Hiking, Little Romania and Karaoke

It has been a busy week! I started my week with some awesome skype calls with Ms. Lowe, and the Mast Family. Love them. And some hiking! Wednesday I bundled up and headed up to the hills behind our apartment where Üetliberg is. I took a different path than the one we took last time and allowed myself to get lost in the forest. I didn't see another soul for about 2 hours and it was delightful. I climbed rocks, dodge falling snow clumps melting from the trees above, scaled narrow paths with little to no room for error, and maneuvered my way around large mud pits. Now thinking about it, it was more of an obstacle course than a hike. It was still lots of fun and just beautiful; however, I did catch myself thinking that I am glad there are no bears in Europe, because I would be in big trouble running into one in the middle of no where.


Zurich from way up high
Remember this guy?
I caught him eating snow :)
Later Wed. night I joined the Google team and all of the girlfriends/wives over at their colleagues house, Fanul and his wife Alina, for dinner. Fanul immigrated to the US from Romania after the USSR collapsed when he was 11 and Alina moved to Chicago from Romania only 5 years ago. They are now married and live in Switzerland. We hear a lot about Romania from Fanul, so he invited the whole team over for a homemade Romania feast! His wife cooked up a storm! Polenta ("Mamaliga"), stuffed cabbage rolls ("Sarmale"), meatball soup ("Supa de perisoare"), vegetable spreads ("Zacusca") and grilled minced-meat sausages ("Mititei").

Friday. I sure that not everyone knows this about me, but I detest karaoke. Yup, I am sure that some of you might find that a little surprising since I am generally a "I'll try anything" out going person. But karaoke? Honestly it just makes me uncomfortable. But what happens when all of your friends insist you go out because this is a "special" karaoke bar? Well, you suck it up and go. Google was having another Social TGIF, where they invited a famous karaoke BAND to come to Google. The band was great.... the singing? It was hilariously bad.

Well, it is time for the weekend! We are off to Basel tomorrow and a Wine expo Sunday!

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