Swiss Studies… Going home (part nine)

Early Sunday morning, Bill and I got up, had one last lovely Swiss bakery breakfast, and packed everything in the Volvo. It was kind of nervewracking, because the car was behind a locked gate, and there was a car parked behind it all week. I later found out, once we got back to Germany, that the proprietors had sent me a SMS message on my phone. I didn’t get it, though, because I was using a Swiss eSim card. Switzerland is not in the EU, so if I don’t use an eSim, my German cell service quickly maxes out on roaming.

Bill had already arranged with the proprietors as to when we were going to leave. I was definitely ready to go, although I can’t deny that we had a great time in Switzerland. Again, every time I go there, I like it slightly more. I’ve finally started to notice its charm, which wasn’t obvious the first time I went there. I mean, it truly IS a beautiful country, and interesting because there are four official languages. But for some reason, I just felt like there was no “soul” there. Having visited a few more times, I realized that the Swiss actually do have soul… they just hide it better than the French and Italians.

We were out of the apartment by about 8:30 AM or so, and we anticipated an easy trip back to Wiesbaden. But first, we had to get out of Zürich, which turned out to be more difficult than we anticipated. We did not go out of the city in the same way we came in, which was probably a smart idea, since the way we came in was very busy. But, the alternative route was also problematic, because parts of it were closed. Bill surmised maybe there was another bike or running race going on. I didn’t see evidence of that, but we did have to find our way out. The GPS wasn’t helpful, so I told Bill to just keep heading north, and eventually we’d find our way out of the city. I turned out to be right.

The drive home was pretty uneventful after that, although we did stop at a very crowded McDonald’s near Heidelberg. I wouldn’t necessarily choose McDonald’s for lunch, but it was convenient, and it was also near an erotic store.

The weather in Germany was overcast and kind of “blah”, which is typical. Switzerland was much sunnier and warmer, although I heard that it was hot in Germany, too. My ankles were very swollen, which now happens when it gets hot. One of the many joys of being in my 50s. /sarcasm

Once we got home, we did the usual unpacking and restarting everything. Bill picked up the dogs at 6:00 PM, and they were happy to be home. I made plans to write this series, which has now come to an end.

Overall, we both enjoyed this trip to Zürich. It really is a nice city with a lot to offer. For so many years, we avoided it, because it was close to where we lived. When Bill decided to investigate the Jung Institute, it became much more interesting. I’d still like to visit other Swiss cities, particularly Lausanne and Bern. And maybe it would be fun to spend some time near Lucerne, which isn’t far from Zürich. God willing, we’ll get our chance.

I also want to mention, the proprietors of the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt were very nice! They repeatedly thanked us for leaving the apartment in such a “tidy condition.” So… I guess we aren’t dirtbag tenants after all, ex landlady. 😉

Anyway… if you’ve been following this series, and I know a few of you have faithfully checked in every day, I thank you very much for reading. I have one last post to write for Switzerland– my usual “ten things I learned.” And I did, in fact, learn new things on this trip. So watch this space for that post, which could be posted here today or tomorrow. We’ll see.

adventure, C.G. Jung, Education

Swiss Studies… The big finale– cruising on Lake Zürich! (part eight)

Saturday came at long last. I can’t say I wasn’t happy about it. Bill finished his time at the C.G. Jung Institute, and we had one last day to enjoy Zürich together. If you’ve been following this series, it should come as no surprise to you that we chose to spend our last day on the lake. But, instead of swimming, which is what I thought we might do, we decided to take a 4.5 hour cruise around the lake on a very nice boat.

This isn’t the first time Bill and I have done a lake cruise. Back in 2008, we visited Thun, Switzerland, and bought boat tickets that allowed us to cruise Lake Thun. I think, back then, we got second class tickets. We were broke back then. In 2021, we used the lake “taxi” to get from downtown Zürich to Küsnacht, so we could visit the C.G. Jung Haus/museum. We’ve done lots of river cruises, too, though we’ve never done one that last longer than an hour or so.

I enjoy lake cruises, because they offer the chance to take pictures from different vantage points, and because they’re relaxing. You can sit there with a beer and just enjoy the scenery. Maybe you might have lunch, too, which is what Bill and I did.

We took the tram to the opera house, then walked along the lake and over a bridge to the ticket office. I think, for the two of us, first class tickets were about 43 euros each. They covered the 4.5 hour cruise, as well as the tram ride back to the apartment. If we’d wanted to, we could have used that pass to pay for any public transportation until 5:00 AM Sunday!

