Off to Vienna to See Christine!

12/19
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I arrived at Geneva airport hoping that 2.5 hours would be plenty of time in advance. After waiting in the information line for 1.5 hours, someone told me that I was supposed to check in somewhere else - I felt rather idiotic and ran upstairs, where I still couldn't find the check-in counter. I proceeded to security, where the guy told me it was okay to come through with only my standby ticket. I believed him and went to the gate, only to have the ticket agent chide me for not checking in beforehand. She told me the flight was full, but then she proceeded to hand me a boarding pass - I don't even begin to understand the ways of European air travel. I finally arrived at the Vienna airport and took a bus to Westbanhof (West Train Station), where I met Christine. We returned to her apartment and made no-bake lasagna because she doesn't have an oven. We went to this bar called Centimeter, where we met Christine's friend Andrea from an internship at General Mills (who happened to know my friend Chris's roommate Brian from freshman year because they went to the same high school, thus reinforcing the incredible smallness of this world). She was visiting her friend Jesse who spent a year of high school in Hamburg. He spoke fluent German, which was helpful when we went to restaurants and such. Afterwards, he and Andrea went to a restaurant, and we went to a Christmas market near Alser Strasse; I noticed that at one stand, there were these two African guys speaking French, so I struck up a conversation with them that lasted a good 15 min or so.
After our return, we talked to Urshka (Christine's Slovenian roommate whose name means "bear" in Latin) and Nina (her friend from Slovenia). We had a great time sharing tongue twisters and talking about our schools and languages. We didn’t get to sleep until almost midnight, right as they were going out.
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12/20
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In the morning, we got up early (6am), just as Urshka and Nina were returning from their Indie Techno party. We arrived at the Hofburg Palace at 7:30 to attend mass. They let us in at 8:30, so we had plenty of time to freeze our butts off and talk to this Australian girl who was taking a year off from her job as an educational psychologist to travel around the world. We then took a place in the free standing room at the back of the concert hall to attend the mass (given in mostly German, some English, Italian, and Latin) and listen to/watch the Vienna boy's choir. At the end, the boys came out - dressed in their naval suits as per tradition from the Habsburg empire when they had a coast - to sing Kyrie. As soon as they came out from their balcony, everyone started taking pictures with flash, which was rather tacky and distracting. The boys were about 7 years old and had very high-pitched voices. We didn't expect them to be so little.
We were too cold, so we went back to the apartment to put on more layers and drink tea. Andrea called, inviting us to go to the Wienerwald (Vienna woods), so we ate a lighning lunch of cheese tortellini and sauce prepared from the day before. We took the bus from Heiliganstdt to the top of the woods (called Leopoldsburg), which was some sort of castle that overlooked the snow-dusted city. Because it was too cold to hike the descent, we waited for the bus to return and take us back to a Heuriger area (traditional wine/food place), where we went to an Asian/sushi buffet and had Genmaicha brown rice tea. After Christine and I watched Andrea and Jesse make a pathetic attempt at eating 6 euro worth of buffet food, we went next door to a cafe to have coffee and cake. I had a tiramisu that tasted heavily of rum and Christine chose the traditional Sacher Torte, which is a chocolate layer cake with apricot jam and chocolate frosting.
Jesse had to leave to study for a final, so the three of us - Christine, Andrea, and I - went to the Schonbrunn Palace - the summer home of the Habsburgs - to visit the Christmas market, where we saw beautiful stands and ate party/pizza pretzels. Because the fountains were completely frozen, there were children and a couple of parents walking around on them, so we thought it would be a cool idea to "ice skate;" however, the security guard didn't like our idea so much and wouldn't let us have our fun. Andrea had to find a bathroom anyway, so we left in search of them inside, where it was much warmer. When we exited the toilets, we saw that a large group of children were "skating" on the fountain...the irony.
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12/21
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On Monday, we quickly showered and ate breakfast to avoid the cleaning lady (who gets very upset with visitors and charges 12 euros per night). We met Andrea at Volkstheater (People's Theater) and toured the city center, where we saw the Hofburg Palace, the Augustinian Church (where all the Habsburgs got married and Marie Antoinette walked down the aisle), the Spanish riding school, and the monument to war and fascism (where several hundred people were buried alive when the cellar they were hiding in collapsed during bombings of WWII), After touring, we settled in a Starbucks (the first time I have been in an American franchise since coming to Europe) and then Billa, a local grocery store that sold Riedel wine glasses on super sale as well as the famous Viennese Mozart chocolate (filled with marzipan and strawberry jam). Andrea had to catch a bus to take her to the airport (going back to Berlin, where she was studying for the semester), and we then found a McDonald's (American franchise #2) so that Jesse could use the toilet. We returned to the city center so that Jesse could buy a Sacher Torte for his Hamburg host family from high school, and we saw the Plague Fountain, St. Stephen's Cathedral (the big one where Mozart was married, famous for being the center of Vienna), and the Baroque church (where there are two skeletons in glass boxes that flank the altar). The bodies were of martyrs of Christianity; however, I don't know the whole story on this one. After a morning of tourism, we parted ways with Jesse and went to Hofer (Aldi grocery store) to buy the week's food, including ingredients for chocolate cake in a cup - the dessert designated for my birthday. It was quite a microwave adventure.
We at a late lunch at about 4, and we needed to eat some old apples, so I made an apple/clementine crisp in a sauce pan with cinnamon and butter and sugar and muesli (which had raisins and banana chips and figs and other dried fruit). We watched some CNN and Antiques Roadshow on BBC. While lounging around for a few hours, we planned the rest of our week, including going to see the opera "Tristan and Isolde," the ballet "The Nutcracker," the Jewish museum, the Art History/Egyptian museum, the Habsburg Treasury, Haas House, Rathaus, and others.
We managed to see almost the entire city via tram, bus, and U-Ban, which was very convenient and relatively efficient.
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12/22
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On Tuesday, we went to see the Jewish museum and Holocaust memorial, which were built on the old site of a burned-down synagogue from the 1400s. The museum cost 2.5 euros to get in, which was a good price, but it was lacking in its offerings. It included graphic art pictures of the Warsaw Ghetto, a room of recovered artifacts from the destruction of the synagogue, pieces of the syagogue foundation that remained, and a short film talking about Jewish life in the ghetto of Vienna. It took all of about 40 minutes to get through this.
We then had plenty of time before the Anchor Clock went off at 12 noon, so we took a break at little café to have some tea and Sacher torte. Although it was warmer outside, we needed to rest from such little sleep. After we arrived at noon to see the clock (and after taking several minutes of painfully slow film), we decided that the clock wasn't really that interesting.
We then decided to return to the apartment to make lunch and pack something to eat for the opera that evening. We had to arrive several hours early to get a good spot in line for standing room at Tristan and Isolde; the opera started at 5:30, and we arrived at 3:00. When we got there, the line was already pretty long, and many had brought fold-out chairs and books to wait for the ticket booth to open. The opera itself was 4.5 hours long, which meant that we were there for a total of 7 hours. The story is as follows:
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Tristan und Isolde
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Composer: Richard Wagner
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ACT I. The legend of Tristan and Isolde (Tristram and Iseult) takes place during the Middle Ages, when knighthood and the chivalric code prevailed. On board ship from Ireland to Cornwall, a sailor's voice resounds from the rigging. His song about an Irish girl annoys the fiery Isolde, who is being taken by Tristan as bride for his uncle, King Marke. Isolde wishes the ship would sink rather than take her to her hated destination. Her companion, Brangäne, tries in vain to calm her. Instead Isolde is enraged by the knight Tristan, whom she sees standing on the afterdeck, avoiding her: by delivering her to his uncle, he shows no regard for her feelings. She sends Brangäne to summon Tristan, who sends back courtly, evasive replies. His plainspoken companion, Kurwenal, however, tells Brangäne that Tristan is not a vassal to answer Isolde's beck and call. Embarrassed by this outburst, Tristan sends Kurwenal away, but not before the latter has intoned an insolent verse about Isolde's fiancé, Morold, whom Tristan killed in combat some time before. Sailors pick up the refrain as the crestfallen Brangäne returns to the furious Isolde, who recalls that after Tristan came to Ireland to collect taxes for King Marke and killed Morold, she herself nursed him back to health, using her mother's knowledge of herbs and magic. When she realized he was her fiancé's slayer, she bemoaned her charity — but when he looked lovingly into her eyes, she took pity on him. Now he delivers her like a chattel to his uncle. She hurls forth a curse on his head and wishes death for both of them. Brangäne tries to tell her that it is no dishonor to marry a king and that Tristan is simply performing his duty. Isolde replies darkly that it shows his lack of love for her. When Brangäne reminds Isolde that her mother charged her with secret arts, Isolde tells Brangäne to prepare one of her mother's potions — the one that brings death. Cries from the deck that land is in sight are followed by the arrival of Kurwenal, who bids the women prepare to disembark. Isolde retorts that she will not accompany Tristan until he apologizes to her for his offenses. Kurwenal takes the message to his lord while Isolde forces Brangäne to pour the potion. Tristan appears, greeting Isolde with cool courtesy. When she announces that she wants satisfaction for Morold's death, Tristan offers her his sword, but she will not kill him. This would violate King Marke's hospitality and her own unwilling vows, she replies. Better that she and Tristan make peace with a drink of friendship. Understanding that she means to poison them both, he drinks, and she does the same. Expecting death, they exchange a long look of love instead, then fall into a passionate embrace. Brangäne admits she mixed a love potion as sailors' voices hail the ship's arrival in Cornwall.
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ACT II. In a garden outside Marke's castle, distant horns signal the departure of the king and his retinue on a hunting party. Impatient for a rendezvous with Tristan, Isolde believes that the party is far off, but Brangäne cautions her about spies, particularly Melot, a jealous knight whom she has noticed watching Tristan. Isolde says Melot is Tristan's friend and urges Brangäne to put out the warning torch so that Tristan can approach. Brangäne knows this would be unwise, but when she laments having switched the potions, Isolde tells her the power of love rules all destiny and guided her hand. Sending the girl to stand watch, Isolde herself puts out the torch and welcomes Tristan rapturously. Both hail the darkness, which banishes the light of everyday reality and false appearances. It was the forces of daylight, Isolde says, that caused Tristan to behave conventionally and bring her from Ireland; the potion, the power of love, has released them from this delusion. Feeling safe in the truthfulness of night, they welcome its embrace. Brangäne's distant voice warns that night will soon fade and danger be revealed, but the lovers equate their oblivion with death, which will give them the total union and safe removal they crave. Their idyll is shattered as Kurwenal runs in with a warning: the king and his followers have returned, led by Melot, who denounces the lovers. Moved and disturbed, Marke declares that it was Tristan himself who urged him to marry and chose the bride, asking how a knight he so loved could bring dishonor on him. Tristan says he cannot answer, then turns to Isolde and asks whether she will follow him into the realm of death. She accepts, and Melot rushes forward, sword drawn. Wounded, Tristan falls in Kurwenal's arms.
