June 9 - Undefeated Lugano Lakers! and few last thoughts....

On Saturday, June 8, the Lugano Lakers senior team played the Zug bouncers. This was a make up game from April 20th, because there was too much snow on the field back then! The field was in a park area which didn't have any specific parking available. I rode with the team on the bus - a full size comfortable tour bus. He followed the GPS to the address, which brought us to a dead end street with a few wagons being pulled by horses to give families a ride. This was a narrow street, with cars parked on one side, and also periodic parts of the sidewalk jutting out into the street to slow down cars. There was no place to turn the bus around. Our poor bus driver had to back the bus up almost 2 blocks. The guys in the back of the bus watched out the window for obstacles. Success!

It was a warm, sunny day, so while the team was warming up before the game, I hopped on the train nearby for a couple of stops into downtown Zug. Rick and I were here earlier in the year. It wasn't the best day to walk around Zug. Not only was it hot, but it seemed like there was a children's triathlon going on which made for a quite a maze to get around. Back at the field I enjoyed a great game in which the Lakers won 33-21! The senior team took the bus home, and I chose to take the train. I would have been the only girl on the bus, no coaches, just the guys.

The juniors had a game today, June 9, in Geneva. Not exactly right down the street. After the Zug game Saturday evening, the coaches drove to Geneva where they met the junior team to spend the night. I got a message from Rick after the game that they won 23-13! Both teams are undefeated. Yeah!

So I am spending the day packing to go home. A real trick since Swiss International airlines only lets you bring an 8 kilo carry on and only 1 checked bag! Fortunately we are going to be able to leave some things here, as we will try to come back next year for the Laker team.

A couple last minute thoughts about life in Switzerland. Here in Pregassona (as it is in many towns in Switzerland), the church bells ring - not each hour, but they ring for about 20 gongs, at 6:30am. This is a tradition from earlier days when there were just farmers who didn't own a beautiful Swiss watch. The bells served to wake them up to work on their farms. I don't understand why this can't be changed, since there are no farmers left within earshot of the bells. Thankfully my earplugs kept me from waking up at 6:30 every day! Now, by contrast, the grammar school across the street, instead of having a typical school bell ring at 8:30, it is a very quiet and pleasant ding-dong-ding. But who cares that the school bell is soft and unobtrusive? Everyone has been awake since 6:30!

We have also noticed that people will still throw garbage on the ground. This is real sad, since this is such a beautiful country, and Swiss homes are traditionally spotless. But there are cigarette cartons (they totally smoke too much), cigarette butts, candy wrappers, bottles, newspaper, etc. scattered here and there in the city. I would love to see this mentality change - it's so uncalled for. This is typically just in the cities and not in the countryside.

So I am ready to go home. I can't wait to get back to: my family, microwave, garbage disposal, 24 hour grocery store, stores open on Sunday and holidays, my building's elevator, a CAR, our DVR (I keep wanting to rewind the live TV here), my bed, and as I think of anything else for final thoughts, I will surely add them!

Arrivederci Ticino! See you next year!

June 7 - our time almost coming to a close....

Our last days in Lugano..... we have met with friends for lunch, dinner, aperativos, or for coffee. I need to go on a diet, seriously. This past week has been the longest stretch of decent weather since we arrived, but it is time to go home. With the nice weather I think of so many places I would like to hike, but it's time to clean and pack and also time for us to chill out and enjoy the moments.

Nevertheless, we will have a busy weekend! Tomorrow we will travel to Zug, to play a football game for the juniors that was cancelled in April due to too much snow on the field. Then on Sunday there is a game in Geneva for the seniors. Both of these will be tough games. A lot of traveling before our Monday morning departure. Another reason it was important to relax and chill this week!

Here are a few pictures from this past week.

On one of our walks.... the flowers are so beautiful. These were growing in someone's garden.

While eating dinner on our balcony the other day, I noticed hang gliders floating around Monte Bre. This is the first time I've ever noticed them on a mountain here in Lugano!

