Swiss Life

First Ski Day of the Year

2011-12-14T02:37:00.003+07:00

While Brock was away with a friend for the weekend downhill skiing, the three of us went up to Villars and took advantage of the first real dump of snow this year. We went cross country skiing both days. The shot here was taken just about at the end of the trip. We had skied up into this valley toward that sunlit wall of rock and back. It was a gentle but challenging uphill slope the entire way there, and then a fast and hair-raising descent back down. I think we climbed about 200m in altitude. We saw an avalanche fall for quite a distance while we were up there... cool! We were also the first tracks of the year up there... very cool! Java was in her glory running and hopping through the snow the entire way. We all slept well that night!

Lenny Kravitz Concert

2011-12-14T02:35:00.001+07:00

Lenny has a new album out this year, and he is touring for the first time in 3 years. He put on an excellent show!

ECIS Conference in Lisbon

2011-12-14T02:24:00.003+07:00

Aside from the inspiring keynote speakers and workshops that run throughout the weekend, reconnecting with old friends and colleagues is a major reason for attending professional conferences. Here is a shot of us catching up with JIS colleagues. We also saw several other colleagues throughout the weekend but didn't manage to round them all up for a group photo.

In Lisbon, this street is a popular place to go for a few beers before the dance clubs get going. I took this shot at about 2am and it was still getting busier! This was the 'reconnecting and networking' part of the conference, not a workshop!

Villars Colors

2011-12-14T02:15:00.005+07:00

Was driving home on a Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago and had to stop and take a couple of shots on the way. The autumn colors never get old...

Where the local wine is produced

Took this one through the window while driving

Rasnov Citadel

2011-12-14T01:45:00.007+07:00

Rasnov is a walled fortress that has been restored and affords a great view of the surrounding mountains and plateau, not to mention a sense of what it must have been like to live back in the early 1200s when it was constructed. A popular story that is attached to this citadel is about a well situated in the center of the fortress. Two Turkish soldiers were captured and they were told their lives would be spared if they dug a well to provide water for the people. This way, they wouldn't have to travel outside the safety of the walls to fetch water. The two men took 17 years to complete the well, and then they were killed once they finished the job! Today, the well is still functioning and it is 143m deep.

Horseback riding

2011-12-14T00:26:00.002+07:00

We took the boys for a trail ride one morning... very peaceful.

Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle)

2011-12-14T00:13:00.006+07:00

One cannot visit Romania without going to see the famous Bran Castle. It is touted as being the fortress of Vlad the Impaler who was the inspiration for Bram Stoker when he wrote Dracula. The funny part is that Bran Castle is not actually where Vlad lived. He may have passed by and stayed there before, but his fortress is in Bucharest and is just starting to be renovated and fixed up for tourism. Nevertheless, Bran Castle was very cool to visit. It was one of the residences of Queen Marie, and today the many rooms are furnished to show the royal residence in all its splendor.
Took this at night with my iPhone

Yes, that is Kyle breaching the fortress

Interior Courtyard

Romania by Quad

2011-12-14T00:02:00.005+07:00

We were up for an adventure one day, so we rented 3 ATVs and two drivers for the day and took off to explore the back country in the Brasov region. It was a blast. I had Kyle on my quad, and Dunja and Brock went with the drivers. We covered about 80km in total, with stops at several places to enjoy the scenery, go for a walk up a canyon, and stop for dinner. It really did give us a window into the rural lifestyle of Romanians that we couldn't get from our rental car or walking around. It was also fun to rat around on small trails with 300cc of power under you!

Brasov, Romania

2011-12-13T03:42:00.006+07:00

We thoroughly enjoyed our few days up in the Carpathian mountains. The fall colors were out in full regalia and the tourists were few and far between. The first day in Brasov, we walked around the walled medieval city, with the town square and the Black Church (so-called because it was burned some centuries back), before taking a gondola up to the Hollywoodesque sign up on the mountain and hiking back down to the city. It was a beautiful day and a nice combination of culture and nature.

Romania October Break

2011-11-29T02:46:00.012+07:00

It has only been a month since we visited Romania, but it already feels like much more. However, I have very fond memories of our week there and will choose a few photos to try and show some of the highlights. We had a very active week in which we had a couple of days in Bucharest to see the capital and stay with the Clarkes, and then spent the rest of the time driving around the mountainous province of Brasov. Our impressions were that the people can speak quite directly and even harshly, but they are a friendly culture who are eager to catch up to the rest of Europe economically. They have a long way to go! At times it felt like we were driving in Indonesia with the horse-driven carts and tractors sharing the roads with modern SUVs and semi trucks. There were fresh produce markets in the towns and plenty of people setting up shop on the sides of the roads. We were frequently reminded that we were indeed traveling through Europe when we reached the mountains and took in the fall colors, the medieval castles, and the ski resorts. Romania is so much cheaper than the rest of Europe that it is only a matter of time before the masses discover its potential and start redirecting their winter vacation money to Brasov where the hotels, restaurants and lift passes are less than half the price of the Swiss, German, Austrian and French Alps.

Bucharest

Palace of the Parliament - largest government building in the world

Herastrau Park by pedal boat - downtown Bucharest!

Old Orthodox Church

Even Bucharest has an Arc de Triomphe

Stew and Julie's Pad

Another weekend in Paradise

2011-10-17T03:16:00.003+07:00

Switzerland has enjoyed six solid weeks of blue skies and warm temperatures. We are now into mid-October and it is still 23-24 degrees in Geneva and around 20 degrees up in the mountains. I have been mountain biking a couple of times a week after work and playing tennis every Wednesday with my friend, Rick. We have been up to Villars almost every weekend, so we can enjoy the mild weather. It is really quiet up in the ski resorts during this time of year; we often go on 3-hour hikes and only pass one or two other people.
This weekend, aside from tennis and hiking, I built a protective cage for a freezer to go on the terrace, and then we had a load of firewood delivered. I may have stacked the wood a little high... will have to have some fires before the woodpile topples off the terrace!
I took a couple of pictures with my phone, so they aren't that clear. Trees are just starting to change color. Kyle has his cross-country skis ready for another season. I have a roast pork cooking on the bbq!

