Im running late on this post so its going to be a quick double whammy covering both Switzerland and the beginning of our adventure through southern France.
We spent last weeks Wednesday to Monday in Geneva, Switzerland! Land of the two basic staples in life: chocolate and watches. When we arrived in the city we were greeted by Catherine’s Aunts Joan and Mary who live here with their two kids, Aimei and Xing Xing. They were, as all of our hosts have been, perfect, gracious, and have added and made our trip what it is! So fantastic.
We ate (because being in Europe is really all about food)… we ate baguettes and cheese again for lunch everyday, balanced out some more by hours of walking. One night we cooked a meal from the 101 Cookbooks website (happens to be Joan and my favorite cooking site) of soba noodles and sushi! The night before we left we made amazing Fondue which is a thing to eat in Switzerland.
We got to see lots of banks in Switzerland, took pictures in front of the United Nations building, attended Xing Xings track meet, and travelled through the mountains (seeing the Alps) to a tiny town called La Chaux de Fondes. More details in our books!
This Monday we left for Arles, France… a tiny town where Vincent VanGogh finally developed his style because he was inspired by the light there. We were also inspired! We were also given a gift from Catherines Aunt Joan to get a hammam and gommage while in Arles. This is sitting in a steam bath and getting a full body scrub which was a equally strange and fantastic experience.
After Arles we spent another day on trains to end up here, in Pisa, Italy for Thanksgiving Day. Catherines rushing me to finish as we speak because she wants to start the feast. We have purchased antipastos: sundried tomatoes in olive oil, arthichokes in olive oil, bread, goat cheese, foccacia pizza with vegetables… a first dish: pasta with pesto and sauce, more bread, garlic, butter… and for our final course: a small roasted chicken with red potatoes, onion, and pumpkin. Oh, and I cant forget! Lots of wine.
I hope you all have or had a wonderful thanksgiving with family wherever you are. So much love and good food to you all!