Sunday Morning Thoughts – April 28, 2024

I wasn’t ready to fall in love ...

Ever been to a place that just felt like home right away? Ever been somewhere you connected so deeply that it hurt? Well, that happened to me on this vacation.

I’m back home safely now and feeling sad. I played the lottery and looked at houses to buy in that area. I’ve never felt like I wanted to own a house before. I found one would be a perfect fit. Now I just have to get my book published and have that become a huge success or win the lottery.

Funny thing is that yesterday morning and this morning I got a message from Swisslos saying I won. Yesterday it was CHF 9.40 (almost triple what I put in) and this morning it was a second chance so I can play again for free. One of those days it's gonna be the jackpot.

Anyway, I miss the unobstructed sunrises in the Netherlands.

I might have mentioned an ongoing discussion with an Instagram friend (a Dutch IG friend) who was surprised that published sunrise times don’t mean you will actually see the sun at that exact time in Switzerland. There’s always a hill in the way. So of course, I was running late for almost all sunrises I took a picture of. I’m just not used to the sun showing up right on cue.

Completely off topic, but those waves really sneak up on you, don’t they? Our lakes don’t have waves like that. And yes, I know how the ocean works and about high and low tide, BUT while I will instinctively react to things I grew up with – those waves had it in for me and were insistent on getting my feet wet. I won this one, but I did have to run up the shore a bunch of times. Gave a bunch of locals something to smile about.

Why didn’t I take off my shoes you ask … well, temperatures were doing what temperatures do in April. It was freezing, windy and raining. Morning temperatures were in the 30s and I had to de-ice my windshield when I went to see sunrises. I mean some people might be okay with taking their shoes off and walking the icy cold water and sand – I’m just not one of them.

This brings me to saunas – the hotel kind. Couple of things to consider. Check if the sauna is open to the public (you can do that online even before you leave). If it’s for hotel guests only it’s bound to be less crowded, but you might also be more likely to see people you’ve been in the sauna with at breakfast in the morning. Not a big deal – just remember that.

Also make sure you check what the “dress code” is. Sometimes they have days when swimwear is required. The hotels I was staying at stopped having swimsuit days in 2022. You will always need a bathrobe (mostly for the restaurant), a big towel (to sit or lie on) and slippers (to walk around in).

I can’t even tell you how good the sauna felt after a day of walking on sand in sunny but cold weather. My hotel had spa area with three saunas, a steam room and two hot tubs. There was also a relaxation area. What surprised me, but made sense when I talked to the manager later, was that there is a restaurant corner with bistro tables, menus and a phone. Once you leave the sauna – you’re out. You can’t go back in. The wristband they give you is for one access only. So, if you get hungry or thirsty you just order stuff from the restaurant upstairs.

Being at a hotel spa on your own might feel a bit weird but nobody cares if you don’t. People are there to relax. They sit or lie in the sauna with their eyes closed minding their own business. There’s not much talking. It’s a place to relax. Granted there might be people who didn’t get the memo about covering up when relaxing on the lounge chairs and put their crown jewels on display for everyone to see - but that’s really the exception. Oh, and in case anybody is wondering. They are all mixed – even the dressing room.

At a hotel it’s perfectly okay to get undressed in your room and go to the sauna in a bathrobe. I asked if wearing just a bathrobe in the elevator was acceptable and was told that that was okay even at reception. I wasn’t surprised by that answer, but as a tourist I wanted to make sure.

I was lucky I was in the Netherlands off season because otherwise I might have had to book my spa visits way ahead of time. As you know I’m more of a spontaneous traveler.

Remember when I ranted about people wanting to speak High German when I tell them I’m Swiss? Well, I know they just want to be nice. Still my mother tongue could be French, Italian or Romansh. I did end up asking people (in English) if German was easier for them. For some it was, for others it wasn’t. I guess that’s what I’ll do until my Dutch is good enough to hold a conversation.

Oh! Did I tell you about crazy French numbers math? I can’t remember. If I have, just skip ahead. I’m staying at this hotel in France. Breakfast is included. I’m tired and start taking stuff from the buffet. That’s when I’m asked my room number - in French. Here’s what my brain does *c’est septante-deux en Suisse mais je suis en France et on doit le dire différemment ici. On dit 60+12 … et c’est soixante-douze*. Poor woman waiting for me to figure that one out. When I finally did, I also told her it was too early for numbers math and that in Switzerland we say septante-deux.

I love that Swiss French and French French are different. It would just be helpful is we could agree on the numbers. It’s very confusing. But whenever I think French numbers are difficult, I remember Danish numbers and I’m okay again.

Have I told you about Swiss rental cars and why most of them have AI license plates? AI stands for the canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden. They only have a population of about 16,500. That’s not a town that’s an entire canton. Now given that fact them having their own DMV was really kind of pointless and cost way too much. So initially they made it very easy for car rental companies to register their cars in Appenzell-Innerhoden. This got very heated and political and, in the end, other cantons said that Appenzell could have the rental cars. So, now their DMV is actually making money and they are very quick in registering rental cars. It’s their main job. They do pay the other cantons a certain amount based on how many car rental places they have. Zurich (airport and such) gets a big junk.

So next time you see a Swiss car with AI license plates you’ll know that it’s a lot more likely to be a rental car than somebody who actually lives in Appenzell-Innerrhoden. There are also some rental cars with VD license plates (that’s Vaud where Lausanne is), but the overwhelming majority have AI ones.

I came home to two packages, beautiful birthday cards and presents. I have the most wonderful friends and as one of them put it – some of those friendships are one in a million. Thank you all so much for everything and I can’t wait to start reading those books I got. Such thoughtful gifts. I was really touched.

I also want to tell you about Aarlandenveen because it’s just too cool not to. Check out this page. Here’s what happens: the four windmills (the first were built in 1785) move excess polder water up to the Oude Rijn (old Rhine). It’s a brilliant system. If you look at the pictures on the page I linked above you can see that there are some “sifons” as well. So, only the water that needs to be moved is actually moved. The main waterway is left untouched. It’s completely ingenious! That’s Dutch engineering for you.

Aarlandenveen itself is a little gem. So much water. So many canals. I was worried about how the sheep could get off a little island and was told that there are small bridges – and there were. Such a beautiful place and I had the best guide who actually grew up there. I’m linking some videos below. I will have to go back to explore further. I love windmills, especially the ones moving water. And these ones are extra special. Seriously, have a look!

I do/did have some thoughts about distractions (notifications, vibrations, cats, dogs, kids, calls, social media … ) and how kids who are abused don’t hate the people who hurt them but themselves instead … those will have to be two separate newsletters, I think.

But there is one thing I just have to mention. You know what the Dutch word for baguette is? It’s “stick break” (stokbrood). That’s it – I’m learning Dutch!

Also, I don’t usually get stumped by words in Indo-European languages. I can mostly guess the root or find a cognate. I couldn’t with the Dutch world “oorlog” which means war. It goes way back to Proto-Germanic and there were similar words in all Germanic languages, but at least in German it was not used much after the 16^th century. We say “Krieg”. There’s also a Dutch word “krijg” but my Dutch is not good enough – yet – to know when that is used. Stay tuned.

I wish I could make up my own etymology of words. In this case I would say that “oor” stands for “outside of” and “log” cames from Old Norse “lag” which became modern English “law” (this bit is true). So that would make it “outside of the law”. I think that’s a good definition for the word “war”. Please note that I’m totally making this up though. Don’t want to spread false etymology.

I leave you with the last sunrise I got up early for on my vacation. This is right before the sun rose and it was even more magical than when it actually appeared – right on time.

Have a lovely Sunday everyone.