Eastern Europe, Hungary, Lithuania, Türkiye

2025 was an interesting travel year…

Featured photo is of Bill and me at our Advent market in Breckenheim… we sure did have a great year of travel in 2025!

Bill and I thought about going to the annual Wiesbaden Sternemarkt (Christmas market) over the weekend. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty grim– cold, wet, and when it wasn’t raining, a bit damp. I just didn’t feel like putting on clothes and venturing out into the chilly weather to walk around the crowds and see the same stuff they put out every year. Maybe we’ll go next weekend, or at some point during the week.

It’s been a pretty busy fall, though, so I think we both just wanted to relax. Bill has had a bunch of business trips lately. The last one, which was to the United States, ended last weekend. He decided to spend Saturday making a kimchi recipe from a book on fermenting foods that I bought him for Christmas last year. I spent my Saturday making a new Christmas themed parody song for my YouTube channel. And yesterday, we just kind of rested, watched videos, and watched our new neighbor moving into the newly vacated row house catty cornered to us. Hopefully, he won’t turn out to be a jerk. He’s already annoyed Bill by blocking our car.

Since we didn’t do anything special over the weekend, I decided today I’d write about our year in travel. 2025 turned out to be our year to visit Switzerland a bunch of times, but we also went to a few exotic places I’d been wanting to visit or re-visit. So here goes… our travel year, 2025. I didn’t include any day trips on this– it would have made the post too long!

*The bill at our first three star Michelin restaurant experience! It was worth every Swiss cent!*

Basel, Switzerland— January 2025

We decided to visit Basel, Switzerland as Trump was coming back to the White House. We chose Basel because it had been a city we’d wanted to visit for some time, and it’s convenient from the Frankfurt train station. I liked the idea of being in Switzerland, close to France and Germany. I also had a burning desire to visit Les Trois Rois, a fabulous old hotel on the Rhein (Rhine) River.

Switzerland seemed like a nice, calm, neutral, safe, and sane place to go, as Joe Biden left Washington, DC, and the orange pervert came back to terrorize us. I wanted to hope things wouldn’t get as bad as I imagined they’d be… Unfortunately, that hope was not to come to fruition, although so far, Bill and I are still doing okay.

Our trip to Basel was highlighted with a trip to our very first three star Michelin restaurant, Cheval Blanc, which was at the wonderful Les Trois Rois. I also remember getting scolded for taking off my coat in a museum, and eating a dinner decided by rolling dice and looking at tarot cards. It was a fun trip! I’d definitely go back.
Abruzzo, Italy, by way of Vico Morcote, Switzerland— March 2025

We decided to take a longer trip to Italy by way of Switzerland. Bill has a co-worker who bought property in Abruzzo, Italy, and he wanted to go down there to check out the area. Since Abruzzo is a ways from Wiesbaden, we stopped in Vico Morcote (near Lugano, Switzerland) on the way down.

On the way back, we spent a couple of nights in picturesque Vipiteno, Italy, which is right by the Austrian border. I had been to Vipiteno once before, on a day trip back in 2009 via a bus tour operated by the Edelweiss resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I liked Vipiteno more on my own!

Will we buy property in Italy? Maybe… but other stuff happened this year that may affect that decision. I keep socking away money, just in case. Below is a photo from the vineyards owned by the hotel where we stayed. The Lugano area of Switzerland is very Italian, but much posher!

*A view of Lake Lugano from Vico Morcote, Switzerland*

3. Vilnius, Lithuania— June 2025

We decided to visit the former Soviet Republic of Lithuania, and the capital city of Vilnius, in particular, for my 53rd birthday. I believe it was a “champagne bucket” drawing winner. I had wanted to go to Lithuania because it was the one Baltic country Bill and I hadn’t yet visited, and because it was a former Soviet country. It turned out to be a really interesting place to visit! I especially enjoyed visiting the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, which eerily reminded me of what’s happening in the United States right now.

The city of Vilnius has a great beer culture, but they also have really excellent food! And there’s a lot to do, as well as good shopping. I also appreciated that it was cool in June, rather than sweltering hot like it was in Germany. I’d love to visit again and see some more of the country. I hope we’ll get the opportunity!

*This pink soup with a beet base turned out to be surprisingly delicious and refreshing! You can find this all over Vilnius!*

4. Zürich, Switzerland— June/July 2025

We spent a little over a week in the Seefeld area of Zürich because Bill wanted to take the summer session at the C.G. Jung Institute in nearby Küsnacht. There isn’t a lot of lodging in Küsnacht, which is more of a residential area, so we booked an Apart-Hotel in the city. It turned out to be a good place to stay, as it was very close to the lake, as well as lots of restaurants, museums, and the botanical gardens.

