Tag Archives: C.G. Jung Institute

C.G. Jung, short breaks

Four nights of “Sonne” in Switzerland… (part five)

We woke up early on Sunday morning. I think we were both eager to get on the road and head home. I was missing the dogs and running out of clean clothes. Unfortunately, on this trip, I ate a few things that dripped… some drippings ended up on my shirts! I was also feeling eager to write and play my guitar. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of music videos, which I find helps me maintain some serenity.

We packed up our stuff and loaded most of it in the Volvo, then went down for our last breakfast at the Sonne Hotel. On Sunday morning, it was quieter and much less crowded in the breakfast room. I guess people were sleeping in a bit.

I noticed service was a little slipshod on the last morning. No one brought us little mini smoothies, as they had on the other three mornings. The chafing dish that normally had eggs and bacon was empty. That was okay with me, but a German woman complained about it to one of the young staffers. Maybe Sunday is the day when new people learn the ropes. I noticed the friendly seasoned waiter who had taken care of us on the other mornings was a bit later coming in on Sunday.

At one point, as I was enjoying a mini cinnamon roll that I hadn’t quite finished, a young man grabbed my plate from in front of me! I was a little shocked, since that’s the kind of thing I would expect in the United States. I don’t think I’ve ever had a plate cleared in Europe before everyone at the table had finished eating. I guess there’s a first time for everything. I didn’t protest, though, because I’d had enough, and really had only wanted to taste the roll, anyway. I’d been admiring them every morning, but only tried one on the last day.

We saw the dark haired lady again on that morning, as we were finishing breakfast. Like us, she was checking out that morning. She told us she’d gone back to the cafe at the Lindt Factory and noticed that they had a “help wanted” sign up. They were strictly looking for part time help. This lady– a US citizen from Los Angeles– went up to the manager and asked to apply for the job, even though she doesn’t speak German. And they actually offered to interview her! What a go-getter!

She said that since she works for her family’s business, she can do remote work. And she likes Switzerland so much that she’d like to move there. If she has a part time job, she can establish residency. Then she started talking about apartments, and how she’d had trouble finding something in her price range that wasn’t snapped up immediately. I’m not sure if she meant short term apartments or long term ones, but I did clue her in to the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt, where we stayed in the summer. It’s not meant for long term renting, but she could stay for a short time and have a kitchen. It wasn’t necessarily a cheap place, but it was less expensive than the Sonne Hotel. They also have regular rooms.

I also told her about the B2 Boutique Hotel, although that’s in another part of the city, and maybe not that convenient. It has a great spa and cool library, though. That’s where we went the first time we visited Zürich in 2021.

We explained to the dark haired lady that we were in the city because Bill wants to study Jungian psychology and become an analyst. He said it was a totally new direction for him, which it is… I mean, it seems surprising that a career soldier would want to become a psychoanalyst. On the other hand, there is a real need for people like Bill to be able to relate to servicemembers who need mental health services… or even just someone to talk to who understands that life.

While we were talking, the dark haired lady spontaneously gushed about Bill and me being good people. As if she was compelled, she looked at Bill and said, “I can tell that she loves you very much.” I was taken aback, since we still didn’t even know her name. But she said she could tell there is a lot of genuine love between us. I have to say, she’s right. My mother-in-law told Bill the same thing about me. It was kind of surreal, but it’s not unusual at all for us to have surreal moments when we travel. If you’ve been reading this blog, you probably already know that!

I don’t know what to make of the dark haired lady blurting out that she can see that I love Bill. I know that I sometimes have a tendency to blurt things out– sometimes it’s things that other people are thinking, but don’t want to say out loud. Sometimes the message goes over well; sometimes it doesn’t. But it does my heart good to know that people can see that for all my faults, I do genuinely love my husband very much and want the best for him. He’s the best thing that has ever happened to me, and together, we have been so blessed to be able to enjoy many wonderful adventures. If not for Bill, I could not share these stories.

So, we said our goodbyes to the lady, and wished her luck on her plan to reside in Switzerland. I hope things turn out the right way for her. I have a strange feeling we will run into her again. This isn’t a crazy notion, either. I have a habit of running into people… sometimes I bump into folks I haven’t seen in decades. I also have a habit of meeting people who know people I know. There have even been times when I’ve met people from other continents who know people I know. So, if we run into the dark haired lady again, I won’t be surprised at all. Maybe we’ll visit the Lindt Factory again and see her in the cafe, perhaps even as an employee!

After we said goodbye to the friendly waiter who had taken care of us at breakfast every day, Bill got the rest of our stuff from the room, while I did one last check to make sure we had everything. After a quick visit the to WC, we checked out of the Sonne Hotel and mounted up. A man with a slightly Germanic accent asked if we were leaving our prime parking spot. Bill answered affirmatively, and he quickly got in his fancy gas powered SUV so he could vacate the spot he was in. It was a spot for electric vehicles. It’s just as well we were leaving, as the restaurant is going to be closed at the hotel for a couple of weeks while they renovate.

The weather was still pretty crappy as we made our way out of Zürich. I took a few shots from the car, wishing we’d ventured deeper into the city. But I have a feeling we’ll be back soon. Bill has one more interview. Last night, he had a session with his analyst, and the analyst said, “It sounds like you’re in.” I will be shocked if he doesn’t get accepted.