Below are some pictures I took on the way to the dock…

Our cruise left at about 11:00 AM. It was perfect, since we’d be on the boat at lunchtime, and that would mean we wouldn’t have to hunt for anything before boarding. The ship was very nice, and included a full restaurant and toilet facilities. On the first class deck, there were many chairs to sit on, while I noticed benches on the second class deck. To be honest, I think the benches were probably more comfortable. The benches were flat, rather than molded and tilted. The chairs were kind of hard and at sort of a weird angle.

We were able to find a table next to the side of the boat, which allowed for easy photography. On both levels, there’s an indoor area for people to sit and have a meal. We had perfect weather, so most people were sitting outside. One guy even wore Lederhosen, but he was also speaking German. However, it didn’t look like he was wearing authentic Lederhosen.

I was pleased to see that the menu on the ship had dishes that were priced much like the land based restaurants are, even though they had a “captive audience.” There were salads, fish dishes, meat dishes, and snacks available, and a full bar. They also had specials. Bill opted for a Caesar salad with chicken and bacon, and I had the roasted chicken special with potatoes. Naturally, there was wine and water, too…

We saw lots of boats on the water, everything from little pedal boats to big vessels.

*Yes, dogs are allowed on the boat, too!*

Our cruise took us all the way to the extreme southern end of the lake, which is where the charming, car free, lake side municipality of Rapperswil is. We didn’t get off the boat there, but I can definitely see us exploring it at a later date. It has a castle, restaurants, little hotels, and lots of Swiss charm. Rapperswil is known as the “town of roses” on Lake Zürich. It really is a pretty little hamlet. Of course, we also passed people sunning themselves on beaches, a small fest, and what appeared to be a nature preserve, where people could hike in the forest and then cool off by the lake. It took about two hours to get to Rapperswil from Zürich, and then another two hours to get back to the dock, where we started our trip.

We got off the cruise at about 3:00 PM. Bill decided to go ask the ticket folks if our tickets for the boat also covered the trams. While he was in line, a group of Aussies approached me and said they loved my “Trump Sucks” t-shirt, which I decided to wear on the cruise. We had a moment of levity and solidarity, as we expressed our mutual disgust for Donald Trump. And this week, it’s gotten even worse, and more apparent that indeed, Trump really does suck on multiple levels.

Ordinarily, I might not feel like I should wear such a provocative t-shirt in public. I probably wouldn’t dare do it in Texas, where a lot of MAGA Republican nutjobs live, and one might decide to off me with one of their high powered weapons. But here in Europe, the t-shirt appears to be a hit. I also wore it yesterday, while walking Noyzi and Charlie, and noticed big smiles from my neighbors. When I told my mom that I had that shirt, she groaned, but I told her that Europeans seem to be relieved when an American tells them they aren’t Trump supporters. He’s definitely NOT popular over here. I will confess, though, that I wondered if it was a good idea to wear the shirt. Again, it was one of the less sweaty ones I had with me on this trip. I got a few more photos on the way back to the apartment.

We had plans to light out of Zürich early on Sunday, so we spent a quiet evening in the apartment, packing everything up, and eating leftovers. I had a great time visiting Switzerland’s largest city, but it was time to go home and see my dogs, wash my clothes, and get back to my regular routine. However, if Bill plays his cards right, and things go according to plan, it’s possible that Zürich will soon become a very familiar place to us. And that’s kind of crazy to me, because when we lived in the Stuttgart area, it was only about a 90 minute drive from where we resided, and we never visited, even once! And now that we’re about four hours away, it could become more familiar…

But, of course, a lot depends on what happens in the next year… I guess we’ll just have to stay tuned for that.

The last post will be a short one about our drive home. Watch this space!

adventure, C.G. Jung, Education, Gardens

Swiss Studies… Botanical bliss in Zürich! (part five)

On Wednesday morning, I knew I had to get out of the apartment so it could be cleaned. I was getting tired of going to the lake, so I decided to seek out a different venue. The proprietors at the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt had mentioned that the University of Zürich’s botanical gardens are very close to their facility. I looked it up online and found that the gardens were about a ten minute walk from the apartment. A bonus was that I could also visit Patumbah Park, which is just across the street from the side entrance to the gardens.

After breakfast, Bill and I said goodbye. He headed off to his class, and I got dressed and walked to the gardens, which was a brief, pleasant walk through a residential neighborhood and past what appeared to be a (very nice) elementary school. Then I found Patumbah Park, which was not very big, but did offer lots of shade and a beautiful villa to admire as I walked past the grounds.

