Klausjagen 尋找聖尼可拉

12月5日星期三，準時下班後，我們趕忙的回家煮飯。
炒了簡單的『蕃茄乾鮮蝦義大利麵』囫圇吞完後，碗盤丟著就準備要出門。
“老人家”出門，帽子、手套、圍巾加一壺烏龍茶! 往Küssnacht 開去，才過了Merlischachen就已經有車子停滿了路邊的停車格了！

一向安靜的“莊咖”，今晚是真的比較有人氣！人行道上，行人邁著步伐三三兩兩往Küssnacht方向而去!

我們沒能來的早，想必在越靠Küssnacht鐵定找不到停車位。守法的瑞士人寧願車停遠一點，多走一點路，也不可以隨便停車！因此才剛開過Küssnacht邊界，超人就將車子停在坡下的一家民宿停車場，背起大相機，我們也朝村內步輪而去。突然覺得今晚湖上出奇熱鬧！此刻正有三艘大觀光船朝著瑞奇山的這一方攻過來！入秋以後，攜帶觀光客的交通船班次減少了，為這樣的節慶應該是特別航行的班次吧。

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除了偶而( 應該說少之又少)於周末晚上進市區參加朋友聚會活動外，我們從來不曾在晚飯後又出門！更別提是在隔天還要上班的weekday，下班後還往上班(會路過)的方向來！一向平靜的生活，突然有這樣的一個 “活動”可 “趕”，天氣再冷，還是新鮮極了!

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這種傳統的『Klausjagen』 ("追趕聖尼可拉斯")，於每年的12月5日在瑞士的天主教地區進行， 最著名的則是在Schwyz 州（與盧森州為鄰的一州）Küssnacht am Rigi舉行！ (在Schwyz 州的茵夢湖 “Immemsee”這個村莊也有，過去超人都在這裡參加)
這活動實際上不是 “追趕”，而是一場燭光盛典。是由二百多位身穿白長袍，頭戴巨大的"Infuln"的村民領隊，於街道上或舞蹈、轉動和鞠躬。 (這些大如主教法冠形狀的”燈籠”是由厚紙板紙板先雕琢出圖樣，再以鮮豔的透明的玻璃彩紙拼出所要的花色和從裡面透過蠟燭點燃）

＊我們訪問了一些頭戴這些燈籠的村民得知，所有的燈籠都由手工並於自家生產，加上紙板蠟燭和框架，大者重達二、三十公斤！光是小型的的燈籠就需要大約三個月的時間製作！當然如果做的好手工精緻，每年都可以再扛出來遊街示眾獲取掌聲！
暨”燈籠”之後，接在隊伍中出現的即是聖尼可拉斯（St Nicholas）和他的助手們 - Schmutzlis (黑袍黑臉的長相)，跟隨其後是數百名男人組成的隊伍，即稱為(the Klausjäger, or 追逐者) ，穿著白色農家工作衫及紅色顯明領巾，雙手提著超大牛鈴於雙腿間，有節奏出鈴聲。然後有吹號角的隊伍，吹喇叭的。然而最吵鬧即是打頭陣的執鞭者，三五成群於黑暗中將鞭子甩得霹啪作響。

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這樣的民俗慶典於每年的12月5日舉行。世世代代!
在這種多半下雨、可能下雪的季節？今天的天氣，可說是幸運極了！5-7 ℃，乾冷。我第一次來！超人也第一次以觀光身分出席。今天我們都是來觀光的!
金系”鬧熱”！

Picture from http://www.samichlaus.ch/
我想每種宗教慶典都有異曲同工之妙！吵鬧的鞭子劃破暗夜裡的靜瑟，為的是驅離不好的”壞東西” ，如同鞭炮的功能。而要有神、敬神是為了領眾生為善，因此有聖人尼可拉斯和他的黑黑助手！要人們說好話作好事，聖人尼可拉斯就會送來食物。如果是壞小孩，黑黑助手會打人還不給糖吃。今晚黑黑助手特別發給我薑餅，成千上萬的觀眾，不是每人都有拿到，他卻特別送到我面前，真是特別的見面禮！這樣的時節慶典，就像不同形式的台灣廟會活動，熱鬧又有趣！

