13/04/2008: Day 3 - Snow-capped Mountains
While our hosts slept in, Sarah and I walked around Steinhausen (the town we're staying in, in the canton of Zug, about an hour from Zurich).
Like, say, Tasmania, most shops are closed on Sunday. In the cities, a few amenities are still open, but the vast majority are closed. We have no way of knowing how many take advantage of this to go to church.
Also, the places we've been (Zug, Lucerne, Witznau, a few small places in-between) all seem to be Roman Catholic. Hopefully we'll see some Protestant churches in Zürich.
As I've mentioned previously, the things that let you know you're in a foreign country are all small things.
At the risk of pre-empting myself:
- powerpoints are different
- on a keyboard, the 'Y' and the 'Z' are swapped. The Germans have a QWERTZ keyboard!
- alcohol is more freely available—they sell it in petrol service stations, and in small cafes that wouldn't have a liquor license in Australia
- flowers are different, more prevalent and more prominent—daisies, tulips, daffodils grow, and the flowers spring up everywhere!
- The grass too is different, and (on mountains at least) grow long, and downwards, on account of all the snow
- All the snacks (chips, etc) come in paprika flavour! Love it!
- Cannabis-flavoured ice tea?!?!?!?
Anyway, we availed ourselves of a second breakfast (at 11:30) and decided to go up Mt Rigi.
It was a fantastically sunny day—warm enough to walk around town in a t-shirt. Going up mountains is cooler, of course, but not by much.
We started at Witznau, right at the foot of the mountains, right next to Lake Lucerne (nb, in German, called something quite different: Vierweldstaatsee... which means something like 4-forest-state-sea/lake).
Tourists often catch a ferry from Lucerne to Witznau to go up the mountain.
The train is a cog-wheel drive—the first in Europe. Rather than the standard cable-car mechanism, which is expensive, this sits on 2 normal rails to guide the train, with a cog-rail in the centre, to overcome the steep grade.
As you go up the mountain at 45°, you have a perfect view of snow-capped mountains, slipping sideways into and over the clear-blue lake.
The trees on the mountains are like the Swiss—thin and tall, reaching straight up to heaven.
I missed seeing the one eagle that flitted past, but there were new lambs lying in green pastures. Gamboling, perhaps.
But our greatest delight was this—little pockets of snow on the mountain.
It soon became patches, and then fields, and suddenly we were on a snow-capped mountain of our very own, fresh snow all around. Suddenly the view would no longer be the main attraction.
The train wound its way to the final destination, the little hamlet of Rigi-Kulm.
I should mention, there were several small villages up the mountain, nothing like Australia where are the houses are on plains. What would it be like to live up a mountain, at 45° all day?
At the top, snow was all around. The hitherto foolish pursuit of Nordic walking looked entirely too sensible now—as we struggled to walk on snow in sneakers. It was all too easy to slip, especially on ice packed in by a hundred feet before you. Or you would walk too far to the edge and your foot would sink a foot into fresh snow.
There were two tricks: to find footholes left by other people, or to walk, on your toes, digging in your shoes. Occasionally, on some steep path, the snow had melted away, but 45° concrete looked treacherous. Thankfully, it was trustworthy.
Once at the top, the view was breathtaking. On one side, you could see snow-capped mountains above Lake Lucerne, breathtaking in their majesty. On the other, we could look down at Zug and Steinhausen and a panorama of Switzerland. Amazing.
When we hiked/slid/inched our way back to Kulm, we rewarded ourselves with Glühwein—the perfect antidote to the chilly snow, as well as pommes frites and a bratwurst for taste.
12/04/2008, Day 2: Lucerne, and Raclette
To be honest, I was skeptical—I thought we might need more time in Lucerne!
Unfortunately, most of the shops were closed at 4pm so I never got me a swiss coffee* and we bought: Pretzels (DE: Brezels) and pomme frites (EN: hot chips) from a dodgy street vendor... but the sight-seeing was still fabulous.
Maybe I'm still tired but I find it hard to believe I'm in a foreign country, in a foreign city, surrounded by foreign people. Maybe I'm awaiting some extraordinary pentecostal tourist experience that no-one ever has, or has had. Maybe oversees holidays are always about the eventual weight of the subtle differences.
But the sights are spectacular, and these are thousand-dollar views to us! Lake Lucerne, the river exploding out of this vast lake, above which snow-topped mountains laze, slightly foggy, still asleep.
