Starbucks goes mobile

Now that’s interesting: My favorite coffee shop is going mobile! From 2013 on some of the intercity trains traveling between St. Gallen and Geneva will include a Starbucks coffee shop wagon!

 

Once again Switzerland is leading the way and planning a key role in innovating the Starbucks brand. It is here over ten years ago where Starbucks opened the first coffee shop in continental Europe, Starbucks purchases all of the coffee worldwide through their Lausanne trading center and their coffee machines come from the Swiss company Thermoplan in Weggis. Why are there still people saying that Swissness is missing in this Starbucks-SBB (state railways of Switzerland) cooperation?

In the 90’s SBB already had two wagons from Mc Donalds driving through Switzerland. That didn’t run well though, they’ve been past for a long time.

The SBB intends to make train trips more attractive – with Starbucks they certainly make it more attractive to me, although I never really take a train from St. Gallen to Geneva, I prefer driving my own car. I wonder though if having a Starbucks coffee in the train is the right strategy. First of all, Starbucks is very expensive and secondly trains are already full and you can hardly find a seat during rush hours. Does it really make sense to sacrifice a whole wagon to Starbucks instead of creating more seats? According to some comments in the Swiss newspapers that doesn’t go down well with the public. Time will tell…

This is your life. Do what you love and do it often.

 

Thanks to Travelspirit for posting this. So inspirational!

No Kangaroos in Austria

It has happened to me many times: I am going to America, I am telling people that I am from Switzerland and the reply comes immediately “Oh, Sweden, nice country!” I stopped telling people that Switzerland is not Sweden. If they hadn’t known by now, my clarification wouldn’t change anything. It also happened to me that I was walking along the beach in New England, wearing a t-shirt with the Swiss flag and people were asking me, if I was a life guard or working for the Red Cross… (for those who don’t know: the Red Cross has a RED cross and the Swiss flag has a WHITE cross)

On the other hand, I have samples that show that not all the people around the world are ignorant to geography and general knowledge. When I was traveling through Australia, it happened to me several times, that people were asking “What of the four languages do you speak?”, when I had mentioned that I was Swiss. That really surprised me: On the other side of the world they even knew, that Switzerland has four official languages (for those who don’t know: German, French, Italian and Roman).

And the same Australians are the ones that now have to go through a similar conflict: South Korea prepared everything very well for the G20 summit in Seoul. Not only security should work at its best, but also should the guests feel comfortable wherever they went. There had even been a special training for South Koreans on how to treat foreigners and on making sure that everybody is smiling all the time.

In the city centre of Seoul larger-than-life figures with representations of the leaders taking part in the G20 summit of the top 20 world economies make everybody aware of the big event.

But someone in the Seoul municipal council, which set up the figures, has confused Australia with Austria: The Australian Prime Minister is depicted as holding the correct flag, but dressed in a Austrian dirndl as if she were about to compete in a yodelling contest! What a joke! No wonder Austria sells t-shirts with the print “No kangaroos in Austria”…

The wonder of Chile II

The text below is written by Ximena, daughter of Omar Reygadas, 56, who was seventeenth to be freed in an operation that drew the world’s attention. I was very moved when reading this text on BBC News, I wanted to share it in my blog:

“After emerging from the mine where he was trapped for 69 days along with his 32 fellow workers, my dad told me that at one point he thought they would not be rescued. He thought he would die there in the mine because he never imagined there were so many people trying to help them.

As soon as I saw him, I hugged and kissed him and took photos of him. The reunion was so wonderful, just huge! My brother Omar had been nominated to receive him once he emerged from the capsule. My sister Marcela and I were waiting in the rest area. When he saw me, he said: “Don’t cry, don’t cry, just be calm, because I’m calm.”

In himself, he’s just the same as ever, but physically he’s different – a lot thinner and very pale. He’s normally quite dark-skinned, but at the moment he looks like Casper, he’s so pale! In general, he’s in good spirits. But then when he remembers the first few days after the accident, he starts crying, he gets very upset. But then he pulls himself together and his spirits are high once more.

My dad never imagined that an accident like this would ever happen to him. He told me that during the first few days down that mine, he thought they would never get them out. During those dark moments he prayed to God and asked him that if he was going to take him, then please would he do it while he was sleeping, so he wouldn’t suffer, wouldn’t have to live through a landslide.

