We finally reached Saturday, our day of leaving Die Schweiz. It was slated to be a very hot day, so we were somewhat worried about how we were going to make the journey back to Germany. My German friend had sent a warning from Deutsche Bahn about the heat, and how it would affect train travel.
I will admit, this gave us pause…
I researched what it would cost to fly to Frankfurt last minute. Although we could have done it, it would have been very expensive. Renting a car was only slightly less pricey. Since there were no warnings on the DB app on our morning of departure, we decided to go ahead with our plans.
Before our last breakfast, we packed our bags. Then we went down to the restaurant for our last breakfast feast at the Sonne Seehotel in Küsnacht.
My very last Egg Royal…
The wait staff invited us to sit on the actual deck of the restaurant, but I demurred. The chairs outside were the kind that were grooved, and I knew that because I was wearing shorts, the grooves would end up pressed into the backs of my thighs. 😏
Bill had already moved my big bag down the half flight of steps leading into our hotel room. I was grateful for that, since I worried about maneuvering the suitcase down without either falling down, or somehow damaging the steps, which appeared to be made of thick glass.
One last look at the unique ceiling in room 410.
We went down to the reception and paid the city taxes, since we had already prepaid for the room. I booked the room back in March, when we were staying in Paris, France. The bill came to 3,936 euros, which is a lot of money for six nights. But, for that, we got a very large room with a view of Lake Zürich in Switzerland, huge breakfasts every day, and easy access to the lake. And we booked it so long ago that the pain of the expense is forgotten. Switzerland is just plain EXPENSIVE.
The receptionist bid us farewell and gave us a small jar of jam from the hotel. I’m sure we’ll be back to the Sonne Seehotel at some point in the near future. It’s comfortable and convenient. I just hope next time we’re there, we can go when it’s a little cooler.
On our way out of the hotel, I took a photo…
I think I’ve seen this car before. Küsnacht is starting to become familiar… almost like a second home. It’s how I felt about Ribeauville, France, when we were still going there frequently.
Bill and I pulled our suitcases through a tunnel and up a gentle hill to get to the railway station, which is just a five minute walk from the hotel. We took the regional train to the Zürich Hauptbahnhof, which was the starting point for our ICE train. Our train began in Zürich and would eventually end in Hamburg, Germany, many hours later, and long after we got off at the Frankfurt Airport station.
Waiting to depart… We spotted a bunch of people dressed traditionally, as if they were from another era of Switzerland’s past.
For our ride back to Germany, Bill booked us at a four top table. He did so, anticipating that at some point, the direction of the train would change, and he wanted me to be able to face forward. He’s so considerate and kind to me.
What a sweetheart.
Feldschlossen Brewery… Beer is good.
The first segment of the trip back was fairly quiet. An elderly couple sat at the two top across from us, and they were pleasant.
But then we got to Basel, Switzerland, and a group of young folks got into our car and proceeded to have a little party, complete with wine. They were oblivious to the rest of us in the car, who weren’t necessarily wanting to listen to them carry on, or deal with them coming from one car to the next. But what can you do? Fortunately, they got off in Freiburg, and there was blessed quiet again. I got the sense that maybe they were going to a sports event.
A tiny lady was seated with us not long after the Freiburg stop. She sat next to me. Then, a couple of stops later, a large German man with an affection for chili and beer sat next to Bill. He seemed put out that there wasn’t room to stow his suitcase in the luggage rack. But, because he was a large, tall guy, he had no trouble lifting his back to the overhead rack. I was actually kind of amazed watching him so easily lift the bag.
After about four hours, we reached the Frankfurt Airport, only about thirteen minutes delayed. It was a good thing we took the train, in spite of the rowdy group in the car with us. I am really becoming an old fogey!
We stopped by the restrooms before making our way to the taxi stand. The restroom where I went was small, so there was a line. I was amused because the woman in front of me rolled her eyes when a MAN came out of there. 😁 She actually backed up and double checked the sign before getting in line.
The taxi ride back to Breckenheim was pretty uneventful, except for when the cabbie almost hit another car on the way out. Unfortunately, the house was extremely hot, thanks to the triple digit temperatures (Fahrenheit). I set about opening windows, turning on the air conditioning and putting out water for the dogs.
On the way home from Switzerland, I had read about the local fire brigade turning the Dorfplatz into a cooling station. They brought their fire truck to the square, so people could enjoy being soaked. I was sorry to miss that event, since we were still on the train when it happened. But we got to see the fire brigade anyway, because later in the evening, the neighbor’s across from us started a fire in their garden.
I wrote about the neighbor’s fire in my regular blog, so you can read about that situation here, if you want… Fortunately, no one was hurt, and it appeared that property damage was minimal. But we did get a show of about twelve firefighters, a drone, and a couple of trucks in our narrow cul-de-sac.
All in all, I’d say our trip to Switzerland, where I became older, and Bill became wiser, was mostly a success. I would have liked to have seen and done a few more things, but it wasn’t a bad thing to just vegetate by Lake Zürich, do some reading, people watch, and swim in the water. I finally got to see Bern, which was a treat. We need to go back and do that city properly. It’s really beautiful… especially the “lazy river” like Aare.
I would also like to have a look at the town of Olten, which we passed through on our way to Zürich. It looked like a very nice place to spend a few days. I’ll have to research it. Actually, thanks to this most recent trip, I’ve been getting a lot of ads for places to explore in Switzerland. I never thought that would be a place I’d get to know, but it appears that fate has led us there…
If anything, I want to go back and buy one of those cool round Parmesan cheese graters… Apparently, they are only available in Switzerland.
These things are pretty hard to find outside of Die Schweiz…
Anyway, that about does it for my blow by blow reporting on this trip to Switzerland. I will next be writing my usual ten things I learned post to wrap things up! As I was writing this, I listened to the peaceful album, In Breath, which we bought from the busker, Luke Gajdus, while walking through Bern. I wish we’d brought home a couple more mementoes, but if we only got to bring home one, I’m glad it was his CD. It’s very relaxing music. Here’s a sampling…
Thanks, Luke, for giving me something besides pictures to remember Bern by… and for being far less annoying than the DJs who kept us up all night! 🤣
I would pronounce this trip a success, in spite of some of the minor annoyances. We both learned new things, and we’re both now older and wiser. The trains did make the whole experience easier. And now, it’s time to think about where we’ll go next!
Friday, June 26th, was Bill’s last day of in person classes for the summer session at the C.G. Jung Institute. He would be spending the entire day in a seminar, with a smaller group of students. Meanwhile, I was going to do what I’d been doing all week… sitting by the lake. 😁
We went down to breakfast, and I decided to try something that wasn’t an egg dish. I went for French toast. We were met at the restaurant by a familiar face… the same guy who was running breakfast in the Stübli last fall. I noticed he gave us power shots made with beet juice. This was something I remember he did in the fall, but Friday was the first time we had power shots during our most recent visit to the Sonne Seehotel.
