[Culturechat] CH Birthday Party

[Vance Roy]

Some of you have heard of my CH friend, Herr Britschgi. He and I spend
an hour or so each week discussing everything. He is a great source of
practical untourism information, and we have become friends over the
past few years.

He became 50 years old a few days ago. His wife did the same a few days
later. We were flattered to be invited to a birthday festivity held near
his home near Pffaefikon on lake Zurich this past weekend. We made our
way there through a late Spring blizzard on Saturday afternoon.

Now, as some of you may know, Swiss parties are a bit different than
most of those in the USA. These supposedly staid and conservative people
can throw a bash with the best of them. The affair started with an
icebreaker event, since the group was from far and wide. We were given a
sheet upon which to place our names. The sheet held a box for each guest
with a special note about them but no indication as to which was which.
Finding your own box wasn't too hard, but other than a spouse, the rest
had to be discerned by going around and asking. Each person then signed
his name on your sheet in the appropriate box and you reciprocated in
your box on their sheets. That way, one got to know the person and
something about them. Some of the descriptions were: "A master climber",
"Plays the Didgeridoo", "Has a Merlot fountain in Ticino", "Is a flag
thrower", and so on. There were musicians, politicians, climbers, even a
belly dancer, and others.

This done, we had a glass or two of wine and then sat down to begin to
eat. Eating at a CH party takes a long time. It has its benefits too.
Unlike a lot of dinner parties in the USA, one can sit and have a six course
dinner with entertainment between courses, along with wine, over a
period of five or six hours without feeling stuffed or woozy at the end.
In the USA, I found either a restaurant or caterer anxious to get it all
served and done. In any event, after three of these Swiss affairs, I can
say that I am far more comfortable at the end. Of course, that means
dessert is about midnight, but who cares? You are neither hungry or
stuffed, and there has been fun in between. 

The food was not Swiss. Vietnamese! Geri's wife, Rita, had taught two
Vietnamese ladies English some years ago. They now have a party service
and used the kitchen in the hall to fix a fine meal of six courses. 

Between courses, there were tales to tell, poems about the birthday
people, jokes, and general good conversation. By about 1 AM, we all had
a toast and sang "Happy Birthday" to Geri and Rita. We left to go to the
hotel feeling as if we had a bunch of new friends.

There are pictures at:

http://www.zing.com/album/?id=4292736745

Vance Roy
gigli.saw@dplanet.ch.