What lies Beneath ? ....?

 

High Above the Ground, in an Oncoming Summer, Purple Night Sky. Somewhere in the Urbanisations of ZURICH, Switzerland.
We must look down, further, than to what the eye can see.

Into THE WATER........ 

  

 

This Place does exist.  It is called : " Jules Undersea Lodge " inspired by The Jules Verne Books.
" Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea " is probably one of the most famous books, written by The French author, in 1870.

The above, is a Submarine Hotel, located in Key Largo, Florida, USA.

NOT, Switzerland, unfortunately.

I mean WHAT a place to write from !   :)

Look again...

  

And, now Look at....This....

Which could be virtually anywhere in the world ....Incidently, we have now moved from Salt Water, to, err....Fresh Water.
Namely to : ZURICH LAKE.

Every Year, about 90 TONS OF RUBBISH is pulled out of this Swiss Lake.

Every 2 Years Lake Zurich has a Full Clean-Up.
Unfortunately...they... do not have the...resources.....to do it more often, like in some other places, in SWITZERLAND.

90 TONS OF RUBBISH, like the Bicycle pictured above....
Is DUMPED by Swiss People.
Into one of...their.....errhm...
" Precious "  LAKES...??? !!! ??? !!!

A Staggeringly Grim Picture.

All this, From what is considered to be :
One of the Cleanest City`s in the World.
And.
One of the Cleanest Country`s in the World.
Switzerland.
Yes.
( Roll out the INCREDULOUS, but TRUE (?) Cliché....)

This AMOUNT of Human Made Rubbish, hidden away from the Naked Eye; well; mostly, as Zurich Lake does look very clean, both from a Distance, and Close-Up.
Gets to you....thinking....
That :
Any Nationality, Any Country.....whatever is said, shown, or hidden...
...Dumps Rubbish....



To many, the following is Rubbish ( albeit a totally other kind of ).
But, Perhaps The Entry from FINLAND, should have Won this Year`s Eurovision Song Contest ?
In this Surprisingly, Beautiful, and, Tragically.. True.. Song :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA5Vno4Z43M

Until Next Time. Thanks For Reading.
Yours CFC x

How Low can you Go ??



CHEESE  CHEESE  OH  -  GLORIOUS CHEESE !!


(  unless u hate the stuff, except on Pizza, or are Lactose Intolerant, then I guess it really, truly is a Poison, err, and NO Joke....)

Not going to talk about the British Created above : " Wallace and Gromit ", and their, well, strong relationship with the stuff !
But, could not resist a reference to them, at this point.  ;-)

After all, this is, err " Penned " in SWITZERLAND.

So, what more can we DISCOVER about CHEESE, without, erhm ; Labouring le Sujet...

Welcome to : PRO MONTAGNA.
A Swiss Farming Organisation, which Supports Alpine Farmers, their Way of Life, and Well-Being.
Whose Slogan could go as :
"  For Our Mountains.  For Our Farmers.  "

Because, much as, sadly...everywhere else...almost....
In Switzerland, these Farmers Way of Life, and ORGANIC Farming  (known as BIO here ) is also threatenend by the Bad Side, of "THE BIG BAD BEAST"  known as :
Modern Life...??

PRO MONTAGNA - are for Preserving The Swiss Mountains, which Nourish and Look after their Inhabitants, via the Pure Richness of Nature that can be found there.

You only have to take a few looks at THE SWISS COUNTRYSIDE ( not so much in Winter, by the way !! )
To see and breathe the ABSOLUTE Fertility of it all.
It is literally " Popping With " LUSHNESS.  Almost as if it were (again, very sadly)....err : fake...?
But, it is most definitely NOT !

These Alpine Farmers make, yes - CHEESE, of course !
The PRO MONTAGNA BRAND of Cheeses - Are Cheeses which have EARNED their Name.
So it says :

These pictures are from the Adverts, for Pro-Montagna Cheeses, sold in the Swiss SUPERMARKET CHAIN, whose name is : COOP.
For every Cheese Sold, COOP will give back to This Mountain Farming Community, so that the Farmers, and Regions can continue to do, what they do, and quite sincerely have been doing so for many, many years...
All of this, also gives...Everyone... a Bit of Swiss Culture. 

