Yoga at the bagno pubblico

What better way to see out the month of July than to enjoy a relaxing yoga session with a spectacular view onto the lake of Lugano?

Join Kat Walser as she practices yoga al fresco along the lake tomorrow morning at the Bagno pubblico!

Bring your mat and soak in the beauty of nature in front of you: the lake, the mountains, the sky… while Yoga Roof’s beautiful teacher guides you in a peaceful and regenerating practice.

All levels are welcome.

Spread the news, bring a friend: this is a great opportunity to try yoga and enjoy the practice in unbeatable surroundings.

Venue: Yoga al fresco
Where: Bagno pubblico Lugano, Riva Caccia , 6900 Lugano
Date: Sunday, July 30th, 2016
Time: 9:00 - 10:00
Price: CHF 6.- for Riva Caccia entrance, the yoga class is free!

Swiss National Day

August 1st is a day of celebration in the whole of Switzerland. The date is inspired by the Rütlischwur, in the summer of 1291, when three Alpine cantons (Schwyz, Uri and Unterwalden) swore the oath of confederation, an action which later came to be regarded as the foundation of Switzerland.

Different commemorative ceremonies will take place in Lugano, culminating in the speech of a prestigious guest in the Piazza della Riforma and a big fireworks show along the lake.

Here is the programme:

06:00 Reveille with the Drums
10:15 Meeting of the authorities in the Patio of the Town Council
10:30 Laying of the wreath at the Monument of Independence
11:00 Concert of the Castagnola Philharmonic Orchestra in Piazza della Riforma
20:30 Meeting of the Authorities and Associations of Via Nassa
20:45 Departure of the cortege of the Authorities (Route: Via Nassa, Piazza Battaglini, Riva Vela, Rivetta Tell, Via Canova, Via degli Albrizzi, Piazza Manzoni, Piazza Riforma)
21:15 Commemorative speech of Piero Martinoli, President of Università della Svizzera italiana
21:45 Concert in Piazza della Riforma by the Civic Philharmonic of Lugano
22:30 Grand fireworks display
23:15 Musical entertainment with Lüganiga Band in the city centre

More details under: http://luganoturismo.ch/fileUpload/activities/1529/a5_festa_nazionale_2016_boom_web.pdf

1. August Brunch 2016

Switzerland's National holiday is approaching fast.

The 1.August Brunch has become a popular activity on our National Day. For the past 23 years Swiss farmers have been inviting city dwellers (Swiss and foreign alike) for brunch on a farm. Last year over 150'000 guests enjoyed the culinary adventure offered by 350 farms throughout Switzerland of which 51 in Ticino. Through this movement the farmers' families wish to promote a better understanding and sympathy of local agriculture by the city population.

 The 1. August Brunch is an occasion that one should not miss. Hosted by selected Swiss farms who offer you a brunch, they will provide you with the opportunity to taste different kinds of cheese, meat, milk, bread, Birchermüesli and many other gastronomic specialities in a very particular atmosphere.

You'll also have the certainty to try some excellent products with high quality standard's. If you're lucky you'll enjoy some typical Swiss music, meet a Swiss celebrity, be served out of a giant Roesti frying pan or admire some amazing National costumes. The kids will love all the direct contact with the farms' animals.

Book now for a brunch in one of the farms! Click here to find a list of Ticino's participating farmers.
For a detailed guide with info such as activities, animals or produce for sale click on the following link: http://www.agriturismo.ch/chi_siamo/brunch_del_1_agosto_2016

My favourite used to be Alpe Durango at the top of Monte Tamaro but sadly they are not participating this year. My friends recommend the two farms on top of Monte Generous.

As places in the farms are limited, registration is mandatory and better done early. You can register by telephoning or e-mailing the farmers directly before July 30th 2016. There are still quite a few spots left as of this morning. Please communicate how many children and adults you'll be.

