This is it

Eric is on this way back to Zurich, and tomorrow he flies back to New York. It was a strange feeling to all of a sudden be left alone at the station while the red train with Eric in it was pulling away. So this is the official beginning of my new life in Switzerland. As of now I have no idea what it will look like. I am taking this late afternoon as a good omen. The sun set about 15 minutes ago, and the sky is perfectly clear, sending a bluish/pink reflection onto the snowy landscape. It was the most beautiful sunset since our arrival, as all other afternoons were overcast. We thought we had the weather pattern figured out: sunny in the morning with high clouds moving in around noon. Today was different: it snowed a little in the morning, then cleared around noon and the afternoon was downright warm with big puffy clouds making interesting shadow patterns on the white slopes. I will not bore you about the weather in all postings. However, the contrast between here and rainy grey Portland is so striking that I can’t omit it for now. On Monday morning it was -20 C! It’s very dry and a lot of lotion is required. The unusually big and bright full moon offered a true spectacle several nights in a row, with our living room window being the perfect observation spot for its rise and then light over the snowed in mountains and valley.

We arrived in Zuoz on January 27 at 12:27 after an unusually pleasant and quick journey. It was snowing hard when we landed in Zurich, and it kept on snowing until we entered the tunnel through the Alps. When we emerged on the other side we found blue sky. As we got off the train I sent Eric running to the store across from the station to get us some lunch, while I stayed with the bags – tough luck… it closes at 12:15 and was not going to open again until 2pm. So we went home hungry, and were back at the store at 2:01pm to get supplies for a late lunch. I had described our anticipated arrival to a number of you, one of us having to get the sled at the house to haul the bags. In the end it was not necessary: the snow was packed hard enough so that we could pull the suitcases. Less fun but more effective

That afternoon Eric took a nap while I unpacked everything and stashed the suitcases in the basement: I was home. I decided that the next few days with Eric would be a vacation – I felt I deserved it after the stress of the last few days – actually of the last 14 months! We slept in, bought enormous amounts of food, cooked, ate, took long walks in the snow. Eric set up the internet in no time. He helped me buy and learn to use a Swiss cell phone (I’ll get really good at texting since calls are expensive here), he showed me how the cool but complicated alarm clock I received from the pool ladies works, and last, but not least, he had me rehearse how to turn on the TV. Indeed, for the first time in my life I’ll have a TV. The programming here is much better than in the US (almost no commercials, just a $40/month fee!) and I hope that the exposure to German will refresh that part of my brain.

Since Eric didn’t bring skis, we went on long walks every day. There is a large network of plowed trails throughout the valley, making for varied and easy walking. One day we took a cable car to Muotas Muragl, above the tree line and with a view down to St. Moritz and over to the 4,000 meter high peaks. Up there too, there are trails plowed into the snow. However, a bitter cold wind was blowing and after walking for some 45 minutes we chickened out. Actually, very few people were as brave as us! The next day we took the train to the north side of the Alps, and went sledding on the closed road of the Albula Pass. It’s very steep, narrow, icy and with hairpin turns. To say that the run is exciting is an understatement! Of course we dumped. We laughed so hard my abs were hurting. At one point there is an electronic radar: we clocked at 39km/h! Each run takes some 30-20 minutes. You can do it again by taking the train that runs every 30’ – just for the sledders

My friends keep on being supportive of my undertaking. My previous post describes all the help I got with the move on the Portland side. When I got here I found a few welcoming cards in my mail box, both from US and Swiss friends. The phone has been ringing steadily. Both my sisters called, and pretty much every night one or another Swiss friend calls. Of course I have also skyped with daughter Claire – I am sure that now that I am alone there’ll be much more of it.

I have taken some steps to initiate my new life: I introduced myself to the building manager and his wife. They lent me their papers so I could decide which ones I should subscribe to. I knocked on the door of the apartment above ours: a Swiss lady and her partner. She will be here alone for most of February – so we might keep each other company. I started the registration process with the town. Today I got a phone call to clarify my religion. Despite the fact that I have not been a practicing catholic since 1977, the town clerk declared that because I have never written to the CHURCH to the effect that I resign, I am still a catholic and as such I will have to pay the required church taxes. I have started the painful process of choosing a health insurance plan and I have inquired about rumantsch lessons (the local language). They will offer a class whenever they have 7 interested people.

Eventually I’ll post pictures of our adventures on my Picasa site. I’ll let you know when they are ready. I am as curious as you are about my next posting. Who knows what the next few days will bring?