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ACT III. Outside Kareol, Tristan's home castle in Brittany, the knight lies grievously wounded, tended by Kurwenal. To a Shepherd who inquires about his master, Kurwenal replies sadly that only Isolde's arrival, with her magic arts, can save him. The Shepherd agrees to change the sad tune he is playing on his pipe as soon as he sights a ship approaching. Stirring, Tristan asks where he is, then in delirium says he has visited the realm of night and will return there. He clings to life only so that he can find Isolde and take her with him. Tristan thanks Kurwenal for his devotion, then imagines he sees Isolde's ship approaching. But the Shepherd still pipes a sad tune: the sea is empty. Tristan recalls the tune, which he heard as a child in connection with his parents' death and which he later associated with his own near-death after the duel with Morold. He wishes Isolde's medicine had given him peace then instead of reviving him to suffer the torments of longing. Once more he swoons, then revives to imagine Isolde's smile as she draws near. The Shepherd's tune finally changes to a cheerful fanfare, and Kurwenal sees the ship. Tristan rouses himself in growing agitation. For once he blesses the day, because it lights Isolde's way to him. Recklessly he tears off his bandages, letting his wounds bleed so that she can heal them — "forever." No sooner has Isolde rushed in than he falls dying in her arms. She exhorts him to live in order that they can share a final hour of reunion, but he is dead. The Shepherd sights another ship, which Kurwenal assumes is bringing Marke and Melot, bent on vengeance. Though Brangäne is with them, Kurwenal will not listen and attacks them, killing Melot and holding Marke's retainers at bay until he himself falls, mortally wounded. Marke, overwhelmed with sadness, sees the dead Tristan, while Brangäne tries to arouse Isolde, telling her the king has come to pardon and unite the lovers. But Isolde, oblivious, has a vision of Tristan beckoning to the world beyond. Must she alone perceive this and go to meet him? She must. As Brangäne tries to hold her, she sinks, transfigured in death, upon Tristan's body.
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12/23
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Wednesday was full of milestones: one week before Christine's departure for the US, the day that Urshka moved out, and my 21st birthday. Our plan was to see the Art History Museum and the Hofburg Treasury Musuem (a 14 euro combo ticket), but they didn’t open until 10, so we passed the time by going through the Museums Quartier area and then on to Mariahilferstrasse to have a coffee at McDonald’s. It was the first time I had consumed anything from McDonald's in years, but it was amazingly modern, clean, and swanky. We had a coffee and I proceeded to snap photos of our lovely beverages. As a bonus, we had the opportunity to listen to bad pop Christmas tunes from NSync, among others.
As for the Art History museum, the building itself was built in the 1800s with the idea of a museum in mind. They constructed columns and created some really ornate artwork to accent the walls and ceilings. It featured collections of Italian Renaissance art and Northern European paintings. Because of Christine's love for Rick Steves, we followed his tour of the museum, and then wandered in the Egyptian exhibit, where we saw sarcophagi and ancient Greek and Roman statues. The most notable piece in the museum was the ridiculously wasteful million dollar pure gold Canadian coin that was on display in a glass box. I'm not really sure what made them decide to, as they put it, "raise the bar," but the coin looked fake and I was ashamed to hear that Canada would want to waste such a precious and remarkable material.
We were a bit tired from the walking and absorption of European history, so we went home for a quick lunch before setting off again for the Treasury museum. Once again, we followed good ol' Rick's tour, where he explained the significance of the crowns, sceptors, narwhal tusks, cloaks, and other royal goods. Some of the things surprised us, like a 2,680 carat emerald that served no purpose other than to be large and misshapen. They also had a lot of religious items – carved ivory crucifixes and really intricate altarpieces. There were relics such as pieces of Jesus’ cross, a piece of the lance that pierced Jesus’ side, a piece of his loincloth, and a shred of the table cloth from the last supper. It was amazing how intricate each piece was, as everything was handcrafted and, quite possibly, could have taken a lifetime to complete.
After finishing our tour of the Habsburg Treasury, we took some quick photos of the Mozart statue before heading home for dinner. When we got back home, we made some mashed potatoes with onions, mushrooms, cheese, and paprika and made microwave chocolate cake, which was better than expected. We managed to make a frosting from yogurt and leftover whipped cream that added a nice touch to the chocolate.
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12/24
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First on the agenda was Belvedere Palace, where we walked around the grounds and saw what was left of the gardens, including geometrical hedges and regal statues.We then headed to Karlsplatz to see Karlskirche, one of the best baroque churches in Vienna. We were also lucky because the cash desk was closed and we got in free!
By then, it was about noon and we headed towards the Naschmarkt, which is a dangerous thing to do around lunch time. We had fun browsing through the fish and fruit and vegetables and spices. We bought the most amazing falafel sandwiches ever, which were filled with homemade salads and sauces that perfectly complimented the fresh, piping hot falafel. Because it was Christmas Eve, everything started to close in early afternoon, so we returned to Christine's for a nap. Around 7, we went out to the Rathaus Christmas Market to look at the pretty lights and see the items in the shops. When we got there, we found that the shops were all closed and everyone was packing up… but at least the lights in the trees were on. It was a really warm night and we had fun strolling around and looking at the Christmas lights. After our short stroll through the almost dead market, we returned to the apartment to spend Christmas Eve watching our favorite holiday movies. The only thing on TV was the German-dubbed National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, so we looked for alternatives on YouTube and came across Charlie Brown Christmas and the original "A Christmas Story" in its entirety. We watched that before going to sleep around midnight.
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12/25
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Christmas day in Vienna! We made pancakes, talked to our families, and then at four, we left to go to the opera house to see The Nutcracker. Again, we arrived a few hours early to get a good spot in line, and we managed to find some decent standing room, albeit the high strung women who arrived late and wanted everyone to accomodate them and give them spots. This was my first real ballet, and I was amazed to see the incredible athleticism of the dancers and their grace of presence. The costumes and scenery were beautiful, and it turned out to be much more interesting than the opera. Here is a synopsis:
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Act I: It’s a cozy Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaum’s house. Their house is decorated with Christmas ornaments, wreaths, stockings, mistletoe and in the center of it all, a majestic Christmas tree. As the Stahlbaum’s prepare for their annual Christmas party, their children, Fritz and Clara, wait anxiously for their family and friends to arrive. When the guests finally appear, the party picks up with dancing and celebration. A mysterious guest arrives dressed in dark clothing, nearly frightening Fritz, but not Clara. Clara knows he is Godfather Drosselmeyer, the toymaker. His surprise arrival is warmly accepted and all the children dance and carry on with laughter. The celebration is interrupted again when Drosselmeyer reveals to the children that he has brought them gifts. The girls receive beautiful china dolls and the boys receive bugles. Fritz is given a beautiful drum, but Clara is given the best gift of all, the Nutcracker. Fritz grows jealous, snatches the Nutcracker from Clara and plays a game of toss with the other boys. It isn't long until the Nutcracker breaks. Clara is upset, but Drosselmeyer fixes it with a handkerchief. Drosselmeyer’s nephew offers Clara a small make-shift bed under the Christmas tree for her injured Nutcracker. The party grows late and the children become sleepy. Everyone generously thanks the Stahlbaum’s before they leave. As Clara’s family retires to bed, she checks on her Nutcracker one last time and ends up falling asleep under the Christmas tree with the Nutcracker in her arms. At the stroke of midnight Clara wakes up to a frightening scene. The house, the tree and the toys seem to be getting larger. Is she shrinking? Out of nowhere large mice dressed in army uniforms, lead by the Mouse King, begin to circle the room while the toys and Christmas tree come to life. Clara’s Nutcracker groups the soldier toys into battle formation and fights the mouse army. The Mouse King traps the Nutcracker in the corner, but the Nutcracker can’t overcome the Mouse King’s strength. Clara makes a desperate move to save her Nutcracker from defeat and throws her slipper at the Mouse King. She hits him directly in the head! The Nutcracker is able to overcome the stunned Mouse King and claims victory. The mice army quickly carries away their King. Clara falls onto the Nutcracker’s bed, over-whelmed by the moment. As angels and delightful music hover over their heads, the bed turns into a magical sleigh, floating higher and higher. The Nutcracker is transformed into a human prince (who looks strikingly similar to Drosselmeyer’s nephew). He gets on Clara’s sleigh and drives through a snowy forest where the snowflakes turn into dancing maidens.
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Act II: After their magical journey through the snow forest, they come to their destination in the Land of Sweets. Clara can’t believe her eyes; ladyfinger mountains topped with whipped cream whiter than snow, sweetly glazed flowers and butter-cream frosting everywhere she looks. Upon their arrival, they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. As they reenact the night’s events, the Sugar Plum Fairy becomes impressed with Clara’s bravery and the Nutcracker’s heroism. In their honor, the Sugar Plum Fairy takes them inside the Candy Castle and throws a lavish festival. They are treated like royalty and presented with every imaginable sweet. Shortly thereafter, the dancing begins. Hot cocoa dances to the lively music of trumpets and castanets of the Spanish fandango. The women of coffee dance in veils and move their bodies like rising steam to an Arabian song, while Mandarin tea dances to an exotic Asian flute chorus. Matroishkas (Russian dolls) follow the Mandarin tea leaping and dancing to an invigorating Russian Trepak. To Clara’s enjoyment there is still more to be seen. A giant gingerbread house, known as Mother Ginger, dances onto the Sugar Plum Fairy’s court. She opens her skirt and eight little gingerbread children come dancing out circling around her. After the Mirliton dance is over, the children quickly file back into the large gingerbread house and Mother Ginger leaves the room. Soon after Mother Ginger exits, the dancing flowers enter to the tune of the harp. Perhaps the most beautiful waltz she has ever heard, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince watch with amazement. The flowers dance in beautiful mesmerizing patterns as a single Dewdrop floats above them. Silence quickly follows the end of their dance. Clara doesn’t know what to expect next. A handsome Cavalier enters the scene and escorts the Sugar Plum Fairy to the center of the room. They dance to the most recognizable song in the entire work. The captivating pair dance lighter than air. This beautiful dance completes Clara’s most perfect evening. The festival concludes when everyone comes together on the court and bids Clara and the Nutcracker Prince farewell. She tells the Nutcracker she wishes the adventure would never end and he tells her it won’t for those who have an eye to see it. Clara wakes up the next morning under the Christmas tree with her Nutcracker still in her arms.