Tennis with a view

2011-10-17T03:01:00.003+07:00

We have been up to Villars for three of the last four weekends, and each weekend it has been gorgeous blue skies with warm temperatures. Right around 20 degrees. We are still getting in some hikes with Java, but we have also been playing tennis every afternoon. The two tennis courts that were put in a few years ago just down the road from our house must have some of the most beautiful views of any tennis courts in the world. Placed on a small plateau at 1600m in a green pasture and surrounded by mountains, these courts are a super convenient for us to use... and they are always empty! It puts a smile on our face every time we play there.

Pure adrenalin (and fear)

2011-10-17T02:52:00.003+07:00

I love this picture of us that was taken back in July in Montreal bobsled ride at Le Ronde amusement park. All four of us were surprised by the sudden drop and blast of speed right at the point in which the park had placed a camera to catch our expression. Cost of the picture: $8.00 Cost of admission to the park: $130.00 Look of sheer fear on all of our faces: Priceless!!

Judo Classes begin

2011-09-25T19:19:00.001+07:00

Both boys are signed up for Judo this year. They look pretty vicious!

Sion Air Show

2011-09-25T19:09:00.003+07:00

On my birthday, we drove down to Sion for their annual air show. It was a lot of fun and we enjoyed watching the older private planes and the impressive military jets.
Wing-walkers

FA18 - Wicked!

Overnight Hiking Trip

2011-09-25T19:03:00.004+07:00

We had a great weekend of hiking with the Minton family in mid September. On Saturday we took a funicular train up a mountain and then hiked for about 3 hours to our refuge hut at 2400m. We spent the night there and then had a challenging 6-hour hike on Sunday up to a lake, a summit, and then back down to our vehicles. Weather was perfect!
View from our refuge hut. Matterhorn in the background

Lunch break

Happy Birthday Jerome!

2011-09-25T19:00:00.001+07:00

Boys playing with cousin at his 15th birthday party

First Day of the School Year Assembly

2011-09-25T18:54:00.003+07:00

As usual, we had our middle school Welcome Back assembly in the Greek Theater during the first day of the year. I take photos for the yearbook, so it gives me the freedom to wander around during the assembly!

Back to School Staff Cruise

2011-09-25T18:38:00.005+07:00

Our middle school admin arranged for its teachers to have a sunset cruise abroad the Neptune. We spent about 3 hours sailing around Lake Geneva and enjoying the sites while sharing our summer vacation adventures. Nice!

Le jet d'eau

Mont Blanc in the background

Time with Gran and Gramps

2011-09-25T18:29:00.002+07:00

Brock and Grandpa going for a cruise on the new scooter

Bird Spotting

2011-09-25T18:19:00.004+07:00

We camped/stayed on 4 different lakes this summer, and consequently, we were treated to viewing several predatory birds in action. We were out fishing in an small outboard one afternoon and watched a hawk snatch a fish out of the lake. As the hawk was flying back to shore to eat its spoils, a bald eagle flew out to challenge it. After several minutes of dogfighting in the air, the bald eagle managed to steal the fish away and have free meal. I didn't get a picture of that, but I did manage to shoot a couple of other decent pics of birds.
Great Horned Owl - mother calling its offspring

Offspring appears just before dark right behind our cabin

Osprey protecting its young as we approach by boat

Okanagan Lake

2011-09-25T17:33:00.009+07:00

Lazy days on the lake...

Ashton is becoming a pro boarder!

Plenty of fish caught this year!

Dune got her hair straightened!

Visit from Top Jimmy

Summer with Friends

2011-09-25T17:16:00.004+07:00

Part of our annual pilgrimage home is to spend quality time with our friends, the Cashatos. We always carve out a couple of weeks to allow our families to reunite and the kids to bond.

A real Canadian wedding on a farm. Fantastic!

Congratulations to Stephanie and Brody

Family Reunion

2011-09-15T22:51:00.004+07:00

We attended a family reunion this summer and got to catch up with relatives on my mom's side. I hadn't seen some of my cousins in over 20 years! We all met in a campground over a long weekend. It was a ton of fun!

This is just the people who descend from my grandmother's side.

The 4 cousins

Dad is doing fantastic for turning 87 this month!

Little Miss Peyton

2011-09-15T22:42:00.002+07:00

Our darling niece, Darcie, became a mother in January this year. We finally got to meet Peyton. At 7 months old, she was already super interactive and sociable. We love her!

La Ronde - 6 Flags Theme Park

2011-09-15T22:27:00.002+07:00

We went to La Ronde in Montreal for a day. I hadn't been on a roller coaster or any other gravity-defying ride for a long time. As it turns out, while my mind was enthusiastic about trying all the rides, my body wasn't quite so keen. All those negative Gs made me light-headed and dizzy. The fast rides were okay, but the ones that had loops and made you go up-side-down wreaked havoc on me! Otherwise, it was a great day, and the look of pure joy with a mix of fear on the boys' faces was priceless.

Quebec Tour

2011-09-04T20:14:00.007+07:00

On July 9th we flew to Montreal and spent a week visiting the French speaking part of Canada. Both Montreal and Quebec City are beautiful cities with a unique mix of European and Canadian culture, both in the architecture and in the lifestyle and mentality of the people. Stopping in an eastern time zone for a week also helped our jet lag!
The impressive Chateau Frontenac Hotel is the most famous landmark in Quebec City.

European influence clearly evident in the older areas of the city.

Boardwalk provides great views of the St. Lawrence River and parts of the city.

Street entertainment

Our hotel (we were on 26th floor) and festive street life below.

