ZURICH - Our trip to Zurich was very special for us. First, we were still coming down from the excitement of just having spent three weeks with my wonderful parents. Second, being in Switzerland was so refreshing with the lush green landscape, snow capped mountaintops, and extreme cleanliness (Brad jokes that he would eat off the ground in Zurich it’s so clean). Third, and most importantly, we were visiting my friend, Andy (I had not seen him in nearly a decade), and getting to meet his beautiful family, including his darling newborn.
A note about Andy: this post would not be complete if I did not include a little note about how Andy and I met. It was the year 2009 and I was dancing with the San Francisco Ballet. We were on tour in China and we had a couple of free days to explore. Several of my friends chose to go to the fashion district, but I really wanted to go see the temples. I had just hopped off an extremely crowded bus when I arrived at a stop near the Lama Temple in Beijing. I noticed Andy amongst the sea of locals and asked (in perfectly clear English) if he was also on his way to the Lama Temple. First, I imagine he was surprised that we were going to the same location. Second, he was probably even more surprised that, although I looked like a local, I spoke perfect English. Either way (I don’t think we have ever really reflected on how we first met), we discovered we were indeed both heading toward the Lama Temple. We connected easily and spent the afternoon exploring part of Beijing together.
The adventure didn’t end there, though. When it was time to part ways for the day, we planned to meet up again the next day for more exploring. During that time, we didn’t have international plans or “smartphones,” so we picked a place and time and emailed each other from our laptops to confirm. Much to our surprise, the next day was the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. We had chosen to meet at a metro stop by Tiananmen Square not realizing it was one of the the prime locations for the celebration and parade. When I arrived at the stop, it’s almost like I had no control of where I could go. There were so many people out celebrating that I was simply pushed into the enormous sea of excited participants and onlookers. Reading about the celebration later, I learned there were about 100,000 participants that day. It was pretty unreal to see and be a part of. Thankfully, I made it to the meeting place safely; but, of course, there was no way I would find Andy. After looking around a while (it was challenging with the celebration, but I still tried), I headed back. Much to my surprise, when I was walking toward my hotel from the metro station, I saw Andy! He was planning to leave a handwritten note at the lobby for me. Talk about a truly kind and thoughtful person.
After that, we did meet again in Beijing, but then only once more years later in San Francisco (which is when Brad met him). This time in Zurich would be the first time since seeing him in San Francisco.
Zurich was very peaceful and green. Although it is a large city, it is very clean and well-maintained. It is also a very active city surrounded by a wide array of natural beauty—mountains, hills, lakes, and rivers. I can easily see us living in a place like Zurich.
Disclaimer: we were only in Zurich for three nights and our main reason for going there was to meet our friends. So, this post will not actually share much about Zurich. One day, we hope to return to explore more of Zurich and other parts of Switzerland.
All that being said, the best part of our trip to Zurich was seeing Andy and meeting his beautiful family. Our first day, we met them at Café Brühbar in Baden and enjoyed coffee and smoothies in the warm sun (I can’t believe that it was sunny and warm for us in Zurich). It was also the first time we got to meet his lovely wife, Judith, and the newest addition to their family, Elia.
The next day was Zurich’s Labor Day (a day to defend workers’ rights), and they invited us over to their lovely home. It was so special to meet Emma, their firstborn, and then to hold baby Elia (even the girls got to hold him). The girls enjoyed playing in an actual home (since they had been traveling quite a bit) and having a homemade meal. Andy and Judith baked fresh pizza (yes, they made their own dough) and even baked it in a wood burning oven in their backyard. Our bellies were full, but our hearts were even fuller from spending so much time with dear friends.
After some indoor and outdoor time at the house, we all ventured out to the nearby park. Little Emma was so brave. She went down the steep slide by herself for the first time and, even though she flipped herself on her way down launching herself head first, she landed in Brad’s arms with a very “I got this” attitude and went back for more. It was so fun!
When it was time for us to go, we realized we had stayed for nearly six hours. It just felt so comfortable being with our friends and so special to have this time together.
Thank you, Andy, Judith, Emma, and Elia, for inviting us into your hearts and home. We’re already looking forward to another reunion in the future xoxo
Tschüss!
Wonderful to have international friends of long standing.
Blessings as you continue your adventure.