Montreux Christmas Market

Today, Ada and I shared a lovely meal together and, afterwards, explored the Montreux Christmas market, one of the biggest and most famous in Switzerland. Most of the offerings were food-related, like roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, dried fruits, spice cakes, and cookies. However, they also had artisinal gifts like honey candles, wreaths, scarves, hats, jewelry, as well as more commercialed specialties. Each stand was decorated in such a grand fashion, with holly and foil and wood and lights. Montreux was bustling with tourists, who stood in awe of the current sculptures that adorn the lakeside: an artist trimmed and wrapped bushes to resemble the animal characters from the movie "Madagascar." It was amazing how detailed the structures were ; the artist used different colored bushes to show the stripes on the zebra, and the penguins had tufts of straw coming out of their heads to add various accents.
After returning from a long afternoon of walking and sampling delicious Christmas treats, we had some tea and a slice of the spice cake that I prepared for Ada the night before. It was relaxing to sit with her and talk about Christmas traditions in Germany and Switzerland, as well as her memories of Christmas as a child.
In early evening, Ada dropped me off at the train station and I headed back to Lausanne to prepare my schedule for the next week. I made gingerbread cookies for EthNoel, a huge multi-religious celebration that l'Aumonerie holds every year. Mansoureh was so impatient - she kept poking at the raw dough and stealing glances at the cookies that were still hot from coming out of the oven. She was worse than a little kid! Of course, I had to humor her and let her finally taste a cookie after all of her pleas. Because it was Johannes's 30th birthday today - my roommate Mansoureh's boyfriend - we sang for him and toasted to delicious cups of hot cocoa, and then I proceeded to feed them cookies in the shapes of shooting stars, reindeer, and shepherds.
Next on the agenda: For EthNoel, Pasha (another student from ISU) and I will perform a mini skit - he will read "Twas the Night Before Christmas," and I will play carols on my violin in between stanzae. We will also act out the story using props that we painted and Pasha will portray Santa using various costume components that we made as well. I am looking forward to this week of celebrations. Christmas is almost upon us!