I don’t usually like beets, but this was pretty good.The French toast was very good. I just wish it had been a little bit bigger.
As for Bill, I think he might have had another serving of the Arme Ritter, which he said was his favorite breakfast item all week. I, of course, would not touch it, because it included truffles. But we had the usual etagè, bread, juice, water, coffee, etc., as well.
Because I’d made a habit out of skipping lunches, I did miss the protein from the eggs, later on in the day. That’s the only reason I’d wish for a slightly larger portion of French toast. What I got was only about three bites worth, which seems a bit strange, given the size of the egg dishes. However, the French toast was delicious and expertly prepared.
After Bill went to class and I did my usual writing, I went down to the lake. There was a middle aged couple there, and a younger woman in a bikini. I thought they were together, because the young woman was lying on a lounger on the same row of four loungers with them. She had dumped a bunch of her stuff on the one lounger that wasn’t occupied.
I was a little disappointed, since the staff had removed the umbrellas and there was a lack of shaded loungers. As a very light colored person, I burn easily in the sun. But, they were there first, and fair is fair. I moved an unoccupied lounger closer to a chestnut tree and took a seat. The canvas barrier was still up, because there was a wedding taking place at the hotel later. That made the garden a bit crowded with lounge chairs, most of which had no shade cover.
After a little while, the young woman got up from her shady spot, and moved to a lounger in the sun, still leaving her stuff on the other two loungers she had occupied. I tried to ignore the inconsideration as I looked on… reminded of people who show up early to the pools on cruise ships and mark their territory with books, towels, clothes, etc. Then, they go do their thing, and other guests feel like they can’t use the otherwise unused lounger in a prime spot.
At one point, the woman got up and left, but her stuff was still on three loungers. I was feeling pretty annoyed, but more on behalf of other people who wouldn’t be able to find shade. By that point, the sun had moved, and my lounger was in a shady spot. I also had a better view of the windows of my room, which made it easier to tell when the housekeeper had been there. I could see if the window looked different from where I was sitting.
The couple, who were there when I arrived, were still occupying two other shaded loungers. The man got up and left, leaving his attractive blonde wife sitting there alone. After about a half hour or so, she said, “Excuse me. Are you going to be sitting out here for much longer?”
I said, “I’m just waiting for housekeeping to clean my room.”
She smiled and said, in an accent that sounded vaguely British, but was probably continental European, “That other lady asked me to watch her things, but we’ve checked out of the hotel, and we have to leave.”
My eyes widened and I said, “You mean she’s not with you?”
The lady shook her head and said, “No. She said she’d be right back, and asked if I’d mind her belongings because she’s already checked out of the hotel. But I have to go, myself.”
Not really wanting to be saddled with the responsibility of watching some strange entitled woman’s stuff, but still feeling kind of bad for the kind woman who had done her a favor, I said “Well, I don’t think anyone will mess with her things.”
I had been watching all week, and noticed that the garden generally wasn’t occupied by anyone who didn’t belong there. I’d seen people’s stuff left out there, completely unbothered, for hours. I’m not saying that I would confidently leave my own stuff there, but I had a feeling the entitled lady’s stuff would be okay.
We chatted for a few more minutes, and she mentioned the wedding that was taking place at the hotel, which made me glad we were leaving on Saturday, instead of Sunday. Finally, she said goodbye, and I sat there for a few more minutes alone before the entitled lady reappeared. She was wearing a dress and a big smile.
“Oh… thank you so much for watching my stuff!” she said, in European accented English.
I kind of nodded at her, because at no point had I told anyone that I was accepting responsibility for watching this weird lady’s bags. Furthermore, I was pretty irritated by her incredible sense of entitlement, and complete lack of consideration for other people.
I didn’t want to get into an altercation with this strange woman, so I didn’t tell her what I was thinking. Instead, I took a short dip in the lake… you know, to cool off. 🙄🤬
More time passed, and a couple more people showed up. They took the loungers vacated by the first couple. Soon, late morning turned into early afternoon. The garden filled up with people hoping to escape the heat of their hotel rooms. The entitled lady, stripped back down to a bikini, continued to sit on her lounger, working on her laptop computer. Her stuff was still strewn on two other loungers, one of which was in prime real estate for shade.
I heard an American accented man enter the garden, accompanied by one of the hotel’s receptionists. He had his wife and two daughters with him. They looked like they were probably of Italian descent. None of them were dressed for swimming, but obviously, they were too early to check into the hotel.
The man said, laughing, “This is where they bring you the Piña Coladas…”
Obviously, he was joking, but the receptionist must have thought he was serious, because he said “No, no one will bring you drinks here. You must go to the Biergarten.”
Meanwhile, the man’s wife was looking rather uncomfortable. She kept walking around. I didn’t know if maybe she was uncomfortable because of the lack of shade, or because she just felt unsettled, in general.
The family awkwardly sat there for a short while, but then abruptly left the garden. A few minutes later, the two teen girls with the older couple reappeared. Both girls were wearing bathing suits.
It was at that point that the entitled lady turned to me, a big, friendly smile on her face, and said completely shamelessly, “Hey… would you mind sharing your WiFi password with me? Mine doesn’t work anymore.” She paused for a moment, clearly realizing that it’s weird to ask strangers to share their password, and added “Or is that not okay?”
I told her the truth, which was “Actually, I’m not using WiFi.” And I wasn’t. I was using cell service from an eSim that I bought for my tablet.
She smiled sheepishly, and went into the lake. I looked up at the window for my hotel room, noticed the shade was pulled, and decided I’d had quite enough of her bullshit. I packed up my stuff and left, marveling at that woman’s nerve. Clearly, she’s used to manipulating people into doing her bidding, and taking advantage of most people’s kindness. Fuck that!
As I was leaving, the American wife had returned, dressed in an expensive looking cover up. I gave her a smile, and she smiled back. Hopefully, the entitled loser didn’t con her out of her WiFi password. 🤬
***
I went back into the room to wait for Bill. The housekeeper had drawn the shades on all the windows, which kept out some of the sun. I decided to take a couple of photos of the steps one must climb to get in and out of our junior suite. Again… this is not the best room for people with mobility issues. No joke– I think Bill and I are getting to a point at which these kinds of steps might be problematic for us! But… it is an old hotel, and the building is historic…
I wondered if anyone had faceplanted on these…I’m sure at least one person has tripped and gone down face first.