Across the river from where we parked, the old city beckoned, picturesque and beautiful.
Above the river, the Wasserturm (EN: the water tower) looms, this fortress a medieval creation to oversee all who crossed the bridge in older more violent times.
The bridge (Kapellbrücke—Chapel bridge) is also a wonder, built in 1333, covered, and adorned within by paintings, of the Bible and some history of Lucerne. I think I spotted a quote of Romans 5:12 (Just as in Adam, all die...) but my German is still rusty. For some reason, the artists had some fascination with skeletons, the reasons for which we could not figure out.
Although, disappointingly, most food vendors were closed and I could not find any good coffee, we enjoyed a stroll through the old city, picking up some souvenirs...(hee, hee, hee....cuckoo clock!)
There were many buildings with paintings on the side, which look old... and you wonder how long the paint lasts.
Everything has more character in Switzerland!
The final step in our tour was the Lion Monument, a huge sculpture carved into the face of a mountain. It commemorates some military victory by the Swiss mercenaries. Huge, memorable, and photo-worthy, as attested-to by the Asian tourists in attendance.
Having seen these Swiss wonders, we headed home for a genuine Swiss meal: Raclette.
Raclette consists of two things: a hot-plate on which you grill meat, and a section under the hotplate where you can put your cheese to melt. The raclette sits in the centre of the table, so everyone can sit around and grill meat, cover with melted cheese, eat, and talk.
[It is interesting to see how many good ideas get stolen, or replicated. This hot-plate idea is reminiscent of "tye-pan" (Chinese, and spellt badly) which is similar to Teppanyaki (Japanese).But the flavours are distinctly Swiss. The smell of melting cheese, the garlic and the herbs are beautiful and aromatic. No Asian chef would make meals that smelt like these. Apparently the smell is quite distinctive, and pungent to anyone not participating, and the neighbours always know.Similarly, in Switzerland, they market Steamboat (the Chinese classic) as "Chinese Fondue". It is appropriately accurate!]
Needless to say...very tasty!
We will have to use our set when we get home.
Anachronistic Footnotes:
* In fact, it would prove to be remarkably hard to get any coffee (let alone a quality coffee) in Switzerland... The only cappuccino I drank in the first 4 days in Switzerland was from their equivalent of Donut King, coming out of a scummy automatic coffee machine and tasting like it. Similar swill was drunk in Zürich train station about a week after this event. Switzerland seems to have a proliferation of these... I couldn't find a proper barista anywhere!
12/04/2008, Day 2: Zug, Switzerland (In der Schweiz)
It's hard to know you're in a foreign country, at first.
Airports all seem the same. Partially it's because they're permanent places of transience, a halfway-house between the real world and the alternate reality that exists on airplanes.
Airplanes are all the same, but yet subtly different.
The same plane could take you to Melbourne, Hong Kong, London, ZÜrich or Timbuktu, and the experience is universal: you are cattle, herded to the ends of the earth. They only really exist as little private universes halfway between important places, with their own supply of all the essentials: food, water, alcohol, toilets, waiters-come-nurses-come-mothers-come-steward(esse)s, uncomfortable seats that become more uncomfortable beds, and entertainment to supply you with your own private universe of distraction in this little self-sufficient universe. Legroom and comfort are in short supply.
First-world airports make the same impression: hurried efficiency, arrival and departure lounges (with uncomfortable seats and expensive coffee), baggage claims and customs. [The only clue you are in a Germanic country is the quality of the efficiency; as Heathrow and Leonardo da Vinci International Airport will prove later on, the Swiss and the Germans make everyone else horridly inefficient by comparison.]
The city and the roads are much the same. Square buildings, 4-lane highways, complete with overpasses, tunnels and signs.
The two most foreign things are these: driving on the wrong side of the road (going round roundabouts anti-clockwise still gives me the heebie-jeebies) and the food.
I hadn't thought how much breakfasts vary from country to country. No butter, no toast, no bacon. Certainly no peanut butter (an american invention). Rather, a plethora of cheeses, oven-baked breads, and a selection of cold meats.
There is no microwave in the kitchen (no space!) and no kettle either.... no instant gratification when it comes to food!... except when ti comes to the mountain of Swiss chocolate!
11/04/2008: Day 1.5, Swissair (LX139)
Butter from New Zealand. The UHT milk from Hong Kong. The dessert, a tasty litle pastry, from Swizterland. Chinese noodles, Australian salad dressing, tiny 2-inch bananas that probably originated from a West Indian country...
