illustrated the outline of the country. All of this to a musical concert and a soloist who took my breath away. Next came the yodeling. Yes yodeling which I have made fun of all my life, except of course when Sarah yodeled in Saas Fe with a ski pole in her nose. Seriously? It was absolutely gorgeous! I was stunned. The music throughout the evening was hauntingly lovely and sparkling clear in the cold clean air. Oh - the air, don't even get me started on breathing here - it's a new experience! And the stars at night! I didn't take photos of the show simply because my hands were cold and I was missing too much by trying to concentrate on photos. Hopefully I can post some later from others who were busy with their cameras. The night finished up with a barrage of spectacular fireworks and more music and we then went to the village cafe (on cobblestone walks that gleamed with cleanliness) for Hot Chocolate with Baileys! Shabby day, eh? I'm still pinching myself!      Off to Switzerland via the DC Blizzard Yes, the president and myself, stuck in the DC blizzard. My impulsive reaction to feel sorry for Barrie and myself quickly disappeared when I looked around at the hundreds of kids who were going to spend the night at the airport - I at least had no little ones to worry about, and was miraculously able to wrangle a room at the Marriott after a 7 hour wait in their frigid lobby! When I snuck onto that Marriott shuttle (the only thing running besides Enterprise rental car) there were over 500 in line for a taxi from Dulles, and not a taxi in sight! Best of all my luck though? I was able to rebook for the next day - allelujah! All of this in thanks to Katherine's trusty blackberry!  TV headlines from the comfort of my Marriott room after a 2 hour steaming hot bath to recover from the cold of waiting in miserable lines! Could have been worse - airport benches!  Do you think there might be a few changes to the Secret Service roll call after this?  View from my room at the Marriott - happily from the inside looking out! Last Night in Houston I loved that Madeline wanted to wear the pajamas I bought her. It was a cold night. Then, to my happy surprise, from all her books she chose the box of Beatrix Potter, my all-time favorites for Andy and Sarah when they were little. Out came Tom Kitten and up she climbed on my lap to have it read. She couldn't have chosen a more perfect story because it brought back my happiest memories of reading to her daddy and her Auntie Sarah. I love Beatrix Potter. (Oops! I love Andy and Sarah too of course! lol) When she got back in bed she read Tom Kitten to herself silently, and I sat there watching her, trying to imagine how cute would be her own translation. As far as I'm concerned, she's quite the linguist! An absolutely magical last night with the first of my most beautiful grandchildren!     Leaving Ella Rose, Madeline Jean, KatyFlo and Andyman is about as hard as it gets. Yes they deserve the Congressional Medal of Honor, as well as first place in Ripley's Believe It Or Not Amazing Feats, for having me under their roof so long, but we've had some awesome times and I hope they will miss me even a fraction of how much I will miss them! At least I am leaving a memorable new year's eve legacy of smoked corndogs, guaranteed to 'stink like a pig' as Madeline accurately described the dinner debacle, which did indeed stink the kitchen out for a good week. But my launch date has arrived and my space suit fits perfectly, and hey, I have to get ready for your arrival! (I might work a little too while I'm at it)  Happy Scene of Many Mickey Mouse and SpongeBob SquarePants Laughs ....  Madeline Jean, my first beautiful girl of the little generation. She's broken the genetic code for dancing - and is something to behold when there is music! Ella Rose keeps right up with her and will never ever be left behind - on anything! lol  Ella Rose who won't come near me when her mommy or daddy are around, in fact she yells 'no!' when she sees me, but she cuddles right up when we're alone! Sweet Baby!  Ella Rose looks worried that Nanabanana is going to fall asleep (or is in a coma) and she's wondering if she should make me some strong black coffee. Yes, she's about that smart! | AuthorGypsy at heart ... suspect it's from Grandma MacDonell! ArchivesMay 2013 CategoriesAll |
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