AND... Each Pro Montagna Cheese will LITERALLY TELL U at which ALTITUDE it was made.

For example.
The one on the left was made at : 1.475 Metres Altitude !
The one on the right was made at : 930 Metres Altitude !
The Selection on the List goes on :

Now, maybe you are a : Cheese Conaisseur ?
If so, then perhaps, this may come, as nothing particularly new to you ?

But, to not only pick your Cheese -
on Taste, Suitability for what you will be Eating it with, Price, and NOW -  ALTITUDE ??? !!
Goodness, Math-Thoog-Ness ??!!!


Got so many Decisions to Make.....

Gonna have to Sleep on it...

Until Next Time.  Thanks For Reading.
Yours, CFC x

9800 TEARS




Dear, Baby Bunny, Please! Don`t Cry For.... Easter



If the " Fortunes of Lady Fate, and her Sisters " stay on our side, there is ( will be...)another Easter, Next Year.
So, Go-Go and Hop into Freedom, Little Furry Sweet One !

It`s all over, but, before we do leave this Year`s Easter Festivities behind.
Whilst, yes they do, put Unsold Easter Items, on Sale, in the shops, here in SWITZERLAND...
Going to Do a bit of a Cheeky  :)
as this is NOT OFFICIALLY in Switzerland, but in GERMANY.

What you are about to See, may well be, somewhat, of an, err, Extreme Version. Well - why not ??
Have all The Fun.

The point being :
that the Style of it, is much Copied here, in what is the : `German Part of Switzerland. `

As to what, or WHO, came first ?
The Hanging up of Eggs.. in `The` Germany....or `The`Switzerland...?

Take a Look at This, if you will : 



It started 40 Years Ago.
With 14 Eggs.

Now, on this tree in Germany.
There hangs :  9,800 Eggs !!!!!

What is NOT CLEAR, is errhm, whether or not these DECORATIVE HANGING EGGS, are taken down, and then put up again, every Easter...??

On that note, better go Check got some REAL EGGS, in the Fridge.
Ready for Tomorrow Morning.
Ready for a Brunch, in Front of The Television.
A " Wedding Breakfast ", if you will...?! 

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/occasions/royal_wedding

A nicely made : EGGS FLORENTINE, to go with :
Watching The British Royal Spectacle.

Telling myself   ;-)

Until Next Time.  Thanks For Reading.
Yours, CFC.

Breathe and Par-Ti

Switzerland is the HIGHEST CONSUMER of TOBACCO in Europe ...

(.... forget about the whole, Switzerland is not, officially a part of The European Union, bla-di-bla. )

This was, err, calculated....in 2007, and according to :
http://www.swissinfo.ch/

After Switzerland, came Hungary, Poland, and then, Ireland.
( So - not Spain or France...?? !!  Not criticising, simply observing....  :)


Okay, so that was 4 years ago, and A LOT CAN HAPPEN, in this time.
Fast Forward to Today....2011, and CHINA is BOTH, the Largest Consumer, and, Producer, of TOBACCO, in The World.


Rewind, back to these "Statistics" of 2007.
Nearly : 1 in 4 SWISS PEOPLE SMOKE.
Mmmm, time for some more numbers....
Within these 1 in 4, which in Swiss Society, made a figure of :
29 % of 14 - 65 year olds.
Of which,33 % were Men, and, 24 % were Women.


There are, also, Locally-Grown Tobacco Plants, which produce SWISS BRANDED CIGARETTES, one is called : Maryland.


Much like in many countries, of late, Switzerland did BAN Smoking inside Pubs and Restaurants, last Summer, of 2010.


Yet, ADVERTISING Cigarettes is not a problem, with teeny-tiny,aha, there it is....warnings at the Top, or Bottom.

In most of the Cigarette Advertisements, here in Switzerland; the inferred message is :
Smoking Cigarettes is Great for your Social Life.
Clever.
And, actually quite TRUE...

That Cigarette `Break` at Work, IS SOCIAL, and often where you do make friends.
The After Dinner Cigarette in a Restaurant.
The Coffee and a Cigarette.
The Drink and a Cigarette.
The Out Clubbing and, err, Loads of Cigarettes.
The Hanging Out at Home, with Friends, and Chatting...putting the "World to Right"....and Smoking.
All go hand in hand.

