And so The Swiss Affair Starts

Gruezi from Switzerland! So as I've previously stated, I'm currently in Saint Gallen, (yay!) where I'll be undertaking my studies (Boo!). Saint Gallen is a pretty little Swiss town, known for once being the Embroidery Capital of Europe, its Abbey & Cathedral and drunken exchange students. I am one of the lucky students who was housed close to the main train station and town centre, with a fifteen minute walk to the university and modern bathroom and kitchen. Unlucky students got housed at 'Narniastrasse' where they often run out of hot water and need to take two buses to university. Sucks to be them. I also get my own lounge and an Italian housemate who enjoys cooking. No complaints here. So far my time in Switzerland has been good, however minimal travelling has occurred as I've been just trying to settle into the town and prepare for university. Also, I've caught 'Exchange Student Flu', which is a debilitating illness in which suffers lose their voice and can only seem to eat Swiss chocolate (there is a lot more to this statement than you're probably thinking). While my first week was full of multicultural soirées with the University Exchange Buddy System and my assorted housemates and German Intensive Courses, my second week was known for really early nights, an inability to swallow anything other than chocolate and skipping said German Intensive Courses so I could instead visit a chocolate factory and pat a donkey. Anyone who disagrees with what I did please go swallow a razor blade and try to speak Swiss German. Before I got ill however, the exchange students went to the city of Lucerne located in SomewhereinSwitzerland, beside a beautiful lake and near Pilatus, a giant mountain I took the world's steepest railroad hiked up.

 I shall spare you yet another church interior.

 I remember why this was built; it was built by the French King to thank the Swiss Soldiers who had died fighting for him during a revolution. Don't ask me what it's called.

 It took twenty attempts to get this photo of 'Graceful Swans Not Eating Weeds'. I hate swans.

And then after the lake cruise, Pilatus!

 Clearly this is where a Bond Villain lives

 And here's Bond to save the day

HEY MUM, YOU SEE THAT? I'M IN PATENT LEATHER DRESS SHOES AND I'M ON TOP OF A SWISS MOUNTAIN. I GUESS YOU AND THE SENSIBLE SHOE BRIGADE MIGHT WANT TO RETHINK YOUR MANIFESTO.

After our day trip to Lucerne, I hadn't done much travelling, looking around with the exception of heavy duty drugs to kill my Swiss SARS or taking photos obsessively. I mean yes, there was our trip to Flawil to go to the chocolate factory and pat donkeys in the middle of rolling green hills:

 What you can't see in this photo is the bag full of chocolate. All CHF 67 worth.

Please don't judge me people; I was ill.

Last weekend however, my good friend Ilona visited from Finland. Since her departure from Australia's shores, I haven't seen her in six months, so we explored St Gallen, and I showed her some of its important landmarks, and not so famous ones, like "This is the street where my bag almost tore into two", "This is the mountain I hiked up with an 18 case of beer and in thongs", and my personal favourite personal monument "This is where I've had bratwurst. Twice."

 Ilona and I wait for fondue. Oh so cheesy (like that pun).

 The Cathedral

 So I chose a great year to visit St Gallen; it's 1400 years since St Gallus made his voyage from Ireland to Switzerland to establish a hermitage and be left alone. In memory of his desire to be left alone, a city of 73,000 people was established.

 You really can't take me anywhere.

 Possibly one of the most important stores in all of St Gallen. And the world.

 A Photo-Off at High Noon; camera drawn.

 The Protestant Church just near by the Cathedral. In order to win back converted Protestants, the Cathedral started offering free beer. And of course, it worked.

 The best views are always from inside the Chocolaterie.

 The City Lounge; a part of the city they decided to cover in red carpet. In that little yellow building in the background, I bought my new Swiss watch in order to cure me of my sickness. And by 'cure', I mean 'give me something shiny to look at while the other exchange students went to their parties'.

 Inside the Cathedral

 The ironically named 'Hill of Joy'; an infamous mountain where I once hiked up carrying an eighteen case of beer in thongs. The views however, are beautiful.

 The Swiss have got this whole 'rolling green hills' thing down pretty well

 Some of the houses near where I live; Rosenberg, or 'Hill of Roses'

 The opposing view from Rosenberg to the university

Unfortunately I was not able to take photos in the Abbey Library which is an amazing place as this Google image shows:

Nor was I able to take photos in the Textile Museum. Or of the 20 gazillion hot chocolates Ilona and I had in our pursuit of scientific research to find the best hot chocolate in St Gallen. Feel free to further science and send me grant funding.

So today is actually my 23rd birthday! And I baked myself a tart from my French pastry course; while I had to use frozen chocolate bars as an ice bath, and a (new & clean) toothbrush to glaze my strawberries, I like to think I did a pretty good job, and will now accept the title of 'MacGyver Baker'

And while we're on the subject of St Gallen, here's the photo which is the background to this blog, which is according to Google, St Gallen!