Summer Holidays Begin

2011-09-04T17:37:00.006+07:00

Our 2-month holiday has just ended and the school year started again on Thursday, Sept.1st. I will post a few pictures to recap the past two months of leisure in the world of the Chamberlains!
During the first week of July we were treated to a visit from our dear friends from Jakarta, Bill and Jane. It's always nice to reconnect with friends and get caught up on all that is happening back in Jakarta. They did some sightseeing around Geneva, and we also spent some days in Villars enjoying the nature and taking long walks in the mountains.

We ascended our favorite ski run (2100m)

Jane taking in the views along the trail

Java is now 50lbs of solid muscle

Freak storm

2011-05-29T19:01:00.003+07:00

It had been over two months since Switzerland had any snowfall below 2000m, but a cold wind came in two weekends ago and for a short couple of hours on Sunday morning, we actually got snow up in Villars! We still went out for a walk. Later in the afternoon we drove back down to the lake and it was sunny and 16 degrees. It has since returned to summer temperatures but it was a fun surprise while it lasted.

Early summer

2011-05-29T18:29:00.008+07:00

We have had sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 20s for over a month now. The farmers have already had their first cutting of hay, we have already picked several buckets of juicy cherries from our cherry tree, flowers are in blossom, I've cut the grass several times, the boys are in swimming and tennis lessons, and we are eating most meals outside in the garden.

May 7 - Welcome back BBQ to Heddi and Jola who returned from a winter in Florida

Geraniums and roses have returned

The cows were brought up to the alpine summer grazing pastures last weekend. The farmers put flower headdresses and old cow bells on them for the occasion

Stopping for a snack along the trail

Java found a place to cool off on the trail

Camping in Croatia

2011-05-06T02:34:00.006+07:00

If you ever get the opportunity to rent a motorhome and camp throughout the stunningly beautiful country of Croatia, do it! Croatia has dozens of campgrounds that are located in some of the most scenic real estate in the country. I am sure that the summer months would be a different experience with all the crowds, but we can attest that in April the campgrounds are open and there is no need to make reservations. Just show up and take your pick of the best sites they have on offer. Croatia has over 1100 islands sprinkled along the eastern shores of the Adriatic, and many of them are easily accessible by ferry. The country's long coastline also has several walled cities that served as trading ports for centuries. Dubrovnik is the most famous and definitely the most impressive. It's Byzantine basilica dates back to the 8th century, but most of the buildings were constructed during the 15th century. Today, it is a Unesco World Heritage Site and you can spend all day exploring this outdoor museum. We walked the entire 2km along the top of the outer walls, wandered the narrow alleys, visited the aquarium, and of course ate fresh seafood in one of the many eateries. We also visited the walled cities of Split and Trogir, both of which have become Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Aside from spending time on the islands and walking through the walled cities, we traveled inland and visited two of the country's 8 National Parks: Krka and Plitvicka. Both of these parks are famous for their tiered waterfalls that link the parks' lakes. We spent two days walking trails and boardwalks that straddled the lakes and traversed the falls. The soft tufa rock in the area gets carved up and shaped by the running water, and the various minerals make the color of the water a gorgeous green.
Click on pictures to enlarge and get clearer view...
Split in late afternoon

View from the top of the cathedral in Split

Shopping in Old Split

Our Holiday Home

Dubrovnik

Walking the outer wall of Dubrovnik's Old Town

Falls at Krka National Park

Plitvicka National Park

BBQ Season Begins

2011-05-06T02:07:00.004+07:00

Our warm winter turned into a very warm spring, and by the beginning of April we had crocuses growing in our yard, birds singing and building nests, bees returning, and warm evenings for BBQs. On April 2nd we had a few friends over for an outdoor afternoon and evening. The kids built a fort in the tree and played games while the adults drank wine and welcomed back the outdoor season. After dinner I got a bonfire going and we stayed up late eating marshmellows and talking while being mesmerized by the fire. A perfect day!

Spring Walks

2011-05-06T01:54:00.003+07:00

Here are a couple of quick shots I took with my iPhone on a two different occasions while out walking in the forest with the dog. The boys can entertain themselves in many ways, but one of their favorites is to find as big of a stick as they can and carry it. They carried this particular one for at least 45 minutes before finally abandoning it. The other picture was taken in the Hermance river that runs through our village and descends down a few kilometers until it feeds into the lake. Our dog, Java, loves this walk because she can run through the water. On this day the boys wore their gum boots so they could try and follow Java. Of course, both of them were soaked by the end of the walk, but days like this are very re-affirming that we made the right decision to leave Indonesia and live in a cleaner environment.

Saas Fee Reunion

2011-05-06T01:46:00.003+07:00

Okay, it's time to catch up on the last two months' activities. Back at the end of March, my good buddies Dave and Greg came to Switzerland for the annual ski trip to Saas Fee with Jakarta students. I met them there for a 3-day weekend. The weather was sunny, like it was for virtually the entire winter, and it was fantastic to see my bros again and catch up with all that is going on in their lives. I brought a bunch of specialty Belgian beers for apres ski on the terrace. Of course, before I knew it, it was time to say goodbye for another year. Life sucks that way but at least I got to see them.

Life with Java

2011-03-01T03:05:00.004+07:00

Our dog, Java, is now almost nine months old. She has a happy disposition and is very affectionate. Like us, she loves to be outdoors getting exercise. We take her on walks, bike rides, and cross country skiing. She is a very happy dog!

Gorgeous light while walking after work

The two Chamberlain girls

Yes, this was taken in February in Geneva!

Springers can definitely jump!

Brock getting chased by Java

The boys love Java as much as she loves them!

Hockey Fan

2011-03-01T02:58:00.002+07:00

Brock has become an ardent Canucks hockey fan, just like his dad. We both watch the highlights of every Canuck game, and we sometimes get up at 4am to watch games live. He knows all the stats and recognizes all the players. It's great to have someone in the house who loves the game as much as me!

Apres ski on the terrace

2011-03-01T02:52:00.002+07:00

It has been an amazingly warm winter in Switzerland this year. Geneva had a third of its normal snowfall in the month of February, and the temperatures have been 2 degrees above average. Consequently, the ski season hasn't been great. However, we have still been up making the most of it every weekend. We tend to ski only about 3-4 hours in the morning while the snow is good, and then we head home for lunch on our terrace. I took these two shots after a typical ski day.