When Bill got back from his class, we decided to have dinner at the Pavilion Restaurant, rather than look for something in town. That turned out to be a good choice for a few reasons. Again, because I knew there was a wedding party going on, we decided to go down there early. It was at that point that another weird situation developed.
***
I put on my trusty blue dress, and Bill gussied up a little bit with a clean t-shirt. 🤭 It wasn’t really necessary to dress nicely, but all week, I’d noticed the well-to-do clientele at the hotel. So many of the women wore cute dresses and expensive shoes. I didn’t want to look like a slob… although that might be a lost cause.
Bill and I greeted the same waiter who had laughed at me on Sunday afternoon, when we first arrived at the hotel. Just before we sat down to our first meal there– which happened to be a late lunch– I had grumped at Bill that I needed to pee. The waiter had overheard it, laughed uproariously, and pointed me in the direction of the restroom, where there were four little girls already in there, completely occupying the space. I felt like I was watching a clown car, as the four of them tumbled out of the bathroom. I remember saying, “Anybody else?” before I took my turn.
That guy hadn’t waited on us on Sunday. Instead, his colleague did. The colleague bore a striking resemblance to Prince William, the Prince of Wales. The other guy, also tall and balding, had a slightly less refined appearance. For dinner on Friday night, he greeted us with gusto, and invited to sit down.
I took a seat on the vinyl upholstered bench, obviously custom made for the restaurant. It probably cost a lot of money. I liked it for its lack of armrests, so my wide hips could be free. 😏 Our waiter brought us gin & tonics made with Hendrick’s gin, and garnished with cucumber and black pepper.
We started looking at the menu, when all of a sudden, I heard a male voice say, in an obviously angry tone, “Your nipple. NIPPLE!” He growled something else at her that I didn’t quite catch.
That’s not the kind of thing one usually hears in a nice restaurant, so I looked up to see who had said it. I saw a middle aged man with slightly long, dark, wavy hair. He wore sunglasses, a black polo type shirt, and green shorts. He was tan, and looked like he had money.
With him was a beautiful young woman with long black hair that she’d put up in an immaculate French twist. She wore a blue and white cotton frock that looked expensive, and was perfectly pressed. I noticed that she didn’t have an extra ounce on her. She had perfect legs, with no cellulite whatsoever.
There was also a young man who looked like maybe the older teenaged son of the man. I don’t think he was the woman’s son, because she appeared to be too young to be his mother. She also had a little boy with her, who looked like maybe he was between the ages of 2 and 3 years old. I noticed he had a full head of brown hair, a mouth full of baby teeth, and big, expressive eyes.
The man stalked off, leaving the woman, the teen, and the little boy at their table. The teen looked embarrassed, while the mother seemed resolved. She said something to the toddler, who immediately melted down into tears.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look on that kid’s face. It was a look of profound disappointment and grief, as he cried in the middle of the restaurant. The woman picked up her stuff and the little boy, and they left the restaurant to join the man, who was still scowling near the entrance.
Based only on what the man had snapped, and then the child’s reaction when the woman spoke to him, I surmise that the issue had to do with breastfeeding. I got the sense that maybe they were Americans, and perhaps the boy was not yet fully weaned. Like a lot of Americans, especially men, the man probably felt uncomfortable with his wife breastfeeding in public.
In Europe, public breastfeeding is not really a big deal. I’ve seen plenty of women feeding their babies in public. I’ve also seen a lot of little kids running around naked at Freibads. Nudity isn’t really a big deal in most parts of Europe.
I could be totally wrong about what it looked like I witnessed, but that’s what it seemed like happened. I felt really sad for the little boy. He looked like such a sweet kid. It’s not his fault his father (or perhaps grandfather?) has hang ups about breastfeeding, and thinks of women’s breasts as purely sexual, rather than a source of nourishment for his son. Or… so I assume, anyway. For all I know, he was grousing about the woman’s nipples for some other reason.
In any case, that guy probably doesn’t deserve that woman’s company. She was very young and pretty, and could do much better than him. But, for all I know, he was actually her father. He certainly appeared to be old enough. 🤷♀️
***
After that brief, but disturbing disruption, Bill and I turned our attention back to the menu. Since it was our last night, we decided to go all out. I started with a tomato and strawberry salad, followed by dorade. Bill had the wonderful scampi appetizer I had on Sunday, followed by veal. We started with the fresh baked bread, and accompanied dinner with a bottle of Weissburgunder from the Rheingau.
I don’t usually go for tomato salads, but this was really nice. Especially on such a hot day!I can attest to how good the scampi was. Bill also enjoyed the shrimp and lobster dish.Dorade filet with tomatoes, olives, harissa, and potatoes.Veal with carrots, snow peas, rösti, mushrooms, and jus.
We enjoyed a very leisurely dinner. The waiter who had seated us told us a little about himself. He said he had come to Switzerland by way of Munich, having been born and raised in Lithuania. Bill and I visited Lithuania last year, and thought of it as a beautiful place. But then, we went to Vilnius… perhaps the rest of the country is not quite as developed. The waiter told us that everyone he knew had left Lithuania, so he hadn’t been back there in twenty years, and saw no reason to return. Frankly, I’m starting to feel the same way about my own homeland.
At some point, the Lithuanian waiter disappeared, and the Prince William looking waiter took over. I was struck in the difference between their approaches. “Prince William” was obviously more professional and refined. He told us he’d come to Küsnacht from Mannheim, which is not far from where Bill and I live. Now, next time I take a train past the Mannheim station, I’ll think of him!
Finally, it was time for dessert. I decided to go for the Caramel Brownie Sundae, with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, whipped cream, and chocolate. Bill had the strawberries, with Woodruff sabayon and almond crumble. Looks like it also had ice cream in it. The sundae was not what I had expected, but I really enjoyed it just the same!
After dessert, we paid the check and headed back to our room for our last night at the Sonne Seehotel.
The entrance/exit to the Pavilion Restaurant…
I’ll write the final part to this series later… possibly today, or maybe tomorrow. It will probably be short. Stay tuned!
On Tuesday, we had plans to visit what I now believe is my favorite restaurant in Küsnacht, Falken. We went there last fall, and they served a soup as an amuse bouche that I couldn’t stop talking about for weeks!
In terms of his classes, Bill told me they would be less intense. He’d be done with them by about 5:30 or so, and then we’d go have dinner at 7:00 PM. Of course, we started our day off with breakfast, where I tried Eggs Benedict, and Bill had something whose name I can’t remember right now… I know I didn’t want it, because I think it had truffles in it. I’ll ask him what it was, later. He said it was his favorite breakfast item. Edited to add: it was called the Amer Ritter— brioche, ham, egg yolks, and truffles.