Venue: 1.August Brunch
When: Monday, August 1st, 2016
Time: 9:00 - 13:00
Price: CHF 25.- to 40.-
Directions: All participating farms will be signposted with the logo: «Brunch»
For more info:
Tel: 056 462 52 03 on workdays from 8:00 bis 12:00 and from 13.00 to 17:00
or  091/851 90 97091/851 90 97 for the Ticino.
E-Mail: info@brunch.ch
Homepage: www.brunch.ch

Best of Paris: Expat Blog nomination

Some of you know that I have moved to Paris a few years ago although I continue to return to Lugano regularly. My blogging passion allows me to share these two wonderful spots on earth through Expat with Kids and Expats with Kids in Paris.

I am totally excited and feel immensely honoured to have made it to Expatriates Magazine's list of "Best Expat blog in Paris" nomination. I am competing with sixteen other Parisian bloggers some of which are seriously heavyweight such as David Leibovitz, Inspirelle, Mama loves Paris and Les Lolos.

My best score two weeks ago was 14% honing in at No.2. In the meantime I have slipped down to 2% just ahead of Thank you Paris and Best Adventure but it doesn't matter.

What matters is the confirmation that people out there are reading my blog and I am on the radar of the Parisian Expat blog scene! A fact I still have difficulty in believing for some reason but I do not know why!

Maybe from now on I will start answering that I AM a blogger next time someone asks me what I do! After nearly six years of blogging it has still not quite entered my mind that I might actually be a real blogger after all rather than just blogging!!!

The vote is still on, so go ahead and make my day!

http://www.best-in.paris/best-expat-blog

When being an Expat does not work

Becoming an expatriate is as exciting as it is frightening. A new life away from home brings all kinds of new challenges. From new food and drinks to new habits and rituals. But you also encounter expat problems. Common expat problems are loneliness, cultural differences, sorting out health care, cost of living, finding proper schools for children, learning the language and relationship problems.

Here is an info graph about some issues an expat might come across. No, it is not always a smooth ride...

Those who make the move with a spouse face problems of their own. Some worry that their partner or family doesn’t seem happy with the decision. A travelling spouse may well have given up a career and suffered from a loss of income, which can affect the dynamic of the relationship. A large proportion of travelling spouses (65%) are unhappy with being financially dependent on their partner and 45% are concerned by the loss of financial independence.

Other factors can also have a negative impact: 52% of travelling spouses say their partner is always working long hours, 51% feel they are expected to organise all the practical aspects of their life abroad and 27% feel discriminated against because of their gender, an issue far more prevalent among women.

This is for my girls...

In March, the First Lady Michelle Obama launched Let Girls Learn to address the range of challenges preventing adolescent girls across the globe from attaining a quality education that empowers them to reach their full potential.

Let Girls Learn employs a holistic approach to change the perception of the value of girls at the individual, community and institutional levels; fostering an enabling environment for adolescent girls’ education; and engaging and equipping girls to make life decisions and important contributions to society.

But Michelle Obama did not stop there, she enlisted a major girl squad to sing the power anthem "This Is For My Girls." The song, which was inspired by the Let Girls Learn initiative and the 62 million girls around the world who do not have access to education, features Kelly Clarkson, Missy Elliott, Jangle Monáe, Kelly Rowland, Zendaya, Lea Michele, Chloe x Halle, and Jadagrace.

While the First Lady is not featured on "This Is For My Girls," it was a natural fit for her to join James Corden for a Carpool Karaoke segment to sing the song and celebrate the power of musical activism.

Now, I don't know about you, but my vote definitely goes to the current first lady!

The world is as big or as small as you make it

This is a video worth watching about a group of North Philadelphia local kids that gather at a rec centre to participate in an innovative program where they forge friendships with their peers across the world.

These students need to go through a metal detector every day at school. Despite a difficult environment they tell and listen to stories of the world that 10 years ago they wouldn't have had the opportunity to be exposed to.

This amazing bunch of kids are blessed with having an awesome mentor who wants to spread empathy and understanding by connecting teenagers. She decides to "retool" what the kids already have.