Sorry about the quality of these pictures…

It was relatively smooth sailing leaving Switzerland, but once we got to Germany, the weather got rainier. There was also a lot of traffic, as it was a holiday weekend in Germany (German reunification day), and lots of people were returning home. There were also transportation strikes at the airports, which probably also affected traffic. The GPS kept adding time to our estimated arrival. I think we were originally supposed to get home at about 1:30 PM (without any stops). But thanks to traffic and a rather long lunch stop, we were on the road until about 4:30!

Below are a few photos from the road trip. When the GPS alerted us to a Stau, we stopped at a place called the Schwarzwald Stube and had lunch. It was surprisingly good, although the service was pretty slow. I was glad we hadn’t gone to the very crowded McDonald’s across the street. And bonus– they had a vending machine that was selling sex aids in the ladies room!

Five euros for your pleasure.
I took a picture of this very classic yellow car/trailer. It looked very 1972.
It’s hard to believe, but these stickers are apparently necessary.

Bill went to get Noyzi and Charlie. I wasn’t with him when he picked them up, but he said that Noyzi actually gave him a hug. He got on his hind legs and wrapped his forelegs around Bill’s waist. Charlie was running around all excited to see “dad” again. They were glad to go to the Birkenhof… and they were just as glad to come home.

So ends my commentary about our latest trip to Switzerland. Bill is going to go to Bavaria next week, and he’ll be gone for three weeks, so this blog may get a bit boring… or maybe not. It might be time for a few culture posts.

Anyway… I’ll try to wrap this up with my usual “ten things I learned” post, either today or tomorrow. Stay tuned!

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C.G. Jung, short breaks

Four nights of “Sonne” in Switzerland… (part four)

By Saturday morning, I was starting to look forward to going home. But we still had a full day in Switzerland and no big plans for how to spend the time. Bill said the weather would probably be turning later in the day, but on Saturday morning, it was sunny and temperate.

We went down to breakfast and sat in the first dining room, as the breakfast area was full of people. Obviously, Friday was a big day for people checking in, as the room was bustling! The family with the German Shorthaired Pointer was also there. I got a kick out of the “grandpa”, a funky guy maybe Bill’s age, who was rocking red socks and bright orange shoes. Once again, I admired their beautiful dog, who was lying on the floor near their table. We heard him and another dog before we went down to eat. Later, we saw the family with a Schnauzer, who I guess wasn’t as laid back as their GSP was.

You can see the pooch behind Bill.

The table where we sat wasn’t the best, since people kept coming in and out. But at least no one slammed into my back, and I didn’t have to look at myself in the mirror!

After breakfast, we decided we’d just hop on a boat and take another boat cruise. Yes, it’s true that we took a boat cruise when we visited in July, but I really didn’t feel like going into the city and pounding the pavement. I wasn’t in the mood for crowds. Given that the boat stop was just outside the hotel’s doors, it was just too perfect to get on a long lake cruise and take photos. So, that’s what we did… but the coolest thing about that decision was that we took the 12:47 cruise from Küsnacht, and it wasn’t like the last boat we were on. We lucked into taking the 100 year old steamboat “Stadt Rapperswil”. In almost all ways, it was better than the last lake cruise we took, back in early July.

A short video showing the machinery of the boat, as well as a later boat in the swells of the lake during a storm!

I took some photos on our four hour cruise, which started and ended at the Küsnacht stop, rather than Bürkliplatz, which is the big pier near the inner city of Zürich. While we were waiting for our boat to arrive at 12:47, we noticed the dark haired lady from breakfast. I don’t think she saw us.

There was also an American couple, the female half wearing a Budapest sweatshirt. When we got on the boat, she annoyed the purser by asking if they could get off in one stop, as they wanted to go to Zürich. What they’d hoped for was a shuttle boat going to the city, but they got on the long cruise going to Rapperswil, instead. The guy was willing to work with them, but I could tell he was irritated as we paid our first class fares. This cost about 86 francs (for both of us), but it was basically a pass for ALL boats and trains until 5AM Sunday morning.

The below photos were taken before the weather turned to shit. We had lunch onboard. I made the mistake of having a burger, which I didn’t enjoy, as it didn’t taste like the Angus beef it was supposed to be. I think Bill had a salad. I wish I had, too. At least the fries were good. I didn’t finish the burger. The Stadt Rapperswil was much more comfortable than the other boat we were on, back in July. I really liked the bench seating.

Rapperswil!

We were getting close to Küsnacht when it started to sprinkle. We responded by moving inside, sitting at the end of the dining area with a half liter of white wine. Looks like Halloween is catching on in Switzerland, as there’s a costume party planned for the boat…

We made dinner reservations for a restaurant in Küsnacht called Falken. To be honest, I kind of wasn’t in the mood to go there. The weather was bad, and I was kind of wanting to just spend a quiet evening in… But, as it turned out, Falken was a really excellent restaurant, well worth the trip in the rain. By the time we started walking there– maybe about a six minute walk from the hotel– the rain had mostly ended.

It’s good that we made reservations, because the restaurant was pretty full, a good sign of its quality. And Bill and I both really enjoyed the food. He had scallopine with a light port sauce and a side of roasted potatoes, and I had chicken with lemon and garlic and a side of herbed risotto. I loved the “amuse” they sent out, a rich, creamy red pepper soup that had kind of a “nacho” flavor. I’d love to learn how to make it for the rainy, cold weather that is coming soon. And the best part of the meal was dessert– Crema Catalana for me, and Cassata with maraschino for Bill. Falken was definitely my favorite of the restaurants we visited on this trip.

