Taking it all in

I had no idea the exact difference Uncle Henry would make in my life here in Switzerland. Being here on my own had been a life’s journey I needed to make for sure. And it seems I learn more each and every day. Uncle Henry’s teachings are not a new part of the theme, but probably more a demonstration of the theme each and every day.

Having a dog in the apartment in the city means you don’t just open the door and let him outside, you actually have to go for walks on a regular basis. And under the theme of “it’s about the journey, not the destination” I’ve probably never seen it so clearly demonstrated.

When you take Uncle Henry for a walk, you generally never just go out, let him do his business and return. Almost always, there is a departure from the plan, and almost always, it’s worth it.

Yesterday, his nose took us a different route than normal on our walk and we happened upon a small wine shop I hadn’t noticed before. It was about 15 minutes till closing (4:45pm on a Saturday as per normal here) and the shop owner summoned Uncle Henry over for some love and introduced me to a special guest, a farmer and his wife from Italy. For the next hour, I got a private instruction (and tastings) on the fine art of balsamic vinegar, the casks, the woods, the age, the flavors.

It was an amazing private experience. And before it was over, not only was I leaving with a very special bottle of certified balsamic (more on this later) but an invitation to visit the farm and family in Italy. And the shop owner and his wife sent me home with an additional surprise, part of their own home made panna cotta in their personal serving ware and told me just to bring it back any time.

Who’s coming with me on my next walk with Uncle Henry?