What little food they had, they eked it out as long as they could. They ate very little. They had some tuna fish which they ate using a teaspoon. He thought that once the rations were finished or when they gave up trying to find them, they would die down there. He thought he would die there in the mine because he never imagined there were so many people, so much equipment and even big companies, trying to help them.

When he told me all this, he started to cry a bit. He thought they’d been abandoned and the mining company wasn’t going to help them. But he began to have real hope when he heard the machinery up above, obviously trying to locate them. That’s when he realised they would get them out.

He told me he thought about us all the time and missed us terribly, but he did think he wouldn’t see us again. I was surprised when he said he would not work again. I don’t really believe him.

If he wants to eat a nice roast with salad and rice, then that’s what we’ll prepare for him.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank all those people who were there for us, as families, as a nation. I thank them all for being with us. Let’s hope nothing like this ever happens again anywhere in the world.

It’s just so painful.”

 

The wonder of Chile

It was 5.30 in the morning and I could not sleep. I got up and thought I would go to work early. After starting the coffee machine I turned on the TV. I don’t know why, I never turn on the TV in the morning. But this morning was different. And just in that moment the rescue of the 33 Chilean miners had started. When I had turned on the TV, the second miner, Mario Sepulveda was stepping out of “Phoenix”. The miners were brought to the surface one after the other by means of a rescue capsule named “Phoenix” from more then 600 metres depth, at the beginning at one hour intervals, later in intervals of sometimes only 25 minutes.

 

I have never been to Chile and of course I don’t know any of the miners. But I could feel their emotions as if they were my own. Mario was greeted by cheers, then a resounding chant of “Chile! Chile!” as he hugged his son and wife, then President Sebastian Pinera.  I was sitting in front of the TV crying! “I was with God and I was with the devil. They fought and god won.” Those were the words of Mario Sepulveda.

 

After 22 hours and 37 minutes the rescue operation in Chile at the San José mine has come to a lucky end. Originally it was thought it would take 36 to 48 hours to get all the miners to the surface. A nightmare that had lasted 69 days had finally ended.

 

“The old mine went very quiet.” Is what the last rescuer said, when he stepped into “Phoenix” to reach the surface. According to the Chilean president, this mine would definitely never open again.

 

 

Rick Castle, the coolest guy ever

Remember Sonny Crocket and Rico Tubbs in Miami Vice? In the mid 80s I thought those were the coolest cops ever, hunting drug dealers in white suits, pink t-shirts and without socks!

Today, 25 years later, I watched an episode of Castle, New Yorks mystery author who tags along with a detectives team, lead by Kate Beckett. Castle is not a cop, but he is one of the coolest guys since Miami Vice! The Castle and Beckett relationship in general is very special:

Castle:  “Do you know why I chose you as my inspiration for Nikki Heat?”

Beckett: “No. Why?”

Castle: “Because you’re tall. Now go in there and do your job.”

And then my favorite scene tonight:

Castle and Beckett are sitting in front of a pile of DVDs. Beckett grabs one of the DVDs, without hesitating she opens a jack knife, cuts the plastic inside the DVD cover, licks her finger with the powder that comes out of the packet and says:

“Cocaine.”

Castle watches her in amazement and says:

“That was so cool, just like Miami Vice!”

I was laughing tears.

We don’t need Miami Vice anymore, we have Rick Castle, the coolest guy ever!

Bologna, Italy

Bologna is known as the gastronomic capital of northern Italy. The local osterie and trattorie are often the best places to sample the traditional dishes (tortellini, tagliatelle, mortadella and of course pizza) and good local wines at low prices.

While in Bologna on a business trip, I made it my mission to find the best tiramisu in town! So far, my Italian friend Vittoria, who lives in Switzerland, makes the best tiramisu. When tasting Vittorias tiramisu, you can feel angels dancing on your tongue!

I was in Bologna for five days and tasted four tiramisu (you don’t want to know how many kilos I gained during that short time…)! The first one was in the Savhotel. After a local dish with tortellini I ordered my first tiramisu in Bologna. My high expectations where blown away only at the sight of it. The tiramisu was very yellow, had hardly any chocolate on top and tasted far too creamy. Worst of all the lady fingers and the alcohol were completely missing. This was no tiramisu – zero points for Savhotel!