I didn’t spend a lot of time in the park, which offered lots of shady trees and benches for sitting and contemplating life. Maybe I should have taken a few minutes to enjoy Patumbah Park, which dates from the end of the 19th century. From the city’s official Web site:

The builder, Karl Fürchtegott Grob (1830–1893), had become enormously wealthy as a tobacco plantation owner on Sumatra. He gave his villa the evocative name “Patumbah,” an old term that describes a place where one feels at home—roughly meaning “room for everything” or “open house.”

I was focused on seeing flora, though, so I passed through the park quickly, and soon found a gate that led to the gardens. There were two office chairs near the open gate, but no cashier’s booth. The gardens are free of charge to visit and fully open to the public. I noticed some people walking through who seemed to be treating like any open space. It could have been a shortcut home for them, for all I know.

*I saw lots of small children wearing these.*

It was hot and sunny in Zürich last Wednesday, but lots of people were at the gardens, including a group of small Swiss kids. One thing I noticed when we were visiting Zürich is that a lot of very young children wear little bright orange or yellow safety vests. I saw several groups of little kids wearing them and sometimes holding handles attached to a rope to keep them all together in a group. I also noticed that every group of little kids I saw was tended by at least two adults.

I looked up the safety vests and learned that in some parts of Switzerland, small children are apparently required or maybe just encouraged to wear the vests. They seemed okay with wearing the vests. I think I would have hated that, when I was a child. But then, I hated wearing seatbelts for many years. 😉 Swiss children are notoriously independent in many ways. Even when they’re very small, they are encouraged to walk to school by themselves or in groups. It’s the same in Germany and, in fact, it was that way for me in the United States when I was living close enough to a school to walk.

Anyway, I don’t have much to say about the gardens, other than that they were very beautiful and well tended, and I especially enjoyed going into the “domes”, which are artificially created habitats for different plants… Below are some photos:

There was also an interesting exhibit about traditional herbal medicine methods used in medicine in Uganda. It was presented in German and English. I enjoyed it because it spoke to my time as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and as a public health student.

I got so many photos… and here are some more for my plant loving readers…

There were a lot of young folks at the gardens. They were a little annoying in the “domes”, because they were noisy and all over the place. But, I just remembered that I was young once, too, and I have surely had many obnoxious, annoying moments in my life, both as a child and an adult. So I kept that in mind as they were yelling, running, and engaging in horseplay. I resisted the urge to tell them to stay off my lawn.

I got back to the apartment a couple of hours later, and it was clean. It was so hot outside, though, and I realized that we needed more beer and orange juice. I decided that was a good opportunity to check out the bigger COOP market in the opposite direction of the smaller one. So I walked there armed with a paper bag. The store was, indeed, much bigger and nicer than the neighborhood market was, but it was just as hectic and frustrating to navigate. I managed to get what I needed and carried it back to the apartment.

On that trip, I noticed that the COOP had some nice looking sushi on display. I later suggested to Bill that we either go buy some or order some for dinner, since the weather was so warm and neither of us felt like going out and sitting in a hot restaurant. So we had sushi and dumplings on Wednesday night, and it was just what we needed, although it took awhile to get to us.

I later found out that there was a big event at Lake Zürich on the one day I didn’t hang out there. Thousands of swimmers crossed the lake from Mythenquai to Tiefenbrunnen. After the event, which has happened most years (except during the pandemic) since 1985, the swimmers were served hot bouillon and risotto for lunch. Apparently, that is a tradition, even though it was very hot outside, and the water was also pretty warm. It’s probably just as well that I wasn’t there for that event, since tickets were required. I’m sure it made the area very crowded.

Anyway, that about wraps up Wednesday of our trip. I would definitely recommend visiting the botanical gardens. There is also an “old” botanical gardens in downtown Zürich that is reportedly well worth visiting.

Stay tuned for the next post!

adventure, C.G. Jung, Education

Swiss Studies… Sizzling in Zürich! (part four)

Tuesday, July 1, turned out to be a somewhat lazy day. It was very hot outside. Bill had a somewhat later start at the C.G. Jung Institute, so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. I was amused by the rolls he bought, which had little Swiss flags in them. I’m sure there’s an official name for these, but I don’t know what it is… Edited to add: They are called “Weggli”.

After Bill left for his classes, I slathered on sunscreen and got dressed. I decided to go back to the lake, if only because I figured it would offer cool breezes and opportunities to people watch some more. Instead of going straight back to the park where I’d been going, I turned in the opposite direction. I passed by the Strandbad Tiefenbrunnen, a public beach that offers bathrooms and a restaurant. I was curious about it and might have gone it, if Bill had been with me. Ultimately, I decided it would probably be too noisy for me, and since I wasn’t wearing a bathing suit, I kept walking.