Bern Christmas Markets

This time, I decided to take advantage of the Xchange opportunities with UNIL, the University of Lausanne. They were offering to give us a tour of the city of Bern and take us to the Christmas markets. Although Bern itself is not that large, the city was still bustling with activity, as many Swiss residents were hopping from sale to sale to do their holiday shopping.

Bern is the city of 100 fountains (or some number close to that), bears, and arched buildings. My favorite fountain has to be the one of the ogre eating the children - Kindlifresserbrunnen. It depicts Kronos, the Greek god who ate his children to prevent them from taking his throne - I guess it was also supposed to remind children to be good to their parents. I saw a film about the history of Bern, but I didn't understand it fully - there were lots of flashy sounds and colors and effects, which were more interesting than the narration about Napoleon. After taking a tour of the old downtown, our group ventured toward the bear pit. Unfortunately, we didn't actually get to see the bears because one was still recovering from being tranquilized. Recently, a man jumped over the wall into the bear pit, and the bear severely attacked him. Luckily the man survived, but both he and the bear are in weak stages of recovery.

In addition to visiting the bear pit, we also had the chance to climb the Bern Cathedral tower that overlooked the city and had a breath-taking view of the Alps, snow and all. I am hoping to soon be able to go hiking in the snow with my snowshoes!

The buildings in Bern employ overhangs held up by arched structures that protect vendors from the seasonal elements and offer a nice wind breaker for pedestrians as well. After a few steps, you would see vendors selling traditional German breads made into the shape of men (with little raisin eyes) or people selling mugs of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts. I have found that chestnuts are rather enjoyable, and I wish that they existed in Iowa! It would be nice to have a mug of mulled wine and a paper sack of warm chestnuts while strolling through the Iowa tundra. The Christmas markets, Waisenhausplatz and Munsterplatz, were full of handmade knick-knacks and delicious holiday foods.

Here, a man is cutting caramels. This stand sold Swiss spice cake with symbols of the Bernois bear and Swiss flags. How traditional.

Santa flag and the Bern flag behind. The Christmas tree really makes me miss home and holiday times with my family!

Maison d'Ailleurs, Yverdon-les-Bains

Today, I took the train to Yverdon-les-Bains, a 40 minute ride north of Lausanne gare. This was my first solo excursion -evidently no one in my circle of friends is interested in science fiction, which will have to change. This brings me to the point of my story - the Maison d'Ailleurs, or the "House of Elsewhere." It already sounds cool; I know. You wish that you had gone.

The reason why I went to this rather incredible museum - the only one of its kind in the world - is because the intelligent people of the metro decided to post a publicity of the main exhibit in a few of its trains. Immediately after seeing the words "illustrator of Alice and Wonderland," I knew that my destiny was to go to Yverdon-les-Bains and learn about the history of science fiction and, specifically, to marvel at the works of Mervyn Peake.

Never have I seen an artist with such talent in expression and mastery of the human form. He understood how a small change in the face could create beauty or monstrosity, how a simple line in the mouth could transform a smile into a grimace. I cannot get over how detailed his drawings were: the cross-hatching lines must have taken days to complete, and the shading and contrast made everything seem so much more real. I took great delight in reading his tale of "Captain Slaughterboard," as well as his "Rhymes without Reason."

We can sometimes take for granted these beautiful drawings, but if it wasn't for the illustrations in children's books, we would often lose that sense of transformation into another world - full of fantastic adventures, strange creatures, and heroic battles. It can be depressing to think that real illustration is becoming a dying art due to the invention of high-tech computer programs. The next time you read Grimm's fairy tales, take a look at those pen strokes; those artists who took a physical pen to paper deserve recognition for their imaginative vision.

Celebration of the Weekend: This Calls for Pie!

After finding this lovely recipe on the internet, I prepared my first tart-style pie. The results? You can see for yourself and decide!
http://www.mykitchensnippets.com/2009/10/french-apple-tart.html

The completed tart with a strawberry rhubarb glaze.

The proud chef! I was surprised at how well it turned out...the edges were perfectly browned, the apples were caramelized and soft, and ohhhh...the crust. We will get to that in a moment.

Because I only had margarine, I had to make a small substitution. As a result, the crust was fluffy, flaky, buttery, and absolutely the most remarkable creation ever. The layers simple melted in your mouth, and it had such a light texture that it perfectly complemented the soft, tart apples and the sweet glaze of the jam.
Of course, I couldn't eat it all on my own for risk of gaining half a ton. Plus, it's more fun to share!

This is one pie that I will have to make many times. It was a great success!

Recycling Discovery #2

Of note: This was the recycling container for water cups at the Nyon museum. I was so overjoyed, I had to take pictures!
Think about recycling, place your used cups in the tube.

Only for used plastic cups.

Evidence that someone cares!