The photo on the far right is the chilled egg salad we skipped on Monday. I’m glad I got to try it. It was delicious and refreshing. I want to make it at home, now! The three tiered etagé, is also in the photo.
Eggs BenedictBill’s favorite dish at breakfast!This egg salad was awesome!
After breakfast, we parted ways. I did some writing, and then headed down to the lakeside for a peaceful afternoon. If I recall correctly, pretty much nobody annoying was in the “beach” area, except for me. But the hotel staff did put up a curtain that blocked off a large portion of the garden. They had a private event.
The one visit I remember, besides the swans that showed up after my brief swim, was the Stadt Zürich steamboat. I made a video for my husband’s daughter. Bill and I took a long lake cruise on her sister, Stadt Rapperswil, last fall! I didn’t see the Stadt Rapperswil last week. Maybe she’s in “dry dock”.
She was built in 1909!
Check out these swans. I hear they mate for life. I tried to get good photos, but I was too lazy to get up and take proper shots…
I worked on reading Entitled all day, sharing some of the most shocking passages with Facebook friends. Former Prince Andrew and his ex wife, Sarah Ferguson, really are pieces of work, even if Andrew Lownie’s book is only half true!
After a few peaceful, idyllic hours spent by the lake, watching birds and fish, I headed up to the room to wait for Bill. Then, once he arrived, we got changed and walked to the restaurant, which is located in the actual town area of Küsnacht. It’s maybe ten minutes away, if you walk slowly, like I do.
We were seated outside. There was a young couple with a very friendly and cool dog. Just after we sat down, an American woman sat near us. She turned out to be a fellow Jung Institute student who had traveled from the Dallas area of Texas. We didn’t speak to her, but Bill later saw her in one of his classes. She spoke of her fears that after the Trump regime ends, there will be a lot of traumatized people, and not enough people to counsel them!
An English speaking Italian couple sat at the table next to ours. They, too, were from the Institute, although I think one of them might have been an instructor. They kept looking over at us curiously. I don’t know if it was because they wondered if we were going to the Jung Institute, or they were just impressed by what we ordered.
In any case, the amuse was once again delicious. This time, it was a soup made with parsnips. I have developed a real fondness for parsnips since I’ve been living in Europe again!
Bill had the special soup, which was made with saffron. I went with a salad that had chopped eggs, bacon, Italian vinaigrette, Parmesan cheese, and Iceberg lettuce. I kind of wish I’d gotten one of the soups on the menu, instead. I don’t usually like salads that much, but I thought I’d prefer something cool. In retrospect, I might have preferred gazpacho, or even the coconut lemongrass soup.
Bill had sea bass (Wolfbarsch) for his main course, while I went with three varieties of ravioli. I almost didn’t choose the ravioli, because one of the varieties was made with veal, and I don’t like to eat veal if I can avoid it. But most of the ravioli was vegetarian, with lime or spinach fillings.
Then, for dessert, we had what we had during our first visit– Crema Catalana for me, and cassata for Bill. The Crema Catalana is a lot like creme brûlée, except it’s lighter and thickened differently. It was delicious! Bill loved the cassata, too. There were other desserts that were appealing, but they were the kinds of things one can get at a lot of restaurants. I haven’t run across many places that have Crema Catalana or cassata.
Then we finished up with a Hennessy brandy for me, and a grappa for Bill… just because we enjoy that restaurant so much!
That dog was so cool!Parsnip!Bill’s saffron soup. It was so good.My salad.I just love this place!
After dinner, we walked back to the hotel and decided to enjoy another glimpse of the lake… I got a few photos of the walk back. I’m sure it’s not easy for the locals living in Küsnacht, especially at this time of year. The big signs warning against noise and littering cracked me up. They like to discourage the riffraff from acting up!
I already miss it.
That about does it for Tuesday, June 23rd. It wasn’t a super exciting day, but I did enjoy the relaxing lake, and the rest I got from hanging out by the lake.
Featured photo is another picture I took of the lake at sunset.
Because I still have the rest of the week to get through, and one of our air conditioners is in my office, I figure I might as well finish writing about Monday, June 22nd in Küsnacht, Switzerland. Although it was just six days ago, it almost feels like a month has passed since my first afternoon spent sitting by Lake Zürich. I figure it will be good to keep the momentum going, so I don’t forget any details… You might be surprised by what can happen when you sit by a lake in Switzerland!
As I write this, it’s about ten minutes til two o’clock in the afternoon. It’s about 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and my weather app is warning of “severe conditions”. It was also very hot in Switzerland, but the lake breezes and close proximity to the refreshingly cool water in the lake made sitting outside more appealing than sitting in our hotel room.
If you know what I look like, you know I am a very WHITE person, with fair–very blonde– hair and blue eyes. I no longer tan very well. I feared a sunburn. But, I’m pleased to give credit to the makers of Neutrogena 70 SPF sunblock, because all I got this week were some faint tan lines around my shoulders, rather than an angry burn. I slathered that stuff on faithfully before I ventured out to the private lakeside “beach” at the Sonne Seehotel.
I’m also grateful that I brought two of my own beach towels. The hotel provides robes and slippers, although I’m not sure the little tote bag with spa attire in it also included beach towels. I did notice the bag had a tag on it that read 30 CHF if you wanted to buy it. I’m not sure if that price was just for the bag, or also included the stuff in it. I’m sure most folks wouldn’t want to reuse the slippers, at the very least!
In any case, I anticipated that I’d want the towels, because I like having one on my lounger and another to dry off with, and it didn’t appear to me that the “beach” had anyone offering towels. In fact, there was really no one there working as an attendant. There was a sign warning that swimming is at one’s own risk, and reminding people of when the ferry boats come by to pick up and drop off people. I noticed that they came in twos– one going in either direction.
On Monday, I was lucky enough to score a lounger near the ladder into the lake. It was under one of the nice densely leafed chestnut trees, so there was good shade cover. I plopped down there and started reading a book that I reviewed on my main blog last week. The book was about the extremely entitled behavior of former Prince Andrew and his ex wife, Sarah Ferguson. I was glad I didn’t run into anyone quite as obnoxious at the Sonne Seehotel last week, but there were a couple of contenders for an honorable mention.
Not that I was handing out awards, or anything. Bill would be in class until about 7:00 PM. Monday was his “long day”. I wanted to give the housekeepers plenty of time to clean the room, so I hung out at the lake all day, taking an occasional dip in the water to cool off. I was surprised that more people weren’t hanging out down there with me, but I guess most other guests were there to actually see Zürich.