*Creepy entrance to the Strandbad. Reminds me of toadstools.*

Continuing past the entrance to the Strandbad, I gazed at a different section of the lake. I saw two men who looked a lot like Mormon missionaries. They wore suits, although it was so hot that they carried their jackets. They also stood close to each other, as if they were companions. But, as they had their backs to me, I couldn’t tell if they were missionaries. Then I noticed one of them had a beard, and the other looked like he might be too old to be a missionary. I noticed that a lot of men in Switzerland dress formally for work. That was probably what I was seeing, rather than Latter-day Saints.

Looking further down the sidewalk, it appeared that the way was going to be less conducive for pedestrians. So I turned around and went back to my usual spot at the lake. I actually had to wait for a bit, because the bench was taken by someone else. By the time I was able to claim it, the sun had moved to a point at which the area was no longer shady. At least I got some more photos. The lake is so beautiful. I also got some video, as I stood by the water’s edge and enjoyed some gentle splashes.

Gives you a feel for how things were last week, during the heatwave in Switzerland!

After a short while, I realized that I was hot, sweaty, and worried about sunburn, in spite of the sunscreen I’d applied. After a short while, I decided to go back to the apartment, where I hoped after doing some writing, I might get further into my latest book… but, if I recall correctly, I ended up falling asleep and taking a very long, deep nap for a couple of hours.

Later, when Bill came back to the apartment, we decided to try an Italian restaurant called Miracle. It was just down the street from the apartment, on the way to the lake. We would have preferred to sit outside, because it was so hot on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the outside tables were taken by a large group of locals. So we sat inside, and enjoyed a very lovely dinner, in spite of the heat. I especially liked the aperitif, with was made with prosecco, lime, and mint. Bill had his usual Campari with soda.

For dinner, we started with bruschetta, and then I had fried shrimp with chili-coriander butter and salad, while Bill had Loup de Mer, with lemon basil butter. The food was very good, and beautifully presented. Service was friendly and professional. We had after dinner drinks instead of dessert– grappa for Bill, and a refreshing limoncello cocktail for me.

We walked back to the apartment and ended our Tuesday with sleep. I enjoyed Miracle. I would have liked to have gone back there again. It was a bit hot the day we visited, but I can see why this place is a local favorite.

The next post will be a departure from the lake, as on Wednesday, I went to the botanical garden. More on that in part five.

adventure, C.G. Jung, Education

Swiss studies… Watching life unfold at the lake! (part three)

Monday, June 30th, was an exciting day for Bill. He’d been looking forward to taking seminars at the C.G. Jung Institute for years. On his first day, he had an early lecture, so we got up early. He bought more wonderful bread at Wüst, and we enjoyed coffee and juice. I was already a bit nervous, because the proprietor at the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt advised us that they would be cleaning the apartment on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They requested that we not be in the apartment from 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.

Those are the hours when I usually do my writing, but given how hot it was last week, it was just as well that I went to the lake. Bill looked so cute, dressed for class and carrying a backpack. The tram outside made it quick and easy for him to get to the Institute.

After I made a quick YouTube video, I headed to the lake. On the way there, life started unfolding in front of my eyes. First, I saw a sweet black cat. I made a soft “ssssing” sound, which attracted its attention. It meowed at me and came over, rubbing against my legs. Then it turned and went another direction. I like cats. We used to have them when I was growing up. Unfortunately, although Bill also likes cats, we can’t have them in our home. He’s very allergic to them. I am also supposedly allergic to them– and dogs, horses, and rabbits, too. I still like to say hello when I can.

Next, I saw a young man running down the street with a big smile on his face and his arms outstretched. He passed me and enveloped a young woman in his arms in a joyful reunion. It reminded me of when Bill came home from Iraq.

I walked a bit further and ran into a very fit looking couple. The female half wore extremely tight leggings that outlined an obvious camel toe. They looked like maybe they were exercise instructors, headed to the gym.

I crossed the street and walked to the park near the lake, where there are benches. I saw a man doing yoga by the Heureka sculpture. A dog came over to say hello, and then I noticed a woman dancing. She wore a sweatshirt, shorts, shades, and ear buds, and danced by the lake side, completely oblivious to the world. I watched her in amazement. She was completely uninhibited. I kind of admired it. And, of course, there were lots of ducks to watch…

This isn’t a super exciting video, except for the dancing lady. I could have watched her all day!

I walked around the lake area and took lots of pictures… I even sat for awhile near some boats, watching more waterfowl, in an attempt to kill enough time so the apartment could be cleaned. As it turned out, I should have stayed a little longer.