Kyle's Birthday

2011-03-01T02:45:00.004+07:00

This year Kyle opted to have his birthday party at a bowling alley close by school. He and his friends had a blast. They all played 2 games and Kyle got the highest score! they also sunk a bunch of coins into the arcade games and ate a bunch of junk food... a perfect day in the life of a 7 year old!

Visit from the Clarkes

2011-03-01T02:36:00.007+07:00

Having the Clarke family with us for Christmas and New Year was like being with family over the holidays. We kept them busy with all the various outdoor activities available in Switzerland, but the best part was just having good company around!

Christmas Morning

X-country Skiing in Villars

2011-01-09T20:48:00.008+07:00

After practicing on the flat farmland and forest by our house, the boys were ready to graduate to cross country skiing in the mountains on a more undulating trail. Going uphill isn't very technical, it just involves a bit more effort. However, going downhill means accepting the fact that you aren't really in control. It is possible to get a slight snow plow going to slow you down. The other option is to have one ski on the track and one ski in the powder to slow you down. Otherwise, it's 'head down the mountain and hope your balance keeps you from crashing'!

The climb into the forest

The Athlete

Summer Alpage Village of Tavayanne

X-country Skiing

2011-01-09T20:18:00.005+07:00

We bought all of us cross country ski equipment this year. While nothing replaces the pure exhilaration that comes with the speed and quick decision-making of downhill skiing, cross country is a great option for days when you can't get out on the slopes for various reasons. Also, cross country skiing can be done virtually anywhere that you have a couple of inches of snow, and if you only have an hour or two to spare.
Geneva got about a foot of snow in early December this year, which is very rare. Down here by the lake we usually only get a dusting of snow at a time. In fact, as I type this today, January 9th, there isn't any snow at all outside. So, when we got the 'big dump' last month, I got in several skis through the forest in behind our house. The pictures below show one morning when Kyle and I skied while Brock and Dunja walked with Java. It was Kyle's first day on x-country skis, but he took to it like a champion. For anyone who has strapped on these seemingly harmless skinny boards, you know how silly you can look. Without the benefit of metal edges on the skis or heels on the bindings, you can end up on your butt before you know it. Think Bambi on ice!

Our house is in the middle

The fields behind our house

The Boys in Indonesia

2010-12-10T00:39:00.003+07:00

Kyle and I made a slideshow for his presentation on his 'home country'. At this time, he sees Indonesia as fitting that description. He will present the slideshow to his class, along with some Indo snacks on Monday the 13th.

First Snow in Veigy - November 27th

2010-12-01T00:56:00.005+07:00

Woke up Saturday morning to a blanket of snow covering our world. The boys immediately went out to play with Java and build a snowman. Today is now Tuesday and the snow has returned. Geneva is supposed to get 20cm tonight, which is a huge amount for here even in the middle of winter, never mind the end of November.
Okay, okay, so these are a little grainy because I left the camera set at 1600 ISO from last weekend. Rookie mistake.

ECIS Conference - Nice, France

2010-11-28T23:55:00.006+07:00

Dunja and I went to the ECIS Conference in Nice last week. Enjoyed the workshops and made the most of having 4 days on the Med sans enfants! I attended one workshop that was in Monaco at the Oceanographic Museum. Weather was a balmy 15 degrees and the mussels and raw oysters were fresh as!

Monaco celebrated its Independence Day (Nov. 19) when we were there. It's a small monarchy under Price Albert II, and it has the exact same flag as Indonesia!

Jacques Cousteau donated one of his early submarines from the 1950s to the museum in Monaco.

Had fun shooting at 1600 ISO and no flash. Results aren't too grainy.

November Weekend

2010-11-26T03:40:00.004+07:00

We had our friends, the Mintons, stay with us for a weekend this month. They live in Villars and we see them regularly up there, but they don't get to Geneva too often. They have two boys, as well, and all four of them get along like brothers. We took them for a bike ride to the 'bois de Jussy', a forested area close to our house.

Lunch outside on a sunny mid-November Saturday.

Bought the boys a Bouncy Castle, which doubles as a WWF Ring!

Swiss Miniature

2010-11-07T06:11:00.005+07:00

Took the boys to a place called Swissminiature last week. There are a hundred and something models that depict typical Swiss architecture and culture. The models not only looked exactly like the real deal, but the gardening was skillfully maintained to make the models look even more realistic. Very cool place to bring your kids.

Changing Seasons

2010-11-07T05:56:00.004+07:00

The leaves are really starting to fall now. It has been warm in Geneva all week. Sunny and 17 degrees. The boys have been good about helping me keep up with the yard work. Java does her best to distract us and get us to play with her by jumping in the pile of leaves and running around. She is a dog who is always hiding her toys and bones. I found toys under bushes and leaves throughout the yard this week.

Ticino - Swiss Italian holiday

2010-11-03T03:30:00.014+07:00

For our October break this year, we decided to spend the week hiking in the canton of Ticino, which is the Italian speaking part of Switzerland. While Ticino is actually south of the higher Alp range, it still has beautiful mountain hikes on offer. However, this region is most famous for its lakes.
It ended up being a fantastic holiday for all of us, including Java. We had 5 long walks throughout the week, and each one was picturesque in its own way. The combination of the fresh snow at higher elevation, autumn colors, blue skies, centuries-old stone structures, and clean lakes wrapping around the mountains made this region a photographer's paradise. I took over 300 photos but will choose a few to represent the variety of the geography and natural beauty we enjoyed.

We spent 4 days in the Valle Verzasca:

17th Century Roman Bridge in Lavertezzo

Reminiscent of trekking in Nepal

How cool is this ice rink!