I spent several days mesmerized by the sight of the pristine blue lake, watching people swim, boat, do yoga, and hydrofoil. This wasn’t much of a pleasure trip, since Bill was in class all day. I did enjoy myself, though, as Switzerland is a very beautiful country, even if it is very expensive. Bill’s experiences during the summer session cemented his decision to apply to study at the Institute.

*A common scene on Lake Zürich in late June and early July. The lake is alive with activity! People liked my “Trump Sucks” t-shirt, too.*

5. Budapest, Hungary— September 2025

I went to Budapest with Bill in September. He was there on business, but I got to tag along with him and spend six nights walking around Hungary’s capital city once again. Our first visit there was in September 2009– it had been our last trip before we had to move back to the United States thanks to Bill’s narcissistic Army boss. That trip had been wonderful, although we stayed in a different part of the city in a much nicer hotel. This time, we were in the thick of the tourist area, but in a less excellent hotel.

I’m glad I had a chance to visit Budapest again, because I got a totally different view of it during our second visit. I also got a taste of the wonderful musicians in Hungary. I think I knew Hungary had a great music culture, but I heard it firsthand on this trip… and I even got to join in with one band!

*Budapest has lots to see and hear, even if you’re dining at a tourist trap!*

6. Küsnacht, Switzerland— October 2025

Bill decided to apply to study at the C.G. Jung Institute in Küsnacht, and part of the process of seeking admission involved being interviewed by three Jungian analysts. Two of the analysts Bill was assigned to speak to had offices in Zürich. In fact, they were located in Seefeld, the area where Bill and I stayed during the summer session! However, this time, we decided to stay in Küsnacht at the Sonne Hotel, which had been fully booked when we visited during the summer.

I booked us into one of the hotel’s best rooms, and I got a beautiful view of Lake Zürich. We also ate at several nice restaurants and took another lake cruise, which was just as idyllic in the fall as it was in the summer. This time, we were on a steamboat, which was a different experience.

Bill’s bid to study at the Jung Institute was successful, so I suspect we’ll get to visit this area lots of times. Or, at least we will as long as we’re living in Europe. If we have to go back to the States, I might not get to go so often. I’m glad we visited the quiet suburb of Küsnacht, though. It has a different vibe than the big city of Zürich has, even though it’s right next to it.

6. Istanbul (Maslak), Türkiye— November 2025

The day after our 23rd wedding anniversary, Bill had to go to Istanbul for another business trip. He invited me to go with him, which I was happy to do. This was my second visit to Istanbul. The first was in the summer of 1996, and was a lot less fancy than this trip was– although in the 90s, my friend and I stayed much closer to the tourist areas. Maslak is a business district, so it’s not so convenient for tourist purposes.

I still managed to have a pretty good time revisiting this fascinating city and seeing Taksim again, the area where my friend Elaine and I stayed in 1996. I’d like to go back to Istanbul with Bill and really do it right– see the tourist spots and pick up some cool souvenirs. But it was great to go back to Istanbul, even if it was just for a few days in the financial district. As usual, I learned new things.

*A dramatic shot of a seagull I got while watching hundreds of them descend on a mosque in search of food. It was very surreal!*

I don’t think we’re going anywhere else in 2025, but I’m already planning a trip to Stuttgart at the end of January 2026. Bill and I are overdue for dental cleanings. But– I have already found a new hotel with an exciting restaurant to try out in the suburb of Waiblingen, so there will something new in the blog then… and potentially even before then. We’ll see what happens!

Below is a gallery that sums up our year of travel in 2025… (or at least the travel I was part of– Bill went on a few work trips alone). Not bad, eh?

C.G. Jung, short breaks

Ten things I learned in Küsnacht…

Featured photo is of that amazing soup we had at Falken last week. I need to seek out a recipe for that. It was a mind blower!

It might not be easy to come up with ten things I learned in Küsnacht, since it is a part of Zürich, and this was our third trip to that city since 2021. But, I’m going to do my best, because people seem to like these quick and dirty wrap ups of our travels. So here goes…

10. Sonne Hotel is very convenient to the C.G. Jung Institute.

When Bill and I visited Zürich over the summer, we looked into book the Sonne Hotel, since it was so highly recommended by others. It was booked solid! But now that we’ve stayed there, I know firsthand how easy it is to walk to the Institute. Tina Turner’s former estate, Villa Algonquin, is also very close!