Whichever, the Swiss Emphasis, is on Having a Par-ti when you Smoke.

Lots of Big Social Events, are either Sponsored by Tobacco Companies.
Or, like the Current, Advertising Campaign of this Brand, in Swiss Newspapers, Magazines, and, Posters : "Winston".
One can win Tickets, to the Upcoming Summer, Open Air Festivals, if your Pack of 20, is a Lucky one.

Err, perhaps stating an obvious here....but Open Air...equals "Fresh Air"...??....and Cigarette....SMOKE !! ??  Bit of a Contradiction-Oxymoron, no ??!

On that note; I am an Ex-20-a-Dayer, have been Smoking...aha...Socially..yes... for some time now..
( just to get that Perspective outta the way :) 

By The Way :

Advertising has been around since the Dawn of Civilization.
Egyptians used to make sales messages, and wall posters, out of Papyrus.
The Ancient Greeks created signs for their theatres.
Pretty much, All Ancient Cultures, show evidence of Signage Advertising, for different wares, especially for the open-air markets they had.
Open-Aha-Air-Market....had to say it !

Let`s go to the 1940`s, and 1950`s....

 

If you wish to, and are able, to spend a Weekend, in Switzerland, on a CI-TY BREAK, in ZURICH, for example.
See how many Swiss people do Smoke.
And, not to make, a Somewhat Stale, and Terribly Trite, Automatic Association now.
This is what, the Big-Mama, and Big-Daddy of News, Surveys, and, Statistics said, in 2004.
You know the one :  REUTERS.


" Swiss Teenagers Smoke more Cannabis, than their peers, in every other European Country, a Survey has said, Casting a Pall over the Country`s PRIM and WHOLESOME IMAGE.  "


Pall = A Cover for a Coffin....blimey, had to look that one up !

Indeed. 

The Ever-Lasting Beauty and Tragedy of Smoking.

Until Next Time.  Thanks For Reading.
Yours, CFC x

Comics Cartoons and Monsters

Two Swiss Major Cities, and Two Cool EXHIBITIONS, in the run up to Easter !!
We are talking about Lucern, and, Zurich.

Only 45 minutes, extremely efficient, and, reliable Inter-City (IR) Train journey between them.
Or 60 kms (37 miles) by Car.

Let us Start in Zurich.....

At: GALERIE VILLA MAINAU 34, in Zurich.
Since 24th March, and ending, in one week, on : 21st April.

There is a Restrospective Exhibition of, The Graphic Works, of probably SWITZERLAND`S, most Notorious, and Oscar-Winning, Artist....
H.R. GIGER.

( If you go back to Posts 2 - 5 of this Blog, written in September last year, there is MORE about H.R. Giger, and his Permanent Museums, which are here, in Switzerland.  If you are interested. )

At this Current Exhibition, Mr.Giger is pictured above.  All Periods of his Work are Represented.
Including Sculptures, LithoGraphs, and more.
There are also a selection of Limited, Signed Editions.
And - from this Visionary Artist of Fantasy Realism - there is a NEW WORK !
Called : "Playmate".
There are 190 Copies, of which those who visit this Gallery, get the chance to buy, at a reduced price of : 700.00 Swiss Francs, instead of, 900 Swiss Francs.


http://www.kunzstueck.ch/kunzstueck.ch/Herzlich_willkommen.html


If you have enough left over....
Errhm,

Then onto Lucern......

At THE LUCERN ART MUSEUM - KunstMuseum - which is located about 5 minutes from the Main Train Station, is the Jubilee, or 20th YEAR of THE INTERNATIONAL COMICS FESTIVAL.  Sponsored by the Fumetto Association.
Since the 9th April, and up to, and including, this Sunday, 17th April, a MAJOR COMIC BOOK ARTIST, the American : DANIEL CLOWES.
Has his FIRST Comprehensive Exhibition.

One of his works, is as above.

Daniel Clowe, like his Contemporary, DAVID LYNCH, is Famous for mixing elements of The Kitsch and The Grotesque, in the Comics, that he not only illustrates, but also, writes.
Clowe`s Comic : "Ghostworld" was one of the First GRAPHIC NOVELS, to be sold in a `conventional` book shop.