We had this entire valley virtually to ourselves

After the Valle Verzasca, we rented a house in the mountains above Lake Lugano. We had views down on the lake, a big yard for Java to run around in, and trails leading right from our house. In the evenings, we ate in quaint little country inns called Grottos that were intimate with only about 6-8 tables and a fireplace burning. The food was the very best I have ever eaten in Switzerland, and one night I had possibly the best tenderloin in my life. Fantastic!

The house we rented for 3 nights

Looking down on Lugano and Lake Lugano

We stayed (and hiked) on the right side of this picture. One night, we drove across this bridge and 20 minutes down the road into Italy for dinner.

This is Lake Ritom at just over 1800m.

We climbed to another smaller lake above Ritom. There were no other tracks in the snow besides ours.

Not many 6 year olds could keep up with Kyle in the mountains. He's a machine.

Wild Weekend of Weather

2010-10-16T20:03:00.005+07:00

Like most Friday afternoons, we loaded up the car after work and drove along the lake (elevation 360m) for an hour, and then ascended our mountain road for a further 30 minutes to our weekend home above Villars (elevation 1600m). The drive along Lake Geneva, or Lac Leman as the French call it, is very scenic and immediately puts us all in a holiday spirit. This week, we had clear, sunny skies and a soft afternoon light was cast on all the autumn colors. I stopped just outside of Evian and took a picture of this typical French farmhouse covered with ivy and rose bushes in blossom.

As we wound our way up the mountain, we entered a cloud layer that had formed and the temperature dropped from about 20 degreess at the lake to 10 degrees at our house. This morning, we woke up to a thick cloud and it was snowing! It is very early for snow, and as I sit here typing at 3pm, it is still snowing and about 3cm have accumulated on the ground. We cancelled our hiking plans and have had a relaxing indoor day of reading, listening to music, baking a chocolate cake, blogging, and looking out the window at the snow falling. Tonight we will either head down to the village and watch a hockey match or stay home, light a fire and watch a movie. Either way, our second home is giving us that break from our weekday routine and re-energizing us for another week of work.

Five more days of work and we have our October break. Yes!!

Morning visitor on the terrace

October 16th - first snowfall of the season in Villars

Java's first encounter with snow. She loves it!

Changing Colors

2010-10-12T00:23:00.004+07:00

It's been a very warm autumn so far this year. Temperatures have been in the low 20s. Up in Villars this weekend there was thin fog in the mornings, but it burned off and we had perfect hiking weather. As usual, we brought along sausages and made a fire in the forest and cooked lunch. The leaves are just starting to turn nicely, so we will definitely plan to head back again this coming weekend and enjoy the colors.

Heading out for a hike yesterday

Java is growing fast

Autumn chores

Lake Constance

2010-10-11T23:10:00.008+07:00

Last weekend I took the train to a medieval town called Lindau in Germany that is located on Lake Constance, the second biggest lake in Europe. I went to a 3-day conference for Yearbook advisers, and there were workshops on Adobe CS5 - Photoshop, Bridge, and InDesign. The workshops were fantastic, and I learned lots of new tricks to save me time.
I got a hotel right in the middle of the old city, so after classes I walked around with my camera and took lots of pictures. Its marina is the focal point of the town, and there is a steady stream of tour boats taking people out for sunset dinner cruises. I didn't bother with the cruise, but I did eat some local fresh fish one night - delicious! Of course, every meal was accompanied by tasty German beer. It was a very enjoyable weekend away.

Street outside my hotel

Saturday morning market

My morning walk to classes

Marina entrance

View from atop the lighthouse

The Chamberlains have resurfaced!

2010-09-29T02:05:00.004+07:00

Okay, after a very, very long sabbatical from bogging, I am determined to perform CPR on our family blog and bring it back to life! As many people have reminded me that they were sick and tired of looking at the inauguration of Obama, my first task was to delete that posting. It was a cathartic gesture to cleanse my blog of bad juju.

I won't even try to fill in the gaping 20-month hole since my last posting. Rather, I will start fresh from today, but I reserve the option to post a few highlights of the past year and a half when the mood strikes.

First day of the school year for the boys - Sept 1, 2010

International Peace Day - students at our Greek Theater

Brock wearing his Peace Day whites

Family Skiing

2009-01-18T21:34:00.002+07:00

After two weeks of ski school, the boys are now both very able skiers. Kyle can ski any beginner or intermediate run, and we don't really have to wait for him. Brock can ski any run on the mountain. I take him in the moguls, the powder and off-piste in the trees. We can now ski as a family and everyone can find a run that they enjoy. Having a family activity that everyone enjoys is such a positive new dimension to our lives. We were extremely proud of the boys for sticking with the ski school, even on the cold windy days, and improving so quickly. I can't wait for March when we get to ski together again!

Another day in paradise
Skiing on the Villars side of the resort
One of my favorite runs 'le chaux'
Skiing above the clouds
Dunja with a kickass mogul run above her

Village Life

2009-01-18T21:25:00.002+07:00

Of course, skiing is the focus in Villars during the winter. Almost everyone who lives there, young and old, ski in some form or another. Alpine skiing is the most popular, but there are also a wide range of cross country ski trails, back country touring options, telemarking, snowshoeing, sledding and even dogsledding options available.

Dunja and Olivier walking, Brock sledding
Dogsled team
Skiing with our cousins

Matterhorn

2009-01-18T21:22:00.000+07:00

Zermatt and the Matterhorn

Flight Over the Alps 2

2009-01-18T21:04:00.003+07:00

World famous Matterhorn
South of Alps towards Milan, Italy
Saas Fee ski resort and highest revolving resaurant in Europe (3500m)
Village of Saas Fee (1800m)

Flight Over the Alps

2009-01-18T20:43:00.003+07:00

Brock and I went on an 80-minute flight around the Alps one day. We left Sion in the Rhone Valley and climbed as high as 14,000 ft. At my request, the pilot took us behind the Dents du Midi (the main mountain we look at from our chalet), over to the ski resort of Chamonix and Mont Blanc, back east over the Grand St Bernard pass to Zermatt and the Matterhorn, beside Monte Rosa and over the ski resort of Saas Fee (where we take our JIS students skiing every Easter), and finally back to the airport in Sion. It was an absolutely spectacular flight.