This soup was so delicious!
Cassata
Crema Catalana… like the best creme brulee, ever!

We finished up dinner at a reasonable time and walked back to the hotel. Then we got into bed and listened to a video made by Bill’s daughter. We responded to her while in bed– at about 9:30 PM– and then enjoyed our final slumber at Hotel Sonne.

The next post will be the last one of this series, and it will include the story of the most “surreal” thing that happened on this trip!

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C.G. Jung, short breaks

Four nights of “Sonne” in Switzerland… (part three)

We woke to partly cloudy skies on Friday morning. I had been thinking maybe we could go somewhere outside of the city, but those hopes were dashed when Bill made an appointment to have his second interview with one of the analysts on his committee. Not that I was disappointed… It put him a step closer to completing the application process.

We went down to breakfast and chose a table by the wall. The day before, a guy had sat in the chair right behind mine in the dining room. He kind of slammed into me while I was finishing up. I was determined not to let that happen again, so I sat on a bench against the wall, facing away from the mirror that offered unwelcome reflections of people eating. Seriously… why put mirrors in a dining room? Who wants to see themselves chowing down? 😃 Not me.

We saw the slender, dark haired lady we had talked to the day before. She came in as we were finishing and waved hello to us. We also saw a family with a toddler aged boy and the most beautiful male German Shorthaired Pointer. The dog was very sweet, but his owner seemed a bit uptight. I noticed when the dog moved, he didn’t put weight on one of his forelegs. He held it up and hobbled on three legs. But he was otherwise very bright and beautiful, with a gorgeous shiny coat. He was also pretty well behaved.

After breakfast, Bill and I made our way to the train station. He had purchased two first class tickets for us to go a couple of stops, then get on the tram, which is not as fancy, but would take us straight to the analyst’s office near the Opera House in Seefeld. As we waited for the train, I looked up at someone’s balcony overlooking the tracks. They had big plants on the balcony, maybe to make it look more inviting as an outdoor space. I couldn’t help but think I’d hate to live by railroad tracks. I did that in South Carolina, and it got old pretty fast!

The train came and we made our way into the city. The analyst, a guy I’ll call J.J., shares his office space with another therapist. As we were walking into his building, a lady with a dog came out. We later found out that she’d had to bring the dog with her to her session. I immediately liked J.J. for accommodating his client’s dog!

I waited for Bill while he had his interview, sitting in a rather uncomfortable straight backed chair. I passed the time with games and reading my latest book, which is about Alexei Navalny. It’s a fascinating book, but a bit depressing. I have to take it in short stints. I look forward to finishing it.

When Bill was finished, he came out of J.J.’s office with a huge smile on his face. I knew the session had gone well. He told me that J.J. had said he would make a “fantastic” analyst! I don’t think that was flattering bullshit, either. I have always thought Bill would be good in such a role. He’s a natural healer, a kind, caring person, and a good listener. Maybe it’s time for a change in direction. I know that eventually, it will be time for him to do something new.

We decided to have lunch at a place called Brasserie Schiller, which is a bustling restaurant by the Opera House. The place was full of patrons, but we managed to score a table. Our waitress was a friendly older woman with a lot of personality. She struck me as a worldly type of person who would be a lot of fun to hang out with outside of work. She seemed like the type of person who swears a lot, enjoys a drink, and probably smokes, too.

We were in a celebratory mood, so we had a nice big lunch… I had entrecote (rib eye steak). Bill had venison. We skipped the starters, because we wanted dessert. That was a consistent theme during this trip! For dessert, I had chocolate mousse, and Bill had a lemon tart.

They put my steak in a pan with sauce and kept it on this burner.
I think this was another Swiss wine… a spicy Syrah.

Our lunch was very luxurious and leisurely, and we were among the last patrons to leave before the pause. Our waitress told us she had to set up for a special event that evening. I looked outside and saw that it looked like they were setting up a stage for some kind of festival. We paid her and got out of her hair. Having been a waitress myself, I understand the pain!

Instead of taking the tram and train back to the hotel, we decided to take one of the shuttle boats. It took quite a bit longer, but we had the benefit of lake views and watching people… I also watched a spider make its way down from the ceiling, spinning its silk just behind Bill’s head. He doesn’t like spiders, so I smirked when I told him there was a spider climbing down its silk. The lady sitting at the table next to us seemed horrified as she looked for it.

A gymnast shows off her moves… I think they were Ukrainian.

When we got back to the hotel, it was late afternoon. I laid down on the bed for a rest, and soon fell fast asleep. I think I was out for about two hours. We were so full from lunch that we skipped dinner and went to the bar, instead. A group of Americans were in there, being pretty loud… But that didn’t stop us from enjoying the bartender, cocktails, and the bar that looked like the bow of a boat. To be honest, I would have preferred beer, but besides an unremarkable Helles on draft, they only had Erding Weissbier in bottles, and I didn’t want that. Our ex landlady is from Erding, and I didn’t want to be reminded of her.

I also got some nice images of the sunset. Lake Zürich is like an ever changing canvas.

Hugo spritzer
Hibiscus Margarita

Saturday was our one day with no plans. I will write about that in the next post.

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C.G. Jung, short breaks

Four nights of “Sonne” in Switzerland… (part two)

Featured photo is of the C.G. Institute in Küsnacht.

