A few summer outings (2012)

Signau, Emmental (Canton of Berne)

La Belotte (Lake of Geneva)

 Le Renfort (Sezegnin - Canton of Geneva)

Hulftegg (Canton of Zurich)

Iddaburg (Canton of St.Gall)

Schwaegalp (Canton of Appenzell-Ausserrhoden)

Appenzell (Canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden)

Tannay (Canton of Vaud)

Geneva fireworks

Rath Museum Geneva

Chinese Restaurant Celeste Empire, Bernex-Geneva

 

Wonderful autumn outing - Sept.8,2012 Creux du Van

The Creux du Van (1386m/4500 ft) is a natural rocky cirque of approximately 1,400 metres/4500 feet width and 150 metres/490 feet of depth on the north side of Le Soliat. It is located in the Val de Travers district, in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel. A very well known, amphitheatre-shaped natural attraction of the area, it is located at the heart of a nature reservation area of 15.5 km².

  

 Restaurant Les Rochat

 

Jeune Genevois (Geneva fast) 06 Sep 2012

Plum pie for the “Jeûne Genevois” (Geneva fast) – tarte aux pruneaux/ quetsches pour le Jeûne Genevois

Today is an official day of  holiday in Geneva “canton” (county). It is called the  “Jeûne Genevois” (Genevan Fast) and even if there is probably nobody who will fast on that day, everybody will have prune/plum tart…

The Jeûne Genevois day is celebrated every year on the Thursday after the first Sunday of September. This holiday has its origins in a tradition dating from the Middle Ages. At that time, some days were officially decided to be fasting days, as penitence days, usually after calamities such as plague, or other epidemics and war, and then, they were maintained on the calendar.

It is said that the first fast was decided in September 1572, after the massacre of protestants during the St Barthelemy massacre in France. Other sources, mention that the first fast happened in 1567, after a terrible repression against protestants, which took place near Lyon in France.
Geneva has a long tradition of doing thing differently than the rest of the country, that is why it is the only canton having his day of fast on the Thursday. The rest of the country has a fasting day,called “Jeûne Fédéral” on the third Monday of September.

But, will you ask, why do you call it a fast, when plum pie is being eaten? Well, it seems that, traditionally only plum/prune pie could be eaten on that day. And the reason is: 1) pretty simple  and 2)pretty misogynistic… 1)Plums are widely available in September! 2)The pie was baked on the day before, so that women and servants (!) would not have to cook on the day of fast and thus would be able to pray, meditate.