Saturday

This Saturday past was a lovely day.

My five Swiss cousins all have busy lives, which means that it's not often that they spend a whole day all together in one place. However, to celebrate their dad's (and my uncle's) 75th birthday, they thought the best present they could give would be to go on walk with all the family. The date of 15 November had been arranged a while in advance, and I'd also been invited along.

Anyway, the plan was to go on the chair lift late on Saturday morning from Oberdorf in Canton Solothurn up to the Weissenstein mountain and then walk on from there. Unfortunately, the lift is currently undergoing maintenance work, so we reverted to Plan B and walked up the mountain instead. It wasn't too hard a walk, however. We made it to the top after an hour and a half, and the handful of relatives who'd made it up by car (yes, there's a road going up) had prepared a mini-barbecue for us. The photo below is the view from where we ate.

We then walked down the other side of the hill and finished the walk in Canton Berne and the French-speaking village of Corcelles, where we ended up at the "Restaurant de l'étrier d'argent" (The Silver Stirrup). The people there - who spoke both Swiss German and French - served us copious amounts of fillet of steak which we then fried ourselves in pans on the table. Simply delicious.

200th post

Hard to believe but this really is my 200th blog entry. If you consider that I launched this blog back in September 2006, 200 posts begins to sound somewhat less impressive. However, apart from a few prolific moments now and then, I've really never been one of those professional bloggers who feel inadequate if they don't blog at least once a day. The reason I started the blog in the first place was to amuse myself, provide my family back home with some news, and keep an archive of daily life. If I inadvertently amused other people in the process, then so much the better.

If I ever stopped enjoying writing my blog, then I'd pack it in immediately. Thankfully, this isn't the case yet, although some of you may have noticed my other blog about German wine which I tentatively started, then scrapped, and then started again. My intention recently has been to devote more energies to the wine blog, though I've been suffering from writer's block recently - plus I haven't been tasting too much wine either. Maybe I'll get a second wind though, as it were.

Over the past 12 months, I've undergone a number of upheavals in my professional life. At the end of 2007 I turned freelance and began working from home. However, by the end of August, I was getting tired of working from home and the isolation was sending me potty. So I then decided to rejoin the company I worked for from 2000 to 2006. Not the most original of choices, but hopefully familiarity will not breed contempt this time.

Go-karting

Went go-karting last night with friends in Lörrach-Brombach. The track was situated in an old tennis hall on the edge of Brombach. Was a bit of a trek from the Bahnhof to reach, but we all got there on time for our 8 p.m. Friday night slot.

I'd been go-karting briefly a few weeks ago at another venue in Haagen - my first ever time - and had been virtually the slowest. This time, I was ranked 7th out of 12, which is an improvement, I suppose.

A palatable truth

I've always liked to think that my palate is fairly discerning, at least when it comes to wine. For example, I can taste (and usually smell) the difference between a Pinot Noir and a Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Merlot and a Syrah (Shiraz). And I've been privileged to have have drunk some incredible wines in my time. The moment that always stands out for me - and which probably was one of those "epiphany" moments - was reverently sipping a Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese in the drawing room of Von Buhl Estate back in early 1997 and just being lost for words.

On the other hand, I think my palate is fairly robust as well. For example, I regularly use tabasco as a condiment, I love hot Indian food, I love pickled foods, and I also love nibbling on bone-dry Nairn's Scottish oat cakes. On their own.

My new recent discovery, however, is chocolate with 99% cocoa:

I must say, I've never cared for chocolate that much and have never really had a sweet tooth either. I usually much prefer cheese - and especially Stilton.

However, the prospect of eating chocolate with "99% cacao" seemed like an experiment worth trying. As dark chocolates go, you can't get much darker than that. Truly hardcore stuff. On the pack, consumers are advised that they should first try chocolate with 70% cocoa, then some with 85%, before trying the 99%. But I just went in at the top.

It certainly is an acquired taste. I almost gagged when I bit off the first piece. However, after successively breaking off little bits of the chocolate for about a week or so, I finally started appreciating it. You have to let the chocolate almost melt on your tongue, as it were. Behind the astringency and bitter tannins, you gradually detect lovely, delicate fruit flavours. It's an educative experience, I would say. A small piece is nice with coffee, and I can imagine it would go well with red wine, too. Come to think of it, the similarities with wine are uncanny.