On Thursday morning, we woke up to partly cloudy skies. I looked out the window and saw a group of youngsters emerging from the shuttle boat. I assumed they were headed to school, and for a moment, I thought about how interesting it must be to take a boat to school every day. Below are a few photos I took before bed on our first night, and the first photo I took on Thursday morning…

We got dressed and went down to the Gaststube for breakfast. The Sonne offers a generous buffet with prosecco and juices, but they’ll also cook eggs to order. They even offer Eggs Benedict for an 18 Franc upcharge. Maybe I should have tried them one morning, but I was too enthralled by the Swiss breads. They also brought out little smoothies most mornings. We didn’t get one on our last day, but I think it was because some of their help was a bit incompetent.

These little biscuits were part of a welcome gift in the room.

About halfway through breakfast, a tall, very slender, dark haired woman came into the breakfast area. She was obviously American, and I noticed she was very kind and polite to the wait staff. Every request was buttressed by a “please” and “thank you”. At some point, she struck up a conversation with us. She told us she came from Los Angeles and had booked the Sonne after having to move from her original hotel in Zürich. I think she said her previous hotel was undergoing renovations, as was the Sonne. She mentioned she usually works from home for her family business, which apparently takes her to conventions around the world. She also said it was her first time in Switzerland, and apparently, she was smitten with it. She even mentioned how clean the air was… I thought that was amazing, since she was in the city. Imagine her reaction to the Swiss countryside!

During our conversation, we learned that she’d be checking out the same day we were. She also complimented me on my blue eyes! I told her she should take one of the long cruises around the lake and get some photos.

Before long, we had to excuse ourselves, because Bill needed to get to Seefeld for his two interviews. As we were saying goodbye, I noticed a distinct look of discomfort on the woman’s face. She grimaced as if maybe she had stomach pain. I said, “Do you need the ladies room? There’s one right there.” I pointed to the WC in the dining room.

She said she was okay, but I did notice that she slipped in there as we were leaving. I hope she was okay. I got the sense that maybe she was a bit high strung and/or maybe had digestive issues, although she definitely enjoyed the breakfast buffet. She was very thin, but otherwise seemed healthy and rather joyful.

Bill and I said goodbye to the lady, and I decided to take a walk and take some photos… There was a peaceful park near the hotel, where I saw lots of ducks and a hungry swan. I sat there and watched the lake for awhile, enjoying the peace and quiet as I doomscrolled Facebook…

I spent a couple of minutes observing this Swiss swan…

While I was sitting in the park, I heard the joyful shrieks of small children, all wearing their bright orange safety sashes and matching blue baseball caps. The small group of youngsters were shepherded by two women. They all held hands until they got near the trees, where they were allowed to play. It looked like maybe they were collecting leaves to observe. The kids were so cute, and seemed so carefree and happy just to be alive, enjoying the beautiful fall morning by the lake. I wonder what it must be like to be a child in Switzerland. It seems idyllic to me, but maybe looks are deceiving.

After a bit more time in the autumn sunshine, I decided to head back to the hotel. Bill sent me a message letting me know that his first interview had gone well. I decided not to have lunch, because after an hour break, he’d have his second interview, and then be done for the day. I did some reading and writing, and chatted with our friend, Meg, who was offering suggestions on things to see. Before long, Bill sent me another message to tell me he’d finished his second interview and was on his way back to the hotel. He said his interviews had gone so well that one analyst invited him back on Friday, so he could get both of the required chats done with him.

By the time he got back, we were both starved. We decided to walk to Küsnacht’s centrum, such as it is. Getting there involved walking through an underpass and up a hill, then passing through another underpass that ran past the train station and the COOP (supermarket). I was getting really cranky as it got later. Just when I was about to go into a supermarket to buy a Snickers or something, we noticed a cafe called World of Bonnie. I had noticed it on the other side of the train tracks, too.

I looked up World of Bonnie, because it was kind of an unusual place. This business is part cafe, part gym, part wellness and beauty salon. You can go there, work out, get your nails done, sit in a sauna, and then have lunch! Only in Switzerland, right?

We walked into the cafe, and a handsome, smiling young man invited us to have a seat. The place was mostly empty, except for a couple of men who were rather loudly discussing investment opportunities in Bermuda. One of the men was particularly animated and sounded a bit like a shyster.

I noticed the menu was heavy on healthy options– smoothies, sandwiches, quiches, and the like. They also had beer, and that’s what Bill and I had. I ordered a delicious club sandwich that had to be eaten with a knife and fork. Bill had a wrap. Both were really good, and the waiter was friendly and didn’t rush us. Like most of the Swiss people we encountered, he thought we were “on holiday” and was intrigued when we said we live in Germany. After I ate, I felt a lot better, and my mood was much more agreeable. The waiter beamed at Bill when he gave him a ten franc tip. He said, “This never happens in Switzerland!” Bwahahahaha! They probably don’t get a lot of Americans there.

We decided to make dinner reservations at a restaurant called Steinburg, which was very close to our hotel. I didn’t think I’d be too hungry for dinner, after I ate that big club sandwich for a late lunch. I was right. Steinburg turned out to be a nice place for dinner… Bill had veal cheeks and I had more fish– salmon trout on that occasion. I didn’t have a starter, but did opt for a “Colonel” for dessert– lemon sherbet with vodka. Bill had pistachio ice cream with cherries. We also enjoyed another bottle of Swiss wine– this time a red blend from the same winery as the previous night’s bottle.

Steinburg was a pleasant place for dinner, with views of the lake. I noticed another smiling face there, as a man who had originally been seated by the window moved to a table near us. His lady friend showed up a bit later, and seemed very happy together. That was a theme of our trip to Switzerland this time. I noticed a lot of people who seemed relaxed and contented. I took it as a good sign.