I wonder if they look for the best produce from any country, or the cheapest?
Something I hadn't noticed til today—all of the Qantas planes are named after an Australian city. So at Kingsford-Smith, I saw Mt Gambier, a Mt Isa, and a Cairns (which was the plane that took us to Hong Kong). [In the future I will find out that Alitalia has a similar naming sequence, and we took the Isle d'Elba, which was kind cool. AirBerlin had a boring naming sequence... ABBH, ABBQ, ABBP....All our Swiss flights were taken inthe middle of the night, so I can't tell you what their naming scheme is]
The Doctrine of ... something-or-other
I know I'm a bit remedial here, but I only just got something for the first time in my Christian life. Which is, putting together these two truths neatly: that God is sovereign over all that happens in this world, and nothing happens that he doesn't intend to happen. Nevertheless, evil agents (humans, but also (fallen) angels) can choose evil. Holding both equally true, I've always believed them, but never really put together a mechanic of how it works.
The passages that most often used to illustrate this is Joseph as he speaks to his brothers, and then Peter as he speaks to the Jews at Jerusalem.
<%image(compatible2.gif|670|272|Haoran's cool diagram)%>
I guess the revelation for me to two parts. (for this diagram, I have assumed Man is sinful unregenerate.)
Firstly, Man has evil intent, which leads to evil outcomes. Thus, Man is judged responsible for his actions, and judged evil. God intended good and always has, which leads to good outcomes. In so doing, God continues to be good, and cannot be called anything other than good. The same one outcome can be judged both good by one party and yet evil by another party, because the two co-acting parties has differing intent. (I think I need to chance the diagram slightly, actually)
Secondly, I guess there's an assumption that "God is good" is a static state. I.e., the whole question of theodicy (how can a good God allow evil to take place) always assumes God is unchanging, and what is good is unchanging. But the biblical perspective is that as God works in history, he is intending greater good at the end than at the beginning: viz., the glorification of his Son and the glorification of himself, through his display of goodness in the world, as he rescues and redeems sinful wicked humanity, and brings them into a state where they are able (of their own accord) to choose good all the time.
And so we know that God allowed his Son to be murdered for a greater good; the redemption of his people and the fulfilment of his promises.
We know (in the now and present) that God allows "bad things" (not necessarily "evil" things) to bring about our discipline, as well as our perfection (Heb 12); or suffering --> perseverance --> character --> hope (Rom 5).
So "bad things happening" are never Evil as far as God is concerned, because he is concerned with the final good.
I am now pondering if this changes what I think about "ends justifies the means". The trump as far as God is concerned is that the means are never Evil, because they are by definition not evil in the grand scheme of things.
Jesus' murder on the cross is an evil act by evil men. God's sacrifice of his Son on the cross to take away the sins of the world is perfectly good. Both took place in the same incident.
I think that makes sense. I stole it from a J.I. Packer lecture :)
11/04/2008: Planes, Planes and more Planes
I have been on many planes in my life, but it occurs to me that most of my flying has been with MAS. This colours my expectations somewhat: for much as most planes are more or less the same, they are "Subtly, different" as the Qantas announcement mentioned.
For a start, the English announcements over the loudspeakers were remarkably eloquent. "Subtly, each airplane is different", to encourage you to listen to the safety announcement. This is a far cry from the Malay/English bombardment, in English that is correct, and yet awkward, and filled with Malaysianisms.
Another difference: apparently MAS planes are designed for short Asian people. Most planes I've been on have had a little fold-out footrest, for those short people (like myself) whose feet don't quite touch the ground. Apparently the average Australian or Swiss is taller.
Each airline has its own perks.
The Swiss were clinically efficient (whilst still being friendly), and clearly delivered the food faster than anyone. The other airlines delivered all the "special meals" (e.g. gluten-free) first, as exceptions to their system, and then deliver everything else. The Swiss managed to fit Sarah's gluten free meal into their system. How clever! And they gave liberal amounts of swiss cheese and chocolate. They also made sure we were hydrated, bringing water every hour, on the hour.
Qantas impressed me by giving the option of a Cadbury hot chocolate (with Marshmellows) or peppermint tea for a nightcap. The smell of hot-chocolate was irresistible. Yum!
