Sunday, July 25, 2010

Missing life in Luzern











My things are packed, the apartment (almost) clean and ready for handover.  I have been reflecting on what I am about to leave behind - not just the place but the lifestyle.  I feel truly lucky to have lived this life in this place and hope that I'm able to carry some of this back with me to combat the hustle and bustle of US life.  At the risk of changing my mind here are some things I will miss about my life here in Luzern:


* Walking to the corner bakery (and there is one on every corner) for a fresh bit of something something for breakfast
* Getting a spontaneous call from a friend to meet up for a drink in 10 minutes
* Sitting at outdoor cafes
* The 22% tax rate
* Farmers market twice per week
* Stunning views of an Alp ringed lake outside my office window
* My 10 minute walking commute to work
* My clean happy white loft apartment and it's fab roofdeck
* Church bells marking the hour
* Sundays where you are forced to just enjoy yourself because nothing is open except above mentioned outdoor cafes
* Good yogurt
* Good jam
* Having a working wood fireplace
* Walking on cobblestones every day
* Being surrounded by 400 year old painted buildings
 
* Christmas market
* Hearing alpenhorns and yodeling in one of the old plazas
* Pretzel bread
* Being no more than a 2 hour flight from all the most interesting places in Europe
* Being free of the hassles of car ownership
* Experiencing winter without wind chill factors or snow boots

* Catching sight of the little old lady in the red Pope car
* Summer festivals - especially Blue Balls

* Witnessing Fasnacht (but once is enough)

* And soaking in the natural beauty all around me every day.  When I moved here I promised myself I would never take it for granted.  And I never did.

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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 25, 2010 at 11:08 AM

    I am sure Luzern will miss you to! But you are gonna be back here soon!

    Love that you will miss little old lady in the red pope car!

    Kjersti

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  2. AnonymousJuly 25, 2010 at 4:33 PM

    You have the heart and the eye to see what's best in every place you are - surely you'll find the best in your full-time town now. You have lots of interesting hangouts a short walk down the street - though cobblestoned it's not. Set a good example and declare a moratorium on anything productive on Sundays. You have special friends/family/nephews ten minutes away to spontaneously enjoy. The Yogurt and Jam??? - I got nothing to say. After counting your Swiss blessings - if you're STILL coming - we can't wait to have you back, sweetie. Auntie

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  3. KimJuly 27, 2010 at 10:11 AM

    You're coming home? I am so happy to know you'll be stateside because I know that eventually we will still travel together on some worldwide adventure and it matters not where the starting point is on that one. But to know that you are much nearer-by now... yay! Pleasepleaseplease lets get together before I have to go back to school this fall. Love you, love me.

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