Occupying a late medieval building in the heart of town, the Diana has been popular since 1920. This restaurant offers three gracefully decorated dining rooms and a verdant terrace.  Although the service was poor (the waiter kept forgetting about our order several times), the food was very good. I had tagliatelle alla Bolognese. It was the only night, when I did not order tiramisu, but ice cream with chocolate sauce.

The following night we asked our concierge for a real local place with good local food. He sent us to Ristorante Anna Maria. The walls were full of pictures of celebrities from all over the world, the waiter spoke fluently English, the menue was in English – this was no local place at all, it was rather a very famous tourist restaurant, full of Americans, French, Germans and us Swiss. My bistecche with potatoes  was good, but we could see straight into the kitchen, where Chinese people were preparing the food – is that supposed to be local?? Local means to me that Mamma Anna is standing in the kitchen, preparing the pasta herself! I still had to try the tiramisu and guess what? It was another disappointment:  It was prepared carelessly, the lady fingers looked burned (very dark) and the whole tiramisu was very crumbly. Out of 10 points I gave them three points.

I couldn’t leave Italy without eating a pizza. Nicola’s serves the best pizza in Bologna. Set in a beautiful, quiet square, it is best to visit when the weather is good and white-clothed tables line the pavement. The pizzas are huge (bigger than the plate!), crisp and the toppings delicious. A bottle of Brunello di Montalcino made this dinner perfect. This should be the perfect place for a perfect tiramisu – I thought… But again, the tiramisu was very yellow and very creamy, just not how it is supposed to be. It was better than the first two tiramisu I had, so I gave it five points.

I was nearly giving up on finding the best tiramisu in town, when my friends friend Giulia took us to the Nu Bar Lounge beneath the arcades facing the Piazza Maggiore. This is one of the most trendiest place in Bologna, where all the hip and good looking people spend Friday and Saturday night. After all the food we had eaten during the past five days we were not that hungry. So we went with some prosecco, insalate caprese and mortadella – delicious. I didn’t expect to get tiramisu in a bar, but when I read it on the menu, there was no way I would miss this. I ordered my last tiramisu and finally, finally, finally I felt the kisses from heaven! The tiramisu had the perfect shape and consistency, a lot of chocolate on top of it and you could taste the alcohol! Vittorias tiramisu is still the best of the best, but I gave the tiramisu at the Nu Bar nine points. If you are looking for the best tiramisu in Bologna, this is the place!

Hopp Schwiiz

Chocolate beats Paella!! I still can’t believe it!

This morning I left the house, all dressed in red and white. The first match of Switzerland in the World Cup 2010 was coming up. I intended to go to Baden with a friend of mine and watch the match in a public viewing place.

Switzerland wasn’t very enthusiastic about this game. No wonder, we had to play against the European champion and in 19 games dating back 85 years we had never before won against Spain. Nobody expected a wonder, nobody expected a victory, maybe, maybe some of us were hoping for a drawn: 0-0, or perhaps, if it went really well a 1-1.

I was sitting in a bar, watching the match with a friend of mine and a couple of other Swiss supporters. It was very quiet, the match not very exciting. I had the feeling that Spain was quite poor, not as dangerous as I had expected them to be. I don’t know much about football (or soccer, as the Americans would say), I am only watching it, when there is a European or World Cup. Of course I am supporting Switzerland, my country. And of course I am supporting it very loudly. When I am watching a game at home, I have to close all the windows, so that I am not disturbing my neighbours…

The 0-0 after 45 minutes was ok with me, actually, it was much more than I had expected! And then, after 70 minutes suddenly the world changed: It wasn’t Spain that scored, no, it was Switzerland! Can you believe that? The bar became a madhouse, everybody was screaming! I got very excited, the last 20 minutes were unbearable to watch. I was beating my friend out of nervousness… But then it was finally over. The Swiss held on for the historic win and gave themselves hope of progressing to the second round!

Switzerland’s dramatic 1-0 victory over tournament favourite Spain brought up some good headlines in the news:

Yahoo Sports: “It was the most monumental of shocks and lit up what had been a sleepy World Cup.”