Mont Blanc from the SE side
Quick shutter 'stops' propellor
Ancient Sion castle
Future pilot
Plane that took us around and over the Swiss Alpsth

Christmas and Kyle's Birthday

2009-01-18T20:25:00.004+07:00

With clear blue skies the entire holiday, we were treated to stunning winter vistas every day. It was quite a cold December this year in Switzerland, with temps around freezing or a bit lower every day, but the sun and beautiful scenery helped motivate us to get dressed and out the door skiing every morning. We even skied Christmas day after opening presents, and New Year's day, despite going out to party in the streets with the rest of the village until around 1:30am. Note the goggle tans on the boys!

Lego was in high demand this year
Kyle turned 5 on New Year's Eve!
Brotherly love
Waking up to the Dents du Midi never gets old!

Local Skating Rink

2009-01-18T20:05:00.003+07:00

Having a hot wine while the boys skate
Becoming one with the ice
Second time on skates
Okay, I have taken a lot of stick from my friends for the last posting on my blog. There is concern that witnessing the goat slaughter last month may have caused trauma to our boys' young and fragile minds. I can report that they haven't had any nightmares, exhibited any cruelty to animals, or asked for any sharp weapons for Christmas since the said incident, however, in the interest of putting this controversial parenting choice behind us, I thought it was time to get some new (and purer) images posted. You will note a plethora of clean white snow and smiling boys in the coming photos. This is partly because we just spent 3 weeks in Switzerland and partly to make me look good as a father!
Our Christmas was absolutely brilliant, and our time there has helped convince us that we are perhaps ready to leave our comfortable lives in Jakarta and return to the land of 4 seasons, no domestic help, and much more modest lifestyles.

Hari Idul Adah

2008-12-08T18:59:00.002+07:00

For most of us non-muslims living in Jakarta, today just meant we didn't have to go to work, but for the vast majority of Indonesia's population, today signified the 2nd biggest holiday on the Islamic calendar: Idul Adah. As the story goes, Abraham showed his devotion to God by willingly sacrificing his son. Just when his son was going to be killed, God intervened and sacrificed a lamb. Today, on Idul Adah Muslims who can afford it pay for a goat or sheep to be sacrificed (a goat costs about $70 here), and then they share the meat with family, friends and the poor. The security guards outside our house sacrificed two goats today and Brock and Kyle watched in fascination. We'll see if they have nightmares about it tonight!

Face Painting at Birthday Party

2008-12-06T19:06:00.002+07:00

Today was Kyle's classmate's birthday. Juliette had a very nice party with a magician and face painting. I confess that I did not attend. I sent the boys with our nanny, Wasila, which we try not to do, but I am fighting a flu bug and sore back and knew I wouldn't keep up with a gang of 5 year olds. The boys came home with stories to share and art on their bodies to show off. We had some fun messing around with the camera and Photoshop!

Brock's 1st Gymnastics Competition

2008-11-30T09:36:00.002+07:00

Brock started gymnastics this year, and after only 3 months of training, he got a taste of competition. He was in 4 events: the vault, the parallel bars, the high-bar, and the floor routine. The other boys in his age group had all been in gymnastics for over a year, and they were stronger on the bars, but Brock learned his floor routine the best and won the gold medal in that event. Way to go!

Kids Being Kids

2008-11-30T09:12:00.002+07:00

One of the realities of being an English teacher is that you have to grade a lot of essays and other written work that takes up your time. Yesterday morning when Dunja was out shopping, I thought I'd steal a couple of hours to grade some papers. I told the boys to stay out of my room so I could concentrate. Well, kids being kids, they found ways to entertain themselves. Brock ended up in the front pond catching tadpoles and Kyle found some body paint and went to the backyard to cover his canvas. The nanny and gardener were obviously watching a good TV show in their kitchen!

UN Day

2008-11-29T18:43:00.000+07:00

United Nations Day was actually on October 29th on our campus, but I just discovered some photos that I took on the day. It is a great day at school, with over 60 nationalities represented in our student body... lot's of national pride in the air, balanced with a definite mood of tolerance and internationalism. The mothers also take great pride in cooking popular dishes from back home and giving everyone a sampling. This year, I ate a chili dog (USA), chicken tikka (India), pork sate (Philippines), bratwurst and pretzel (Germany), sushi rolls (Japan), nanaimo bars and maple syrup snow cones (Canada), and assorted pastries (France). Yes, I was very full afterwards!

Mall Culture

2008-11-17T19:14:00.002+07:00

Life in Jakarta for many, including us, means frequent trips to the mall on weekends because it is an escape from the heat, and there is little else to do on some weekends. Every time we go to the mall we buy an ice cream. We often eat at our favorite Chinese restaurant when we go to the mall. The boys love dumplings and the fish. This week we had lunch at Kenny Rogers Chicken.

Kyle's Taekwondo Belt Test

2008-11-10T16:57:00.002+07:00

Today, Kyle had his first belt test. He now has a white belt with a yellow stripe. I was very impressed by the discipline in the class. All the children sit with good posture while waiting their turn to be tested. Kyle takes it seriously and listens carefully to the instructions. He was very proud to be awarded with a new belt. Together with his soccer trophy, it has been a satisfying week for him.

Check out my new belt!
Kick the pads but keep your hands up!
Good form!
Follow the teacher's moves
Warming up

End of Soccer Season

2008-11-10T16:45:00.003+07:00

This past weekend marked the end of the soccer season for the boys. It has been a very positive couple of months where we've seen them both improve their soccer skills, but just as importantly, they have learned to be committed to a team. They didn't miss any practices or games. On Saturday, there was a round robin tournament format that kept them busy playing and me busy running from one field to the other. In the afternoon we had trophy presentations and a party. It was a long day but a fun one. Next Saturday, we get to sleep in because there are no 8am games to run to!
Team Spain celebrating the season
Beautiful ice cream cake

Spa Day for the Boys

2008-11-10T16:41:00.002+07:00

The boys went for a shampoo and head massage. May as well pamper yourself while you live in Jakarta! Brock is determined to let his hair grow long, so he passed on the scissors.