Andrew visits: Yvoire, Nyon, La Chaux-de-Fonds

This weekend, Andrew paid me a visit all the way from Washington, DC!
On Thursday, he arrived at the Lausanne train station exhausted and ready for a nice nap after being in transit for so many long hours. He recounted the extensive journey from London to Geneva, which involved changing of many trains, buses, planes, and other modes of transportation. Unfortunately, I had to go to class quickly after his arrival, but that also gave him a chance to recuperate from his previous adventures in the UK. When I returned, we first went to the museum at La Place de la Riponne, where they had a Darwinist exhibition, among other fine museum artifacts. It cost 4 CHF (almost nothing!) to see the museum of architecture, archeology (including a lock of Napoleon's hair), money (mostly ancient coins), zoology (with jars of mutant cats and stuffed owls), geology (gorgeous, shiny, brilliant crystals and precious stones), paleontology (fossils, bones, and ancient natural structures), and others (which I cannot recall at the moment). We learned a lot about Swiss heritage and native flora and fauna, which served as a nice comparison to those of the United States. After our nice tour of the museum, we took a relaxing pause at Le Barbare, the cafe with the famous hot chocolate. We were in heaven with the rich, pudding-like goodness of the warm chocolate. It really is a heavenly experience. We had some nice conversation in the cafe but then promptly returned to my apartment for a quick bite to eat before meeting some of my exchange friends at le Satellite, the local bar/lounge on the EPFL campus. We spent the evening chatting with people from all over the world, and the bar was very lively with old American pop hits playing over the speakers and people letting go the stresses of the school day.
On Friday, we took a boat from Nyon, Switzerland, to Yvoire, France, a small medieval village that used to be completely protected by stone walls. We were not aware, however, that the season of tourism influenced the frequency of the boat trips, so we arrived only to find that we had 40 minutes until the last boat departed from Yvoire back to Nyon. We were able to see quite a bit of the village and to take nice pictures of the medieval structures, albeit the short amount of time, though, and we also found a persimmon tree, where we pilfered this strange fruit to take home and try. It was quite an effort climbing over the mossy stone wall, but we succeeded in grabbing one! (After letting it ripen over the weekend, we tasted it, but, to our chagrin, it was rather disgusting. Due to its strong tannins, the fruit was very astringent and it sucked all the water out of our mouths. It had the same effect as novocaine.) So, after taking a train to another city to only spending 40 minutes in France, you might ask if this time was wasted. I would have to say that this was not the case. We took great delight in returning to Nyon to spend the afternoon in a lovely nautical museum near the lakeside, only to find that our tickets were also valid (for up to a year!) to the fine art museum as well as the ancient ceramic museum found in the Nyon castle. Because it was late in the afternoon, we did not have time to explore the other museums, but I hope to use the tickets in the future and profit from this wonderful little city! After everything had closed, we walked around the city center and purchased (my first!) roasted chestnuts. To be honest, I don't know why I never tried them before...maybe it is because Iowa seems to be lacking in these delicious treats, but they were quite delectable, and we happened to chance upon them once again on our weekend excursion to la Chaux-de-Fonds.
So, you may be wondering where la Chaux-de-Fonds is found on the map. It is a very small city in the northeastern part of Switzerland in the canton of Neuchâtel. My Tandem partner, Valentin, invited us to stay in his parents' chalet at la Tête-de-Ran (in the canton of Jura) for the weekend. "Jura" refers to the jurassic era, when the tectonic plates caused the region to become very hilly with many peaks and valleys. We took this opportunity to eat molten cheese, hike through Swiss hills (where we saw an expansive view of the city of la Chaux-de-Fonds), and learn a bit more about Swiss culture - idiomatic expressions, dining customs, etc. We also had the chance to explore the Musee d'Horlogerie (watch museum) and les moulins souterrains (underground mills). If you take a peek at the photo album, you will understand more about the watchmaking industry as well as the underground mill process.
On Sunday, Valentin's parents were gracious enough to pay our way for the underground mills and a tour of the city, as well as to prepare a wonderful dinner of pasta with pesto and shredded cheese, lamb chops, and fennel and carrot salad on Sunday evening. We thanked them heartily for such a wonderful stay, and we departed with Valentin and his girlfriend, Vanessa, for our return back to Lausanne. I have to say that it is rare to find such generous hosts, but I often find them here in Switzerland. I think that maybe their beautiful country and their high quality of life makes them appreciate and enjoy the little things enough to share their joy with others. Although I did not initially expect it, I have made friends with Swiss people with relative ease, and, overall, I find them to be kind-hearted and incredibly generous.

Les Caves Ouvertes and Extraterrestrial Visitors

This Saturday, EPFL Xchange took a trip to the vineyards in Gland, Switzerland, for a day of wine tasting, called "Les Caves Ouvertes." We bought a glass that was our ticket to 24 vineyards. After having taken the train and then the shuttle bus to Vitzel, we ambled along cobblestone roads and through autumn-colored grape vines to get to each "cave." Unfortunately, it rained all day, so we often ran to seek refuge in the warm indoors. We were lucky enough to find many with fireplaces and large tables for our group. They were also generous in offering us bread and cheese in almost every place.

We learned a bit about how the wine was made - in the wooden barrel pictured in the album, it takes 10,000 L of grape juice to fill the barrel! We were going to be enginerds and figure out, according to estimation of the volume of the average grape, how many grapes were required to fill the barrel, but we were too tired from drinking all that wine. All in all, we managed to visit 9 caves and were thoroughly content to return to Lausanne.

Afterwards, there was an alien-themed party at one of our friends' apartments, and they covered the floor in red paper and had amazing lamps and craters made of papier maché. It was great to see the creativity of the costumes, and we had a lot of fun dancing the night away!

This guy used squash balls to make his super-power orb martian costume.

Leticia brought some music from all over the world. She is a big fan of 20's music like Django Reinhardt.

Gil and his alien costume.

Melanie and Emmanuele, our fashionable hosts.

I'm a friendly alien!

St. Maurice Abbey and Thermal Baths

Today, I went on an excursion with five girls and the priest from l’Aumonerie to visit St. Maurice, the oldest abbey in the world. It was built in the early 500s, and there are still remnants of the original framework of the building. Giovanni, the priest, gave us a private tour of the monastery, showing us the sleeping quarters, the tunnel with the water source that flows under your feet, the old crypts and frescas, and some prized treasures – chests of gold, silver, and gems, intricate bronze crosses, statues, and figurines. The rooms were rich with history and character, and he gave us a wonderfully detailed description of the significance of each religious symbol that graced the monastery. For instance, you often see two doves drinking from the same source of water and a serpent that wraps around the perimeter of the birds but cannot access the source. This signifies a closeness with God and is used many times in religious artwork from the Middle Ages. The Tree of Life also plays an important role in religious relics, as it is even incorporated in some drawings of the crucifix. The square crucifix with the clover-shaped ends is characteristic of the Tree of Life. You can see this style of artwork in chandeliers, columns, paintings, and mosaics.
After having eaten lunch in the monastery, we took a lovely walk along the Rhone and profited from the beautiful autumn colors and the vast mountain. We finally reached the thermal baths after our hike, which are therapeutic outdoor pools that receive water from a natural underground source. Since the water is from a natural source, it is full of minerals that are excellent for the skin and aid in removing the everyday toxins that our bodies absorb from daily pollution. The source provides water at about 65-70 oC (149 - 158 oF), and the bathing facility must cool off the water before it is cool enough for human skin (the water was at least 80 oF when we were swimming). It is quite a sight during night time, because it was about 40 oF outside and you could see the steam rising from the pools into the night sky. They had water jets in the pool where you could lay down and the bubbles would massage your whole body. There were also Jacuzzi areas, jets of water for the back, the head, the feet, the legs, etc. They also had a giant cascade of water (like a mushroom) where you could go under and surround yourself with the sound of the waterfall. The favorite activity was the whirlpool, where a current of water would push you in a circle along a wall, and we played many games here – holding onto the railing and resisting the current, traversing the pool with our feet on the walls and our backs to the center, jumping over each other, doing flips, and jumping up and down as the current carried us round and round. It was the most fantastic sensation to be immersed in the warm water and then to jump high into the cold air.
In addition to the outdoor facilities, they had wonderful saunas and relaxation rooms. The first one we visited was a Turkish hamam, which is a wet sauna filled with the smell of essential oils – it is heated to about 60 oC (140 oF)with so much humidity that you cannot see the person sitting next to you. It is basically like sitting in a cup of chamomile or jasmine tea. You walk in and can barely breathe, and there is a small fountain in the center where you can drink cold water. You then sit on the bench and let the oils penetrate your senses and your skin; I have to say that this provided the perfect atmosphere for meditation and reflection. It is the combination of a tropical rainforest and the continuous burning of incense. The scent of the oils takes over your olfactory senses and forces you to really concentrate on taking full breaths. Ten minutes in the hamam, and you feel rejuvenated and detoxified.
Afterwards, we went into two different saunas – the first was heated to 85 oC (185 oF), which was very very hot, and they had different oils permeating the room. The next sauna was 30 degrees cooler, but still pretty hot. (If you spend too much time in these saunas, you start to cook like a pizza.) Because it is important not to overheat the body, they have showers and a pool where you plunge into cold water (about 10 oC - 50 oF - or so). They also have what is called a “nuit polaire,” where you put on these plastic sandals and walk into a room dripping with ice and snow. You can throw snowballs and drink fresh, cold water. The facility also provides relaxation rooms with different types of lighting; one room uses only white light with a gradual change to red, yellow, green, and blue, depending on the timer. There is also relaxing music and an explanation of the colors and how they affect the body. After that, there is a blacklight room where you lay on beach cots and listen to more relaxing music. Overall, the cost is about 20-25 CHF for 3 hours of massages, swimming, therapeutic lighting, and saunas with essential oils. I think I am ready to take my exam on Monday after having completely eliminated my stress. What an excellent end to the day.