I’m sure some went to the Lindt Chocolate Museum/Factory, directly across the lake. Bill and I went there in 2021, and I wouldn’t mind going back, especially now that we don’t have to wear face masks anymore. It was also usually lunchtime when I tended to visit, so some people were probably eating. And some, like Bill, were taking classes or doing business.
Not that much happened on Monday, except for when a group of elderly ladies showed up and started speaking rapid fire Spanish to each other. At one point, one of them addressed me in German. I hadn’t quite understood what she asked me, and said “I’m an American.” 😚
She immediately switched to perfect English! The funny thing is, I studied Spanish for six years in school, although I haven’t used it in decades. I’m probably about as good at Spanish as I am at German… although if she’d asked in Armenian, maybe I would have caught it.
The lady had wanted to know if they were bothering me by being too loud. The honest answer is, I probably would have preferred quiet, or even silence, but they had as much right to be at the beach as I did. And of course I wasn’t going to tell them they were annoying me, even if they were. It was nice of her to ask… or maybe I looked bitchy and she was being passive aggressive? I don’t know. But I still got a marvel out of how she spoke at least three languages. Americans really need to do better at learning other tongues… myself included!
On Monday, the hotel had the whole yard open, which meant there was room to spread out. As I would come to learn over the course of last week, that would not always be the case. The other thing I noticed, especially when the whole yard was open, is that from my window, I could see how many people were down there on the loungers, so I could avoid going down there when there were many people.
But the first day was kind of dreamy, and it wasn’t quite so hot. I got some photos and watched a bunch of rowdy, noisy school kids jumping off the pier. At one point, a boat honked at a couple of the kids, because they were in the path of the boat as it approached. The kids– so full of the same endless energy I used to have– bolted from the pier, only to return seconds later, after the boat had departed. In the other direction, more kids were hanging out at an idyllic park, jumping in the water and screaming. It felt a bit like a natural version of the neighborhood pools I used to attend when I was growing up in Virginia.
A few people braved the lake. Some even swam out a ways. I noticed people tended to have interesting reactions to the lake, especially the Americans. As I previously mentioned, the lake floor is a bit rocky. While there area. couple of flat, square shaped slabs on the bottom, perhaps for the ease of hotel guests, the were also kind of slimy and slick. Then the ladder, which had wooden steps most of the way down, had two metal grated steps at the bottom. I’ve always had really tough feet, so I wasn’t bothered by them. Most people reacted to the water as if it was really cold. It was cold, but certainly not frigid. I quickly got used to it and loved it. Unfortunately, I’m not the greatest swimmer these days, so I stuck fairly close to the shore.
When it got later, and more people started venturing toward the lake, I took that as my cue to leave. I packed up my stuff and headed back to the room, where after a shower, I took another nap. It was the only one I took for the rest of the week, which is quite a feat for me these days. Maybe it’s because I didn’t eat lunch.
Since Bill got back to the hotel rather late on Monday, we decided to eat dinner in the Biergarten. The guitar busker guy showed up again. Bill came prepared with spare change, so we could tip him. He’d cue the hat passing by playing a cheeky rendition of the “Pink Panther Theme”, by Henry Mancini.
Bill and I both had fried chicken tenders and potato salad for dinner, along with draft beers. One thing I noticed at the Sonne Hotel is that they don’t offer many Weizens. If you want a Weizen at the Biergarten, you have to buy it in a bottle. It’s also a German beer–Schneider Weisse.
We both had fried chicken tenders and potato salad for dinner. They came with a garlicky dip.
After our nightcap by the lake, Bill and I went to bed. I asked how Bill had enjoyed his first day in “school”. He said it was phenomenal. He took a class in Borderline Personality Disorder that was especially interesting… probably because he used to be married to someone who likely has BPD (and NPD, if I’m honest).
Tuesday was also going to be a busy day for him, although he would be getting back to the hotel at a more normal time. More on that in the next post.
The featured photo is just one of many majestic sunset pictures I took on this trip to Switzerland.
On Sunday morning, June 21st, we went back down to Jack’s Brasserie for breakfast. Philippe, the cool waiter, served us a hearty meal. I decided to have Belgian waffles that day, and a side of bacon. I don’t remember what Bill had… I think it might have been scrambled eggs. If it had been something interesting, I would have taken a photo!
The waffle was a rare treat!
After breakfast, we bid farewell to Philippe, picked up our luggage in our room, and headed down to the front desk to check out. As we were leaving the Schweizerhof, the receptionist gave us Bern Bears, little cakes that taste like almond and vanilla, which I guess is a thing in Bern.
The bears came in handy during the week, because I don’t like eating in restaurants alone. The breakfasts at the newly renovated restaurant the Sonne Seehotel were so huge that I really didn’t need to eat lunch. But small snacks were handy for tiding me over until dinner.
Cute and yummy!
Then, Bill and I headed the short way to the Bern train station. We didn’t know it when we arrived in the rain on Friday, but the train station is literally just across the street from the hotel. We had read it was that close, but came out of the wrong side of the station to see it for ourselves.
We had first class tickets for a brief journey from Bern to Zürich Hauptbahnhof. I think it took about an hour. The train was a bit older than the Deutsche Bahn train we took on the way down to Switzerland and back to Germany. I amused myself by taking pictures, especially of the really chill Labrador Retriever in the front row. And I also took a few other photos, reminding me of how pretty Switzerland is.
We arrived in Zürich at a little after 1:00 PM. Then we got on a regional train that would take us to Küsnacht. I think that train ride lasted maybe twenty minutes or so. It was pretty painless.
The Romantik Sonne Seehotel is also VERY close to the train station, although maybe not as close as the Schweizerhof is. To get to it, you have to walk down a hill and under a bridge, once you get off the train platform. Thankfully, there was an elevator there. I don’t even think the Bern station had an elevator for our platform. We had to walk up a ramp.
The lady who checked us in at the Sonne Hotel informed us that our room, which turned out to be 410, was not ready for us when we arrived. Since it was lunch time, we decided to try out the hotel’s brand new restaurant, Pavilion. We were told it just opened last week. As of this week, they were just starting to serve breakfast. It was interesting to see how the service evolved over the course of the week.
The gentleman who served us lunch bore a striking resemblance to Prince William, Britain’s Prince of Wales. We later found out that he’s from Mannheim, though, and he’s likely a bit younger than William is. We decided to go all out for lunch and then, maybe, have some snacks at dinner time if we were hungry.
Below are some photos from that delightful first meal. I had a wonderful starter called “Scampi” (shrimp, lobster, roe, avocado, and a delightful sauce, surrounded by endive. Bill had melon and prosciutto. For our main courses, I went for the Perlhühn (Guinea fowl), while Bill had “crispy fish”— hake. Naturally, there was also Swiss wine, sparkling water, and fresh bread.
