Juan Convers

Yesterday I was biking on my way to work, and when I started to climb the hill on the Route de Genève that takes you to the roundabout of Préverenges, I turned my head right and saw such a beautiful sunrise over Lake Léman, with the Alps in the background, that I had to stop to take the picture you see above.

On this New Year’s Eve of 2026, still recovering from the flu, we chose to celebrate quietly at home, preparing a traditional Bogotanian ajiaco for a late lunch—a dish perfect for a cold day like yesterday. In that simple moment, I felt hopeful that 2026 will be a good year ahead!

Yesterday we had a nice day with A & L; We were looking for a day trip and since they were absolutely dying to see some snow, I spent some time Googling the closest mountains accessible by public transport in the Vaud region. I eventually stumbled upon Rochers de Naye, and it turned out to be the perfect plan for a quick getaway into the snowy peaks.

We hopped on the cogwheel train from Montreux, and once we reached the top, the kids had the best time playing in the snow and building a snowman. We even got the chance to visit Santa’s Village, walking through a light decorated tunnel, taking a pictures with him and leaving with a couple of treats in hand.

The train ride itself is an attraction, offering amazing panoramic views, just like the one in the picture above.

Today we decided to do a nice Christmas lunch with my colleagues at work. We’d been discussing this for a couple of days and we agreed the plan was to go to this ramen place we had tried before and we all liked it.

But when we were about to make a reservation, it turned out it was closed. arrggg :/. a classic Monday issue!

So debating what to do next, a Moroccan colleague suggested a Moroccan place he knew near CHUV. I was very curious because I’d never tried tajine before and it sounded like a nice culinary exploration

So we went there and all of us we ordered this traditional dish. The tajine arrived in its classic cone-shaped clay pot, and when they lifted the lid, it smelled really nice!. The slow-cooked chicken with preserved lemons, olives, and a blend of spices I couldn’t quite identify, make the dish really appealing.

It was not surprising that the taste was even better, with a balance of sweet and salty flavors. Based on what my colleague described I tried it with warm bread and coscuous and the combination was really good.

I can’t believe I’d never tried this dish before. Really nice!

One of my favorites places in Basel is the Markthalle. This ancient market hall has been transformed into a vibrant food court with a variety of international cuisines. The architecture of the building is quite interesting, with its high ceilings and large windows that let in plenty of natural light during the day.

Last week when I was passing by Markhalle at night, I noticed the full moon shining brightly above the building. The combination of the modern lights of the "mark halle" neon light and the natural glow of the moon created a beautiful view that I tried to capture in the photo above.

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