8點15分準時開始的遊行，等遊到街尾的我們都已經快十點了！等候在風中頗冷，人潮又擠來擠去(不過秩序還算良好)。隊伍只繞境村內的主要大道一圈，到我們站的地方剛好是迴轉點。結束後，這些遊行隊伍的人留在馬路上讓人潮穿梭其中！我們欣賞一個個大大小小的"Infuln"，摸摸這，瞧瞧那的往回家的路上走！

超人替我訪問了一些頭戴燈籠的遊行者，問他們製作的時間…等等問題。我試試扛起遊行中使用的超大牛鈴…，要這樣扛一晚…還要搖出聲音來，想必隔天大腿一定黑青！

邊走超人向我誇述他的”當年勇”！說只有特別在這一天Küssnacht am Rigi的餐廳與酒吧被允許24小時營業，因此正是人們尋酒狂歡的一晚！這樣的遊行8點15分正式開場，到次日清晨五點還要再來一次(燈籠不用出席)！12月的天氣不是下雨下雪或者氣溫都在10℃下，因此需要大量的酒精來加溫，所以在晚上第一次遊行後，大部份的人就會聚集於酒吧，ㄧ家過ㄧ家！

遊行的隊伍由當地及鄰近村子的男士參加，每人要繳交20元左右瑞琺，含次日早餐。超人往年都在茵夢湖加入提牛鈴的行列，當然也是邀和一 ㄊㄨㄚ朋友一起！為的多半是「名正言順』喝的爛醉！
一ㄊㄨㄚ人去，遊行完後，酒吧喝玩ㄕㄨㄚˋ到村內地朋人家喝（買回家喝比較便宜），從前一晚遊行完開始喝，喝不停！到早上5點的遊行…多半已經不知身在何方！ 日出前的閉幕場遊行多半是搖搖晃晃走完（才有早餐吃）！多的是連人帶鈴一起醉到滾出隊伍！朋友也四散了！

超人說他曾經醉到晚場在因夢湖遊，散場卻是在Küssnacht的隊伍裏！厲害的很，還能吃完”聖餐”後，再提著牛鈴搖搖晃晃一路從Küssnacht 攔車回Meggen！進了Meggen村子，ㄧ大早還走著遊行地節拍…冬冬鼕鼕的晃著大牛鈴！人喝笨了，還覺這樣，了不起的很！！

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12月6日是我們公司ㄧ年一度的盛會－聖誕舞會，不敢逗留太晚，看完遊行我們就會回家了！超人笑說當年他還真會喝，今晚我們去滴酒都沒沾，一毛錢沒花就回家了！

是阿…都是想當年了ㄏ！現在喝多了，隔天就像豬頭一樣，頭痛欲裂，生不如死！

結婚前的兩個週末，第一次邀死黨在家玩牌，玩到興奮一瓶接一瓶，連爸存放的XO都敢倒出來喝，牌打到清晨，喝到清晨！次一星期，這些臭男生把他綁架去酒吧，說是要給他的「單身」送別，到清晨才被送回來！兩次都喝得跟阿呆一樣，真的有嚇到了！！

Christmas Advent

02, December, 2007 Meggen

今天是Advent of Christmas，是聖誕節前的第四個星期天。
今天，在這裡，家家戶戶點上蠟燭 (共四根，每星期日一根)。

不過今晚超人公司在替客戶準備更新系統，因此他自己煎完牛排吃完後出門到公司上班去了（今天沒幫他弄晚餐，因為我忙著跟妹妹。還有媽媽上網聊天）。

我們家的蠟燭就等超人回來再點了。

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一個月前，我們就在信箱裡收到一張邀請函，是Gainni的小學老師Claudia放的，上頭寫的是「Einlandung zum chlaushöck」。我以為是小學裡的什麼活動，經超人解釋才知道是聚會邀請函，說是12月2日是聖誕節前的第四的星期天稱為“Adent”，所以Claudia 才會邀大家前一晚聚會。