Even better though: it's apparently good for me as well. Consumed in moderation, all those antioxidants it contains supposedly help to lower blood pressure, plus the seratonins also help to give me a dose of the old happy gas, even when its dull and dreary outside. Fantastic!

Thrombosis

Almost four weeks ago I was diagnosed with deep-vein thrombosis in my lower left leg. Luckily, the clot was below the knee. Apparently, the risk of the clot rising up the body would have been greater had it occurred higher up the leg. Neither the doctors nor myself are unsure how exactly the thrombosis developed. A subsequent blood test showed that my blood wasn't particularly predisposed to thrombosis. But anyhow, I have since been taking medication in order to get rid of it.

I first went on a two-week course of Heparin injections to thin the blood. Unfortunately, this didn't change much. So now I'm on a three month course of Marcumar tablets. I also have to wear a compression stocking on the affected leg. So far, the Marcumar seems to be taking effect ok. I have been paying regular visits to the doctor to have blood tests in order to monitor the therapy. Today's test showed that everything's going according to plan, and the interval before my next blood test has now been lengthened to a week (as opposed to previously three/four days a time).

Of course, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned by the whole thing. However, now I'm undergoing the right therapy with the right medication, I'm confident the thrombosis will have disappeared by the end of the three months. The main thing is that I keep mobile with regular walks, and avoid sitting and standing still for extremely long periods.

Golden October

The world's scariest beer

This beer was kindly supplied by friend Rob from Heidelberg, who was in Poland a few weeks ago. At 7% vol alc., it packed quite a punch, but, my word, what a label.

Anyone for rounders?

I never thought I would play the game of rounders, but I've now done so twice in eight days. Not what I was planning, and not much good for my street cred either, but this is what happens when you're having fun.

Last Saturday I went to the Basel expat pub crawl which started off at Bar Rouge at around 8.30-9 o'clock and ended up at Redrocks at around 3-30-4 o'clock in the morning. Although I didn't know a single soul there to begin with, I soon started mingling. To cut the story of a long night short, I got to know quite a few new faces, some of whom meet every Sunday at Margaretenpark in Basel for a spot of post-hangover rounders - the "best sport in the world", according to the girl who suggested it to me. Now, I'm not sure I would concur with that verdict. It is, after all, a bit of a girly game. However, this is mixed rounders, so it's not all prancing round a few sticks. It's definitely a good laugh anyway, and it gets me out of the house on a Sunday afternoon.
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In other news, I also went on a bike tour on Wednesday night with some of the same people plus some new faces. The route took us through Muttenz, Pratteln, Augst, Birsfelden and back to Basel and was around 25 km long. Our final destination was the Irish Pub, Paddy Reilly's, where we all drank a well-earned beer.
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Friends John and Berenice was over here yesterday to take in the Altwiler Stroßefescht here in Weil. Unfortunately, it was raining the proverbial cats and dogs, but we had a great time nonetheless. In a quick change of plan due to the weather, we ventured into Basel, joined up with former colleague Karl-Heinz, and then watched FCB beat FC Luzern 2-0 at a slippery St. Jakob-Park (goals from Huggel and Chipperfield), before hitting the fest in Weil shortly before 9 o'clock. As soon as we arrived in the Notehobler tent, we got stuck in immediately with our 1-litre glasses of Spaten Oktoberfestbier and joined in with some timeless classics, before moving on later to the odd glass or four of Korn from our mate at the Trebbin bar. Oh dear. (Trebbin is one of Weil's twin towns, incidentally.)

After John and Berenice left at around midday today, I read the paper and then played the aforementioned game of rounders. A cracking weekend all round, really.

It's been a Weil...

Well, just like last year, August has been rather quiet on the blogging front. There were mitigating circumstances this time, in that I had food poisoning for a good while. I'd never had food poisoning before, and wouldn't recommend it. However, I'm now more or less back to my old self.

Admittedly, August isn't the most eventful of months either. I did go to the Klosterbergfest on Friday evening evening in Basel, though. Very impressed, I was too. The theme of this annual street festival is decidedly latin (Brazilian), but also oriental. The only drawback was that it became slightly overcrowded once the sun went down.

