If you like it hot...

... so this is the time for you to come to Switzerland. Even if you prefer cold, you can still come here and head to the Apls.

But fun apart, it is beautiful to walk around here with extreme green forests and blooming flowers with fantastic intoxicating smells.

Since we are living in the countryside (B in the map)we learned to value small things like this and it is worth a lot! In one of the last weekends we traveled with out 'hyperactive' friend Miki (he is one of those persons who is always happy and always has got sg to do, it is very healthy to be besides him!(hallottad?)! We all went to Montreux in the Swiss riviera (C) then heading to Gruyere (D). And as you can see in the map it is in the other corner of our lake.

In lilac I pointed our little Sunday trip. A-Geneva, B-where we live, C-Montreux and D-Gruyere Castle.

It is like a summer city, it has amazing waters, clubs, comfortable and expensive hotels that actracted the American and European burguesy already in the last century. Due to its mini-climate in its riviera several different types of palm trees are found, as well as different exotic plants, also a huge shiny Casino which made Montreux even more famous.

The riviera in Montreux.

The Chillon Castle is a must see feature. Beautifully conerved and possibility to make nice pictures if you have sunshine, not our case.

Chillon Chateau in the water.

In December 1971, the British rock band Deep Purple came to Montreux to record an album in the Rolling Stones' mobile studio which happened to be at the entertainment complex that was part of the Montreux Casino (the gambling house in the lyrics).

The historic Casino!

Exactly on that night a Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention concert was taking place also inside the complex when one of their fans in an unthought act set the Casino on fire with a flare gun. The members of Deep Purple who were on their hotel accross the lake watched all the 'show' seeing Claude Nobs directing people to leave safely from the building. SO based in these events and the smoke of the burning casino that spreaded over the Lake Geneva wrote one of their most famous song 'Smoke on the water'. The casino burned to ashes but was reopened in 75. If you are a fan and remember the lyrics think about it, if not, here is a little refreshment:

"We all came out to montreux/On the lake geneva shoreline/To make records with a mobile/We didnt have much time/ Frank zappa and the mothers/ Were at the best place around/ But some stupid with a flare gun/ Burned the place to the ground/ Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

They burned down the gambling house/It died with an awful sound/ Funky claude was running in and out /Pulling kids out the ground/ When it all was over/ We had to find another place
But swiss time was running out / It seemed that we would lose the race/ Smoke on the water, fire in the sky"

And this is how it happened.


This city is also famous for famous residents who had or have nice houses around there like Bill Gates, Claude Nobs (the Montreux Jazz Festival organizer), Stravinsky, Tchaikvsky and others. Among these one deserves to be noted. Freddie Mercury, the frontman of the rock band Queen. An statue was erected in his tribute in the Place du marché facing the lake and fans from around the world gather here annually to pay tribute to the singer as part of the "Freddie Mercury Montreux Memorial Day" on the first weekend of September.

The 3 meters high statue and some tributes

Montreux made itself famous with not only one of the biggest Jazz Festivals in Switzerland but also one of the most prestigious in Europe, it is held annually in early July. The Montreux Jazz Festival was founded in 1967 by Claude Nobs (the funky claude form the lyrics above), lasted for 3 days and most of the following ones took place in the Casino, but after it was burned down they changed the venue which could come back after 1975. It became so famous that the today's festivals are held in different places in the city, last for approximately 2 weeks and receives around 200 000 fans.


This year's festival starts on July 3rd and lasts until 18th. SEveral artists will show their talents and even boats in the river are used as stages.

See you around in the streets of the festival in Montreux!

Sources: wikipedia, Montreux Jazz Festival

News from Budapest...

Since I have not so many things to do and Krisz 'needed' to buy his new little toy (which has american keyboard and to death I change the Y bz the Z), we came end up in Hungary. It is amazing how cheap airplane tickets you can buy in Switzerland, or in the entire Europe. For 119 sfr, you can buy an almost last minute-airplane ticket Geneva-Budapest. If you program yourselves well, return tickets from Easyjet, Baboo and others are available for 40 sfr. For a Brazilian it was never so easy to fly.

THe Danube (almost flooding), the Parlament, the Citadel. All with the cherish storm in the background.

It is so strange to be back to Budapest even after only a month. So many differences everywhere. Like a big, realllllllly big rain welcomed us. It was fulllllll of lightnings and thunders, not an everyday happening in Geneva. After 4 months living there we saw a lightning only once and it rains a lot there! Other differences are in the markets and their new products which I so much wish they were sold 5 years ago.

Of course there is still much to develop until, at least, Budapest become one more of those big capitals from European Union, but only time, more money injection and a change in some people's mentality will help in this. Why the last one? Simple! After living this short time in Geneva (city reachable by car just after crossing the country) you get used to their driving style. They are really polite and don't try to overtake you just to be in front of you or to show their big-engine-expensive car is more powerful than yours. This Hungary has to learn, and a lot! Learned this even more yesterday when I went to pick up the product of one of my longest soap opera chapters: my summa cum laude PhD diploma! How proud daddy is! Not bad for a between jobs biologist.

Then I checked my old pals and friends in the lab. THey are really nice! But still strange to just visit and think I don't work there anymore...Good luck, may the force be with them!

Ah, one last thing. This is for Hungarians. How to write this should be done in Hungarian? I can't believe I bit little husband and his incredible smart father in this! Cheers for me, as we Brazilians say there are some priceless things still in this world.....