Perhaps against our better instincts, we stopped by the hotel bar for a quick nightcap. I was amused by the provocative artwork in there, along with the 90s era pop music. The bar looked like the bow of a boat!

After our nightcap, we went to bed. Although I had been looking forward to having a full day with Bill, I was glad he’d have the chance to have his second interview with one of the analysts. I decided to go with him and wait in the waiting room, rather than hang out alone in the hotel. More on that in the next post.

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Baden-Württemberg, C.G. Jung, Education, short breaks

Four nights of “Sonne” in Switzerland… (part one)

If you’ve been following my travel blog, you might know that my husband, Bill, has an interest in the Jungian approach to mental health. For the past few years, he’s been undergoing psychoanalysis with a Jungian therapist, reading a lot of books about Jung’s theories, and auditing courses at the C.G. Jung Institute in Küsnacht, Switzerland. For about a week over this past summer, we even spent a week in Zürich, so he could attend the summer intensive course at the Institute.

Although I earned a master’s degree in social work, and had been in therapy for a years before I met Bill, I have never been particularly interested in Jungian psychology, but it’s something that fascinates Bill. This year, he decided he wanted to apply for admission at the Institute and potentially become a qualified analyst himself. This is something he feels driven to do, and I’ve noticed that he’s a lot happier and surer of himself since he started therapy. So, aside from the fact that it’s his life, and his money, I am all for Bill becoming a Jungian analyst, if that’s what will make him happy. The bonus is, I get to tag along with him to Switzerland.

For this visit, we found ourselves at the Sonne Hotel in Küsnacht, a lovely establishment on the banks of Lake Zürich. The people Bill knows from the Institute have always suggested a stay there, because it’s within walking distance of the Institute, and Carl Jung himself used to like to drink beer there. We were unable to book a room at the Sonne Hotel over the summer; it was completely booked during our dates. However, for this visit, I was able to book a junior suite, which was a real treat, as the room was huge, and had amazing views of the lake.

The funny thing is, over the summer, Bill was traveling to Küsnacht to attend classes, and we were staying in part of Zürich known as Seefeld. This time, Bill had appointments with two Jungian analysts– both of whom have offices in Seefeld– but we stayed in Küsnacht! It didn’t matter that much, though, as the two areas are easily connected by train and tram, boat, or car.

Bill had already traveled to Lausanne, Switzerland to speak to one of the three analysts who each needed to interview him twice before he can enter the Institute. He did a second online interview with the analyst in Lausanne, and then scheduled one interview with each of the other two analysts in Seefeld. As we were preparing to go to Switzerland for the fourth time this year, Bill was planning yet another visit for later this year, as one of the two Seefeld based analysts prefers in person interviews. Still, in spite of the six total interviews he needed, Bill was very excited about getting started with the process of starting this program, which attracts people from around the world.

On Wednesday, October 1st, we loaded up the Volvo and headed down to Switzerland, with a stop at the Birkenhof to drop off Noyzi and Charlie. Noyzi especially loves going there. We had to wrap his left hind leg, because he has a touch of dermatitis.

Noyzi loves his “second home”! He barked all the way there!

Once the dogs were dropped off, we headed south. The GPS sent us down A81, which passes through our former stomping grounds of the Stuttgart suburbs. On the way there, we stopped for gas and a pee, and I was astonished to see parts of a windmill loaded on trucks. It’s hard to fathom how huge those things are when you’re driving or flying, but up close, they really are enormous!

We ended up stopping for lunch in Herrenberg, a little town not far from either of the villages we lived in when we made the Stuttgart area our home. Bill parked at the Bronn Tor parking garage, and when we exited, we found ourselves immediately confronted by Ristorante Rado, an Italian place we somehow missed on our many previous stops in Herrenberg. I’m not sure when this restaurant opened, but we left the Stuttgart area about seven years ago, so it was our first time visiting. I’m pleased to report that the food and service were excellent. It sure beat the hell out of eating at McDonald’s or Burger King, or having a cheap schnitzel at a rest area!

Bill had a Radler, I think…
I had a shrimp and pasta dish with cherry tomatoes and cognac sauce.
We were allowed to choose which pasta we wanted. My tagliatelli came with a slight upcharge. Bill’s spaghetti did not.
Bill’s dish also came with shrimp, but included more vegetables and had a different sauce.
Nice place! I’d go back!

After lunch, we got back on the road, and passed a few familiar sights, including the huge elevator testing tower in Rotweil…

The border!

You never know when the border patrol is going to stop you for a check. This time, the Swiss did stop us, wanting to know if we were bringing meat, alcohol, or cigarettes into the country. We said no… or, actually Bill said something along the lines of “ohne” (without), when he probably meant “kein” (no). In spite of the flub, the Swiss guard got the message and waved us on to Zürich.

We arrived in the city in the late afternoon, and after several nervewracking moments navigating through rush hour, we finally pulled in at the Sonne, where there was a prime parking spot waiting for us. I snapped a few photos along the way. Sometimes they turn out okay.

I spotted a man buying a glass of wine at this imbiss, which he no doubt meant to enjoy lakeside.

A tiny young lady welcomed us to the hotel and checked us in, assigning us to room 310, which is a junior suite located in the hotel’s tower overlooking the lake. The door to the room is halfway down a flight of old stairs between the second and third floors. It would not be suitable for people who can’t manage stairs, but for us, it was a very nice place to spend four nights. When I compare it to where we stayed in Budapest last month, it was quite an upgrade! Of course, it also cost about twice as much per night! At this writing, prices start at 435 CHF per night. But that’s still cheaper than a lot of hotels in downtown Zürich!