The “Scampi” was absolutely delightful!I really liked the Perlhühn, too, which came with paella broth, Rosini pasta, rocket, and stuffed pointed peppers.
For dessert, I decided to stick with the cooling theme. I had a scoop of lemon sorbet with champagne, candied lemons, and verbena. Bill had a blackberry tart with sour cream ice cream. I really enjoyed the sorbet, on such a HOT day! But it wasn’t even the hottest day of the week.
When we were finished with lunch (about 300 Swiss Francs! ), we went up to our room. I booked and prepaid for a junior suite, which is the class of room we stayed in last fall. This time, we got the room above the one we were in last time.
It was a very “cool” room… but it was also a very hot room. Like most buildings in Switzerland, the Sonne Hotel does not have air conditioning, and rudimentary science knowledge will remind you that heat rises. The room also doesn’t have the large windows that room 310 has. They did provide a fan, though, and the views were still awesome, in spite of the heat.
The stairs you see above lead into the room. The other suites are also located halfway between floors. To get to room 310 or 210, you have to up or go down half a flight of stairs. To get to the bedroom part of 410, you have to navigate these stylish glass steps. Thankfully, neither of us fell down the steps, although I did hit my head on the ceiling/floor as I was going down one time. Obviously, that room would not be a good choice for anyone with mobility issues.
This room has a closet, a mini bar, a desk, TV, phone, and high ceilings that remind you that the hotel is OLD. We were in the top of the tower that overlooks the lake. The bathroom is open, but it has a stall for the toilet and an enclosed, walk in shower, as well as a bath tub. The bed was comfortable, except for the heat.
Lunch and travel left us tired and needing to digest. We laid down on the bed, and soon I fell asleep. I woke myself up snoring a couple of times! But I was probably out for an hour or two before lunch was properly dealt with by my digestive system.
After I woke up from my nap, we immediately decided to strip down and put on our bathing suits. After being in Bern and longing to swim in the river, I was more than ready to brave the lake. It was awesome! The water was cold, but not freezing. The only difficulty we had was entering the lake without slipping on the rocks or stepping on something sharp. I soon got good at that… I think the direct lakeside access is one of the things I loved most about the Sonne Seehotel.
I think Bill found the water chillier than I did. He complained of “shrinkage”… 🤣 He only managed one swim, but I spent many hours by the lake. For that reason, the rest of this series will probably be briefer, because sitting by the lake, swimming, reading, and writing, was pretty much all I did all week!
Oh… and I did a lot of eating and drinking… We did stop by the hotel’s newly renovated Biergarten, too. We enjoyed some fries and beer, along with guitar music by a very talented guy who came by every night, playing for spare change. I did also get a few enchanting sunset photos.
So… that about does it for June 21st. I’ll be back tomorrow to continue this series about how I got older, and Bill got wiser, in dear old Switzerland. Watch this space!
Featured photo is of our train leaving Bern for Zürich on June 21, 2026. You can see the Aare River from the window.
How I chose our accommodations…
Last June, when Bill went to his first summer course at the Jung Institute, we stayed at the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt, in a really nice self-catering one bedroom apartment in Seefeld, a bustling district in Zürich. There were a lot of things I liked about our stay last year.
The apartment was very convenient and super clean, and renting it allowed for me to do my own thing most of the time. I only had to clear out of the apartment to give the staff time to clean every other day. The lake was two blocks away, while the University of Zürich’s botanical garden was maybe three blocks away. There were also some gardens and museums nearby.
However, the Seefeld area, while very practical, was also a bit noisy. The tram stop was literally steps away from our door, and I was frequently startled by the people in the apartment above us. I think they had a child with them who was playing ball or something. There were a lot of sudden thudding noises from the ceiling that I found unnerving and annoying.
Also, the place did offer one parking spot, which we claimed, but we were blocked in the whole time. So if we’d wanted to drive somewhere, we would have had to get the staff to move their car, so we could leave the parking spot.
In October, we stayed at the Sonne Hotel in Küsnacht, which is popular with students who attend the Jung Institute, because it is within walking distance of institute. Indeed, Carl Jung himself used to like to visit the hotel and drink beer in the Biergarten. During our fall visit, the Biergarten and the main restaurant were closed for extensive renovations, but that didn’t bother us much.
We had a pleasant stay at the Sonne Hotel during the fall, so when I was planning this year’s trip in March, I looked to see what was available at the Sonne Hotel for this week. I seem to remember the only room they had was a junior suite, which was fine. We stayed in a junior suite in the fall, too. Yes, it’s quite expensive, but it offers plenty of space for a lengthy stay, and a wonderful view of the lake.
I had a harder time choosing our Bern hotel. In January 2025, we visited Basel, Switzerland for the first time. I had also been interested in visiting Bern, but I didn’t see any hotels that were particularly appealing. There was a hotel in Basel I wanted to book, and it had a Michelin 3 star restaurant that I knew Bill wanted to try. So we went to Basel, and had a good time… although now that I’ve been to Bern, I think I much prefer Bern (when there isn’t a city wide party going on, that is).
After a lot of deliberating, I ended up choosing two nights in a junior suite at the Hotel Schweizerhof Bern. As expensive as our junior suite at the Sonne Hotel is, the Schweizerhof was even pricier. However, I believe the Bern hotel is a five star establishment, while the Sonne Hotel is rated as a four star superior.
This is a good time to explain the hotel ratings system in Europe, for those who don’t know about it. Hotels are awarded stars based on the facilities they offer. The Schweizerhof has a spa, complete with a pool, steam bath, sauna and whirlpool. It also has an exercise room. We didn’t have time to try out the spa. I wish we’d had one more night in Bern, so I could have seen more of the city and checked out the spa.
The Schweizerhof is also air conditioned, which makes it a rare find in Switzerland. Air conditioning has definitely not caught on in this country!
The Sonne Hotel also has a spa area and exercise room, but it does not have a pool. However, the Sonne Hotel does have a lovely private lakeside area, where hotel guests can sunbathe and directly access Lake Zürich. The Sonne Hotel is not air conditioned.
Both hotels have full scale restaurants and bars. We did not try the Schweizerhof’s restaurant, Jack’s Brasserie, except for when we had breakfast. We opted not to eat there because the menu didn’t really appeal to us. In retrospect, maybe we should have tried it. Our breakfasts at the Schweizerhof were very good, especially given our charming waiter, an older gentleman named Philippe.
Both hotels are very convenient to train stations. The Schweizerhof is literally a two minute walk from Bern’s main station. The Sonne Hotel is maybe a five minute walk from the Küsnacht stop on the regional train. Since we took the train from Frankfurt Airport to Bern, and then from Bern to Küsnacht, that was a definite perk. On Saturday, when we head back to Germany, we will take the train from Küsnacht to Zürich’s main station, and then from Zürich to Frankfurt Airport.