第一年嫁入這的國度，還真是覺得新奇跟？？？！知道星期天要點第一根蠟燭，可是又不想去花店買做好的燭盤(有松樹、松果裝飾於蠟燭旁)，所以我一直沒準備什麼。

昨天兩人想去市區逛街，出師不利，才到市區，走不到幾步靴子就斷根了….超像曼陀珠廣告…..結果什麼都沒買到還要趕在4點前趕快去買一雙新鞋…，一跛一跛的從河左走到河右還真費力氣，買好了一雙鞋，買了兩個蠟燭(一個給自己，松果形狀蠟燭帶去當禮物，不然空手去老師家不好)，日子又結束了，又再匆匆忙忙趕回Meggen！

星期六，Meggen開了聖誕市集，就在鎮中心，Sailart 有一個攤位，所以我們理當得過去關心關心。去市中心前去打聲招呼，在別的攤位應邀”交關”了一根蠟燭；結束了市中心，我們還是要趕回來現身一下，不然超人今天都沒到攤位上幫忙當然不好意思！

是幫不上什麼忙，因為超人帶著老婆也沒穿隊上的制服！Markus倒是仁厚，他要的是超人帶我來看看這種特別的活動。

攤子從Coop超市外的廣場到”市公所”的二樓。每一攤的東西都很精緻，以手工為主。 區分一下有吃的：炸魚、香腸、葡萄酒、水果酒、糕餅 -- 這些是村裡有營業執照的店擺的攤。 穿的：冬天毛帽、圍巾為全手工之品！另外為應節商品，也是純手工：聖誕卡、聖誕裝飾、木頭裝飾….等類之藝術品。

我說這是我第一次見到Meggen有很多人，哈哈！通常這裡都看不到人！

超人遇到很多很久不見的小時玩伴，還有點現在大拜年…很有趣。場裡還有樂手，聖誕老人穿梭！比較特別的是，有一個黑黑的“黑炭人”，帶著一根掃帚，看來不友善的在我們走上二樓的時候，在超人臉上塗了黑黑一道黑炭！原來是這個人……場裡每個人臉上都被劃黑黑的！還好沒畫到我…我已經在想我會不會翻臉…真是想太多！

後來我問了超人，才知道原來這個黑炭人就是在聖誕歌"Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town"裡唱的『You better watch out ! You better not cry! You better not pout ! I'm telling you why， Santa Claus is coming to town! He's making a list, Checking it twice; Gonna find out who's naughty or nice. Santa Claus is coming to town』黑炭人就是那個跟在聖誕老公公旁點好小孩、壞小孩的！如果你是壞小孩就會把你臉上劃黑黑的，所以聖誕老公公就不給你禮物，還會被他用掃帚打了一下！原來是這樣，真是有趣！

雖然我沒被塗黑黑的，但是還是被打了一下！

去完了聖誕市集，這對忙碌的趕場夫妻趕回到家，想趁7點以前把晚餐解決！

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在這裡，要學會準時跟把握時間，如果聚會是7點，那就是7點到人家家裡！
眼看只剩一小時了，我開始搞起我的蠟燭來了！超人在吸地板，後來接了Gregory的電話，就講起久久的電話來了！我等他煎牛排給我吃，看來是沒望！

我還是忙著我的蠟燭。在百貨公司買的這隻紅紅蠟燭美的很，所以我到陽台去把伸到我們家陽台的聖誕樹剪了一些樹枝進來，加上之前在林子裡撿的松果和從新娘捧花上拆下來的銀鐵絲，還有結婚、生日時禮物上的緞帶，我做了一個很聖誕的裝飾蠋台，15分鐘做好一個，超人看了都說厲害！我自己覺得來真不賴哩！

我說這樣子我們就有了第一個星期的蠟燭可以點了！結果超人笑說，我應該要做大一點，就是要一個大大的圓盤裝飾著松果跟松樹，上面有四根蠟燭，一星期點一根，不是一根一根分開的！喔？要這樣喔！講清楚，不過我已經做好了
…就當是這樣吧！哈哈哈！桌上剛好有一組小中國茶杯風蠟燭，裝飾很久了，不然就點這好了，也剛好4個一組！

