Friday, March 27, 2009

A short list of things that are noticeably absent from Switzerland


Today is migraine day, apparently, but I still felt like I needed to get a blog out so here you go - a very random list of things that are difficult to find or nonexistent here.

Please note: this post is statement, not complaint... well, except for the parts about Twizzlers and burritos - that's complaint.


* Electric blankets (I did see a heated mattress pad once though)

* Small electric heating pads (the ladies know what I mean) ((nothing here but water bottles...))

* Crock Pots (I found one as a NEW ITEM at an upscale department store... for about 180$)

* Peppermint hard candies

* Cinnamon Candy

* Twizzlers or other non-gummy "red" flavored candy...

* Candy Canes

* Anything that combines peanut butter and chocolate

* Squirrels (I've been told they have some but that they only live in the woods... what kind of squirrel is that??)

* Frozen drinks (I'm sure some place here makes daiquiris and what-not, but we haven't found it)

* "Real" Mexican food... though we did see a place in Bern that we, ever the optimists, want to try

* Restaurants open late night/early morning

*Window screens (and yet we never get bugs indoors anyway, other than the occasional fly, which the kitties make short work of)

* American "cheese"

* Cheddar of various sharpness designations - there's only one kind of cheddar here - "cheddar" and it's white and pretty mild

Of all those things, I think the lack of squirrels and electric blankets surprises me the most.... well, and the lack of peanut butter-chocolate combination... how crazy is that??

3 comments:

Jürg said...

my mom has one of these electric blankets (i guess, not sure if we think of the same) so there must be something here.

and about the squirrel: well, it's not the same as in the states, and ours are pretty shy (compared to the us-squirrels).
they look like this:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Eichh%C3%B6rnchen_D%C3%BCsseldorf_Hofgarten_edit.jpg/800px-Eichh%C3%B6rnchen_D%C3%BCsseldorf_Hofgarten_edit.jpg

oh, and talking about twizzler: there are no twizzler here, but there are similar gum-stuff available.

also check this links, maybe you'll find something you miss:

http://www.tasteofamerica.ch/
http://www.americanmarket.ch/

Miz K said...

The squirrel picture is SO cute! Thanks for sharing! Yeah, we went to the American store a couple times - it's way too expensive, but fun to go look around. Hope you're doing well!

madlion said...

1. Electric blankets are sold on free trip for afternoon coffee during which goods are offered for sale to participants by sponsoring firm mainly to elderly people. ;-)

2. Concerning the Squirrels you should go on a walk in the "old Fribourg", pass the abbey and head towards the power plant. There I'm quite sure you'll find some.

3. Concerning Frozen drinks and "Real" Mexican food I have to say, we have two mexican restaurants around! One in Fribourg and one in Givisiez.

4. Do you mean Restaurants open late night/early morning for food??
Otherwise I think in the meantime we solved that problem. The Antidot has open till 4 o'clock. ;-)