I'm sat writing this on my balcony on another warm summer's afternoon. Probably too hot for cycling - I did that yesterday when there was a cooling breeze (past Haltingen, Binzen, Fischingen, a meander through Efringen-Kirchen, along the B3 up to the point level with Blansingen, and then back) - so will probably go for a walk later, or something. Then again, there's German Cup action this evening, with Rot-Weiss Erfurt at home to Bayern live on telly. Have watched some of the Olympics, of course, though I missed Great Britain's first gold medal performance today (Nicole Cooke won the women's cycling road race).

In other news, I've got in contact with some people in Basel on the English-speaking expat website for Switzerland who go on nice leisurely bike rides together in and around Basel. They meet every Wednesday evening (while it's still light). This week they're going to explore the Petite Camargue, so I think I might tag along.

The dog days of August

Eeugh, it's hot.

Heat

And that doesn't just sum up today's weather.

Courtesy of modern technology, I was able to watch the film of the same name on BBC3 last night. I must admit that this movie, produced in 1995 and starring both Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, has to be my favourite film of all time.

Hieber's

Hieber's Frische Center is a very local supermarket. In fact, there are actually only 10 Hieber stores, all of which are located down in this, the most southwesterly corner of Germany. I never bothered to shop there, however, despite its very good reputation. Other supermarkets were always nearer.

Today, though, I cycled across town to the Weil store at the end of the afternoon to get a few "extras". What struck me first was the range and freshness of the fruit and veg on offer. Most "bog standard" German supermarkets tend to neglect this freshness aspect. Any British expats reading this would probably agree with me that people are spoilt by the selection and quality of supermarkets in the UK. Nevertheless, what you don't expect are swarms of fruit flies buzzing around piles of bruised, sweaty and sometimes rotten tomatoes costing EUR 1.49 per kilo - a common occurrence at the supermarket across the road from where I live here in Weil. What a refreshing change it was today then to see pristine tomatoes, succulent strawberries, healthy-looking onions and a mind-boggling selection of potatoes. Hecky Nora, this sounds like a plug.

In the end, I bought more than I was intending to get, but I suppose it'll all keep. Places like that lure you into purchasing stuff you wouldn't normally consume. Like buying chili peppers. I hardly ever purchase chili peppers, but they were red and fiery and... well, I just couldn't resist. Oh, and a bottle of 2005 Weiler Schlipf Spätburgunder "CS" from Weingut Schneider.

Oh, and I heard some time ago that the Lörrach store has a system where people who are single and "on the look out" can take yellow baskets instead of the normal-coloured ones to signify their, ahem, status. How to find love in the supermarket aisles... I should give it a try one of these days.

Another shopping arcade?

I present to you the Rhein-Arcaden. MFI, an Essen-based company specialising in shopping centre developments, presented this model to Weil's movers and shakers on Tuesday evening. This construction would supposedly replace the current Kaufring and also stretch as far as the Bahnhofstraße. It looks huuuge, but it's shape is also quite elegant. The final stop for the extended tram line from Basel would be incorporated into the building. This sounds like quite an ingenious idea. MFI say they would like the town to decide by November whether they want this new shopping centre. Construction on the project would then commence in autumn 2009, with completion scheduled for late 2011.

For the town authorities, this opens up a whole can of worms, of course. Firstly, you have the question of whether a town such as Weil actually needs such a complex. Second, is the project at all viable? Will it attract enough custom from outlying areas in Basel and Alsace? If it does, how will Weil cope with the extra traffic? Won't it rob the town's small businesses of their custom? On the basis of the model presented, it also looks as if the front of Hotel Leopoldshöhe will be hemmed in by a glassy shopping centre facade. What will the hotel's management think of that? More to the point, the Rebhus restaurant situated opposite would even have to be razed to the ground to make way for the diggers. Questions, questions, questions...

Personally, the main problem I see is the extra congestion on the roads this centre would generate. Don't get me wrong, this looks quites an exciting project. It could potentially revitalise Weil and give the town the focal point it has so far lacked. However, I anticipate a lot of gnashing and grinding of teeth among Weil's decision-makers before the project even gets close to the implementation stage.