Fifa news: “Switzerland basked in a maiden victory over FIFA World Cup™ favourites Spain.”

France24: “World Cup favourites Spain crashed to a shock 1-0 defeat to unfancied Switzerland in their opening game of the tournament”

Goal.com: “Gelson Fernandes Goal Shocks La Furia Roja”

Last but not least, Ottmar Hitzfeld: “I am fully aware we made history!”

One of my English friends, who supported nobody else but the English team, sent me a text: “Unbelievable victory for the Swiss. I am officially supporting your nation from this moment on. Well done Switzerland.”

And that was the moment, when the city of Baden collapsed! All roads were blocked by celebrating Swiss. It was like we had won the finals, not only just the first game of a long World Cup to follow. The Swiss were fancied by few to progress out of group G when the World Cup began.  But an upset of Spain has put Switzerland in an extremely advantageous position. Even if we lose to a tough Chilean side, our final fixture will be against Honduras, who will already be eliminated in all likelihood.

There is only one thing left to say: HOPP SCHWIIZ!!

My definition of Shanghai, China

It’s been the 5th time that I had to go to China on business – and it was my third time in Shanghai.

When I arrived in Shanghai for the first time, I had a culture shock! I am a world traveler, I know a couple of languages and I had never had a problem getting around anywhere. But China is different. China is different from anything I know! You have no chance of guessing what the signs are saying. You have no chance of communicating with the taxi driver. You have no chance of using the subway by your own! –  Just to mention a couple of differences.

After going to China for several times, I got used – at least a little bit – to the Chinese way of life. I still don’t speak Chinese, I can’t read signs, I can’t talk to the taxi driver and I can’t use the subway by myself (although I tried it, the stops are written in Chinese and English, but the ticket machine is in Chinese only!) . But I am much more comfortable in the Chinese world than I used to be at the beginning.

If somebody would ask me to define Shanghai, I would say the following:

-          People, people, people – wherever you look

-          24 hours roadwork noise

-          New houses and squares within weeks

-          Bargaining, bargaining, bargaining, no matter where you are (even in the pharmacy!)

-          Fighting for your taxi (first come, first serve – if somebody is faster than you are, tough…)

-          Always carrying around the card of your hotel name in Chinese

-          Noodles and tofu for breakfast (unless you are in a Western hotel)

-          Driving without looking at the lanes

-          Walking without looking for other people

-          Belching, snotting, spitting, eating noisily – the louder, the better…

-          Never lose your face, don’t show any negative emotions

-          Buying tailored suits for RMB 600 (CHF 90)

-          Buying tailored shirts for RMB 100 (CHF 15)

-          Buying corrected lenses for sunglasses for RMB 70 (CHF 10)

Those definitions do not only work for Shanghai, probably  also for the rest of China. But Shanghai is the city I know best in China. And Shanghai is the place where I had my first experience with the Chinese culture – a very interesting culture, I can’t wait to find out more about it!

No more depressing winter days

I like every season of the year: I like spring time, when everything is nice and green. I like summer time when it is getting hot and you can walk around with only a t-shirt on. I like automn, when the leaves start to change colours. And I like winter time when it is really cold and with a lot of snow. What I don’t like is everything in between, that is not really the season, but still quite typical for the season: a lot of rain in spring and automn, the humidity in summer and foggy winter days that bring no sunshine for days, sometimes even weeks. That can be quite depressing.

Some people say that chocolate helps for depressing, foggy winter days. I love chocolate and apart from 30 degrees hot summer days I could eat chocolate any day of the year. But it doesn’t really help to get a better mood. It only helps to become a size bigger – and that brings me back to the depression…

But now I found the ultimative solution for depressing winter days! The magic word is ZUMBA! Zumba is a Spanish word for “movement, having fun”. Zumba is big time fun and let you forget any depression immediately! Zumba is hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away.

I only started Zumba two weeks ago, but I am already an addicted. My day can be boring, furstrating, depressing, annoying – one hour of Zumba does the magic. I feel great, I feel fit, I feel like dancing! There won’t be any more depressing winter days!

Zumba – Ditch the workout, join the party!