She guides them to ask real questions and learn about what separates them and what unites them. As they connect with kids from New York, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Paris and Kazakhstan, they discover that their worlds are not as different as they might think.



"The World Is As Big Or As Small As You Make It" | Sundance Institute.

A charming lake hike to beat the heat

Hiking is a Swiss National sport. Here is a suggestion for lovely day's outing through the picturesque Val Piora via a pleasant round hike over the high plateau.

A whole bunch of beautiful mountain lakes, remnants of the last ice age, are scattered throughout the Piora tableland high above Levantine. The largest is the bluish-green Ritom lake, which lies at solely a half-hour’s hike from the mountain station of the amazingly steep funicular railway. A small gravel path leads firstly to the western end of the lake, and then along the northern shore to Cadagno di Fuori.

From there you can reach Alpe di Piora either directly or via a delightful looping trail that runs through the moorland landscape surrounding the Cadagno lake.

The delicious Piora cheese is made on this Alp of the same name and is known to be one of Switzerland’s most refined and sought-after delicacies. From the Cadagno hut the route leads through a small arc to the opposite side of the valley and then slightly upwards via Fontanella to the highest point of the tour, close to the Forca Pass.

Stop for a well-deserved rest around the Ritomsee lake and enjoy the fantastic views from the upper Levantine before you make your way back to the Piora mountain station. The route is about 12km and takes about 4 hours without stopping but trust me you will want to stop time and again to take pictures with your camera or in your mind. It is a truly unforgettable experience and well worth the hike!

Watch the video and feel the vibes: 

The best beaches around Lugano

Now that the spell of bad weather has passed we should be in for a warm weekend... here are the best beaches in and around Lugano:

Lido di Caslano
My absoulte favourite spot is the Lido of Caslano. You need to rise early if you want to catch one of the four sunshades on the sandy beach but it is worth it: http://www.lidodicaslano.ch/.

 Lido de Lugano
The biggest Lido is of course Il Lido de Lugano. Built in 1928, Lugano Lido’s charm has not faded with time. Though the facilities are constantly renovated, improvements always respect the original wooden structure. Lugano Lido is an extremely popular spot not only with residents of Lugano.
Facilities include:

a beach with fine sand (100 x 20 m) and the possibility of swimming in the lake
an Olympics-size pool heated to 25 degrees (50 x 25 m)
a heated medium-sized pool (25 x 12.5 m)
a diving pool with boards at 1, 3, 5 and 10 metres
a pool for children with water games
a beach volley court (25 x 13 m)
a five-a-side soccer pitch (25 x 13 m)
a very cool bar and restaurant area

Ever since 1992 the Lido also features a giant film screen in summer under the auspices of “Cinema al Lago", a festival of great films which has become more and more popular.

Lido di San Domenico
To find respite during torrid days at the beginning of summer the choice is not limited to Lugano Lido. Visit the Lido di San Domenico, an incredibly picturesque natural beauty-spot which affords stunning views over the lake and the Caprino shoreline. Once you have left Lugano behind, heading for Gandria, drive along that section of the Via Cortivo that skirts the village of Castagnola, and you are in the National Pre-alpine Park. Here the nature lover will find thick laurel groves, thriving olive trees, clumps of agave and a wealth of other Mediterranean flora.

Lido Riva Caccia
From the Lido Riva Caccia platform, close to the lakefront and the city centre, a wonderful landscape is to be admired; the setting is characteristic, exclusive and extremely pleasant. The story of this Lido goes back a long way, in tandem with Lugano's development as a centre for tourism. Construction of the "floating Lido” was the brainchild of the Pro-Lugano Association in 1889, inspired by what had already been proposed in Zurich.

Lido di Melide
Another stunning view is to be enjoyed at the Lido di Melide. This outing can be combined with a visit to the nearby Swiss Miniature.

There, you have a Lido for every day of the week. During the weekend you can revisit your favourite spots. Happy suntanning! Happy swimming!