6th Mountain Cheese Olympics

Because the Swiss love their cheese, I thought it would be pretty important to see what all the fuss was about. Thus, I decided to organize an excursion to Saignelégier, Bellelay, and Tramelan, three cities in the Jura, for the 6th Mountain Cheese Olympics. There were 630 different types of cheese, and the event was free, offering cheese tasting, games, traditional Swiss music, tours of cheese factories, seminars, and other activities.
First of all, I think it is awesome that Switzerland offers a student transportation card that allows you to travel after 7pm for free. We thus took the 2 hour train to les Reusilles, a small village near Tramelan, to stay at a small bed and breakfast called “Chez Marie.” After taking several wrong turns and reaching the end of the village, we finally found the path to the bed and breakfast – a completely dark pedestrian path that led us through farms, and eventually, her small farm. The woman who owned the bed and breakfast lived in the house and had one room open for guests. She was the most delightful woman I have ever met – warm, welcoming, and full of useful information about Swiss tourism and activities. She was not at the house when we arrived at about 10:30, but because this was small-town Switzerland, she left the door open for our entry. She arrived at about 11:15 and shared with us some stories about previous visitors and her history in the village.

In our room, she left a bowl of delicious plums and apples and a visitor’s book to fill with our comments and drawings. We read previous entries, and everyone raved about her hospitality; some drew gorgeous pictures of the Swiss countryside and cute cartoons and whatnot. You could tell that this was a rather unique place to stay – the room was filled with books and games and travel information, and there was a small reading area outside our door that overlooked the kitchen. The chairs were covered in hand-made pillows and blankets, and there were children’s stuffed animals, posters, and artwork all over. The owner was also a marble painter, so she had books, cards, and other pieces on display and for sale. Her eye for beauty and her warm heart were very well represented in this little cottage, as we instantly felt at home and comfortable. It was a shame that we could only stay for one night, because I would have loved to stay to talk with her for the day and learn about her origins and watch her paint in her studio.
In the morning, she prepared for us a breakfast with homemade apricot and prune jam, marmalade with lemon zest, yogurt with raspberries, bread with walnuts, muesli with oatmeal, honey, cheese, and jasmine tea. We passed a relaxing morning enjoying the delicious meal and watching the sheep graze in her backyard; we sat with her and talked about the cheese festival (she also planned on attending), and she told us about her favorite ski slopes – known only by locals and offering a beautiful view of the mountains – and an event that happens in the spring near Basel. Evidently, they close the river off to boats so that people can swim along the river from several small towns to Basel. After you arrive on the beach, there are outdoor showers where you can rinse off and change into dry clothes, which you put in a plastic sack and tie around your waist. It definitely sounds like an interesting mode of transportation, and I plan to pursue this as an excursion for the spring.
We took the shuttle bus to the covered cheese market after breakfast, and, inside the large tent, there were little wooden booths for each cheese maker. They offered free samples of their cheeses and sometimes had elixirs and juices to taste as well. I really enjoyed the fresh-pressed apple juice, which tasted like all the wonderful elements of an apple pie, apple cider, and applesauce. It was rich and bold in flavor. Delicious. As for my favorite cheeses, I purchased four different kinds, all originating from Switzerland. Two kinds were from a German region (Grand Cru and der Rasse), one from the Jura (bio cheese with wild garlic), and one from a French region (cow’s cheese that was similar to brie but much creamier). There was also a stand that had the best yogurt I have ever tasted; it was made from sheep’s milk, and there were different flavors, such as vanilla, mocha, chocolate, raspberry, and natural. It was thick, creamy, rich, and full of intense flavor. It was probably packed with fat, but I was in heaven.
There were also opportunities to win free cheese in the children’s circus tent. They had games that you could play – a spin-the-wheel game, where I won a cut of fresh mozzarella, and some other activities – a fake cow where you could practice your milking skills, various cages of farm animals, and a demonstration of making mozzarella. The two men showed us how the leftover liquid, called “le petit lait” (or little milk), drained from the cheese. They let us taste this milk, which was warm and flavorful. They also showed us the cutting process and explained how to stir and heat the cheese.
We returned to the covered market after the circus games to enjoy some jazz alphorn and accordion music. There were many talented musical groups that played throughout the day, and it was interesting to compare the contemporary with the traditional. My favorite group was made up of two sisters who played accordion; they were the most talented accordion players I have ever seen. Their fingers moved with such grace, and they played with intricacy and precision. In short, they were admirable musicians, and I hope that someday I am good enough to jam like that!

In Bellelay, the second village, we visited the Abbey, where the Tete de Moine cheese originated. They were preparing for the gala event, so the main room was filled with dining tables and fancy table settings – three wine glasses per person and the whole assortment of silverware. This was definitely not a jeans and t-shirt event. It would have been nice to see the all the attendees dressed up in gowns and tuxes. Bellelay also offered tours of the horse stables and their medieval museum, where there were demonstrations of Tete de Moine cheese-making, explanations of shoe-making and evolution during the Middle Ages, and ancient wood-carving. The monks were selling homemade pea soup that was full of vegetables and immediately warmed a cold stomach. (They didn’t just have delicious cheese!)

Finally, a round of applause for Switzerland for putting on quite a show! Thanks for filling our bellies and putting smiles on our faces.

Visit from America

This Thursday, I received a visit from America. Two dear friends, Maddie and Christine, who are currently studying in Vienna this year, decided to pay me a visit in Switzerland, and I could not be more elated to show them around my new home. Not only did I show them my favorite Lausanne park - le parc de Sauvebelin - and take them to the most famous hot chocolate cafe in in the city, but showed them the beauty of anoter country - France.

After thirty five minutes by ferry, we arrived in the city of Evian, famous for its pure theraupeutic water. We traversed the historical path through the city and learned about the famous Evian fountain that healed a king and resulted in a marriage. It is incredible to imagine how such a common staple can be so powerful to a community. We found a line of people waiting to fill their empty plastic bottles and watched as families loaded their cars with liters of fresh spring water. In order to experience the full effect of this fountain, we stood among the line of people and waited our turn to fill our empty bottles and to take a picture of the event.

Unfortunately, I have not received my magical powers yet. But patience - there is still time.

On Friday we toured the natural and the man-made parts of Lausanne. We walked among the old judicial buildings, churches, and schools. After having walked throughout the centre ville, we were in need of a serious lunch. There just so happened to be a creperie near the Cathedrale that could not have been more perfect in satiating our appetites. Roquefort, egg, mushroom, nuts...so many delicious fillings to warm our empty stomachs. My mouth still waters when I think about that salty cheese and delicate pancake.

We also tasted the most famous hot chocolate in all of Lausanne at le Barbare, a small cafe near the Cathedrale. It has a rich consistency like that of pudding - almost equivalent to a melted chocolate bar - and melts in your mouth like a small taste of heaven.

All in all, the two short days were filled with enchantment, and I was glad to share it with such wonderful company. It is comforting to know that there are others who share your struggles and often seek beauty in everyday life. Such is study abroad.

I live in this beauty

Lush green vineyards, trickling waterfalls, stone walls, glistening lakeside, snow-capped mountains....and I live here.