Best Costume at Halloween Party

2008-11-09T17:57:00.002+07:00

Our halloween party a couple of weeks ago had some fantastic costumes, but I would have to give first prize to this girl who came as Lady Liberty. She had covered her entire body with silver paint. Sensational!

Halloween Party

2008-11-02T15:39:00.004+07:00

This year we went to a Halloween party in a housing complex rather than around Pondok Indah. The complex only had around 20 houses, but most of them had lots of candy to dish out. In fact, most allowed the kids to take handfuls from the bowl, so our boys have lots of goodies for the next several weeks. Brock wore his JIS dragon costume and Kyle went as Batman. After trick or treating, we had a BBQ and party in a field with a huge bonfire. It was a great party for both kids and adults.

Trick or Treat!
Knock knock, scary dragon calling
Roasting marshmellows and sausages over a huge bonfire

Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-31T15:29:00.000+07:00

This year the boys designed and carved their own pumpkins for halloween. They really took their time and did a great job. Under mom's watchful eye they even kept all their fingers in one piece!

Our finished masterpieces
Artist at work
Scooping out the brains

UN Day at PIE 2008

2008-10-30T15:22:00.000+07:00

It was UN Day at both PIE and Cilandak campuses this week. Brock decided he wanted to represent Canada this year, rather than Switzerland. It is a fun day for everyone, with over 60 nationalities within the student body all wearing their colorful national costumes. The food fair that the moms put out is always a highlight!

Proud Canadians

Sunday at ISKI with the French gang

2008-10-19T18:51:00.002+07:00

Dunja has brought the boys to ISKI a few times this year. There is a large group of French families who are members there and can sign us in as guests. It is ideal for kids because there is lots of green space and a big swimming pool. It is also nice for Dunja because she gets a day of speaking French with friends.

Saturday Soccer

2008-10-18T20:25:00.001+07:00

Kyle had his soccer game at 8am this Saturday, and Brock had his at 10am. It's been a good season, but I am also counting 3 more Saturdays!

Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

2008-10-14T18:37:00.003+07:00

Canadian Thanksgiving Day was Sunday, October 12th, and the CWA (Canadian Women's Association) organized a dinner at the Four Season's Hotel. The ambassador and about 100 other Canadians were there to eat turkey and celebrate the occasion. I made a connection and bought a case of Big Rock beer from Calgary! It wasn't cheap but it will sure taste good.

Kyle's New Look

2008-10-10T16:34:00.000+07:00

Kyle has been growing his hair all year, but this week he decided he wanted to get it cut. We miss the surfer look, however, he is pretty darn cute with the clean cut look, too!

Beachin' it in Bali - 3

2008-10-07T22:16:00.007+07:00

Our week in Bali was one of my best trips ever to this island. I really felt relaxed and ready to return to Jakarta by the end of the week. It helped that we stayed in a beautiful ocean view suite at the Aston Bali in Benoa for the first half, and then we spent 4 nights in a comfortable, private villa in Sanur for the second half. We ate very well and spent lots of time in the water. Both boys loved the jet skis. They also thought it was pretty cool to get henna tattoos.

Quality family time
Our 3 bedroom villa
Low tide beach combing
Keeping cool
Sanur beach is much quieter than Kuta
Handsome Brock
Beautiful Kyle

Beachin' it in Bali - 2

2008-10-07T22:11:00.003+07:00

We rented jet skis at Benoa and Sanur beaches. Brock loves to drive with the throttle to the max!

Beachin' it in Bali - 1

2008-10-07T21:52:00.007+07:00

View from the terrace of our suite
Hotel pool
Dragon tattoo
The guy was a pretty good tattoo artist
Fruit carving is a real art. This watermelon was on display at the breakfast buffet.

Halloween Season

2008-09-26T08:08:00.003+07:00

One of the many fulfilling aspects of living overseas and working in a multicultural job setting is that you build an eclectic base of friends. Three of our friends, Dave, Dave and Mindy, are roommates and they have hosted a big Halloween bash for the past three years. They share a big house that is right beside an infamous 'rumah hontu' (Haunted House) in Jakarta. This neighboring house is believed to be haunted, so it remains eerily empty because Indonesians are superstitious and truly believe that ghosts occupy it. It even made it in the newspapers. Anyways, Dave 1 is a fantastic artist and he just designed this party invitation. I had to put it on our blog and share it. Their parties are one of the best of the year. Can't wait to put on something psychedelic and party on!

The Rest of the World Prevails

2008-09-23T12:49:00.000+07:00

Last Sunday was our annual Colameco Cup golf tournament, in memory of our colleague Andy Colameco. Held during the same week as the real Ryder Cup, we have a USA versus the World tourney. It is all good fun but there is definitely pride and bragging rights at stake. This year, the USA went down in flames, with a final tally of USA 45 and The World 60. Even Bintang beer tastes good when you are drinking it out of the Cup!

Tennis Club

2008-09-20T18:07:00.000+07:00

I got up early this Saturday and took some of the kids in my tennis club to Sekolah Tiara Bangsa for a friendly tennis tournament. This school only has 400 students, but they built 7 tennis courts! We have some talented players and it was great match experience for them.

Giant Moth

2008-09-20T17:11:00.000+07:00

I was watching my students play tennis and this huge moth flew by. It was so heavy it could barely stay air born. It must have been 20cm across. It landed right in front of me on the court fence and allowed me to get up close for this shot. What a beauty!

My Birthday Present

2008-09-18T20:45:00.003+07:00

This photo may not seem like anything special. It is our living room one night after dinner. However, it is actually the very first picture I took with my new 12-24mm wide angle lens. It is hand held and no was flash used. This lens really uses all the available natural light. I love my birthday present. Thank you, Dunja!