I took a slightly different route back to the apartment, passing the Plastic Surgery Pyramide Clinic. I later found out this is a private hospital where people have everything from breast reconstruction to facelifts done. I noticed they also had an outlet for La Prairie, a VERY expensive skincare/cosmetics brand that I first saw offered on SeaDream Yacht Club, a luxury cruise line. I read about the clinic, and most people had rave reviews for their experiences there. One woman left a very disturbing review of a doctor who had, apparently, taken advantage of her while she was in a weakened state. To be honest, her account sounded fictitious. Perhaps she had more going on than just physical illness. I didn’t get a good picture of the actual hospital, but these pictures are of clinics affiliated with it. I bet it costs a mint to go there.

I went by the apartment at about 10:45, but it still hadn’t been cleaned, so after a potty break, I walked to the COOP neighborhood grocery store to pick up a few things– napkins and sugar for my coffee. I also got a few other items. Bill and I both visited that store a couple of times. It was very convenient to where we stayed, but the layout was frustrating, and it seemed like people were always descending upon it en masse. We both found shopping there a bit nervewracking. There was a larger COOP store a little bit further in the opposite direction. That store offered more stuff, but was only marginally less annoying. However, we’ve been to other COOP stores in Switzerland, and have not found them to be so hectic. Maybe it just has something to do with the neighborhood. Below are a few more photos I took on the way back to the apartment.

When I got back to the apartment with the stuff I got at the store, one of the proprietors was in the middle of cleaning the bathroom. I startled her, but I needed to put some things in the refrigerator. She pointed out that there was a beach towel in the armoire. That was good to know, although we brought our own… and then didn’t end up using them, after all!

I decided to go back to the lake to give the lady a chance to finish her work. I’m glad I did, because there was more stuff going on…

*I’m not sure what they were doing, but by the time we left on Sunday, it looked like they were building a platform in the lake.*

When Bill got back from his seminar, at about 6:00 PM, he was very excited. He’d had a good day learning about psychology, and now he was ready for dinner. We ended up at Le Beaujolais, a Greek restaurant right next to the apartment. The waiter was friendly, professional, and kind, and the food was excellent. Bill had lamb, and I had Dorade and Seelach filets. Then we had ice cream for dessert!

*Sadly, there were no bags to be found for hygiene purposes. But that’s not something that worries me anymore.*

A man showed up with his cute dog and sat next to us. The dog was so sweet, and made me miss our dogs, Noyzi and Charlie.

It may seem like not a lot happened on Monday, but I truly did enjoy sitting at the lake, watching people go about life. I really should have jumped in the lake, though.

adventure, art, C.G. Jung, Education

Swiss Studies… Sunday at the lake! (part two)

On Sunday morning, Bill went across the street to the fabulous bakery called Wüst. This bakery, which is part of a chain, offers wonderful fresh breads and pastries. Almost every day of our stay, Bill went there to get our breakfasts. One day, he went to a different, but equally good bakery, only because we were out of juice and he could get some at the other place.

I have discovered that I really like the way the Swiss do their breads. The places we’ve gone have offered soft rolls and croissants that aren’t too crispy/messy. Personally, I like that a lot. I know some people love flaky croissants, but I prefer them to be softer, if only because it means fewer crumbs all over the place.

After breakfast, Bill and I took a walk to Lake Zürich, which was a very short walk from the apartment. On Sunday, there happened to be a bike race going on, so there was a “crossing guard” in the middle of the crosswalk! We sure weren’t expecting that.

The part of Lake Zürich where we were was near the Chinagarten, as well as a really cool looking machine/statue that I happened to catch running once during the week. I discovered that I was looking at “Heureka”, a “useless machine” that was built in 1964 by sculptor, Jean Tinguely. Below is a video of it running. I only caught it in action once during the whole week we were in Zürich! I read that they only run it three times a day for eight minutes, from April until October.

According to Atlas Obscura, “Heureka” was meant to symbolize consumerism in advanced societies. It’s made of scrap metal and junk, and when it runs, it just makes noise. It doesn’t actually do anything useful. Interesting that this would be in a place where many people are quite well-to-do.

I videoed this after Bill and I saw it for the first time. I guess they don’t run it often, because it makes a fair amount of noise.

There were so many people at the lake on that sunny Sunday. They were all lying out on blankets and towels, swimming, sunning, fishing, and splashing around in the lake. I wished I’d worn one of my bathing suits, because the lake was so inviting. But instead of jumping in the lake, we decided to visit a Biergarten right next to it… And unfortunately, we ended up sitting next to a big pile of dog shit. Nevertheless, I took lots of photos, and where we sat was perfect for that. And the sausage and roll weren’t too bad, either.