Now that we’ve finished the Bern part of the trip, and are now on our second full day at the Sonne Hotel, I think I can safely say that I prefer the Sonne Hotel. It offers a stunning view of Lake Zürich, and a very laid back vibe. While our room is a bit warm because it’s summer, we do have a fan and windows that open on three sides of the room.
There’s also a great Biergarten right by the lake, and in spite of the occasional horn blasts from passing ferries, it’s a lot quieter at night than the Schweizerhof was. The noise at the Schweizerhof was probably not a normal thing, since it was caused by the city fest that was going on during our stay. Nevertheless, the pulsating music was not stopped by the windows, and I felt like I was back in college, waiting for the frat parties to end so I could fall asleep.
No chandeliers here!
One other thing I prefer at the Sonne Hotel is the lighting in the room. Although a couple of the outlets in the room seem to be hardwired to only work if the main switch is turned on, we don’t have to deal with a really bright overhead light. We are in the top room on a broad tower that faces the lake. So the ceiling in our room at the Sonne is very high. See the above photo.
There were two of these in our room at the Schweizerhof. They were pretty to look at, but very BRIGHT and harsh!
Our room at the Schweizerhof had two big chandeliers, which gave off very bright light. It was impossible to just use the lamps in the room. Neither Bill nor I like overhead lighting. We find it too harsh, and we have trouble relaxing when the lighting in a room is too bright.
But when we asked the front desk staff about turning off the chandeliers and simply using the lamps, they didn’t know if it could be done. A technician later confirmed that the chandeliers were programmed to be on, if the lights were turned on. For two nights, it wasn’t a big deal, but I do think for 600 Swiss Francs a night, guests should be able to turn off the overhead lights and just use the lamps if they like.
The light situation and the loud noise (even though it was beyond the hotel staff’s control) would cause me to rate the Schweizerhof lower than I might have. However, Philippe in the restaurant made up for some of my annoyance about the lights and the noise. He was extremely charming, professional, and just plain cool. He even brought out a delicious chocolate mousse cake and a card for my birthday, which Bill and I enjoyed over several sessions!
I know this treatment is probably the standard at the hotel. I think they only knew it was my birthday because when we checked in, the receptionist asked what brought us to Bern and I said we were celebrating my birthday. It was the truth. But they made a note of it and surprised me with this…
That cake was awesome!
So… I probably would consider booking the Schweizerhof again… but I think for our purposes, the Sonne Hotel is a better fit. However, I also liked the self-catering apartment we used last year, the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt, and would not hesitate to recommend it, either. I think it’s difficult to find subpar accommodations in Switzerland!
One last thing… Both hotels this year were booked through Expedia.de. Last year, I used Booking.com for the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt.
I took the featured photo in Bern, Switzerland on June 20, my 54th birthday.
Several months ago, my husband Bill was accepted to the C.G. Jung Institute in Küsnacht, Switzerland. He is now in training to become a Jungian psychoanalyst.
The decision to become an analyst is one that has been a few years in the making. I remember for Christmas 2010, Bill specifically requested that I purchase a copy of The Red Book, by Jung, because he wanted to learn more about analyzing dreams.
Then, we adopted our dog, Noyzi, from Meg, a woman who was studying at the Jung Institute. Bill talked to her about her studies, and we planned our first trip to Zürich, in the summer of 2021. We visited Carl Jung’s house, right on Lake Zürich. Bill later told Meg about a dream he had about rescuing dogs, which she used in her final paper. Meg will be graduating from the Jung Institute next week. We also adopted our other dog, Charlie, from Meg.
Then, later in 2021, Bill started seeing Max, an American Jungian analyst living in Berlin, online. Max was nearing the end of his training, and he helped Bill learn more about himself. Bill, in turn, provided Max with some material for one of his lectures. He and Bill had a great rapport. Bill eventually decided he was interested in learning how to be an analyst, himself.
Last summer, Bill and I visited Zürich, so Bill could take the summer intensive course. This is a program that helps prospective students determine whether or not they want to study at the Jung Institute, and gives matriculated students a chance to pick up some credit hours.
Last year, Bill had a very positive experience there, while I watched life go by as I sat by Lake Zürich. A few months after our 2025 visit, he applied to become a student at the Jung Institute. After six interviews, a few of which he did in person in Switzerland, he was accepted.
It is now June again, and, once again, time for the summer intensive course, as well as the summer block. Bill has to do some courses in person, so we needed to visit Küsnacht again. The courses happened to be going on in time for my 54th birthday, so this year, we decided to plan our usual birthday trip for Switzerland.
We started with two nights in Switzerland’s capital city of Bern. Neither Bill nor I had ever been there before, so we were curious about it. Then, we moved on to Küsnacht, where I managed to book six nights in a junior suite at the Sonne Hotel. We also stayed at this hotel last fall, although we had a different room.
The Sonne Hotel’s restaurant has undergone a massive renovation project. It wasn’t open when we were here in the fall, but as of right now, it’s newly reopened to the public. In fact, this morning, Bill and I were the first to have breakfast in the newly renovated restaurant. We had lunch there yesterday, and the waiter told us it had only just reopened days prior.
I expect this series about our combined birthday/Jung Institute trip will be full of fresh stories. Every trip, even to places we haven’t been before, generates new memories and experiences. Last summer, we stayed in a self-catering apartment in the Seefeld district of Zürich. It was a very nice and convenient place to stay, but it didn’t offer views like this one…
Of course, there’s a price to be paid for such a stunning view…
I feel like many events have conspired to lead us to where we are today. It’s almost as if fate prescribed it. I didn’t know about Meg’s time at the Jung Institute when we met. I was just looking for a new dog. Well… I got two new dogs, and a lot more… So did Bill!
Anyway, since I’m basically killing time while Bill goes to class, I think I’ll begin my series now, instead of waiting until we go home to Germany. So, if you’re interested, watch this space for fresh, honest to God, travel posts about our trip to Switzerland! So far, it’s been a real blast!
Saturday came at long last. I can’t say I wasn’t happy about it. Bill finished his time at the C.G. Jung Institute, and we had one last day to enjoy Zürich together. If you’ve been following this series, it should come as no surprise to you that we chose to spend our last day on the lake. But, instead of swimming, which is what I thought we might do, we decided to take a 4.5 hour cruise around the lake on a very nice boat.