Team Cameroon - Soccer

2008-08-28T09:03:00.000+07:00

Brock is in the under 9s soccer league this year. He has several of his friends on his team, so he looks forward to practices and games every week. Brock is a natural defender who protects his end of the field and looks to pass the ball forward. Though he is a year younger than most of the boys, he seems to be one of the stronger players. We are proud parents!

Kyle the Killer

2008-08-15T08:59:00.000+07:00

We enrolled Kyle in Taekwondo this year. His instructor says he is a natural: strong kicks, arms always up to protect himself, and an intimidating death stare!

Summer in Switzerland part 2

2008-08-01T16:00:00.000+07:00

Collecting firewood
Outside our chalet
Forest Hike
Intersection on the trail
Viewpoint in France overlooking Mont Blanc

Summer in Alpes des Chaux

2008-07-28T15:52:00.000+07:00

BBQ with family at our chalet
New furniture in our chalet
View above Solalex
Hiking above Villars with Leysin in the background
Kyle - the hiking machine

We had almost a whole month in our new chalet this summer. It was fabulous! We bought new furniture, stocked the firewood pile, and did some painting, just like real homeowners. We still found time to go for hikes every day and get to know our surroundings.

Summer in Kelowna with Family and Friends part 2

2008-07-13T15:46:00.000+07:00

On our way to Canada Day festivities
Snuggling with Grandpa
Story time with Grandma
Bubble gum ice cream... yummy!
Kyle left alone with the paints!

Summer in Kelowna with Family and Friends

2008-07-07T15:18:00.000+07:00

Friends at the lake
Brock after tubing
Dunja at sunset at the lake
We had a nice day with the Woods
Grandma took the boys for a tour of the fire department. They loved it!

This year we only spent 19 short days in Canada. We knew time would pass all too quickly, so we didn't try to move around and do too much. We spent our time in our condo in Kelowna visiting mom and dad, biking around town, and visiting with friends. It was sooooo nice to have our condo back after two summers of not staying in it. We made the most of our short time there.

Amsterdam in June - part 2

2008-06-22T15:08:00.001+07:00

We spent a nice morning walking around Dam Square and feeding the pigeons

Amsterdam in June

2008-06-20T15:00:00.002+07:00

Bikes parked along the canal - a typical scene
Canal Tour
Houseboats are an alternative lifestyle
Morning after Holland beat Portugal
Enjoying the morning sun

We stopped over in Amsterdam for a couple of days on our way to Canada this year. We hadn't visited this beautiful city for 2-3 years, so it was very enjoyable. We even got lucky and had sunny weather! Highlights were: canal tours, Vondel Park, Dam Square, walking clean cool air, and delicious bread and beer! We have already seen the museums, so we stayed outside as much as possible.

Long Weekend in Bali

2008-06-01T17:48:00.000+07:00

After my week in the mountains with students, I only had one week in the classroom before we had another 4-day weekend. We flew to Bali right after work and met up with the Cashatos. Shelley was very sick and discovered she had a parasite, but she rallied and joined us on the second day of the weekend. One day, we went to Kuta beach just before sunset and the kids went surfing. How nice to watch your kids catch a wave while the sun drops below the horizon in the background! Brock and Ashton caught one wave after another.

Mt Bromo ESP Trip 08

2008-05-20T12:43:00.000+07:00

It was another success story in East Java this year. I have led this 5-day trip in the mountains for the past 6 years, and I have to say that this year was the best. My students were incredibly positive throughout the week, even when the rain was pelting down on us during our hike into the camp site. This is definitely one of my top 5 destinations in Indonesia.

Basketball Season

2008-05-13T12:03:00.000+07:00

Brock had his first season in the YBA Basketball league. He really enjoyed it, and his height advantage helped him get the rebounds. He is a defensive-minded player who likes to grab the defensive rebounds and then call out the play before passing the ball up the court. Maybe next year he'll be more interested in making some baskets at the other end.

Long Weekend in Bintang

2008-05-10T13:46:00.000+07:00

Three nights on Bintang is far better than only two. It allows everyone to really settle into the slow pace of the island and fully relax. Snorkeling, reading, frisbee golf, horseshoes, fishing, and cold beers with friends make a great combo. Spech and Scotty were staying on a neighboring island, Macang, so we took a boat over and visited them a couple of times. One night, we sat around their campfire till 2am and then had a fantastic moonlight cruise back to our island... great memories! We were so happy to have Shelley find the courage to travel alone from Canada and join us.

Kids playing on the beach in Bintang

2008-05-09T11:56:00.000+07:00

The kids spent hours on end digging in the sand and slashing in the warm waters of Bintang. Paradise!

Taman Safari

2008-05-05T12:26:00.000+07:00

During the Cashato's first week, I took them to Taman Safari. We went on a Monday, so it was really quiet. This is one of the best values in Java. You drive an hour south of Jakarta into the Puncak mountains, buy a few bunches of carrots along the roadside before entering the safari, and then drive through the jungle and feed gazelles, antelopes, elephants, giraffes, hippos, and many other animals who come straight up to your window for a handout. Our car is always slick with drool from all the hungry tongues! Afterward, there are rickety old roller coasters and other rides in the park, and for $0.50 you can even have a ride on a camel or elephant. It's a great family activity.

Cashato's in Indonesia

2008-04-27T11:41:00.000+07:00

We were so happy to finally get friends from Canada to come and visit us. Rob and Kathy and Reed and Ashton arrived in late April and stayed here for 4 weeks. Not only was it great to show them around Indonesia, but it was also nice to finally be able to host them in our house after 16 years of staying in their house when we come to Canada!

Family Fun Fair 08

2008-04-25T16:07:00.000+07:00

I found these cute pictures of the boys from our annual family fun fair at PIE campus. It is one of the best family days of the year in Jakarta when there are lots of rides and activities for the kids and plenty of international cuisine for the whole family. This is the only time in the year our boys get cotton candy, and they look forward to it!