While we were eating, we were visited by a bunch of little birds and some very well fed ducks. I tried not to feed them any bread, since it’s bad for ducks. But they made it hard to resist. They were practically tame! I noticed a number of different types of birds by the lake, everything from seagulls to swans! I’ll have pictures of the swans later in the series.

After lunch, we walked around some more, and I took a lot of photos. I was amused by the many people on hydrofoils. It looked like a lot of fun, riding those things– like surf boards with poles under them, operating like pogo sticks. Maybe if I was younger, fitter, and braver, I might be willing to give them a try!

He’s pretty good at that!

Below are some more photos from Sunday. The Swiss, and all of the visitors, all seemed to be having a blast!

We walked a few miles on Sunday, and ended up running into the bike race again. There was a boy there, maybe about 12 years old, wearing a neon colored uniform. He fixed one of the racers’ bikes on the side of the street. We overheard him telling a couple of ladies in German that he was a member of a bicycling club that provided services for the race. We saw a young girl in a similar reflective outfit providing drinks for the riders as they whizzed past.

After awhile, Bill and I got a bit hot, and we were both worried about sun exposure. We decided to go back to the apartment and watch some local television. We caught a couple of American movies, dubbed into German. One was 1962’s That Touch of Mink, starring Cary Grant and Doris Day. The other was 2012’s Now Is Good, starring Dakota Fanning. The Fanning flick was also airing on Friday night. I hadn’t heard of Now Is Good before, but I see it’s on Netflix. Maybe I’ll watch it in English.

For dinner on Sunday, we ordered Chinese/Thai food. I had sweet and sour pork with rice, and Bill had chicken satay with rice. We also had dumplings. There were leftovers for Monday, which was a good thing for me.

In the next post, I’ll start explaining how I entertained myself while Bill was “at school.” Stay tuned for that excitement. 😉

adventure, Education

We are now back from Zürich… time to dish!

We got back from beautiful Zürich, Switzerland this afternoon, after eight nights. On the whole, we had a very nice time. Bill spent most of the time taking seminars at the C.G. Jung Institute in Küsnacht, a lovely suburb of the city. I spent most of my week hanging around and gazing at Lake Zürich. One day, I went to the botanical gardens, affiliated with the University of Zürich.

The weather was hot and sunny, and we were fortunate to spend the time at an apartment-hotel that had an air conditioning unit. It wasn’t the most effective air conditioner in the world, but it was better than nothing. The apartment was reasonably priced for Zürich, although for eight nights, it cost almost as much as renting our whole house for a month! But the place also had a couple of parking spots behind a locked gate, so we were able to park our car there all week… though we couldn’t move the car without having the car parked behind us moved. It was no problem, anyway. The place where we stayed was right by a very busy tram line that was perfect for getting Bill to and from the Institute.

I will be writing a full series on this trip, but at this point, I’m a little tired and not wanting to dive in just yet. I’m glad to be home, safe and sound. Although we weren’t able to bring home any interesting souvenirs or goodies from the COOP (grocery store), I did get a lot of beautiful photos, especially of the lake. I wish I’d had a chance to go swimming, but we did do a 4.5 hour cruise yesterday. The weather was perfect! We even got a slight break from the heat.

Bill found his time at the Institute stimulating and fulfilling; he finally got to meet his analyst, Max, in person for the first time in the four years they’ve been working together. I think he’d like to matriculate there and possibly earn certification. Of course, we don’t know what’s going to happen to his job… but then, that would be true of any job, really. Above are a few photos from the Institute. I got to attend the farewell ceremony with Bill.

I’ve missed Noyzi and Charlie, and my guitars. I’ve missed making music, and sitting at my desktop, which is so much easier to write blog posts on than my laptop is. I’ve even missed the washing machine and our shitty mattress, which so badly needs to be replaced.

But the one thing I’ve missed more than anything is peace and quiet. The apartment where we stayed was fairly noisy, mainly because of the people in the apartment above us. They were incredibly loud. From a screaming baby at 6:00 AM to heavy thuds on their floor/our ceiling, to crashes and booms when things got dropped, to the pitter patter of little feet running around, it was very annoying. And so, for the fact that no one lives in a unit above us, I am so glad to be home in Germany!

I don’t know how long this series will take. We did have some notable things happen, that I want to write about. However, this trip was not heavy on activities or even eating in restaurants. We ate a lot of meals in the apartment. So, even though we were gone for eight nights, I don’t think this will be a long series to wade through.

