On Friday afternoon I finally got to swim across the lake (that’s me in the picture, which was taken from the boat by my shark-attack-fearing husband). Unlike the day of our first attempt, the weather was gorgeous and there was not a cloud in the sky. We could see all the way to the snow-covered Alps. At 18˚ c, the water was a little, um, chilly, but the experience was still enjoyable.
After the swim, we went back to the Züricher Theater Spektakel for dinner. Although it was a fun place to sit, drink, and enjoy the evening, I was less than thrilled to be faced with the same food choices. But swimming across a lake can leave a gal so hungry that she’ll eat almost anything, so it worked out just fine.
Still, there’s something disturbing about a burrito topped with about a half a bottle of ranch dressing (which the Swiss seemed to have confused with sour cream). Our Swiss friends didn’t understand my objections to the dressing-drenched spice-free creation until I found an analogy for them: this was like them visiting us in the US and us bringing them to a restaurant which made fondue using bright orange American cheese. That seemed to drive the point home.
Needless to say, eating Mexican food still tops my list of things I’m looking forward to doing on my next trip back to the US.
More pictures from the day here.
Good job Julie. But I am with Scott. I will just watch. I look forward to the warm water of Hawaii.
Yur so brave! brrrrrrrrrr
Congrats on your own personal “human drama of athletic competition” (maybe you’re too young to remember ABC’s Wide World of Sports?).
I agree with you about mass consumption of “real” Mexican food always being on the list of things to do when going back to the U.S.
Congratulations on the Überquerung! I’m glad the weather cleared and you got the chance.
Congrats Julie,
It looks a little cold for my liking! I’m very much a fair weather (and warm water) swimmer! Shame about the burrito. THe best I ever had was in the Pour House in Boston about five years ago. I can still smell it…and the refried beans!
As a Mexican-American, I have to say that the picture of that thing smothered in white sauce or ranch dressing (whatever it is) made me cringe!! I feel horrible about the Swiss people being mislead about our wonderful cuisine. You’ve got to set them straight! That’s worse than Taco Bell!!
Congrats on the swim! I’ve been reading your blog for some time now and I enjoy it!
That looks like a very exhilarating swim you had there …
Herzlichen Glueckwunsch zu deiner Seeueberquerung!!
I’m expecting big things for the 100th post Jul. I mean, swimming a lake should be nothing compared to the big 100.
Ewww! I’ve tried Mexican food twice while in Switzerland. Somehow they just don’t get it. So, did you actually eat that?
I did actually eat a burrito, scraping off as much of the white goo as possible. There was a lake of it left on my plate when I was done. Eeew!
Uuhm …
… I tried Mexican food a few times, since I was here. At the Tex-Mex and the Tres Amigos in St.Gallen.
I am unable to judge the quality (I found it o.k, but,never having been to Mexico …), but from what you say, it must be as bad as the Asian restaurants here – which are abominable.
Does this mean I shouldn’t visit the Swiss-Mexican restaurants here any more?!
If you enjoy it, eat it! Authenticity is second to taste, in my opinion. There’s just no way that much white sauce could taste good…
One of my favorite things to eat in Spain is the vegetable paella they make just for tourists. Yum!
RANCH DRESSING???!!!!! That is too much-it looks abolutely disgusting! I have had the same experience in Zurich, but it was homemade “Tex-Mex”-several different “sauces” were served-on the side luckily. The only time I had some good Tex-Mex was once when I purchased the very-expensive-in-Switzerland ingredients and made it myself!