They also had the edge in the Asian-service department (being a flight to HK): they also made available instant noodles in a cup, for all those fussy Asian travellers who want noodles. Anyone who has ever been to a Christian conference with a large Chinese contingent knows exactly how important those noodles are!
Europe: State of Play
Puzzled by: The Austrians' complete and utter lack of fascination with fried potato.
Over: visiting ornate and gaudy catholic churches filled to the brim with paraphenalia of Mary and the saints. (Yes St Peters Basilica, you are very much guilty!) Bring on Reformed churches!
Addicted to: Blood oranges, the norm in Rome. Blood orange / red orange juice is fantastic too.
Weirded out by: back-to-front Austrian toilets...
Can't get used to: German keyboards. The 'y' and the 'z' are in the wrong place! It makes it hard to tzpe properlz!
Most expensive mistake: booking a flight for the 23rd instead of the 20th. Typo? Stupidity? Either way, €600 later...
Times scammed: 1 (in Rome, by a gypsy who called himself David Beckham)
Most cheerful purchase: bargain leather jacket for Sarah, and AC Fiorentina jersey for me.
Read: Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. Sarah brought it to read; I finished it today.
Enjoying: paintings by Caravaggio
Thankful for: prevalence of gluten-free foods in Europe (generally) and gluten-free restaurant(s) in Rome (especially).
Most looking forward to: Reformation Museum tomorrow.
Not missing: the time wasted on Facebook.
[Added 22/4/2008]
Overrated: pretzels and wiener schnitzel
Best fried stuff ever: Deep Fried Mixed Entree, La fiorentia, Via Doria, Roma. (the deep-fried shredded battered zucchini was to die for!)
Biggest missed opportunity: Vatican Museum! What museum closes at 3:30pm???? (Ans: one that takes 2 hours minimum to get through)
City we'd most like to live in: Salzburg
Wish we'd known earlier: 7am flights mean 4:15 starts... The early bird catches the worm, but this is a bit much!
Wots hapnin'?
Long time no postie.
These are busy days. This will also be my last official form of procrastination before finishing off writing my sermon this afternoon.
Life has been busy happening over the last few weeks. Lights include:
High
You may have noticed that Sarah's birthday passed us last week. I had fun plotting a romantic candle-lit dinner surprise. Unfortunately we decided to spend the night enjoying the moment rather than taking photos for posterity, because I actually bothered putting some effort into presentation for once, so there you go.
Low/High
Europe looms.It will be good going over, I'm sure, but the worry that comes with delayed anticipation is killing me! I neither want to build it up too much as the holiday to end all holidays, nor want to go unprepared, forgetting toothbrush/towel/ventolin/glasses/bible/brain/paper/mp3-player/(uh-oh... what have I forgotten to put on the pack-list?????)
The dilemma is to know how much to bring to make the trip enjoyable (will I be needing my own music on my 28-hour-flight?, how much reading will I get done, and how much sleeping?) without overloading. The more you bring, the more you're likely to lose (that could only ever be my motto).
I have vague dreams of travelling backpacker light, but I also know from travelling with Sarah that, combined, we bring a lot of surplus junk.
But I am leaving the laptop behind. And the phone. And the PDA (which is built into my phone). I will, however, be loading the Bible onto the iPod. I wonder how much of the Bible I can listen to on a 28-hour plane flight?
Low
Work has hit a lull. This is the time of year to be starting new ministries; but with the absurdly-early Easter throwing out the normal Term 1 rhythm, and overseas holidays looming, I find it hard (and unpleasant, slightly) to be planning for after our holidays. But you make your bed and sleep in it.
Low, High, and Interesting
To counter-balance my lack of on-campus contact hours, I've been visiting people recently. In college and to local people in their homes. This has been going great, and I think I'm re-learning that it's something I do well. I have a whole bunch of interesting stories but I'm not sure how much to make public.... but it's been very interesting! I got to speak to a deaf/dumb/blind woman the other day... which was a very unique experience!
Moderate
Things seem to be kicking into gear for next year. I am juggling 3-4 different possible futures for next year, and am unsure how to continue when God seems to be opening several doors simultaneously. I am not sure whether to divide my time and do everything at once, or divide-and-conquer, setting up one new ministry before moving onto another. It would seem fantastic to be able to do only one ministry at once, and do it well. But then again has life ever been that neat and perfect?While I'm here--does anyone out there know how to do accounting? I need a financial-type person who wants to help me start a new ministry.