The hang gliders were landing in a field just downhill from our house. We went over to watch!

Last Thursday we were given a tour of the TV studio for the Italian canton of Ticino. It is located in Comano, which is the town we lived in for a year, 8 years ago. One of the coaches of the Lugano Lakers works there. Here we are in one of the control rooms. (then I was told not to take pictures).

June 1-2 Weekend in Glarus, team pizza party

This past weekend I visited a friend in Glarus, Switzerland. If anyone has been watching the news, there has been so much rain in Europe and many places began to flood this weekend. We were actually having a sunny, warm weekend south of the Alps in Lugano, but my plans took me to rainy Glarus!

In the meantime, the Lugano Lakers had a football game in St. Gallen, which is north of Glarus. Originally we were going to go to Glarus after the game, but plans got all messed up so just I went to Glarus by train and didn't attend the game. Good thing.... the team rode up to the other end of Switzerland, played 1 quarter of the game in the rain (and were winning, 16-0), when a player hurt his ankle. Under Swiss rules, a doctor has to be present at each game. The doctor was there at the beginning of the game, but when the player got hurt early in the 2nd quarter, the doctor was no where to be found. The referee had no choice but to stop the game! A long ride there and back for a few minutes of play. Good news is that both the junior and senior teams are still both undefeated! :-)

Despite the rain I had a wonderful time in Glarus. Fortunately, even though it was raining on Saturday, the clouds were high enough to see the spectacular mountains - although it only gave me a peak. My friend and I still managed to take a one hour walk in the rain along Lake Klontal. I enjoyed a 5-star home-cooked dinner of osso bucco, homemade noodles and sauce, sauteed Swiss chard and zucchini, salad and heavenly wine from my friend's vineyard. The next morning I had a super delicious breakfast of homemade rösti potatoes, ham, and onions with a fried egg on top!

On my way home on Sunday, my friend dropped me off in the town of Einsiedeln, where I saw the Einsiedeln Abbey, which is a site of many pilgrimages. It sure seemed like the largest and most ornate cathedral in Switzerland! It was quite splendid! Unfortunately it was still raining outside. I then took the train back to Lugano, where I could see so much flooding that was taking place over the weekend. Even some of the train lines had interruptions from mudslides or falling boulders. Fortunately I was able to make all my connections just fine.

In the evening, I was looking forward to a quiet, relaxing evening, while Rick was going to attend a pizza dinner party with the coaches and the football team. Just as they were about to leave I was told that the dinner was for all the coaches wives and families too! I had taken a hike when I got home, I was hot and needed a shower and was TOTALLY unprepared to go to a "goodbye" dinner which we thought was just for the guys. Well, I had to go and make do with a quick change of clothes but was far from looking my best. Gee, I wish someone would have told me! It ended up being a very nice evening and all the coaches and team have been so nice to Rick and I!

We are on our last week here. This coming weekend there is a game on Saturday and Sunday and then we leave Monday morning. :-(  But at the same time I am ready to come home. :-)

Checking the weather report for Glarus... what is "unknown precipitation"? Is it raining cats and dogs???

Lake Klontal - I must come back - in beautiful weather I'm sure it is even more spectacular!!!

On our hike to one of the many waterfalls. I'm wearing my new rain jacket I had to buy in Lugano, because of all this rain! I'm wearing my light down jacket under this rain jacket - just lovely weather.

On our spectacular mountain ride, fog rain fog.

An amazing gourmet dinner. The large windows give the impression we were eating outside.

The Einsiedeln Abbey

Fog and rain on the train ride between Einsiedeln and Arth-Goldau.

Flooded lake below as the train comes down into Arth-Goldau. 

At the football team's  "All you can eat" pizza dinner party!

One of the odd pizzas - with french fries on top! There was even one with seafood - mussels, shrimp, and calamari - no cheese.

A wonderful dinner out on our balcony. We are taking advantage of every moment without rain.