And today we are good to go shopping! What? Don't know yet. We are checking cars to change the C4 (what a pitty he is so nice) and who knows somethings else, since Hungary is still not one of those big EU capitals and things are still cheaper around here than in the others...

Fête de la musique...

Coming from France, the music party is very famous in Geneva where it has been happening for 18 years. Different music styles are played, from classical to tango, rock, pop, gypsy and folk.


This year around 200 000 people went to the city to watch and dance during the 3 days of party (from Friday 19th till Sunday 21st), even though the weather was no t the best and some drops of rain in some places. They welcomed the summer with pretty good mood and enthusiasm in the 500 concerts spread all through Geneve and its small communes.

The 3-days event also counted with a contest for the Fête to continue all year long for those who are under 20 years old. The 2 lucky winners will bring home 50 invitations for different music styles, from jazz to dance and rock to classical music. And for those who don't possess the 20 ans/20 francs card a "joining" card that provides some discounts will be given.

The 20 ans/20 francs initiative is a card proposed by the Geneva city Department of Culture with the support of the Department of Public Education of Geneva's State to incentive young's access to cultural presentations. Once purchased, the card is valid from the birth until the twenty-first anniversary, whatever the date of purchase was. It can get discounts for cultural events in Geneva like concerts, performances, festivals , theater, dance, opera, museums, exhibitions, and cinema.


My friends who work in this cultural area say that people here in Switzerland really prioritize culture and they earn better than in other cities thought to be more cultural...Nice isn't it?

So do not loose your 20 ans/20 fr card because you can't get a new one at all!
Take care!

Films, but not only American ones... why not?

Please, can somebody, all Brazilians included, tell me why we are so followers of the USA culture? I know we depend on their money and all sorts of things! I mean nothing personal! I myself really enjoy all the Americans I know and even would leave there (if I don't have to work).

I think the Brazilian culture should be a little bit more opened to other cultures. Let's talk movies.
In the capital, Brasilia, where I grew up (I still think it is one of the best cities in the world!) we can hardly find a cinema that shows nothing else but American films. I am not saying they are not good. Indeed I really enjoy them!

C'mon people, wake up! Go to the Cine Academia (in Brasilia)! There are so many French, British, Spanish, Japanese and films from other countries that are so thoughtful, delightful, funny and from which you can really learn something! Of course one of the reasons why Brazilians don't watch theses films id the humor difference since we like a more malicious kind of humor and for example in England they like a smart kind of humor. Take for example some British serieses:


Let's say Allo Allo. A comedy showing the everyday life in a small French village invaded by the Germans during II World War and how they try to get free of them. It is just fantastic the amazing jokes and situations David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd could invent for that cruel time of history. It is really funny, you will laugh a lot with Herr Flick of the Gestapo or the others looking for the knotwurst (a saussage) that contains the very expensive painting of the Fallen Madona with the big boobies! This is a site in youtube where you can watch some of them online. Ah, the problem is that your English should be sharp! and of course you should no mind the French accent in English. Here you can check a lot of them here or you can take a look here for a short episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f7V3NQ2q08


Another good British series is You rang milord. Shows the life of aristocratic people in London by the year 1920.

French films are really good. Take for example the Amelie Poulin. It has an amazing view of Paris, most of the film was shooted in Monmartre the neighborhood around the Sacre Couer Church. It has amazing colours and pictures.

There is also Les Visiteurs, a story about a lord and his vassal that by mistake jumps into the future 500 years ahead. Nice jokes about the differences between middle age and today's habits. Jean Reno and Christian Clavier are great actors! There are 2 continuations, and the third one is an American version also in French the trailer.



Or .... Taxi. Another French comedy, by Luc Besson, that teases a lot pretty much everything, specially policemen and good quality cars. It is a good movie to watch in the afternoon with a lot of popcorn. Also 2 sequences were made of it. If you check it, pay attention to the car manouvers but don't try to do at home. You can see a short trailer here, but just in French.

So enjoy the culture class. I believe Allo Allo is one of the best series ever! With very good actors like Liutenant Gruber and is little tank, René and his wife Edit, and the girls of the resistance!

Bravery act?

Please, forgive me if you are eating it just now, or if you had done it. But eating cherry, be it the sweet or the sour one, is an act of bravery. Why???

Nice ear-rings no? At least Hungarians enjoy putting them to their ears.(don't say it is not true!)

Well, if before you eat you check them one by one, it is not. But if you just pick it up from the tree and send inside you mouth, so you are also my hero!

Again, why? Because most of them will have inevitably some little living being making a house inside. Since I am obsessed with them, you know which type I am. But they are so delicious, I mean the cherry.

In Brazil I think we don't have them, unless they are imported making them one of the best here in Europe!
After washing! Aren't they beautiful?

So next time, because its season is almost already over, pay more attention if you are vegetarian. Anyway, it is still better to find an entire maggot after the first bite than half of it.


Have a nice weekend!

As a biologist....

... I am used to see quite different things, animals and people, but this is beyond expectations!
Isn't it nice?
For sure it hurts to hold it but...


Actually, it might even hurt to give birth to them, ehehehe.


Unfortunately, as I received by email I don't know to who give the credits... but here stays my thanks! it is not everyday we can see this.