9. The Junior Suite at the Sonne Hotel is huge, and offers lovely views of Lake Zürich.

I’m glad I sprang for that room, if only so I could watch the boats on the lake. I could have sat in that room all day and watched activity on the lake and the changing weather. I don’t think I would have ever gotten bored.

8. The Stadt Rapperswil steamboat is worth the price of admission.

When we decided to take our lake cruise last week, we didn’t know that we would be on the Stadt Rapperswil, which is a steamboat that was built in 1914. It was really fun to take that particular vessel around the lake. I also thought it was more comfortable, because instead of hard plastic chairs, there were wooden benches to sit on. But it’s not a shuttle boat, so if you just want to go from point A to point B, you should take a shuttle boat.

7. Sometimes being a go-getter pays off!

Both Bill and the dark haired lady at our hotel showed me that sometimes in life, you just need to go for it! Exciting things can happen that will change your life.

6. Küsnacht is relatively peaceful.

Compared to Seefeld, where we stayed over the summer, Küsnacht is like an oasis of calm. I noticed there was a lot of traffic there, but it wasn’t nearly as noisy!

5. It’s fun to have a boat stop right outside of your hotel.

I loved that we could hop on and off the boats right outside our hotel. Talk about convenient!

4. Falken is currently my favorite restaurant in Küsnacht.

We enjoyed a wonderful meal at this restaurant, which is within a six minute walk of the Sonne Hotel. I learned what Cassata and Crema Catalana are, and now I want to learn how to make creamy red pepper based soup that tastes of nachos…

3. Don’t try to smuggle meat, tobacco, or booze into Switzerland.

We weren’t trying to do that, but we’ve heard horror stories of people who were caught doing it. And we were stopped by a border guard on the way in, wanting to know if we had any contraband.

2. If you dine in Switzerland, you will be able to tell where everything you eat was sourced.

I noticed on all the menus, there were notes about where everything came from. Perhaps your fish was from Germany, or you ordered a steak from Ireland. I guess that’s a local law. Maybe it has to do with this…

And 1., Every time I go back to Switzerland, I like it a little bit more.

The first time I visited Switzerland, back in 2008, I didn’t really like it that much. I thought it was clean and beautiful, but something about it seemed a bit soulless. But since then, I’ve been back a bunch of times, and every time I go back, it appeals more to me. Maybe it has to do with having a lot more money now than we did in 2008… But then, I guess the C.G. Jung Institute might change that for us… not to mention the U.S. government.

Well, that about does it for my Küsnacht series. I did enjoy visiting Switzerland again. I have a feeling I’ll be getting to know it even better, if things go the way they look like they’re going. But we’ll see what happens. For now, I’m grateful for the memories of this past trip, and the beautiful photos and videos I managed to take, not to mention the people we met and the smiles we enjoyed. There seemed to be even more smiles than ever this time. I hope it’s a good omen.

Thanks for reading!

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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

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.

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

adventure, C.G. Jung, Education

Swiss Studies… I visited the C.G. Jung Institute (part seven)

On Friday morning, Bill had one last seminar. Then, his plan was to come back to the apartment and spend the afternoon with me, before we went to Küsnacht to attend a “farewell/graduation” party for the participants. Some of the people that were attending the intensive sessions were finishing actual certification programs. And some were just curious folks, like Bill. The staff at the Institute were kind enough to invite me to attend the party with Bill, even though I wasn’t a participant, myself.

Once again, the people in the apartment over us were making a lot of noise. It was also a cleaning day for the staff. So I decided to go back to the lakeside and watch people some more. It was actually interesting, because it looked like they were doing some construction on the pier where people were entering the water. Some of the benches were moved, so I moved to another spot and got a slightly different vantage point.

I got some raw video footage, but for some reason, I’m having trouble getting it to turn into a proper video. So here are some photos of Friday’s visit. The weather was actually very nice that day. The skies were cloudy, making the temperature comfortable, especially with the lake breezes. The clouds also made the lake look otherworldly. A group of kids were entertaining me by jumping into the lake and racing. I also saw some really cool looking herons.