This and that

Have just returned to Weil after spending a week at home in England with my parents. It was a lazy few days, but sometimes it's nice to just relax. The weather wasn't exactly brilliant - with high winds, prolonged showers and rather parky temperatures - but, let's face it, summer on the Lancashire coast wouldn't be the same without it. The weather began to perk up at the weekend, and was favourable enough for us to have a very enjoyable barbecue with family and friends in our back garden during the course of the Sunday. This has become somewhat of an annual event and has been nicknamed Bombero by my Dad, which is named after El Bombero, the Spanish red wine that he traditionally serves to our guests. At 15% alc., it's not for the faint hearted. Anyway, the sun finally shone that afternoon, and one or two of us were slightly jaded by the evening, thanks to that and the combination of home-brewed bitter and potent wine. A great time was had by all though.

Now it's back to the grind here in Weil. I finally left the flat yesterday evening, when I took the bus to the old part of town and walked up to the vineyards. In a repeat of my effort 12 months ago, I took some pics of the sunset.

Evening stroll

I ventured out last night for a brisk walk on my own, down to the old Landesgartenschau (garden show) grounds via Laguna and back. I needed to stretch the old legs, although I think I may have picked up mild shin splints. It might have had something to do with running to catch the train on Saturday. I don't think it's too serious, but I'd better keep an eye on it.

Bastille Day

The day when France has a day off, but no one's striking. Thanks to our French friends, it's also the day when Weil's Eiscafes (ice cream parlours) rake in the money.

Nadal-Federer

Bit of a delayed reaction, this, but I don't think I've seen better sport than what I saw last Sunday evening when Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer fought it out on Centre Court for the Wimbledon title. What a match.

Bläserfest

Last Saturday evening, I treated myself to a break from translating and ventured out to the Bläserfest on the Rathausplatz in the Weil. This was the fifth year this event was taking place, and this time it was bigger and better than all the other previous years. Not only had the town organised the usual stage with seating and beer and drinks stands on the main square in front of the civic hall, but they had also invited around a dozen local wineries and wine cooperatives to set their own respective "mini-bars" there.

What's more, there were two other minor stages outside the Insel supermarket and on the side of Hauptstraße not far from my own abode. This latter venue was well within earshot on the Friday night, basically featuring successive local brass bands. I had to work most of that day, but the music was much more soothing than the Europop that is set to blare out from there this coming Saturday on Kindertag.

Anyway, a lot of credit goes to the organisers of the event. No admission was charged - thanks to the subsidies from certain local sponsors. The ambiance on Saturday night was very pleasant, refined and relaxed. The theme of the evening was Cuban music. This helped to attract a slightly younger audience than one would otherwise have expected at a brass music event - but none of those Fasnacht hoi polloi.

After the joys of Euro 2008 - sorry UEFA EURO 2008™ - I thought I might experience withdrawal pangs, but the translation work has been coming thick and fast these past two weeks, so I've had little time to dwell.

But now I would like to allow myself just one more postscript.

First, the quality of the football during the tournament was very good, except when Greece was playing. I wouldn't go as far as saying that it was the best tournament ever. I remember Euro 2000 was also praised to high heaven. Perhaps we'll have a better idea of how good it really was when we look back on it in a few years' time.

Second, I suppose Turkey's performance has to go down as the main surprise. I quite warmed to them in the end, and they were a touch unlucky against Germany.

Third, here's a short list of players who particularly caught my eye or surprised me:
Arda Turan (Turkey) - electrifying whenever the manager let him play
Ümit Korkmaz (Austria) - ditto
Hamit Altintop (Turkey) - played at right back early on, then as the second striker in the second half versus the Czechs, then in midfield against the Germans.
Yuri Zhirkov (Russia)

Actually, that's just four players, but I don't mean players that whose good performances weren't necessarily a surprise, e.g. Arshavin, Villa, Xavi, Sneijder, Modric.

Actually, Lukas Podolski was also a surprise, in that he spent the whole of the 2007/2008 season on the bench at Bayern, yet then goes an scares the life out of defenders like Carvalho and Bosingwa. Same applies to Schweinsteiger to a certain extent, I suppose.