Happy Halloween

Back in Lugano for Toussaint break

 

Feeling like a bride walking down the aisle of Gentilino's church

Strolling along Riva Antonio Caccia looking onto Monte Bré

Jogging past Chiesa di Muzzano on a sunny Sunday morning

"Panoptico" by Oppy de Bernardo in Piazza Alessandro Manzoni

when I was expecting a pink flamingo display.

Campione d'Italia, an Italian exclave surrounded by the canton of Ticino.

Campione will formally become part of the EU customs territory in 2020; until then it de facto comes within Swiss customs control.

Where should we take the boat to?

How about Castagnola or Gandria?

Ticino's public transport service ensures many a connection across the hills.

Its distinctive features - the three-tone horn and the yellow post buses - are an integral part of Switzerland’s cultural identity.

Fondazione Hermann Hesse in Montagnola, where the German-born poet, novelist, and painter spent the second half of his life. Gotta love those palm trees!

 Breathtaking view onto Lugano from Montagnola

Following the chestnut trail in the woods of Collina d'Oro.

Expat with Kids: how it all started

It has been 9 years... nine years I have been online and blogging. It all started as a challenge... a goal I set myself feeling slightly bored living in Lugano: I was to create a blog by myself without spending a penny.

At first the ambition was to figure out how to set up a blog, however, as I dug deeper into the net and spent endless hours googling CSS coding, I realized there was a niche to be filled in the Lugano sphere.

A decade ago Switzerland's most Southern canton experienced an influx of Expats, the real estate market was at its peak and the Swiss banks were having a field day. My aim was to provide an English speaking online guide for all the city's newcomers ... et voilà... Expat with Kids was born.

I continued to self-educate myself about web design and social media marketing while promoting my funky guide to Lugano written by a American/Swiss globetrotting, chocolate-loving mum who likes sharing wacky information.

However, a few months later my hubby announced we were moving to Paris... never the one to let a hurdle stop me, I realized how passionate I had become about blogging and how much it motivated me. It was my way of being unique and part of something bigger than myself at the same time.

Therefore, Expat with Kids in Paris was born not long after.

Ever since I have kept up both blogs, the Lugano guide continues to attract readers in search of information and inspiration around town, the Paris one is a more personal account of an Expat's daily adventures in the city of lights.

How would I describe the author? A Swiss globetrotting mum, figlia di Americano, con corazòn Napoletano and a British accent based in Paris who left her heart in various parts of the world with an insatiable curiosity for beauty and knowledge. Passionate about languages and the culture that comes with it. A lover of the eclectic and the quirky - accompanied by a touch of glamour.

Happy 9th Blogaversary Expat with Kids!

A Dutch phenomena

Expat daughter and I had done our homework and googled Netherlands' population of 17 million people. We knew that they were the world's No.1 bikers but what we didn't know is that all together the Dutch own 22.5 million bicycles. This means that on average they own 1.3 bicycles per capita. More than any other country in the world.

One of the more spectacular products of the bike-train system is this sea of bicycles you see at any train station in the Netherlands

Almost a quarter of the Dutch population cycles every day.

Less than 0.5 percent of Dutch cyclists wear helmets...

... it’s just not present in their culture, because they’ve ultimately decided that it’s far more important to build this culture of everyday cycling, and to build safe streets, instead of requiring people to protect themselves.

For decades, the Dutch have had a country-wide network of bicycle trails. You can get from one city to another on a bike, no matter the distance. 

The bike is an integral part of everyday life rather than a specialist's accessory or a symbol of a minority lifestyle, so Dutch people don't concern themselves with having the very latest model of bike or hi-tech gadgets.

Cycling is so common that when you ask people whether they are cyclists or not, their response is: "We aren't cyclists, we're just Dutch."!

The Dutch regard their bikes as trusty companions in life's adventures. In that kind of relationship it is longevity that counts - so the older, the better.

The fact that everyone cycles, or knows someone who does, means that drivers are more sympathetic to cyclists when they have to share space on the roads.

Utrecht built the Netherlands’ first bike lane in 1885. 

The average speed of the Dutch on a pedal bicycle is 12.4 km/h...

... and the average speed on an e-bike is 13 km/h.

Come give it a try!

An enchanting town in a small country

Making the most of our Dutch university tour weekend we visited dear friends in Den Haag.

One of the many perks of an International school is that we end up with a global network of friends who consider it a treat to meet up. To them you bring back sweet memories of the city they left, to us it is fascinating to see their new home and daily routine in a foreign country.

Big hugs, lots of laughs, a few happy tears and we took up right where we left off when we last saw each other six months ago.

A delicious dinner in Den Haag followed by a stroll through a little enchanting Dutch city called Leiden the next day and it seems Expat daughter and I have been away far more than a mere 48 hours.