When Bill got back to the apartment, it was just after 1:00 PM. The weather had cleared up a bit, so we decided to go back to the Biergarten by the lake for another sausage lunch, and more photos of the lake. I could enjoy that Biergarten all summer. It’s really laid back, and surprisingly easy to get a good table by the lake. Unfortunately, I noticed that the pile of dog shit that was by the tree on our first visit, several days earlier, was still sitting there. But, on the positive side, it no longer stank. I know a lot of these photos look the same, but they are so pretty, it’s hard to choose just a few!

At about 3:45 PM, we decided to leave the lake and go get ready for the farewell event at the Jung Institute. As we were standing up to leave, a pretty, young Black woman with crutches approached with a big smile on her face. I smiled back and gave her a sweeping “welcome” gesture. It occurred to me that the mood is so much more relaxed in Switzerland than in the United States. There’s a whole lot less hostility. In fact, I didn’t mention it in yesterday’s post, but I wore my “Trump Sucks” t-shirt on Thursday, and some guy stopped me, gave me a big smile, and said, “I love your shirt!” That made me smile, too.

I was thinking of wearing a dress to Bill’s event, but it was too hot. I wore white pants and a t-shirt instead. Bill’s analyst was there, because he gave a presentation that morning. He said it was a casual event, even though some people were dressed up because they had actually graduated from the program. We took the tram for two stops, then got on a local train, which took us to the quiet community of Küsnacht, where Tina Turner lived for years, and where Jung lived, and began his famous institute. It really has a different vibe than the city does.

After we said hello to a few people, including Bill’s analyst (whom I picked out immediately, even though we’d never met), Bill gave me a tour of the facilities. We learned that the grounds are actually rented, which was surprising to hear. The institute itself is quite small, with only a few classrooms. It was pretty warm in the building, although one room had a balcony that opened to lake views and breezes. Bill’s analyst asked me what I do with myself when Bill is attending classes. I just laughed and said, “You haven’t had much exposure to military spouses, have you?” And it’s not even like I’m anything like most military spouses… it’s just that we tend to spend a lot of time fending for ourselves.

The spread was nice. They had jars of several different food items, including one that had smoked salmon, and another that featured lentils. There was also a lovely white chocolate dessert, and plenty of wine, water, prosecco, and juice flowing. The reception was very gracious and elegant, and I was impressed by the send off the Jung Institute gave a staff member who was leaving. They gave her two huge bouquets of flowers, chocolates, gifts, and many kind words. I got the sense that the staff and students were very close. I also enjoyed talking to some of the people who attended. Most of the time, when I go to events with Bill, it’s a military function. Military folks are, are a general rule, typically very different than people who are interested in Jungian psychology.

Küsnacht is such a beautiful area. Bill’s analyst said that when he was a student, there was a lady in town who would kick out her kids and rent out rooms in her house to Institute students. I’m not sure she’s still in business, but her offer must have been a real boon to people who were studying psychology.

As we were leaving to go back to the apartment, I got the sense that Bill will be applying to study, starting next year. The pandemic has made it so that it’s possible for him to do most of the work from afar. I don’t know what the future holds, but this is something Bill wants to do. So, he’s going to try to do it. We’ll see what happens!

Next post will be about our 4.5 hour cruise around Lake Zürich. Stay tuned!

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.

C.G. Jung

Our time in Die Schweiz was definitely not Scheißig… part six

The boat arrived at Küsnacht-Heslibach at precisely 1:35pm. Bill and I got off and started the short walk to the Haus C.G. Jung. As we were disembarking, I noticed a little beach right next to the pier. It looked inviting and, indeed, people were swimming and sunning. I noticed a few ladies had brought their playful dogs, which made me miss ours. We could have gotten off at the previous stop, but it would have been a longer walk to the house. The Küsnacht-Heslibach stop is just around the corner from the Jung house.

Before I knew it, we were at the end of the driveway, walking down to the house itself, a stately and unique mansion with well-manicured gardens and a lawn. I noticed there was a swing set there, no doubt for Jung’s descendants, who still call the place home. How nice of them to allow Jung enthusiasts to visit! The house was built in 1908, much of it paid for by the inherited wealth Jung’s wife, Emma Jung-Rauschenbach, brought into the family. They had five children. It seemed like they had it made, especially since Jung was a well-regarded psychiatrist who had studied with Freud, was an artist, and knew several languages.