World Population Day 2016

World Population Day is a great event being celebrated all through the world annually on July 11th. It's goal is to increase the awareness of the people towards the worldwide population issues. It was first started in the year 1989 by the United Nations Development Programme and was exalted by the interest of the public when the global population became near about five billion in 1987.

Today’s generation of young people, those aged 10 to 24, accounts for around 1.8 billion of the world’s 7.3 billion people. In 1950, there were only 721 million people in this age range.

These young people are the future. Their choices, ideas and innovations will transform the world – but only if they are equipped with the right skills and opportunities.

This year's theme is 'Investing in teenage girls.'

Teenage girls around the world face enormous challenges. Many are considered by their communities or parents to be ready for marriage and motherhood. Many are forced from school, damaging their future prospects. Even among girls who stay in school, access to basic information about their health, human rights and reproductive rights can be hard to come by, leaving them vulnerable to illness, injury and exploitation. These challenges are exacerbated among marginalized girls, such as members of ethnic minorities or those living in poverty or remote areas.

Yet when teenage girls are empowered, when they know about their rights and are given the tools to succeed, they become agents of positive change in their communities.

We already see this happening. Since 1999, the number of countries with severe gender disparities in primary education has been cut by more than half. But girls continue to lag behind in secondary education: By 2012, out of all countries with data available, 63 per cent had yet to achieve gender parity in secondary school enrolment.

Ode to Life

Tonight I received one of the most touching farewell messages I have ever received from a fellow Expat. It was not a personal note but nevertheless went straight to my heart. What a beautiful way describe one's emotions that are so difficult to explain when asked why do you keep on moving homes if it makes you cry every time?

Here is the answer:

Slowly dies he who becomes a slave to habit, 
repeating the same journey every day, 
he who doesn't change his march,
he who doesn't risk to change the colour of his clothes,
he who doesn't speak to he whom he doesn't know. 

Slowly dies he who shuns passion, 
he who prefers black on white and dots on i's rather than a bundle of emotions,
the kind that make your eyes glimmer,
that turn a yawn into a smile, 
that make the heart pound in the face of mistakes and feelings.

Slowly dies he who doesn't overturn the table, 
he who is unhappy in his work, 
he who doesn't risk certainty for uncertainty, 
to thus follow a dream, 
those who do not forego sound advice at least once in their lives.

Slowly dies he who doesn't travel, he who doesn't read, 
he who doesn't listen to music, 
he who doesn't find grace in himself,   
He who slowly destroys his own self-esteem, 
who does not allow himself to be helped, 
who spends days on end complaining about his own bad luck, about the rain that never stops.

Slowly dies he who abandons a project before even starting it,
who fails to ask questions on subjects he doesn't know, 
he who doesn't answer when he is asked something that he knows. 

Let's avoid death by small doses, 
remembering always that being alive requires an effort far greater than the simple fact of breathing.

Only a burning patience will lead to the attainment of a splendid happiness...

By Pablo Neruda

Happy 4th of July

What is the Declaration of Independence you might wonder?

American Independence Day is celebrated on the Fourth of July every year. July 4th, 1776, was a day that represented the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

But July 4, 1776 wasn't the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence (they did that on July 2, 1776).

It wasn’t the day the American Revolution started either (that had happened back in April 1775).

And it wasn't the day Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence (that was in June 1776). Or the date on which the Declaration was delivered to Great Britain (that didn't happen until November 1776). Or the date it was signed (that was August 2, 1776).

So what did happen on July 4, 1776?

The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They'd been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.

July 4, 1776, became the date that was included on the Declaration of Independence, and the fancy handwritten copy that was signed in August (the copy now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.) It’s also the date that was printed on the Dunlap Broadsides, the original printed copies of the Declaration that were circulated throughout the new nation. So when people thought of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 was the date they remembered.

In contrast, Constitution Day is celebrated on September 17th of each year, as the anniversary of the date the Constitution was signed, not the anniversary of the date it was approved.