The bathroom in the suite was a bit strange. Its walls didn’t go all the way to the high ceiling. It also had a bath/shower combo, which meant climbing over the tub to shower. But there were good toiletries, and the toilet was separated by a door. The room also had generous closet space, a small fridge, a TV, and a desk I could actually use. I also liked the mattress, which, for once, wasn’t way too firm!

The best part of the room was its windows, which were on three sides and offered stunning views. Of course, since they overlooked the boat stop for Küsnacht, they were also a source of noise. But that was a minimal complaint, especially given how noisy Seefeld was when we stayed in July, and Budapest last month. Compared to those two places, Küsnacht was blissfully peaceful.

We decided to have dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. We were lucky to be able to do that, as right now, one restaurant is closed for renovations, and the other closed yesterday for two weeks, as the ventilation system is overhauled. Bill and I both enjoyed fish dishes in the hotel’s charming Gaststube. We also had Swiss wine… a local blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Sylvaner.

The hotel’s special aperitif...
A grapefruit and prosecco number called Giselle…
Fried perch for me…
Trout for Bill…
Our server got nervous when we poured our own wine.
I told her it was fine. She was busy with seven tables!
Coupe Danemark (vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce for me)
And a grape inspired dessert trifle for Bill.

After dinner, we were definitely ready to sleep. And sleep well we did. Stay tuned for part two!

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Hessen, Sundays

Wiesbaden City Fest 2025…

Yesterday, after spending Saturday at home, working on chores and stuff, Bill and I decided to attend Wiesbaden’s City Fest. We mostly decided to go to the fest because the weather was sunny and somewhat warm. I remembered attending it in 2019, but thanks to COVID and trips out of Wiesbaden in the following years after 2019, we never got a chance to visit again.

Yesterday, the festival was very well attended, with lots and lots of crowds. It took awhile to find a parking spot, and Bill was very grateful he had cameras on the Volvo. But we got out and walked around the fest for awhile. The main part of it was over by Wiesbaden’s artificial lake, and it included many of the same exhibits I remembered from 2019.

They had goats, sheep, cows, and ponies giving pony rides. There were a couple of groups providing live entertainment, and plenty of food stands, although there weren’t many places to sit down. It was also wall to wall people, without the walls!

I got some photos, although my phone was about dead…

I remember these from the last time we went to this festival.

I have to admit, we didn’t stay very long at the City Fest, because there were so many people there that it was hard to walk freely. There was also a lot of shrieking! Many kids were freaking out! It was still nice to see the exhibits, smell the food, and enjoy the farm animals. We even saw a lady from our village there. She smiled and said hello. And I saw a charming scene, as two women were walking with an elderly lady on the sidewalk, only to be met by a gentleman, who took the place of one of the women and gallantly offered the elderly lady his arm. It was heartwarming to watch him help her to their car, which he had helpfully brought up from the parking garage for her.

Bill and I crossed the street as the strains to “You’re Gonna Miss My Loving” by Lou Rawls played for a fashion show, complete with runway/catwalk. It was then that I realized that it was a “shopping Sunday”, meaning that some stores were open for business. No wonder the city was so crowded.

In the Marktplatz, there were more food stalls and a big stage was set up for a band. Although there was more space there, it was still crowded and low on seating. I also noticed that in front of the Marktkirche, there was a huge hole excavated. I’m not sure what is going on there, but it looks like major construction that might mess up future festivals until it’s fixed.

We decided to have lunch at the Les Deux Messieurs, a chain French bakery/cafe near the Marktplatz. It was nice out, so we sat outside. I kind of regretted that after a few minutes, because it was chilly and breezy. We had the same problem the first time we dined there a few months. Nevertheless, we both had quiche– Atlantique for Bill, and Lorraine for me, with side salads and beer. And then for dessert, I had a chocolate eclair, and Bill had a chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream and berries. It was a nice lunch! Next time, I’ll bring a sweater.

After lunch, we decided to go home and hang out with the dogs. The French late lunch was enough to tide us over until this morning. I’m glad we went to the City Fest, and grateful to live in a place where these events take place, and they are reasonably safe and fun for the whole family, even if parking and seating are in short supply!

On Wednesday of this week, we’ll be packing up to go to Switzerland again. I’m looking forward to the change of scenery. Bill will be having two more interviews for the C.G. Jung Institute, as he tries to gain admission to the program. I’m pretty sure Bill is a shoo in for admittance to the Jung Institute, but I could be wrong. So I hope for the best… and you can expect that next week, I’ll be writing all about it!

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Hessen, holidays

Bird baths, bug eaters, and lots of beer…

It’s Labor Day weekend. In previous years, that meant going away for a short break. This year, we stayed home, because tomorrow, Bill has to fly to Lausanne, Switzerland for an overnight. He’s going to meet with one of the analysts at the C.G. Jung Institute as he progresses through the admissions process. Then, next Sunday, we will both be flying to Budapest, Hungary for several nights. Bill will be working, and I’ll be tagging along, looking for interesting photo ops.

We did a few things this weekend, though. On Friday night, we went to the wine stand. We talked to our American neighbors, a married lesbian couple with two children. One of the wives is a reservist in the military, though not posted here. The other is applying for German citizenship for herself and their children. The reservist is pursuing a doctorate in social work, so she was interested in hearing about Bill’s journey at the Jung Institute. She’s setting up a private practice for Americans and other English speakers here.