Well… nobody’s perfect, and that also applies to people like Carl G. Jung. He had an open affair with his assistant and former patient, Toni Wolff. Emma tolerated the affair, and the three seemed to work harmoniously so that Jung could create his science of analytical psychology. I don’t pretend to know a whole lot about Jung– he’s really more Bill’s interest than mine. But as someone who has seen a psychologist and studied social work, I did find the museum very interesting for a lot of reasons. Artists will also enjoy it, since many of Jung’s works are displayed on the first floor, which is the self-guided part of the tour.

Carl Jung was a very unusual person with great vision. His house has a tower that he wanted built. He’d actually hoped the tower would be a library, but that didn’t work out. The tower has stairs instead of books. On the brief guided tour, we did visit Jung’s library and inner sanctum. When we walked inside, I noticed it reeked of tobacco. Our guide said that Jung was a heavy smoker. I thought I smelled whisky, too. It wouldn’t surprise me, although the guide didn’t mention a love of alcohol. I asked her how many languages Jung spoke, since I noticed books in several languages, including English. She said he spoke German, French, English, and had studied Greek and Latin. I was amused to see a book about yoga in the library… our guide said he’d read pretty much every book in the carefully arranged library.

Our group probably consisted of about ten people, all of whom were younger than Bill and I are, and none of whom appeared to be American. One couple was very young– the female half was pretty and had a very beautiful figure, which she showed off with an obscenely short skirt. Or maybe they were actually shorts. I don’t know what they were, although she did distract me when she bent over to look at something and gave me a full on view of her privates. I was really glad she’d worn underwear. The funny thing is, when I saw them approaching, I had a feeling I was going to end up seeing something I shouldn’t. I have some empathy, though. When I was younger, I made some unwise clothing choices, too. And I’ve never had a figure as pretty as hers.

We were supposed to leave our bags and cameras in lockers provided by the museum. A couple of people brought their phones with them, and one lady took forbidden photos inside the museum. A chaperone was quick to admonish her. I thought the way he did it was kind. He said she could keep the image she’d taken, but not to take others. Then, much to my amazement, she asked if she could climb the ladder to the top shelf of books! That request was denied! It is allowed to take photos outside, on the grounds.

The grounds at the museum are very beautiful and peaceful. It was a pleasure to walk around them and take in views of the lake. There’s also a public restroom outside of the house, which came in handy. Below are some photos from our visit. Tickets for adults are 22 Swiss Francs; kids from 0-11 years old can visit free of charge. I think they’re worth the price if you’re into Jung. The tour guide wasn’t the most energetic or entertaining, but she did seem very respectful and knowledgeable about Jung’s life and work. No one tried to stump her, though.

We walked back to the dock, where we had about half an hour to kill before the boat came back for us. I watched the lake and got lots of video. I was trying to capture lightning on video, but it didn’t work out for me. I did get lots of thunder and plenty of people enjoying the lake, even as the storm approached. I kept hearing the voice in my head from all the lifeguards who demanded that everyone get out of the pool! I was surprised no one was doing that in safety-conscious Switzerland. Below, you can see how I amused myself with my big, fancy, digital camera… I need to play with it some more and learn to take better pictures.

A little of what I was seeing on Saturday.

It started raining as we waited for the boat. At first, it was pleasant and refreshing… but then it started to get heavier. By the time we got on the boat, it was coming down. I was suddenly glad Bill had given me an umbrella, even though I had complained about having something else to carry in my purse. We ended up sitting outside, barely managing to score chairs under an overhang. After a couple of stops, we were able to move into the restaurant, where I had another beer. 😉

After we got off the boat, we decided to go eat. I was kind of hoping for something interesting, but we ended up at what appeared to be a Swiss beer hall based on the legend of William Tell. Yes, it was very tourist friendly, but I did get to have some surprisingly tasty Swiss style “mac n’ cheese”. Bill had a veal schnitzel… and yes, we drank more beer. The restaurant was called Das Zeughauskeller, and if you walk down the main drag past the Hermes store, it’s doubtful you’ll miss it. Our table was reserved from 6:00pm, which gave us plenty of time to enjoy a sumptuous Swiss meal.

We made our way back to the hotel– first paying the huge parking fee– where we relaxed and watched Father of the Bride on TV. The TVs at the hotel got all sorts of channels– there was something for everyone! Bill and I enjoyed watching BBC. I also enjoyed the bathtub again. All in all, it was a good day.

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: Küsnacht

2025 was an interesting travel year…

Ten things I learned in Küsnacht…

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

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

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

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

Swiss Studies… I visited the C.G. Jung Institute (part seven)

We are now back from Zürich… time to dish!

Our time in Die Schweiz was definitely not Scheißig… part six