What do the cheese-rolling, mid-west BBQ-ing, and Zulu dancing all have in common? They somehow all played a part in this past weekend of events. Random? Oh Yeah! I don’t think my weekend could have been anymore diverse if I tried.
On Saturday morning a group of us met up at the Bahnhof (train station) for the first annual cheese rolling competition sponsored by Emmental cheese (the original “Swiss Cheese”). The event consisted of grown men rolling wheels of cheese (approximately 100kg or 220lbs) through an obstacle course. But why cheese rolling you might ask? Well apparently the local cheese makers used to roll their cheeses from the shops to the trains in order to take them to the market. While mildly entertaining, we did not stick around for the championship.
From the train station I hoped on the S Bahn and headed down to Wadenswil for a BBQ with my Credit Suisse team co-workers. Most of the team consists of Mid-westerners and I found myself thinking I was not in Zurich, but rather in Des Moines Iowa eating hamburgers, fruit salad and watermelon. It was a nice break from bratwurst and helped to ease the mild home sick pains I was having. But of course, even though the BBQ was very American, I was still required to try the official liquor of Switzerland, Kirsch, a painfully strong and awful tasting cherry liquor.
The night was rounded off nicely with a quick glass of wine with my land lord (and owner of the building) Helen and her 16 South African friends at the house. Helen is Swiss, but grew up in South Africa and had friends in town visiting. By the time I got to the party, the fondue had been consumed, along with Kirsch and by the looks of things about a case of wine. The guests were in a dancing mood and feeling nostalgic for their home. One guest was familiar with the traditional Zulu dance and was kind enough to teach everyone at the party. Never in my life would I have imagined myself in Zurich, dancing the Zulu war dance!
It is moments and experiences like these that make me realize why I am here.
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