You really appreciate the full beauty of a country when you can explore it by bike. This Sunday, a group of 15 of us rode from Lausanne to Montreux and back to visit le Chateau de Chillon, a 70 km (43 mi) trip during a gorgeous sunny day. It just so happens that this was the one of the last beautiful days of the season, and we picked well. It was perfect weather for picnicking, biking, taking photos, and taking a leisurely nap in the sun. I was enjoying the scenery so much that I had to stop and take a picture every few minutes, as each little town offered a different beautiful view. The houses are situated on the hill such that the scene looks like a painting from a fairy tale, and as you ride further along the path, you pick up more of the story.

At the end, the grandeur of the Chateau was enough to make even the most fatigued rider proud of the journey. We had the afternoon to tour the castle and learn about the history of this iconic Swiss structure. Famous for Lord Byron's poem, "The Prisoner of Chillon," each room leads you through the story of life in the 18th Century and of the man who was chained in the dungeon for 6 years. In addition to stories of the famous prisoner, each room recreated a scene in 18th century life - preparation of feasts for hundreds of people, fabrication of furniture, armour design, and defense against intruders. (Check out the album for pictures from each room!)

After having enjoyed our visit at the castle, we headed back to Lausanne, where we saw other groups of bikers relishing the last moments of their Sunday evening. What I appreciate most about this country is that there really is a day devoted to rest, relaxation, and enjoyment of the natural world. Everyone seems to take advantage of the beautiful autumn colors and the crisp, fresh air. I wish to always have one day in the week to be reminded of what it means to enjoy life.

Monks and Laundry

Today was supposed to be a day of excitement, but, unfortunately, I only did normal things like laundry and cleaning the bathroom. I suppose that's what rain will do to ruin a fun day.