Although we had missed the Leiden University Open Day we still explored the various buildings scattered across town and could not stop ourselves from taking way too many photos for the village center is tremendously picturesque.

Expat girl’s conclusion: the cutest town but no real Uni campus and with that it was time for a late lunch... at the beach in Den Haag!

A picturesque community located in the tulip-growing district in the Netherlands

Population of 123,000 and home to Leiden University, the country’s oldest, dating from 1575

The canals of Leiden provide some stunning photography opportunities

Many important scientific discoveries have been made here, 

giving rise to Leiden's motto: "City of Discoveries"

Part of the university buildings 

Time for a cup of coffee

One of the locals

Love this detail

Guessing it is student housing

What better way to end the day than on the beach?

What is Erasmus all about?

This weekend our destination was the Netherlands. With a quick two and a half hour train ride Expat Girl and I had reached Rotterdam. Arriving at 9pm the place was quiet and within minutes we were sitting in a taxi heading towards our hotel. What a welcoming change from Paris hassles.

Early the next morning we hit one of the best breakfast buffets EVER before we crossed the street to Erasmus University to attend a string of introductory sessions by various departments: International Arts & Culture studies, Liberal Arts & Science, International business administration, Business economics and Management of International social challenges.

Turns out the University's name takes its inspiration from Monsieur Erasmus of Rotterdam, a Dutch humanist and theologian from the 15th century, who travelled in different European countries to understand the various cultures. Kind of like we are doing in search of a university fit.

Expat daughter as well as I were convinced that the more intimate University College option would be the answer until we actually visited the campus which turned out to be 20 min into the city center and consisted of one building only! 50 minutes later we were back on the tram again returning towards main Erasmus University campus. We both had felt the University campus vibe and preferred the hustle and bustle of Dutch and International students mingling in their hood to Rotterdam’s city center anonymity. Expat girl approached many student ambassadors in the quest to get a better understanding of the Bachelor’s Degree programmes trying to figure out a match for her interests and passions.

At the end of the day our minds seemed to be more confused and the answers we had came for were not the ones we had expected. But then again, that’s life... Expat girl still has enough time to figure what and where she wants to study and I am happy to help her by trotting around Europe and visiting prospective universities... it is a great way to spent some precious Mummy-daughter time and the big advantage of living in Paris is that we are based in the center of Europe.

So, we are not quite clear about which subject to study... or in which country for that matter... but when Expat Girl sees it, she'll know!! With that in mind... where shall we go next?!?

View from our hotel room straight onto the Erasmus University of Rotterdam

Scrumptious breakfast buffet

We both pinched some goodies from the kids buffet

Welcome to the Netherlands 

Expat daughter found the architecture a refreshing change from Paris' Hausmannien style

The Erasmus University campus

A pink business presentation... they must have known I was coming?!?

The lovely but lonely University College building in the center...

... as modern on the inside as it is traditional on the outside

A well deserved gigantic stroopwafel with honey at the end of a very intense day!

Falling in love with Paris again...

Sunday morning, 7am and I am wide awake... and... I had decided it was time I fell back in love with Paris. I can tell by the number of photos I have taken lately. I dare say I have a fair amount more of Ibiza than I do of Paris year to date!

After breakfast I took hubby by the hand and started strolling down to the Seine determined to make the most of what would no doubt be one of this year's last glorious sunny Sundays. With camera in hand we reached the river banks which to our surprise were closed to traffic due to Paris' 20km run gathering 30,000 runners from 100 countries in the streets of the French capital.

This was just the ticket, no were else does true French solidarity shine through more than in the form of associations. Faithful to its historical convictions, each year, the race's voluntary organization committee supports charitable associations in health and welfare... and the runners as well as the spectators were all in!

The onlookers had turned out in huge numbers - all enjoying a taste of the Indian summer - they were cheering, chanting, singing, dancing, clapping even howling at the participants. Home-made banners, printed posters, colourful flags, megaphones and bands lined the 20km course. Young and old, able bodied and disabled, men and women, all facing the challenge for a good cause. Now if that doesn't warm you heart... I am convinced Parisians are a different race on a sunny Sunday!

Hubby and I walked our usual route up and down the riverbank, following the racecourse for some miles, enjoying the blue skies and the sunny weather, but what warmed our hearts most on this day was feeling the city's solidarity and all the people that had turned up the show their caring side.

It was a good day to fall in love with Paris again!

A glorious Parisian Sunday

A constant flow of human all running for a cause

The last kilometres...

Some pink cheering on the sidelines

When your associations' buddies run past everyone cheers!

Take a seat this is gonna take a while... and don't forget to cheer!