It stormed, so we sat under the tents and waited for it to pass. I couldn’t help but remember that in 2017, the awning from hell collapsed, and our former landlady accused me of negligence, because later that day, there was a storm. She claimed I was negligent for using the awning in a storm, which I hadn’t done… but obviously, it’s not uncommon for Germans to use awnings and tents when it storms. Yesterday was the anniversary of that sad event, which led to a lawsuit.

Saturday morning, I got up and went into the backyard to clean up dog poop and check the water bowls. I noticed one of the bowls was dirty. It wasn’t the first time. Then I saw a feather floating in the bowl and assumed that a bird has been using it as a bird bath. It occurred to me that maybe we should have a bird bath for the backyard. That would be a good excuse to get out of the house, anyway.

So we went to the hardware store– the one with the cool slide for kids. We searched the whole store, but they didn’t have any bird baths for sale. We also tried the Globus, which is a HUGE hypermarket. No luck there, either, although we did leave with a booze haul, Belgian beers, some groceries, and some really tasty snacks called Fonzies, which are like Parmesan flavored Cheetos. I’d say they’re superior.

Then last night, as I was sitting in the backyard, listening to music and drinking beer, I saw what appeared to be a female blackbird eating bugs. I assume she’s the one who keeps dirtying the dog’s water bowl. I put two out there, and they really only use the one on the right. The bird uses the one on the left. I am still looking for a bird bath, but maybe I shouldn’t bother. It’s going to be winter soon enough. I got some pictures of her. Looks like she was eating the bugs on Bill’s tomato and pepper plants. They say blackbirds don’t eat aphids, though… Maybe that’s not a female blackbird, after all.

As I was taking photos, the song “Maneater” by Hall & Oates came on. I changed the lyrics to “Bug eater.”

And then this morning, after being repeatedly pawed by Charlie, Bill got up and made breakfast. The biscuits turned out perfectly. So did the grits. I’m so blessed to be married to a man who knows his way around comfort food. He has really perfected making perfect biscuits. It’s not as easy as it seems!

I’m not sure what we’ll do today. Bill just asked if I want to go out. There is a wine fest going on in Mainz that we could attend. Do I want to go? I don’t know… The Mais Labyrinth is also going on, and we passed it on the way home from the store, but after we went to Globus, we were too tired to consider visiting. I always feel drained after going to Globus. It’s a HUGE store. But it was cool to watch the ladies making the melon displays as we passed. They take melons and turn them into people or animals or other decorations. Quite an impressive skill!

Anyway, that’s about all I have to write about for now. If we end up going out, I’ll update.

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anecdotes, German lifestyle, Sundays

A weekend at home…

Although we had somewhat decent weather over the weekend, Bill and I decided to stay home and take care of a few chores. Or, actually, Bill did chores, and I made anti-Trump song parodies based on old songs by Blondie.

On Friday of this week, our old mattress, along with a freezer Bill bought from a former co-worker in Stuttgart, and a few other odds and ends, will be picked up and hauled somewhere. Since the freezer is tall, cumbersome, and heavy, Bill decided to disassemble the freezer as much as possible. He took off the door, and removed the drawers.

He also went out to buy more dog food, and while he was out, acquired a couple of large plastic bins. He put our Christmas stuff into the bins, and cleared out more junk that needs to be discarded or donated. Our basement looks a lot better now, and I look forward to having the space that will be made once we get rid of the freezer, which hasn’t worked since 2019.

Back in 2017, when we still lived near Stuttgart, I had suggested to Bill that maybe we should buy a stand alone freezer. That was because the house we lived in only had a tiny “dorm sized” fridge, with no freezer space to speak of. That fridge also barely worked, and though the landlady had presumably provided it, she accused us of DUMPING it on her when we moved out, and stealing our own fridge, which I purchased when we moved into that house. Anyway, instead of buying a new freezer, Bill decided to help out his buddy, an enthusiastic hunter, who was moving back to the States. He bought one of the three freezers the guy was unloading.

I was actually against that idea, since in my experience, used appliances don’t always work so well in the long run. We could also afford to get a new freezer, and I would have chosen a smaller freezer, in any case. But anyway, that freezer worked for a couple of years. It was a lot bigger than what we needed. And then, in 2019, it stopped functioning. It’s been taking up space in our basement ever since.

Aside from cleaning up the basement and dismantling the freezer, Bill also made homemade tomato sauce for pasta, which we’ll probably have tonight, and he brewed another batch of beer. It always amazes me how domestic my husband is, especially considering his background, and the fact that he actually has a wife who stays home. Some of the tomatoes were supplied by our landlord, who brought them over yesterday morning, while I was sitting on the toilet. It took me a moment to get to the door, and he was afraid he’d gotten me out of bed! Not quite! We also have a lot of cherry tomatoes from Bill’s gardening efforts over the summer.

Not surprisingly, the weather has gotten a lot cooler. That new air conditioner we bought last week is now becoming a lot less necessary, although we still use it at night, if only because the noise makes it easier to sleep. The new mattress is also an enormous improvement, although I’m finding that we need to break it in. Or maybe I need to get a new topper for it. Maybe next time Bill schedules a bulk trash pick up, we’ll get rid of the topper, along with the old sun umbrella in our garage, and maybe the air conditioner we replaced.

