Egg nine beef

me: "Hey, Mom. How do you say 'egg nine beef' in French?"
gus: "What? Egg nine beef? What does that mean?"
kris: "Oeuf neuf boeuf?"
gus and sarah: "HA HA HA HA"

Kris had her wallet stolen today. Now we go through the process of canceling credit cards and stuff. This will be fun.

OMG France

Went to Paris this week to see a couple of European icons: the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre. My wife originally rented an apartment for the six of us (her, me, my kids, and my parents). It seemed like a good idea, one I approved when we saw the pictures of it on the Internet. Suffice it to say we're all instead at the Hotel Opal. After a grueling night, we each concurred that it was not exactly the place we would choose again.

We made it to the top of the Tower. Took this picture with my work Blackberry. The camera on it sucks. We took more pictures while on the Tower, saw the city. The last time I visited Paris, I was able to take a crepe on the Eiffel Tower. Not this time, though. My kids laugh about that. Today we will attempt a visit at the Louvre Museum. I really want to see the Mona Lisa. If I see nothing else but this, I will be satisfied.

Spent the first night of our vacation in Geneva, walked around the city the next day. Lots of expensive brand name shops there. Took a train from Geneva to Paris on the second day. When we arrived at the Paris train station, I was a bit confused by the messages on the signs. Again, another pic from my crepey Blackberry camera showed retards were probable in Avignon. Sorry about the quality of the photo.

Fitness

So, three and a half months, I now understand why the Swiss are so fit. Here are my observations:

1) Sprinting for trains and buses is a popular workout routine. On any given day, you can stand in the main station and count hundreds of people working out. I like to dress up in a suit and leather shoes for my workouts. I feel more comfortable knowing I'm getting my money's worth on outrageous dry cleaning bills.
2) The cost of everything else limits one's calorie intake. Spending capability works wonders on any diet outside the US. There are just better things to spend your money on here than outrageously expensive food. For example, gasoline for your car, car insurance, a car, speeding tickets, maintenance of your car, registration fees for your car, and all other non-car expenses.
3) Corn.

Why corn? I watched two recent movies: The Informant, and Food Inc. To me, subsidizing corn is now at the root of all American evil. Watch them both, and you'll find the same pattern, too.

OMG Greece

I was finally able to make it outside the hotels where the software conference is being held. This was the Athens view from the restaurant where I had dinner last night. The restaurant is called Dionysos, and wow it is something. Not a bad seat in the house. The restaurant decor has spared no expense, and the service was fantastic.

I stumbled into a lunch spot just beneath the Acropolis, called Geros Toy Moria, in the winding roads of Plaka. We sat at a table on a hillside sidewalk, drank espressos, had an awesome tomato salad, ate fresh-catch fish, and finished with baklava. Again, the service was exceptional. They compete with the gentleman who has situated his restaurant directly next door, down the sidewalk. It is quaint to watch them entice the potentials.

Today we visited several islands. I couldn't help continuously asking directions to the town named Vagia on the island of Aegina.

Momentum

Being in Switzerland puts me in the middle of places I have only read about. I haven't traveled outside of Switzerland since landing in Zurich in August. My wife and kids went to London over a break, so they are enjoying this benefit without me. I haven't been able to take advantage of where I am located for a few reasons, but this week, I am in Athens, Greece, at a software conference called "Momentum". And, while I haven't yet made it out to see the awesome sites and to take photos of the inspring and very old landmarks, I did have to wonder what the graphic designer of this directional sign was thinking.

I can say I have been eating more food here than I would in Switzerland. Maybe the graphic designer has been, too.

Öh Fünf

Learning a new language is one of the most frustrating tasks I have attempted. I don't learn languages well. I'm just not wired this way. My mouth doesn't make the sounds that others make. When I try to speak in German, I am constantly asked "What did you say?" but in English.

The umlaut sounds mess me up completely. The word "five" in German is "fünf". It's a funny sound for an American to try to pronounce. There are too many compressed little sounds in one word to sound comfortable saying it. To an "only-English" speaker, the umlaut u has a bit of an r sound in it, if one can closely catch it. To hear Five hundred fifty-five spoken in German gives me a giggle.