然後我拿出櫃裡的透明玻璃花瓶，將沒用完的松枝、松果通通丟進去做成另一瓶裝飾。結果超人把櫃子裡的蠟燭通通搬出來，圓球的、柱狀的…看我是否能用上，做著做著連晚餐都省了…都已經過七點了，才抓著禮物趕快到Papi&Mami家樓上的Cludia老師家去！

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到老師家時，真的是、老是最晚到了兩位…一開門就看見兩個空的位子，那一定是替我們留的！

看樣子，受邀的只有Papi&Mami這棟樓的每位住戶，跟大姐還有我們！

跟Papi&Mami家內格局一樣的樓層，老師家的佈置跟擺設簡單，雖然客廳裡坐了13人跟一條大狗，還不算擁擠！

老師家的佈置可說是很大膽，主臥床竟然在主餐廳的位置！看樣子房都讓給小孩了！客廳與內陽台區的大窗卸了下來，所以一組桌子擺在前內陽台上隔著矮隔間是另一張餐桌，13人窗內窗外圍著桌子說笑，對著沒有窗戶的窗框那一頭聊天，還真像對著鏡框說話！只是鏡子的人跟自己長的不同！哈哈！

這樣的節日聚會，有主要的重點食品：要有加了香料的熱紅酒搭配土豆、巧克力、薑餅小人麵包，小石頭麵包，糖霜蛋糕、還要吃橘子！老師將桌子鋪滿了紅色的餐巾紙，然後鋪上整半桌的花生從這桌繞到那桌，花生堆裡有不同形狀包裝的巧克力，然後是小小的橘子羅列在花生堆上！
大家有說有笑，(我當然是通通聽不懂…)..阿哈哈！大家都笑的哈哈哈…好像我們回阿公家一大群子人的樣子！還好在這裡，我們有這些老住戶鄰居當朋友，所以日子偶而會有不同。

好了，老公平安從辦公室加班回到家，我們也要開始點我們的第一根（杯）蠟燭！

Wii..end

I got the Wii on the weekend for my birthday from my husband.

Humm... SUPER!!!!! :)



We Wii~~

Weekend....

So we are going somewhere for this weekend.... Juuhu.....!!

Going right straight after work on Friday to catch up the dinner booking at the restaurant. We are going to eat "Rehrücken" ....(means deer back), the whole back of the deer is what I have been informed.

Been told about this place for times "Cama in the Graubünden part of CH, in the italian part of the country!", now we are really going!

Absolutely Ma-jiong

10 Nov. 2007

After a beautiful "Papi-Seghizzi Cheese fondue" dinner ( plus Sahimi& sake as an appetizer), we rushed home for receiving our guest/friends, of curse, for some quick cleaning/tidy up of the house too!!

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As the dining table was in the middle of the chaos by my 'recycling work" - I was trying to dissolve my bridal bouquet which was half dried/rotten and abandoned on the balcony since the day after my wedding!

(Plants and home-decos are always lovely, but expensive to buy in this country, therefore I thought I may took down the sliver wires, pearls & ribbons for "future use", if I may, maybe can use it in the future! )

So. I was with my work and guys were surrounding in front of our flat screen. 3 single guys on the stools and the married guy on the big couch. It looks a bit funny from my sight. They could speak in German or discuss whatever men's topics…I didn't mind if were totally "not presence", or been left out!! I let the boys enjoy their night and I do what a house wife had to do. So I went down to do the laundry!!

Just not long after I came back from downstairs, noise busted out soon as I opened the living room door! I smiled and seen 4 guys were already by the table and shuffling Majiang tiles!!


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I was surprised again by Gianni, which he seem to explain the game very well in his language. Yet before the first performance round ended, all the guys were soon in the position for the battle.

I have never been an "advance gamer", not to mention I was never really good in any games. I played few times of Ma Jiang, but not well tought enough to learn how to deal yet. Gianni is far advance in minding games; after all, was him who insisted to bring the set (heavy like hell) back from Taiwan!

