Add this to the things that will never, ever happen in the US

I ordered another accessory for my babies, Betti and my new stroller. A friend sent me some informtion so that I could purchase this item from a store in Switzerland online. Switzerland has some weird rules about baby items and, as a result, you can only purchase these things in Switzerland (not allowed to order it from the UK or Germany and ship it to a Swiss address).

So I went to the website. All in German. Fortunately, I am learning key words that help in this type of situation and was able to purchase the item. Only I paid for it using Rechnung, which means bill.

I assumed they would send me the bill, I'd pay it, and then I would get my item.

Nope. I received my package today, with the bill attached.

Can you imagine this happening in the US? Stores sending out merchandise with the bill attached, expecting you to pay for the items you've already received?

Hahahaha. Me neither.

Why yes, I do have a fallout shelter in my cellar.

My building was built in 1995, complete with shelters. Why? Because it is in Switzerland!

Just when I start to feel comfortable

After more than a year here, I feel pretty comfortable with things. I know where things are and how to get there, I am getting used to the insanely high prices, I am okay with my awkwardness with the German language, and I am used to my role as the foreigner who occasionally gets looks for being different.

And then something small happened that wasn't expected in the least that threw me for a loop.

I went and acquired a taste for water with gas, or wasser mit kohlensäure. With sirop no less!

Is nothing sacred?

The constant tourist

Part of the reason we've been so crazy busy lately is that we've been trying to see as much as possible while we are in Switzerland. We lost eight months with that pesky pregnancy and all of its joys. I don't want to leave here and regret not doing and seeing as much as possible.

So, I'd love some suggestions from you all. If you were in Europe, where would you go? I have a running list of places I want to go and trips to the Black Forest, Italy (Tuscany & Cinque Terre), and the North Sea capitals currently planned.

Hit me with some suggestions people!

Just keep swimming...

Yep, still here. I am crazy busy right now and running around doing a million things. All with around ten posts drafted in my head. Just as soon as I have a chance to sit down and write them all you will hear about our adventures in Malta, London, and Switzerland in the past couple of weeks. Yes, yes! Crazy busy!

Good Idea: Coin required shopping carts

I've been meaning to write about the glory that are Swiss shopping carts for a year now so I figured it is about time I do it already!

What took me so long to write about something so simple? I wanted to get a picture of these suckers. Alas, I rarely take my camera to the grocery store so a random picture off the internet will have to do.

There it is in all its glory. In order to use a shopping cart, you need to have a 1 or 2 franc piece with you to unlock the trolley lock and release a cart from the other carts.

Simple yet awesome. No more carts walking away. No more carts hanging out in parking lots across the US. No more loose carts getting blown into cars.

I refuse to believe these suckers are not in use anywhere in the states. Unfortunately, I have yet to see them in the Baltimore area.

Let's get on this America!

***Picture borrowed from http://www.global-b2b-network.com/b2b/63/67/1175/287499/coin_operated_trolley_lock.html.

Reminder: Orange Cinema

Tickets for the Zurich Orange cinema go on sale tomorrow!

Click me!