DAX

Thanks for the Youtube link Schuler. That is a small world, I can't remember where exactly you live but if I remember correctly somewhere northeast of the lake, far from Nidwalden. Did you actually take yodeling lessons from the Wiesenberg group director? I would think that he and his group are national celebrities by now.
I was told that the Wiesenberg's version is much better than the original version or the DJ Bobo version at the Song Contest.

DAX

Schuler, do you have the text to Ewigi Liaebi by any chance? My daughter is preparing a cultural presentation and she wanted to add more meaning to the song. Their dialect is so heavy that I can't understand a lot of it unless I have the text to decipher into German.

kleeblatt

Hi Dax,

Take a look at the two youtube links above. You'll see both versions and can decide if you like the pop or the yodel version better. I like the pop better because the yodel version starts to grate after awhile.

Text / Lyrics: http://www.magistrix.de/lyrics/Mash/...ebi-73930.html
or
http://www.mash.ch/docs/downloads/liebi.php (with notes, ringtone, etc.)

It's in Swiss German so good luck!

I live near Einsiedeln but did the "Bäuerinnenschule" in Giswil in 1991. What an experience!

DJ Bobo was pretty bad at the Eurovision. Couldn't sing and the song was OK, nothing the Swiss could identify with.

W9London

Hmmm. I feel your kids are a tad too young to be crammed with the grown-up's understanding of Switzerland. Even the concept that multiple languages are spoken in one country is too much for them. Heidi is definitely for older kids.

Our kids (now 6 and 3) have been going to Switzerland for the last 3 years. Our approach is much simpler: stick to physical, tangible things. Mountains, cable cars, sheep.

We also briefed them how we would get there: take a car to the airport, get on an airplane for 2 hrs, get off, take a train up toward the mountain etc.

When we were there, we had lots of fun counting sheep, hearing cowbells, visiting cheesemaking factory ("schtinky" according to my younger one), getting across Lac Leman in boats, and of course having icecreams.

kleeblatt

An adorable "Heidi" cartoon videoclip, made especially for very young children (3+)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwLEGLXOqok

FainaAgain

I would also show the kids on the globe where you are and where you are going.

sunstar

I have caught one of those Swiss folklore shows on several trips. Two of which were above the Merrigen area. Not only was there Swiss folklore music and such, but good food was in good abundance.

I have caught several of those over the years, some by just luck. One of those was in Grosse Schediegg. What was really nice about this hike was when we were walking from Bachalpsee back to Grosse Scheidegg, you could hear the Swiss alpenhorns and yodel music reverberating all over the mountains. I'm not sure when that particular fest is held. Anyway, seems as though Merrigen did one of the folklore things I was talking about in late August.

I think one of those Swiss folklore shows would be perfect for the entire family.

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Jefferson Airplane: Never argue with a German.....

sunstar

I used to actually have the web site for the Swiss folklore show in Merrigen, but no longer. I am not sure if anyone has posted this link in the lucerne area, but here is a link to a folklore show in The Lucern area.

I think there is a Swiss folklore show in June in Weggis and the Lucern area. I am not sure about the dates on that one though.

As for Meirrigen area, I am not sure, but I caught that show twice in late August I think it was. Here is the web site
http://www.meiringen.ch/

Meirigen is easy to get to if you're staying in the Jungfrau area. Take the train from Interlaken Ost to Meirigen area.

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Luther Allison: Walking papers

sunstar

Another excellent excursion, although probably not in the traditional folklore show, would be the Jungfrau marathon. This event is most popular as it is since it is a marathon race attracting participants from all over the world. The race starts in Interlaken where the runners run up through the villages through Wengen and end up in Kleine Scheidegg. Actually they run up in the direction of the Eiger Glacier station before running back down to the finish line in Klene Scheidegg. This event does have some music and good food up there. It is a most festive event that attracts a fairly big crowd.

In the past I have seen alpenhorn players and such.

http://www.jungfrau-marathon.ch/ws/en/

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FainaAgain

Is there a Swiss restaurant in your area? If yes, you can introduce your kids to food, maybe fondue?

kerryfsu

phyllis_stein if you remember the name of the DVD series about living in other countries let me know. I would love to order them on net flix.
I don't think I'm overloading the kids with grown up stuff..but I'll make sure to keep it in mind.

caladrius

schuler - thank you for the link, that was great! Such a beautiful song, even though I have no clue what the words were.