Well, only hope that in reading this Blog, you ain`t A gettin` You-s Eyes, goin` Something like This Guy, above !! ?? !
( From the comic : " Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron " , By Daniel Clowes. 1993. )


And, that I, don`t get Visitors, err, like this, tonight.. in my sleep....

Until Next Time.  Thanks For Reading.
Yours, CFC x

INTEGRACION

We are now into The 3rd Generation of SPANISH people, who have made, and are making : A Life, in SWITZERLAND.
40 years ago the first Spanish people arrived into Switzerland, and they now make up more than 90.000 of a 7.8 million Total population of this country, where this, erhm, here BLOG is coming from....
There is even an HISPANIC MAGAZINE, which comes out every 2 months, in the Big Cities here, including CFC`s location-e : ZURICH.
LatinoMagazin, as above.

The Spanish Language and Culture, is alive, and well-preserved, in the whole of Switzerland.
THE SPANISH MINISTRY OF EDUCATION has well-established, and popular, Spanish LANGUAGE and CULTURE CLASSES organised in Swiss Education Centres, over 6 Swiss Cities :
Basel
Bern
Geneva
Lausanne
St. Gallen
and Zurich.

Zurich has more than 1.011 Students enrolled in these courses, which can last up to 10 years, starting at Level A1, going to Level C1.
Boys and Girls participate for 3 HOURS A WEEK, all over SWITZERLAND.
Considering.....according to, err......Statistics......that over 90% of the Children, Teenagers, and Young Adults, who are the DESCENDANTS of the first Spanish IMMIGRANTS go to these Language and Culture Classes,
this is quite some Integration of 2 Cultures whom " Begin " with an - `S`.
: )


It goes without saying, but, is being said....that of course there are Latino and Latina :
" Let`s go Party and Dance " venues and nights in restaurants, bars and clubs.
One of which is called : "LATIN PALACE" in Zurich :

Could not possibly close, before paying Hispanic-o Respect to Puerto Rican : RICKY MARTIN.
Who had a Private ShowCase Concert of his new Album, in February of this year at The Plaza Club, in Zurich.
An EXCLUSIVE 45 minute, 2 Part Show, to which the Tickets could only be Won, and not, Bought.
: (

Hence the intimacy of a : 100 only Crowd !!!!
The first half of his Show was dedicated to the Album, released at the end of January 2011, entitled :
" Music + Soul + Sex "
The second half included Ricky Martin`s Classic and Iconic : " Livin` La Vida Loca "
and " Maria ".

Senor Martin is currently on TOUR in Canada and USA.
Check out his very recent, and very short time, in Zurich, Switzerland :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVV7811LIuc&NR=1


GRACIAS POR LA MUSICA !!!!


Until Next Time.  Thanks For Reading.
Yours, CFC x

Just when You Thought it was Safe to Go Out......

Put your Best Dress and your Best Suit On !
We have a Special Edition to Celebrate, during the process of Spring Cleaning, and Good Ole`Clear-Outs......get down and dust people.
Apply a soft-off-white ( but NOT Magnolia Paint...) to the Hallway Walls, fill any existing holes with Loove....err....for all Estate Agents.....and :
Apply this WTF, mmmm, errr, erhhm...."Flying Cuckoo Clock" to your Glory-LandMark-Entrance Wall !!

"THE BRADFORD EXCHANGE"....sounds rather British, old chap, is the Proud Producing Company, yes :  here in SWITZERLAND.
And, this Baby, is most definitely SWISS.
I mean there are 5 Swiss Flags, all over it, flying, and yes, flying.

Inspect closely, would you please, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Auntie "JU" is coming to Stay.
She takes 3 AA Batteries to work.
She is Classically Sculpted, to a High Quality Standard.
Hand-Painted.
Quartz Clock Mechanisms.

Let us Proudly COMMEMORATE 75 YEARS of Dear Auntie JUNKERS JU 52 Aeroplane - with this CUCKOO-replaced by An Aeroplane-CLOCK.
The Aeroplane is still in use Today, and can fly to 3,000 metres up, and at 170 kms an hour :

It is a German, Transport, Military, and Civilian, Aircraft from 1930`s - 1950`s.  It was also produced in France and Spain.
In it`s Civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including SWISSAIR, as an Airliner, and Freight Hauler.

