where others come for vacation ...
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Today, exactly a year ago, i arrived in Switzerland... I reflect on the year gone by.. Seems like just yesterday I was bidding goodbye to my cousins and my life in US and boarding the plane to Zurich..
Been quite a year -- made many new First experiences -- I have been blessed with a lot of Love from Lukas, Nellie-Skylar, Claudia-Armand, Walti-Bettina and many other old & new friends. It's been a year of unlearning the US to learning the Swiss way of Life.. from language to metrics to traffic to weather to food to simply letting go & just Being.
I can now carry on conversations in Hoch-Deutsch with even perfect strangers, read German books, watch Merkel deliver a speech to EU and understand most of it! My friends tell me I should be proud of my German, but me.. i think i know myself far better to take a breather.
A lot of fun & laughter, wow & humbling moments, some tears, some fears, some adjustments... But all in all a fun ride!!
And now it's time to hang out with Lukas beside the Lake, with a drink in hand and Enjoy Us in this Paradise!!
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I pedal leisurely along the lake. Biking has always imparted a sense of freedom.. unrestricted views to delight the eyes.. the feel of the breeze on the face.. My mind wanders back to my bike trips in San Diego.. gliding along Route 56 bike path to Torrey-Pines beach, panting & puffing my way uphill & then the refreshing downhill.. And then one day, my bike was stolen, from a Garage in a gated community. Guess someone needed it more than i did. I laugh out loud, reminiscing about the policeman who was more interested in my apartment & how much rent I pay than in making a report..
Anyways, a little climb on leaving the end of village beach, brings me back to NOW.. here i am feeling the freedom again thanks to Claudia. My first time biking in Switzerland.. I must buy a bike soon. What am i waiting for anyways?? Gently undulating countryside gets my legs moving, a nice gentle downhill to the gravel harvesting company and then a seriously sweaty stretch to the summit (My summit is where the Pillars of the Autobahn meet this pedestrian only road) with a thumping heart & heavy legs.. and then the downhill Bliss... Ahh the uphill sweat was sure worth it.
At the end of the downhill, Rudolf Blättler's bronze sculpture "Ubinas" stands in a meadow. In the 1970s, this was home to hundreds of migrant workers who helped build the Seelisberg Tunnel. Post construction, it was converted to a beach with a grassy meadow and a small restaurant.
As a contrast to the gigantic viaduct, Blättler's work symbolises the human-spiritual values. Like its namesake "Ubinas", this statue too pushes forth from the depths of Earth, with hollow eyes looking inward and outward, perhaps in search of the profound mysteries of existence.
Still pretty early in the morning for the throngs of swimmers, so i have the place all to myself.. to ponder over the meaning of "Ubinas" (Literal translation from Latin - place of origin of life) and from whence to whither it takes us..
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As i make my way to the Beckenried Strandbad (Beach) with sunglasses, hat and flip-flops, I'm reminded of the July 4th weekends in San Diego. It would be next to impossible to find a spot on the sandy beach of Torrey Pines... Umbrellas, Gazebos and elaborate Grills dotted the beach from early morning. RVs, SUVs and cars taking up all available parking spots..
Pretty similar scene here, though on a much smaller scale. We have a tiny beach, not too many auto parking spots, but a lot more bike stands (Ahem!).. and they're all taken. Seems like all of Beckenried is here. Little umbrellas line the grassy beach, paddle boarders and swimmers are enjoying the warm waters and Sunshine.
It's the annual Grill event for the Sport Union. About 50-60 women have gathered to bask in the Sunshine and also to have one last get together, before the Summer Break. No more events, sports or activities for the next two months. I talk in Hoch Deutsch (High-German) to the ladies at the table over a glass of "Moscato d'Asti" about this and that.. Conversation in German flows easily after the Moscato.. perhaps i should get another glass.. but better sense prevails and i decide to wait until after dinner.
Dinner -- what can a veggie girl expect to find in a hardcore meat eating village's teeny li'l restaurant hosting a Grilling event??? But whoa.. it's my lucky day -- I dig into the veggie SpringRolls and Salad.. Ummm. Not bad!!
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I'm out on a walk when Claudia texts me if I'd like to join her for Vita-Parcours in Seelisberg. But ofcourse!! I'm always ready for some outdoors fun, especially if it comes with a view.
Cara and Russell(Carussel), eager to get out, start barking excitedly as we park. They run around in glee. We start running up the trail to the starting point, jumping over tree roots, gingerly stepping over small stones, moss & wet earth. I bask in the Forest's atmosphere, soaking it in through all five senses. I let the sights, sounds, aromas and sensations of the Forest wash over me, gently touching the leaves and branches of the trees i run past and thanking them silently. Just being here is Therapy in itself.
Soon we arrive at the first station. It's a 1.9KM long course with fifteen stations and a total of 43 exercises (Endurance, flexibility, agility and strength) along with Pre & Post stretches. Though the exercise descriptions are in German, the accompanying pictures make it quite simple to follow. And Claudia is kind & patient to explain the not-so-obvious. We run from one station to the next, Carussel always finding something interesting to dig. Claudia has a bone for Russell, so he won't get tempted to carry stones in his mouth. He still manages to lose the bone a couple of times though 
After frog jumping, landing, running around & vaulting over obstacles, swinging & hanging by our arms (the hardest for me), push-ups & pull-ups, we arrive at a T-junction. Though the Blue parkour signs are pointing to our left, Claudia runs to the right. A detour, she says.. a few hundred meters later, I know why..
And there in all it's beauty, framed by the tree --Turquoise waters of Lake Lucerne, Blue Sky, Green mountains draped by white clouds.. A view that my eyes will never tire of. We stand mesmerised for a few minutes. My Spirit soars like a Condor riding on thermals along this Ridge, over the waters and on to the green mountains beyond. A bark brings me out of my Reverie..
Time to get back on track.. the last couple stations are calling us...