Hope you’ll join me for the first post, which will probably appear tomorrow.

adventure, Lakes

Sitting in Zurich, watching the world go by…

I will be writing a series about this trip, but I feel like dumping some photos on my travel blog, just to keep it current. I spent a couple of hours walking yesterday, and watched people by the lake for awhile. This city certainly has an energy.

We came to Zurich for the first time in 2021. It was a different experience, because we stayed in a different part of town. This time, we’re near Lake Zurich, and people are definitely taking advantage of the lake, especially given how hot it is!

Here are a few pictures of what I’ve seen so far…

Of course, with all of this natural beauty comes high prices and lots of people… and with people comes trash. I am enjoying being in Zurich, and especially watching Bill enjoy his course, but I don’t know that I’d want to live here… or, at least I’d rather not live in the city. It’s too loud! But it is a nice change of pace for a short time.

I’m not sure what I’ll do today… maybe more of what I did yesterday, just walking around and people watching while I wait for Bill to come back from his classes. He looked so cute this morning, wearing his backpack. All he needed was a ball cap and a paper sack lunch!

art, Hessen

Bill came home from his latest trip…

I didn’t write any travel posts over the weekend, because Bill got home from Stavanger, Norway on Saturday afternoon, and I spent yesterday hanging out with him. We are slowly catching up with some of the stuff that went undone while he was gone. He’s going to collect our mail today and maybe drop by the commissary to get a few things. I may decide to make a video and take care of some household chores that need attention. Or maybe not.

At the moment, we’re planning a trip to Zurich, Switzerland for late June/early July. We went there in 2021, and visited Carl Jung’s house. Now Bill wants to go again, so he can take some courses at the Jung Institute. I will go with him, although I won’t be taking any classes. Maybe I’ll go on a tour or something… or just get some reading done while I enjoy views of Lake Zurich. Last time we were there, it was during the pandemic. This seems to be our year to visit Switzerland. We’ve already been there twice so far in 2025.

Bill did some good work in Norway. I think it was a successful trip for him. He enjoyed Stavanger, too, and wants to visit there for recreational purposes. I wouldn’t mind that. Hopefully, it will be within the realm of the possible, but with all that’s going on right now, who knows?

As you can see, Charlie was very happy to see Bill. I took a few more photos of their reunion, along with a video… And Bill also enjoyed the lasagna I made the other day. I used to be a pretty damned good cook.

The dogs are so glad to see Bill again! So am I!

Tomorrow, we’ll have newly framed art to hang. Several pieces are works we’ve had for years, but one piece is new. I’m still trying to decide where to hang it. Maybe I’ll put it in Noyzi’s room. 😉 We’d pick up the art today, but like many businesses in Europe, Monday is the art gallery’s “Ruhetag” (quiet/free day). When my parents ran their framing and needlework business, they also closed on Mondays. But they were open until the early afternoon on Saturdays. Same with the art gallery in Wiesbaden.

Anyway… that about does it for this post. Not too much went on in the past week, other than the usual angst and spending. Maybe there will be more to report during this year’s Holy Week. I’m sure in the mood for a miracle or two, aren’t you?

house hunting, Sundays

Ten things I learned on our first Abruzzo trip– 2025!

Yesterday, I finished writing the “blow by blow” blog series about our trip to Abruzzo in Italy. We went there to look around and see what the condition of the area is, and whether or not we might be able to live there, whether it be as vacationers, or as permanent residents. We also stopped for a couple of nights in the Lugano area of Switzerland and Colle Isarco, near the Austrian border. I like to wrap up my blog series with a top ten list of things I learned. So, here we go with my top ten list for this trip!

10. The word “mance” in Italian means tip or gratuity.
As a general rule, Italians aren’t all that big on tipping. When you go to a restaurant, they usually charge a coperto (cover charge) that amounts to 1 to 3 euros per person. When you settle the bill, you go to a cashier, rather than paying your server. That said, we saw evidence that some people do appreciate tips. When I spotted a jar by a register that read “Mance”, I figured it meant “tips”. I looked it up, and sure enough, I was right. Bill slipped the lady a ten euro note, which earned him a big, bright smile of appreciation. How refreshing!

9. There is an Eataly style AutoGrill near Parma that is pretty nice.
Back in 2008, Bill and I went to Italy together for the first time. It was his first time ever, and my first time since 1997. We stayed near Turin/Torino, which is where the big Italian food store “Eataly” was launched. Yes, we visited, and it was amazing, although we didn’t load up nearly enough. Since then, Eataly has grown by leaps and bounds. Now, if you travel on the Autostrada near Parma, you can enjoy an Eataly style meal. The stop is only eastbound, though. The westbound lane has a regular AutoGrill location.

