Note: The American Embassy in Havana re-opens today, 14 August, after 55 years. This is the day when Switzerland, now my home country, ends the longest “protecting power role” mandate it has had, a job that involves representing two nations who are not on speaking terms. It’s a moving moment, a time when common sense […]
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The key to my heart
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – A trolley folly two weeks ago led to a major headache, lost keys, but the ordeal has ended happily and, as everyone heads off on holidays, I’d like to suggest you take a minute to think about your keys. I lost mine as I was leaving for a short business trip to […]
Expats who live abroad vs those who never leave home
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / EDITOR’S NOTEPAD – Journalists beware: the annual Mercer rankings for expensive cities came out Wednesday, but this year the arrival of Chinese and other Asian cities underlines the serious mistake of giving the figures credence, for readers at large. The numbers are meaningless, unless you have a fat corporation behind you when […]
A walk in Salgesch, Valais, in the rain
This was a very wet weekend in Switzerland, which meant I pretty much had the vineyards to myself, nice for photos as long as you don’t insist on sun in your images. This area is to the east (upriver side of the village) of the well-known Sierre-Salgesch vineyard trail, 6 km and 2.5 hours, that […]
Spain’s Grandes Pagos come to town
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – A group of Spanish producers who form the Grandes Pagos de España association showed off some of their wines this week in Switzerland – in Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva. Some 20 members provided a nice contrast to the big industrial-style estates, a reminder that Spain has some beautiful wines being made at […]