However, tomorrow I am going to le Chateau de Chillon with some of my friends from the Xchange excursion. We are biking about 60 km total to and from Montreux, a small town near Lausanne. The Chateau is famously linked to Lord Byron, who apparently wrote a poem while staying in the castle - it is a story about an imprisoned Genevois monk. Brace yourselves...it's a long one.
_____________________________________________
The Prisoner of Chillon I
_____________________________________________
My hair is grey, but not with years,
Nor grew it white
In a single night,1
As men's have grown from sudden fears:
5 My limbs are bow'd, though not with toil,
But rusted with a vile repose,
For they have been a dungeon's spoil,
And mine has been the fate of those
To whom the goodly earth and air
10 Are bann'd, and barr'd -- forbidden fare;
But this was for my father's faith
I suffer'd chains and courted death;
That father perish'd at the stake
For tenets he would not forsake;
15 And for the same his lineal race
In darkness found a dwelling-place;
We were seven - who now are one,
Six in youth and one in age,
Finish'd as they had begun,
20 Proud of Persecution's rage;
One in fire, and two in field,
Their belief with blood have seal'd:
Dying as their father died,
For the God their foes denied; --
25 Three were in a dungeon cast,
Of whom this wreck is left the last.
___________________________________________________
II
___________________________________________________
There are seven pillars of Gothic mould,
In Chillon's dungeons deep and old,
There are seven columns massy and grey,
30 Dim with a dull imprison'd ray.
A sunbeam which hath lost its way,
And through the crevice and the cleft
Of the thick wall is fallen and left:
Creeping o'er the floor so damp,
35 Like a marsh's meteor lamp:
And in each pillar there is a ring,
And in each ring there is a chain;
That iron is a cankering thing,
For in these limbs its teeth remain,
40 With marks that will not wear away,
Till I have done with this new day,
Which now is painful to these eyes,
Which have not seen the sun so rise
For years -- I cannot count them o'er,
45 I lost their long and heavy score
When my last brother droop'd and died,
And I lay living by his side.
___________________________________________________
III
___________________________________________________
They chain'd us each to a column stone,
And we were three -- yet, each alone;
50 We could not move a single pace,
We could not see each other's face,
But with that pale and livid light
That made us strangers in our sight:
And thus together -- yet apart,
55 Fetter'd in hand, but pined in heart;
'Twas still some solace, in the dearth
Of the pure elements of earth,
To hearken to each other's speech,
And each turn comforter to each
60 With some new hope or legend old,
Or song heroically bold;
But even these at length grew cold.
Our voices took a dreary tone,
An echo of the dungeon stone,
65 A grating sound -- not full and free
As they of yore were wont to be;
It might be fancy -- but to me
They never sounded like our own.
___________________________________________________
IV
___________________________________________________
I was the eldest of the three,
70 And to uphold and cheer the rest
I ought to do -- and did my best
And each did well in his degree.
The youngest, whom my father loved,
Because our mother's brow was given
75 To him - with eyes as blue as heaven,
For him my soul was sorely moved:
And truly might it be distressed
To see such bird in such a nest;
For he was beautiful as day --
80 (When day was beautiful to me
As to young eagles being free)
A polar day, which will not see
A sunset till its summer's gone
Its sleepless summer of long light
85 The snow-clad offspring of the sun:
And thus he was as pure and bright,
And in his natural spirit gay,
With tears for nought but others' ills,
And then they flow'd like mountain rills,
90 Unless he could assuage the woe
Which he abhorr'd to view below
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V
___________________________________________________
The other was as pure of mind,
But form'd to combat with his kind;
Strong in his frame, and of a mood
95 Which 'gainst the world in war had stood,
And perish'd in the foremost rank
With joy: -- but not in chains to pine:
His spirit wither'd with their clank,
I saw it silently decline
100 And so perchance in sooth did mine:
But yet I forced it on to cheer
Those relics of a home so dear
He was a hunter of the hills,
Had follow'd there the deer and wolf;
105 To him this dungeon was a gulf,
And fetter'd feet the worst of ills
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VI
___________________________________________________
Lake Leman lies by Chillon's walls:
A thousand feet in depth below
Its massy waters meet and flow;
110 Thus much the fathom-line was sent
From Chillon's snow-white battlement,2
Which round about the wave inthrals:
A double dungeon wall and wave
Have made -- and like a living grave.
115 Below the surface of the lake
The dark vault lies wherein we lay,
We heard it ripple night and day;
Sounding o'er our heads it knock'd;
And I have felt the winter's spray
120 Wash through the bars when winds were high
And wanton in the happy sky;
And then the very rock hath rock'd,
And I have felt it shake, unshock'd,
Because I could have smiled to see
125 The death that would have set me free
___________________________________________________
VII
___________________________________________________
I said my nearer brother pined,
I said his mighty heart declined,
He loathed and put away his food;
It was not that 'twas coarse and rude,
130 For we were used to hunter's fare,
And for the like had little care:
The milk drawn from the mountain goat
Was changed for water from the moat,
Our bread was such as captive's tears
135 Have moisten'd many a thousand years,
Since man first pent his fellow men
Like brutes within an iron den;
But what were these to us or him?
These wasted not his heart or limb;
140 My brother's soul was of that mould
Which in a palace had grown cold,
Had his free breathing been denied
The range of the steep mountain's side;
But why delay the truth? -- he died.
145 I saw, and could not hold his head,
Nor reach his dying hand -- nor dead, --
Though hard I strove, but strove in vain,
To rend and gnash my bonds in twain.
He died - and they unlock'd his chain,
150 And scoop'd for him a shallow grave
Even from the cold earth of our cave.
I begg'd them, as a boon, to lay
His corse in dust whereon the day
Might shine -- it was a foolish thought,
155 But then within my brain it wrought,
That even in death his freeborn breast
In such a dungeon could not rest.
I might have spared my idle prayer --
They coldly laugh'd -- and laid him there:
160 The flat and turfless earth above
The being we so much did love;
His empty chain above it leant,
Such murder's fitting monument!
___________________________________________________
VIII
___________________________________________________
But he, the favourite and the flower,
165 Most cherish'd since his natal hour,
His mother's image in fair face,
The infant love of all his race,
His martyr'd father's dearest thought,
My latest care, for whom I sought
170 To hoard my life, that his might be
Less wretched now, and one day free;
He, too, who yet had held untired
A spirit natural or inspired --
He, too, was struck, and day by day
175 Was wither'd on the stalk away.
Oh, God! it is a fearful thing
To see the human soul take wing
In any shape, in any mood: --
I've seen it rushing forth in blood,
180 I've seen it on the breaking ocean
Strive with a swoln convulsive motion,
I've seen the sick and ghastly bed
Of Sin delirious with its dread:
But these were horrors -- this was woe
185 Unmix'd with such -- but sure and slow:
He faded, and so calm and meek,
So softly worn, so sweetly weak,
So tearless, yet so tender -- kind,
And grieved for those he left behind;
190 With all the while a cheek whose bloom
Was as a mockery of the tomb,
Whose tints as gently sunk away
As a departing rainbow's ray --
An eye of most transparent light,
195 That almost made the dungeon bright,
And not a word of murmur -- not
A groan o'er his untimely lot, --
A little talk of better days,
A little hope my own to raise,
200 For I was sunk in silence -- lost
In this last loss, of all the most;
And then the sighs he would suppress
Of fainting nature's feebleness,
More slowly drawn, grew less and less:
205 I listen'd, but I could not hear --
I call'd, for I was wild with fear;
I knew 'twas hopeless, but my dread
Would not be thus admonished;
I call'd, and thought I heard a sound
210 I burst my chain with one strong bound,
And rush'd to him: -- I found him not,
I only stirr'd in this black spot,
I only lived -- I only drew
The accursed breath of dungeon-dew;
215 The last -- the sole -- the dearest link
Between me and the eternal brink,
Which bound me to my failing race,
Was broken in this fatal place.
One on the earth, and one beneath --
220 My brothers -- both had ceased to breathe:
I took that hand which lay so still,
Alas! my own was full as chill;
I had not strength to stir, or strive,
But felt that I was still alive --
225 A frantic feeling, when we know
That what we love shall ne'er be so.
I know not why
I could not die,
I had no earthly hope - but faith,
230 And that forbade a selfish death.
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IX
___________________________________________________
What next befell me then and there
I know not well - I never knew --
First came the loss of light, and air,
And then of darkness too:
235 I had no thought, no feeling -- none --
Among the stones I stood a stone,
And was, scarce conscious what I wist,
As shrubless crags within the mist
For all was blank, and bleak, and grey,
240 It was not night -- it was not day,
It was not even the dungeon-light,
So hateful to my heavy sight,
But vacancy absorbing space,
And fixedness -- without a place;
245 There were no stars -- no earth -- no time
No check -- no change -- no good -- no crime
But silence, and a stirless breath
Which neither was of life nor death;
A sea of stagnant idleness,
250 Blind, boundless, mute, and motionless!
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X
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A light broke in upon my brain, --
It was the carol of a bird;
It ceased, and then it came again,
The sweetest song ear ever heard,
255 And mine was thankful till my eyes
Ran over with the glad surprise,
And they that moment could not see
I was the mate of misery;
But then by dull degrees came back
260 My senses to their wonted track,
I saw the dungeon walls and floor
Close slowly round me as before,
I saw the glimmer of the sun
Creeping as it before had done,
265 But through the crevice where it came
That bird was perch'd, as fond and tame,
And tamer than upon the tree;
A lovely bird, with azure wings,
And song that said a thousand things,
270 And seem'd to say them all for me!
I never saw its like before,
I ne'er shall see its likeness more:
It seem'd like me to want a mate,
But was not half so desolate,
275 And it was come to love me when
None lived to love me so again,
And cheering from my dungeon's brink,
Had brought me back to feel and think.
I know not if it late were free,
280 Or broke its cage to perch on mine,
But knowing well captivity,
Sweet bird! I could not wish for thine!
Or if it were, in winged guise,
A visitant from Paradise;
285 For -- Heaven forgive that thought! the while
Which made me both to weep and smile;
I sometimes deem'd that it might be
My brother's soul come down to me;
But then at last away it flew,
290 And then 'twas mortal -- well I knew,
For he would never thus have flown,
And left me twice so doubly lone, --
Lone -- as the corse within its shroud,
Lone -- as a solitary cloud,
295 A single cloud on a sunny day,
While all the rest of heaven is clear,
A frown upon the atmosphere,
That hath no business to appear
When skies are blue, and earth is gay.
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XI
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300 A kind of change came in my fate,
My keepers grew compassionate;
I know not what had made them so,
They were inured to sights of woe,
But so it was: -- my broken chain
305 With links unfasten'd did remain,
And it was liberty to stride
Along my cell from side to side,
And up and down, and then athwart,
And tread it over every part;
310 And round the pillars one by one,
Returning where my walk begun,
Avoiding only, as I trod,
My brothers' graves without a sod;
For if I thought with heedless tread
315 My step profaned their lowly bed,
My breath came gaspingly and thick,
And my crush'd heart fell blind and sick.
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XII
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I made a footing in the wall,
It was not therefrom to escape,
320 For I had buried one and all
Who loved me in a human shape;
And the whole earth would henceforth be
A wider prison unto me:
No child -- no sire -- no kin had I,
325 No partner in my misery;
I thought of this, and I was glad,
For thought of them had made me mad;
But I was curious to ascend
To my barr'd windows, and to bend
330 Once more, upon the mountains high,
The quiet of a loving eye.
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XIII
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I saw them - and they were the same,
They were not changed like me in frame;
I saw their thousand years of snow
335 On high -- their wide long lake below,
And the blue Rhone in fullest flow;
I heard the torrents leap and gush
O'er channeled rock and broken bush;
I saw the white-wall'd distant town,
340 And whiter sails go skimming down;
And then there was a little isle,3
Which in my very face did smile,
The only one in view;
A small green isle, it seem'd no more,
345 Scarce broader than my dungeon floor,
But in it there were three tall trees,
And o'er it blew the mountain breeze,
And by it there were waters flowing,
And on it there were young flowers growing,
350 Of gentle breath and hue.
The fish swam by the castle wall,
And they seem'd joyous each and all;
The eagle rode the rising blast,
Methought he never flew so fast
355 As then to me he seem'd to fly,
And then new tears came in my eye,
And I felt troubled -- and would fain
I had not left my recent chain;
And when I did descend again,
360 The darkness of my dim abode
Fell on me as a heavy load;
It was as is a new-dug grave,
Closing o'er one we sought to save, --
And yet my glance, too much oppress'd,
365 Had almost need of such a rest
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XIV
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It might be months, or years, or days,
I kept no count - I took no note,
I had no hope my eyes to raise,
And clear them of their dreary mote;
370 At last men came to set me free,
I ask'd not why, and reck'd not where,
It was at length the same to me,
Fetter'd or fetterless to be,
I learn'd to love despair.
375 And thus when they appear'd at last,
And all my bonds aside were cast,
These heavy walls to me had grown
A hermitage -- and all my own!
And half I felt as they were come
380 To tear me from a second home:
With spiders I had friendship made,
And watch'd them in their sullen trade,
Had seen the mice by moonlight play,
And why should I feel less than they?
385 We were all inmates of one place,
And I, the monarch of each race,
Had power to kill - yet, strange to tell!
In quiet we had learn'd to dwell --
My very chains and I grew friends,
390 So much a long communion tends
To make us what we are: - even I
Regain'd my freedom with a sigh.
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As for tomorrow, if isn't beautiful, I will be upset to not have posted any pictures. (My apologies in advance).