So this is our 1st Ma Jiang match in Switzerland!!
Pretty cool, I have to say!!

Gianni still keeps this piece paper which ripped off from the calendar on the wall of Grandpa's house, on it written the Chinese-character-suit tiles 1 to 9 thousands in number-forms from last Chinese New Year.

Sfr2 for each lose.

Gianni was on his own. And, I thought I'd help those new players by putting the suits in the correct orders! I walked at the back of Gregi, Stefan and Tommy and noticing after rounds, they were all pretty into the battles.

Although we try to avoid late nights as we learned from previous "Poker Night" , still, fevers were there and only called to stop around 3am.

Only a short night before Gianni had to go to training t by 11am and I planed to join.

The end result was: Gianni won ten bucks, and Thomas the same donated the most!

Is definitely not the beginners luck anymore to Gianni, been told:

1. Beginner wins
2. Pregnant wins
3 New wedded winds
4. 3 females against 1 male, the male looses
5. or current happiness around in household and personal issues wins

Majion-ing? Absolutely!!!!

Sat. 10th Nov.

Sat. 10th Nov.

It’s winter!
Has it been winter since 2 month ago, and now is really into “Winter”？！

1st snow rained on the way home last evening!
The fireplace has been the new favorite element in our living room since last week added warmth and sparkles to the ambiance.

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Days always start around 4pm during the weekend-days for us.
Seems like no way to get out the house earlier!?
And, are too often fill in with piles of errands and house chores, certainly no pleasure!!


Today, the miserable raining type weather!
Pretty windy as I can see from the surface of the lake.

Finished our weekly routine of Sat. – Shopping in the super markets COOP/MIGROS before 4PM. I am now sitting in the car at this parking lot, located just over the Sailing Club Meggen. Protected from the cold and wet. Through out the windshield, watching the men working just right in front on the sail boats, to put one boat to “sleep” over the winter, and the other to be ready to transport for the sailing events down in Rome! Working in the rains in almost close to 0℃ wet day……ahhrr….. Poor fellows, and one of them is my husband!
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Nope! I am not going to Rome, neither is Gianni. I wish I could have! Markus had spoke about it last night during the dinner! Would be nice to see Rome one day!! ALL ROAD GOES TO ROMA!!

So, it’s a Saturday! Tonight we are over at Mami’s place for Cheese Fondue!
Well, in this weather……why not!! I am happy for not to have to cook sometimes!!!

In a nice weather day, I would have gone for a walk around the neighborhood, to the lake or to Meggenhorn in a little spare time before dinner!
In such kind of cold wet day, I could just forget about it!!
Anyhow, I came along with Gianni to the “boat thing”! -- Just because sitting home and not doing house work could actually make myself feeling pretty guilty!! J

Housework, how come they are endless??? You clean the floor, the next day is already dirty again, not even to say I/we haven’t cleaned it this week!
And every weekend, there is laundry to do!!

It’s 5PM now, dusky out!! The Church bell right next is banning the 15 minutes bugle of the end of the white day, saying it’s time for going home! In the old days would be for the farmers to put off chores and rest for the rest of the weekend! It has been centuries after centuries in Switzerland the bell clinking and every 500m a church!!
Afterawhile… You don’t really hear them at all….!

So~ my updates:
Married one month 13 days!! “24 hours a day “-“ working hours”, almost not much left for a married life!! Are we really newly wedded? I got carried away from the heavy work flow in my office then to realize everything else is actually new in life!
Omit the part of as OL, Being a “wife” still taste with sweetness though! A warm and sweet home of ours here, a nice husband, a decent job- although it drives me working crazy each day! Overall, I feel blessed and grateful.

I am well! And anyhow time flies, no time for feeling bad about here any way!! J


So. All’s good at work. I had got my work permit from 1st of November, although still waiting for my B-Permit with English name added and family name amendment!

Let me tell you….
all this bureaucratic papers and bill payments plus working hours, let see how long after would I eventually receive my 100 corrected B-Permit?
Will see!!

Time to go home now!!!