National Day Celebration

August first is the National Day of Switzerland. A day which mostly all of Swiss people in the world are celebrating. Kaya I decided to make a small celebration and to invite some Filipinos. When I was running around to organize food and to buy a cake in the palengke (market), I realized I was maybe one of the first Swiss doing this in the world. People in Switzerland were still sleeping at that time. Here it was already after 8am – but in Switzerland people were still sleeping at 2am. Six hours difference is still enough to be the first bird in the morning ;-)

Our Celebration was really halo-halo (mixed) of Swiss and Pinoy style. I was cooking Swiss Älpler Magronen. But of course with Pinoy ingredients. For myself I don’t need really Swiss cheese. The Philippine cheese is good enough. I had no Swiss cake of course. Also to bake a Zuger Kirschtorte was completely impossible, because of lack of this finest liquor. So we enjoyed the Pinoy cake. I estimate the food was quite good. There was also a bottle of wine. Nearly all of the invited people were attending this celebration with also modern Swiss music. It was just twelve midnight when I went to my bed. In Switzerland people perhaps were just starting their celebration.

I really enjoyed this special Swiss-Pinoy celebration. It was like to share a feeling, a taste, an idea of the own country to each other. I remember June 12: Independent Day of the Philippines. We were celebrating together too. And some Filipinas were telling me, that I encouraged them to be proud of the own nation and to celebrate in an own cultural way. It’s a way to show how much we appreciate our roots!