Bill also worked on lining up interviews for the C.G. Jung Institute. He has to go to Switzerland and have in person interviews with three analysts before he can complete the application process. Lining up the appointments hasn’t been easy, as two of the analysts are in Zürich, and one is in Lausanne. But he’s planning an overnight trip to Lausanne next week. Then, in October, he will travel to Zürich again for the other two appointments, as the analysts there have offices within walking distance of each other. I may go with him on the trip to Zürich, since it might also give me a chance to see Dr. Blair in Stuttgart and get my teeth cleaned. Bill has to pay for the interviews in Switzerland. But he’s so excited and interested in the program, that he’s willing to jump through the hoops.

The featured photo is of the rose bush in the backyard. It has a few blossoms. It’s been known to produce flowers until December, but this year, I think it will go dormant early. Our neighbor’s apple tree, which usually dumps apples all over the yard, is also pretty sparse in fruit production this year. That’s okay with me, since the apples that fall in the yard are usually eaten up by worms and such. There is no doubt about it, though… autumn is rapidly approaching.

Every German house we’ve lived in has had at least one rose bush– and they’ve all been different colors! Our first house had pink ones; second house had yellow ones; and here, we have red roses. The red ones are my favorites. I think this house might be my favorite, too, which makes sense, since it’s also the most expensive of the three!

This isn’t the most exciting post, I know… but on a more interesting note, Bill and I are going to Budapest, Hungary on September 7th, and we’ll be there until the 13th. So the travel blog will be waking up again soon.

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adventure, Education

Ten things I learned in Zürich, 2025…

It’s time once again for a “ten things I learned” post, which I write for every travel series. Since we went to Zürich in 2021, and I probably wrote a “ten things I learned” post for that series, I’m differentiating this one with the year 2025. Some people like these lists of random tidbits from my travels. They are kind of a nice way to sum things up…

Here goes!

10. Small children in Switzerland are either encouraged or required to wear special safety vests.
When I was in Zürich, I noticed a lot of little kids in groups wearing orange vests or “harnesses” (for lack of a better word) in florescent colors. I read that the vests are required for kids on bikes, and I got the sense they were probably required for the youngest children. I’m sure it makes sense to many, but I have a feeling I would have hated being forced to wear them when I was little.

9. You can swim for free at Lake Zürich.
Before we went to Zürich this time, I thought I’d have to go to a beach and pay admission to enjoy the lake. That isn’t so, at least at this writing. I saw many people jumping into the lake wherever, and just enjoying themselves in the hot, sunny weather. I wish I’d had a chance to do it myself.

8. The Lake Zürich cruise is a good deal.
We got 4.5 hours on a very nice vessel with facilities for about 85 francs, or so. That gave me plenty of time to take photos and enjoy the lake, with access to a restroom. It would have been even less expensive if we’d gone second class, and it would have been even easier to get to the potty! Then afterwards, the pass is good for the rest of the public transport system in Switzerland.

7. Wegglis are life.

Seriously. I love the way the Swiss make their breakfast breads. I thought I loved Brötlis, which we discovered when we were in Basel in January, but I love Wegglis every bit as much. I wish I could find them in Germany, made the same way.

6. Rapperswil is a very cute looking town on the lake.
I had not heard of the little hamlet of Rapperswil before we passed it on our lake cruise. It really is a charming looking place that I want to explore at some point. I’m going to have to read up on it, especially if Bill decides to study formally at the Jung Institute.

5. The C.G. Jung Institute is on rented land.
I wouldn’t have expected such a famous institution not to have its own grounds, but we learned that the facility is owned by someone other than the Institute itself. I don’t know what they’re paying every month, but they sure couldn’t have beaten the location. It’s stunning!

4. Studying at the Jung Institute is surprisingly user friendly.
Bill wasn’t sure he’d be able to manage studying at the Institute, but thanks to the pandemic, the school is even more user friendly than it used to be. Distance education is definitely doable.

3. Jetfoils are all the rage!
I had never seen a jetfoil before we visited Zürich this time, but I saw so many people on the lake riding the things. It looked like a lot of fun– for people who are very fit, that is…

2. Sometimes weird things happen, even in famously orderly places like Switzerland…
See my story about the guy who serenaded us at dinner, and then how another guy from Israel stopped to tell us about his Army service and life as an entertainer in Zürich.

And 1. The Botanical Garden at the University of Zürich is a worth a stop…
If you need some time among beautifully tended plants, you can go to this oasis free of charge and wander around among the flora. It was time well spent for me, and educational, too!

I’m sure I learned other things while we were in Switzerland. I didn’t make a real effort to try to learn things, as it was too hot to go to a lot of museums and such. But I’ve learned that one can often pick up new information simply by being in a place and observing. And that’s what I did while Bill was learning about Jungian psychology. True, there were times during our visit when I wished I was at home, but I also realize how very lucky I was to be able to go to Switzerland and soak up the atmosphere. There must have been a reason for it, other than keeping Bill company. So, I’m glad I went! At the very least, I got some really gorgeous pictures of the lake, and got to eat some delicious Swiss breads (not that I needed to be doing that!).

I don’t know when or where our next trip will be, but I’m sure we’ll go somewhere soon. At the very least, I really need to go see my dentist in Stuttgart. So watch this space for more travel stories in Europe!

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adventure, C.G. Jung, Education

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.

On the way out of Switzerland.

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.

Border time! No issues, this time.
Elevator testing tower near Rottweil.
Eats and EATS…

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.

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