DAX

Kerryfsu:
Going back to famous swiss artists, Jean Tinguely comes to mind, a Dada movement painter well known for kinetic art which may fascinate even your 3 year old if you make it to the museum in Basel. Tinguely was born in Basel and died in Bern. Paul Klee is indeed famous but I consider him more of a german Bauhaus artist rather than swiss as he lived most of his adult life in Germany. I think it's great that you are trying to raise your kids' awareness.

SCHULER:
Thanks for the text, it helps a great deal. Now we're trying to decipher it into high german but got stuck on a few, my daughter is hoping you can help figure out the capitalized words. This is what we've deciphered so far:

nimm mich im Arm & drueck mich fest an dich
und lass mich nie mehr los
ich danke mich GRAD (gerade?) an dir auf, will es einfach so gut tun
ich hab dich gern, ich brauche dich
ja ich bin suechtig nach dir
doch Garantie kann ich dir, "E" keine geh
das es fuer immer so wird "SI"(sich?)
ewige Liebe, das wuensch ich dir/mir
ewige Liebe nur mal fuer uns zwei

ewige Liebe, fuehle mich bei dir daheim
sag nicht fuer immer und sag nicht nie
ich gebe alles fuer dich auf
dein Blick hat mich geschlagen in meinem Herz

hab mich zum Brennen gebracht
getroffen vor dem Stromstoss, wo so gut tut
Wuerde alles machen, alles gehen, alles fuer dich tun
Ich lass dich nie mehr los

Ich weiss Liebe kommt und geht
Wie eine Kerze schmelzt sich weg
Ja wie ein Lied hoert sich einfach ab
Nie mehr SEIT, es SIGI LIECHT (?)
Es ist ES einziges GEH & NAEH
Es gibt kein Verlorer oder Gewinner
In dem Wuerfelspiel

AmanteDelLimoncello

kerryfsu- What a wonderful experience for you and your children.Yes they may not remember it all but prompted memories from videos,photos and some special gifts eg a doll or a clock, will help keep the memories. It is the experience that will stay with them for ever and these experiences can contribute to their future.
Learn a well known song eg a nursery rhyme in Swiss, with them. I have taught my preschool class songs in Italian, they pick it up very quickly.
Enjoy!!!!

kleeblatt

DAX: You've done an excellent job translating. My hat's off to you (Hut ab!)

Grad = gerade
Si = sein
E = ignore it. E keine gah (direct translated: Ein keine geben ... not really German)
niemert seit = niemand sagt
Sigi liecht = es sein leicht (es ist leicht)
Näh und gah = nehmen und geben

"alles gehen" isn't right. Translation: alles geben (gah = geben)

"ja wie nes liecht hört si eifach uf
oder si haut eifach ab"

Translation:
ja, wie das Licht, hört sie einfach auf
oder sie sie haut einfach ab (rennt einfach davon)

Es gibt kein VerLIERer oder Gewinner

Hope this helps.

kerryfsu

When I posted this question I had no idea that it would be SO useful. Thank you everyone!!

DAX

schuler: Danke vielmol

kerryfsu:
My apologies for hijacking your thread. I used to make a very simple board & dice game with all the facts connected to the swiss geography so my toddlers would absorb them more readily. It's most useful to prepare them for the longer drive from town to town as they were already familiarized with the names of places and what's there. They learned where Gruyere is in relation to Meiringen (origin of Meringue), Bern (bear pit), Lucerne (Lion monument, hall of mirrors,Transport museum), Basel (Tinguely, zoo) etc. Those were pre Youtube days.

suze

I have often seen groups of men playing the Alphorn, at various public events like street fairs or the weekly market (this was in Vevey/Montreux area).

sunstar

As I said, most of the time, I just lucked out and found some Swiss folklore music or some kind of festivals going on.

The Alpenhorn player in Kleine Scheidegg always gets attention when he or she is up there performing for the tourists.

The first time up in Meirrigen area, I just lucked into that. Second time, a man and wife I knew were staying in an apartment in Meirigen told me that the festival was going on there. I hopped on the train and made it over there to see the show.

I always enjoyed those shows!!

Now playing:

The Grateful Dead: The music never stopped

Vttraveler

You didn't specifically mention a language course for your kids, but if you are interested in one you might want to check out the Muzzy program developed by the BBC especially for kids.

I also agree with car that you should not expect your kids to remember too much about the trip --not that this should discourage you from giving them some background information before you go.

For books/stories I'd introduce them to William Tell