8. Riposo or pennichella is still pretty serious in Abruzzo.
Riposo (mid afternoon break, perhaps more familiarly known as “siesta” to Americans) is a thing in a lot of Mediterranean countries, although some areas take it more seriously than others. I noticed when we were in Abruzzo, a lot of businesses and restaurants shut down at about 1:00 PM for riposo. They reopened at 3:00 or 4:00. It took some getting used to.

7. Pescara is a hectic, yet convenient, base city.
I had a hard time choosing where to stay in Abruzzo, since we were going down there to see little towns where houses might be for sale. I wound up choosing Pescara, which I found really hectic. We did get used to it somewhat, and it’s convenient to a lot of places in Abruzzo.

6. If you stay at the Relais Castello Morcote in Vico Morcote, Switzerland, you can visit a vineyard and get beautiful photos and views of Lake Lugano!
You can also buy some delicious wines that are from Switzerland.

5. The Centro Ovale in Switzerland, near the Italian border, is a cool looking building that is now defunct!
I don’t know how I never noticed that former shopping mall on previous trips to Italy. We’ve been through that border a few times, but this time was the first one I noticed the architectural wonder that took longer to build than it was actually open for business!

4. Campione d’Italia is an Italian exclave surrounded by Switzerland.
I had heard of Campione d’Italia before our trip because I happened to see a video about it on YouTube. I hadn’t necessarily planned to visit there, but when I noticed how close it was to our location in Switzerland, I decided we should check it out. I’m glad we did. It’s a very interesting place, with a mixture of Italian and Swiss features. It is, officially, Italy, but it is entirely physically separated from the rest of Italy by Switzerland. However, it doesn’t take long at all to get to mainland Italy from there. It’s easy to reach by car and bus, and it’s the home of Italy’s only casino (which is a huge eyesore)!

3. March is a nice time to visit Italy, although it’s still considered the “low season.”
Abruzzo has a lot to offer visitors. There’s the Adriatic Sea and the Appenine Mountains, as well as access to interesting Italian cities and the cool tiny country of San Marino, which I hope to visit sometime. But one thing I noticed that was nice was that there were no tourists around, and I didn’t hear any Americans! That might be because of where we were, but it’s probably also because it’s March!

2. We got stared at in the tiny towns we visited…
It was pretty obvious we were outsiders in Abruzzo. We’re both lacking olive complexions and dark hair and eyes. When we visited the cute town of Gissi, people stared at us with curiosity, rather than aggression or hostility. We were conspicuous. In another town, the reception from one local seemed a bit menacing, so we left. They probably pegged us as Germans.

And finally… 1. Vipiteno is a great place to visit on the way back to Germany…
Vipiteno is in Italy, but it used to be part of Austria. It feels like one is in Austria, even though one is in Italy. And it’s a really great place to buy souvenirs and eat good pizza. When I go to Italy, I like to go to grocery stores and load up on goodies as much as I like to shop for other stuff. We definitely did so on this trip, but Vipiteno was especially handy. They had a great gourmet store with lots of local delicacies. And, we also got to see some snow before we headed back home!

*Honorable mention that I almost forgot–
There are harness racing horses (pacers) trained in Abruzzo. I had no idea, and was shocked when we ran across people training them on a little used (but open) road! I didn’t see anyone riding horses, but I did see a couple of sulkies! As a horse lover, it was kind of a thrill for me. I miss having a horse, even just to pet and hang out with. I’d love to have some land with a donkey and a horse to spoil.

All in all, we had a really nice trip. I’m still not sure what the future will hold for us, but I’m glad we visited Abruzzo. It’s a very beautiful part of Italy, although I can see why they are eager to get some people to buy cheap property there. It’s fairly depressed and in need of some “new blood”. I liked it, though. Maybe we’ll have a chance to visit again!

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Category Archives: Switzerland

Swiss Studies… Going home (part nine)

Swiss Studies… The big finale– cruising on Lake Zürich! (part eight)

Swiss Studies… Botanical bliss in Zürich! (part five)

Swiss Studies… Sizzling in Zürich! (part four)

Swiss studies… Watching life unfold at the lake! (part three)

Swiss Studies… Sunday at the lake! (part two)

We are now back from Zürich… time to dish!

Sitting in Zurich, watching the world go by…

Bill came home from his latest trip…

Ten things I learned on our first Abruzzo trip– 2025!