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!

Anybody home?

Yes, I do still live in Paris. Yes, I do travel a great deal. Yes, I am a very lucky lady!

Time for some Paris photos just to prove that I do still reside in the city of lights and love.

City of contrasts:

From riches...

... to rags. 

From rainy...

... to sunny.

From one lonely bag...

... to an entire wardrobe. 

From the bottom...

... to the top.

From simple and fresh...

... to elaborate and delicate.

Paris will always be Paris!

Betty Bossi, a Swiss hero

On a total different note and feeling slightly homesick, I have decided to share my Swiss hero character with you today.

If you grew up in Switzerland you will know who Betty Bossi is.

Hardly anyone knows her outside the Confederation, but generations of Swiss have grown up with her. Inventor of the fictitious character Betty Bossi is the Zurich advertising specialist Emmi Creola, born as Emmi Maag in 1912.

Taking inspiration from Betty Crocker, Betty Bossi was created by Emmi Creola-Maag for Unilever to help sell margarine to the butter-friendly Swiss. This took form in 1956 as a magazine style leaflet called the Betty Bossi Post, which attempted to answer the eternal question "What Shall I Cook Today?". French on one side and German on the other, the leaflet was so popular that it grew into a full magazine, and then a recipe book.

In 1977 Betty Bossi split from Unilever and it became its own, separate publishing company. The brand continued to flourish, publishing countless cookbooks and expanding into TV and radio, as well as recipe development and convenience foods. Today Betty Bossi is Switzerland's biggest cookbook publisher and can be found in most every household.

Emmi Creola-Maag's creature Betty Bossi became the "cook of the nation" and conquered television when no one in neighbouring Germany thought of cooking shows. Many believe that Helvetia's national cuisine would be different without Betty Bossi.

In 2012 the company was purchased outright by the supermarket chain Coop, which had previously taken a 50% stake in 2001. Today Betty Bossi continues to be one of the dominant authorities on Swiss cuisine, especially for the home cook. The shelves of Swiss houses are lined with her cookbooks and Coop, uses her name on everything from orange juice to ravioli.

The "Betty Bossi" newspaper today has a circulation of around 900,000 copies. Over the past decades, I have had my magazines sent to Geneva, to Buenos Aires, to Milano, to Madrid, to Lugano and now I look forward to receiving my monthly Swiss dose of homemade flavours in Paris. I have been a loyal reader since 1996 because as Lin Yutang once wrote: "What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?"

Chilling in Ibiza

When you just can't get enough of the island vibes...

An evening walk through Villa Dalt, Ibiza's old town 

There is always time for a Tinto de verano

Shall we or shall we not?!?

This pink flamingo terrace has my name written all over it

 

Will it be a spectacular sunset tonight?

Morning swim all by myself 

When nature turns trendy

A souvenir to take home

Siesta behind closed shutters

Aperò time with friends 

Happy Hour at the beach

Let's meet in Ibiza

A 12 hour pit stop in Paris to change my suitcase from wellies and rain jackets to bikinis and flip flops... a change I am happy to make any time.

The rendez-vous had been planned last year following a reunion with my Lugano girlfriends. After eight years we had finally got our act together and arrived in Ibiza from Lugano, Barcelona and Paris to reunite and have some fun.

We got a taste of the Ibiza vibes and decided to repeat the experience again this year. The perfect excuse to spend four days without hubbies or kids to pick up where we left off, create new stories and catch up on each other’s state of mind.

A hike, a swim, a lunch, a cocktail, a paella, a bio farm visit, a hippie market shopping spree, a rooftop terrasse view and lots of beach time all makes it so much more fun when in Ibiza.

But it is so much more... a time to reconnect, to kindle cherished friendships, to find a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on. FaceTime, Facebook, WhatsApp are great but nothing beats a good giggle on the sofa at 2am in the morning with your girlfriends.

So here is to you my Breganzona ladies... we have a date with David Guetta for next year!

Hiking up the hill to get the perfect angle of the magic island of Es Vedra

Lunch with a view

The beach all to ourselves but the sea is a bit choppy

The perfect beach spot

A "light" Spanish lunch

Checking out the trendy spots...

... as well as the natural ones!

Loving the vibes 

Make a wish... you're in Ibiza!

Anything goes at the hippie market

A creative corner

A new discovery: the Ushuaia Tower terrasse 

Bopping with all the youngsters to David Guetta