Rock On

Jack learned "woc on."

Re: Birthday

Alex gave Michael a sword, which will go well with his current knight theme.
Auntie Patty sent a terrific mailer with cartoon stamps and Sponge Bob.
Auntie Kathy and Uncle Lee sent this "color spinner" - check it out:

Gingerbread cupcakes & cookies for a school treat - "magnifique," as one mom proclaimed. Extras went to Pepperdine students, who appreciate any bit of edible Americana. Anyway, a preamble to a birthday party to be held in a couple of weeks at the hotel - Michael's whole class invited!

Brussels

Brussels was our only two-nighter, given the EU agenda of the tour. "Europe" was defined as a political system for the most part and its PR smacked as a wish list of utopic - not automatically meaning ridiculous - social impulses: multicultural, tolerant, sustainable. I couldn't help noticing that the "We Are Europe" banner on the Parliament building featured everyone - Muslim, gay, disabled - as singular, adult entities. Not socially defined by family, there were no images of children! Keep that up and they won't be Europe for too much longer.
The old city at night and at day.


Jack fell asleep, so we enjoyed an early dinner on our own at this brasserie. Yummy mussels!

Strasbourg

Stumbled across a children's barber - cheaper than Switzerland, even with the terrible exchange.
I went on the tour to the European Council, which is being edged out by Brussel's European Parliament - two bodies/one job - although Strasbourg retains considerable postwar symbolic value, given its overlapping French/German identity. I was impressed at how little used was the general meeting room - maybe 10 times a year? The place felt abandoned - just check out the '70s decor.
If the EP budget committee gets its way, this may turn into a vintage tribute to the European Union, but won't get the visitors of that other museum piece in town - the Cathedral. A foiled Al Qaida target and the highest building in Europe until 1880 or so, it was beautiful. The stained glass at the back of the church - facing the seats -was a gift of the EU and prominently featured the 12 star EU symbol above the altar. Particularly strange, considering the controversial omission of God or Christianity from the drafts of the failed constitution.

This shop was most impressive - little heaps of beautifully arranged cookies, chocolate, macaroons, nougat, etc everywhere.We walked the old city and decided to return for the Christmas markets in December - the oldest in France.

On to Brussels.

Michael's Birthday in Metz, France

We just got back from a 5 day "Educational Field Trip" tour of Strasbourg, Brussels, & Metz (23 daytime hours spent on the bus - a learning experience in itself). Plenty to report, mostly of European Union impressions, since that was our daily drill, but I'll gladly leave that to FIRST share a video of Michael's fifth birthday, which was held in Metz, France.

The actual date (10/10/2002) was to be spent on an 8 hour bus ride home, so I scrambled to find a bakery - upon arriving at Metz at 4PM on the 19th - that would bake a cake in time for dinner that night. SCORED! It was a beautiful double layer chocolate mousse on a thin chocolate cake base with a lighter white almost cheesecake with apricot chocolate top layer adorned with fresh berries, ribbons of chocolate, 5 candles, sparklers - all wrapped with a wide band of shiny gold ribbon.

Watch Michael's impression, as he was caught off guard and didn't assume it was HIS birthday we were celebrating. We're planning a party in a couple of weeks, but 40+ students singing in English and French - and the social kid's sudden bout of shyness - was memorable indeed.

The Wheels on the Bus Go 'Round and Around

Here are some recent random shots, taken just before our 5 day bus tour of Strasbourg, Brussels, and Metz - kinda EU heavy as far as itinerary goes (official sites), but I'm more concerned about several hours with Michael and Jack in a bus! 4 hrs to Strasbourg, another 6 to B, 4 more to M, 7 more back to Lausanne. The city stops feature guided bus tours! Children aren't allowed in the EU meetings - pretty much the state of things around here - so they are spared.

Sadly, Michael's birthday will be spent for 7 hours on a bus this Sat. I would complain more, but I still have 5 days ahead of me, so weighing my options. Anyway, Debby and Udo Middelmann brought some gifts - a roll of IKEA drawing paper, coloring book, and fingerpaints. Perfect. (BTW, I read somewhere that the IKEA catalogue is the second more widely read "book" in the world, next to the Bible!)We all took stale bread and fed the swans after Sunday lunch.
Visited with Mrs. Schaeffer.
Jack rode on his favorite park toy. This bronco ride leans all the way forward or on its hind legs, too, until you bring it swinging again.
Last week, I couldn't help but notice how much things have changed, in terms of the public presence of children in Switzerland. 25 years ago they were invisible - like minorities in the '50s - or people were always scolding them in a public spectacle kind of way - didn't matter whose children they were - and there wasn't any equipment or parks for them.

Now, it's just the reverse. In fact, when they run with an idea, they seem to really go with it, like the Japanese do, too. There are supermarkets with little play areas in them. You even see out-of-control kids - just like in America! The group above was just too much and I found myself thinking, "Where are the parents!"
All this wonderful little market, little grocer, little, little this and that, is great, but every now and then you head for the wonders of the big box. We found a HUGE Migros supermarket, complete with antique merry go round and a fine little park. The cafeteria was pretty good, too, and there was a small mall of stores. I think this is the closest to the mall experience America experienced in the '70s.


The last three are of our first bus trip to the watch museum. Joanne has been a great friend to Michael. We leave tomorrow at 6:30 AM - all 42 students, two adults, and our family. How can I put it? We're all feeling a corporate crossing of fingers, hoping for the best. I'm most interested in Belgium and hope to experience SOMETHING of the Magritte painter, waffle, chocolate - and not just the European Parliament - Belgium. I think we're too early for the Christmas markets of Strasbourg.

Swiss People's Party #2

This post is picture-less, sorry. Just reporting that the social and political scene here is a bit precarious at the moment, given the unrest before elections in two-weeks. Friends witnessed riots in Berne over the weekend by folks countering the racist campaigning of the popular Swiss People's Party, which has the most seats in parliament. Unfortunately, these kinds of riots tend to confirm people's fears about outsiders and fuel social fears. Neo-Nazis in Germany have approved of the controversial posters depicting 3 white sheep kicking out a black sheep (later pulled), as well as the proposed policy to deport all family members if one member is convicted of a crime. A trustworthy friend went to the Valais canton and said there are cartoon posters there of a Muslim man praying with his behind prominent in the air, with a caption reading, "Do they pray with their behinds?"

Odd, since few Swiss people pray anyway, kneeling or otherwise.

Le Chaux de Fonds

We took our first roadtrip - an off the beaten track visit - to Le Chaux de Fonds - a town about 1000 meters high in the Jura mountain range. The town borders France (our guide said, "There's Europe"), produced architect, Le Corbusier, and automaker, Chevrolet, and is a center of watch production. Swiss education and neutrality (lack of war losses) are all contributing factors to an unusual amount of noteworthy citizens.
Two of Corbusier's early designs. The bus ride was a test-run for us, as we will soon go for a week to Brussels and Strasbourg to see EU sites.
One never knows THE time, even if you know the time.

A old Japanese alarm clock - bells rang when according to a longburning candle.
We had lunch at a kitschy mountain chalet with a bad case of lawn ornament disease.Jack runs to the couch EVERYTIME a train goes by.