Ah, "Auntie JU 52".

Don`t misinterpret me - I Like Aeroplanes, and it would be Wonderful to Fly an Aeroplane one day....on that;
" To Do List - To Try, and Get Done - Before You Die "......
And, well, we all have some kind of a Nostalgia About Something - no ?

BUT - A Cuckoo Clock, that has the Aeroplane come out of it....on the Hour...every Hour....
Emerging from its Hangar, to fire up its Engines, to make a " Unique Sound ".....
Like an Authentic Junkers Ju 52 Aeroplane Motor.....
ROARING in the HallWay.....
Is Cheap and Corny.

Yes, and it does exist here in SWITZERLAND - the err : Cheap and Corny.
It`s not all Exclusive Design, with Sleek, Subtle, Sheened, Gotta Be in The Club - Logos and Brands.
And, that`s fine ?
Addresses " The Balance "...??

But, this one`s a Box won`t be Ticking the Yes - Ja Box , with any kind of a Tick - Anytime.
Corny, but Not Kitsch Enough for CFC  ,-)

Here is the Link to "The Bradford Exchange" Website, at DoT.CH, for Switzerland :

http://www.bradford.ch/product_info.php/info/p799_Tante-Ju-Hangar-Uhr.html/XTCsid/0fe4eb5e0f424994de2af21301569561


Frighteningly British, Back When " THE EMPIRE " was in Play.
ENJOY :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxX7YW_97QU



Until Next Time. Thanks For Reading.
Yours, CFC x

......Derelicte......

        

Couldn`t fight the overwhelming desire to Time Travel-slash-Hibernate the Cold, since January.
None such the excuse....Whatever...Back To The Word....
Now we are March, Manic with Flowers; Peeping and Breaking up the Weeping of; Winter.  Many of them thriving in, err, somewhat less PRISTINE SWISS ARCHITECTURE.....




Have yet to "Discover"...in the interests of Curiousity and Contrasts....and not: Erhm : Dumbed Down "Journalism"....WHERE ARE THE DELAPIDATED DUMPS, SQUATS....and...not all part of the same "Bag" - NO GO AREAS ??? Of this, here, SWITZERLAND...?

Surely - HOW can it Possibly Be - ALL (?) - as in the previous 2 Posts of PICTURESQUE PERFECTE ?            
                                                                          

 Or - is this a Negative Voice of Cynism ?

Yes - there ARE less, Attractive, and less Well-Maintained Houses and Appartment Blocks...all depending on your standards and norms, of course...

There is also A LOT OF NEW BUILDING going on,

especially in the "Suburbs" of ZURICH, Flats are on the rise.
As with any Major City, Property to Rent is More Spacious and Less of a Monthly Cost....that bit further out from the "Epicentre"....

In one such an area, about 30 kms, or so, from DOWNTOWN ZURICH, as it is referred to here, in a somewhat AMERICANISM of Vocabulary - Say What ?!

"Please find the above and the following" smack-back-down in the middle of a VERY WELL-2-DO SWISS VILLAGE.

An ABANDONNED HOUSE, that has had its "Glory Days"....

....where THE YOUTH (?)... and THOSE IN DISTRESS (?)...and THOSE into THE OTHERS.....make some time, space, shelter, rest, and games.

Is this OBJECTIVE; SUBJECTIVE; POMPOUS PARAPHENALIA;SO WHAT ?  There is Plenty Worse; and What of the Fascination-Really ??
All so "Done Before"...?

Now, this may be Called : "DERELICTE", after the (Comedy) Film of 2001 :

However - CFC, is no : "MUGATU", taking inspiration from the Homeless on the Street to "Design" a Fashion Collection...All in the Worse of Possible Tastes...

This First Installment, TO BE CONTINUED....fulfills.... part of "The Brief", to defend the part of The Mission... as stated in the "More About" Section of this BLOG :

 .....demystifying switzerland......

Until Next Time.  Thanks For Reading.
Yours, CFC. x