This isn’t the first time Bill and I have done a lake cruise. Back in 2008, we visited Thun, Switzerland, and bought boat tickets that allowed us to cruise Lake Thun. I think, back then, we got second class tickets. We were broke back then. In 2021, we used the lake “taxi” to get from downtown Zürich to Küsnacht, so we could visit the C.G. Jung Haus/museum. We’ve done lots of river cruises, too, though we’ve never done one that last longer than an hour or so.
I enjoy lake cruises, because they offer the chance to take pictures from different vantage points, and because they’re relaxing. You can sit there with a beer and just enjoy the scenery. Maybe you might have lunch, too, which is what Bill and I did.
We took the tram to the opera house, then walked along the lake and over a bridge to the ticket office. I think, for the two of us, first class tickets were about 43 euros each. They covered the 4.5 hour cruise, as well as the tram ride back to the apartment. If we’d wanted to, we could have used that pass to pay for any public transportation until 5:00 AM Sunday!
Below are some pictures I took on the way to the dock…
The opera house…
Our cruise left at about 11:00 AM. It was perfect, since we’d be on the boat at lunchtime, and that would mean we wouldn’t have to hunt for anything before boarding. The ship was very nice, and included a full restaurant and toilet facilities. On the first class deck, there were many chairs to sit on, while I noticed benches on the second class deck. To be honest, I think the benches were probably more comfortable. The benches were flat, rather than molded and tilted. The chairs were kind of hard and at sort of a weird angle.
We were able to find a table next to the side of the boat, which allowed for easy photography. On both levels, there’s an indoor area for people to sit and have a meal. We had perfect weather, so most people were sitting outside. One guy even wore Lederhosen, but he was also speaking German. However, it didn’t look like he was wearing authentic Lederhosen.
A big, beautiful boat…
I was pleased to see that the menu on the ship had dishes that were priced much like the land based restaurants are, even though they had a “captive audience.” There were salads, fish dishes, meat dishes, and snacks available, and a full bar. They also had specials. Bill opted for a Caesar salad with chicken and bacon, and I had the roasted chicken special with potatoes. Naturally, there was wine and water, too…
We saw lots of boats on the water, everything from little pedal boats to big vessels.
Yes, dogs are allowed on the boat, too!
Our cruise took us all the way to the extreme southern end of the lake, which is where the charming, car free, lake side municipality of Rapperswil is. We didn’t get off the boat there, but I can definitely see us exploring it at a later date. It has a castle, restaurants, little hotels, and lots of Swiss charm. Rapperswil is known as the “town of roses” on Lake Zürich. It really is a pretty little hamlet. Of course, we also passed people sunning themselves on beaches, a small fest, and what appeared to be a nature preserve, where people could hike in the forest and then cool off by the lake. It took about two hours to get to Rapperswil from Zürich, and then another two hours to get back to the dock, where we started our trip.
We got off the cruise at about 3:00 PM. Bill decided to go ask the ticket folks if our tickets for the boat also covered the trams. While he was in line, a group of Aussies approached me and said they loved my “Trump Sucks” t-shirt, which I decided to wear on the cruise. We had a moment of levity and solidarity, as we expressed our mutual disgust for Donald Trump. And this week, it’s gotten even worse, and more apparent that indeed, Trump really does suck on multiple levels.
Ordinarily, I might not feel like I should wear such a provocative t-shirt in public. I probably wouldn’t dare do it in Texas, where a lot of MAGA Republican nutjobs live, and one might decide to off me with one of their high powered weapons. But here in Europe, the t-shirt appears to be a hit. I also wore it yesterday, while walking Noyzi and Charlie, and noticed big smiles from my neighbors. When I told my mom that I had that shirt, she groaned, but I told her that Europeans seem to be relieved when an American tells them they aren’t Trump supporters. He’s definitely NOT popular over here. I will confess, though, that I wondered if it was a good idea to wear the shirt. Again, it was one of the less sweaty ones I had with me on this trip. I got a few more photos on the way back to the apartment.
We had plans to light out of Zürich early on Sunday, so we spent a quiet evening in the apartment, packing everything up, and eating leftovers. I had a great time visiting Switzerland’s largest city, but it was time to go home and see my dogs, wash my clothes, and get back to my regular routine. However, if Bill plays his cards right, and things go according to plan, it’s possible that Zürich will soon become a very familiar place to us. And that’s kind of crazy to me, because when we lived in the Stuttgart area, it was only about a 90 minute drive from where we resided, and we never visited, even once! And now that we’re about four hours away, it could become more familiar…
But, of course, a lot depends on what happens in the next year… I guess we’ll just have to stay tuned for that.
The last post will be a short one about our drive home. Watch this space!
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!
By Thursday morning in Switzerland, I was feeling ready to get back to Germany. I missed Noyzi and Charlie, and there were people in the apartment above us who were driving me nuts. In the early mornings, I’d hear a baby squalling. I’m not sure if it was in the above apartment, or a different place, but it was pretty loud.
Then, within an hour, the “wrestling matches” commenced. I call them “wrestling matches”, because that’s pretty much what they sounded like. I’d hear the pitter patter of little feet, then a big “BOOM” as something hit the floor or thudded, HARD. It happened over and over again.
It was nervewracking, because I couldn’t predict when the noises would happen, and they would startle me. Then, I would get annoyed until the cycle repeated. And it would go on for hours. I thought about saying something, but I didn’t know where the people were from, or if they spoke English.
So, I slathered on more sunscreen, gathered up my stuff, and headed back to beautiful Lake Zürich, for some peace and quiet. Well, at least I thought it was more peaceful… and honestly, it probably was quieter, even though there was construction going on in the lake and near it. There were also cool breezes.
The dancing lady was back!
I don’t actually recall much about what I did during the day on Thursday. Nothing sticks out in my mind. I do remember coming back in the afternoon, trying to read, and once again falling asleep, as I waited for Bill. But something DID happen on Thursday night at dinner.
When Bill got back to the apartment, we decided to go to the Greek restaurant again, Le Beaujolais. The same friendly guy waited on us. He asked us where we wanted to sit, and I chose a table next to the building. It was dirty, so he had to bus it for us. We sat down and Bill ordered some white wine. I ordered gyros, and he chose souvlaki.
We hadn’t been sitting there long before a group of young Swiss folks showed up. They sat at the table right behind us. Within the group, there was one woman, in particular, whom I found very annoying. She spoke in rapid fire Swiss style German, in a voice that grated.
Under normal circumstances, I probably wouldn’t have been as irritated as I was, but I’d been listening to dull, sudden thuds all day in the apartment. I was hot, and recovering from boredom, missing my own space, and the peace and quiet I have in my home. I also missed my desktop computer, because that’s the best place for me to write and make music.
So, the woman kept yammering in her Swiss dialectical German, and then she switched to English, when another person joined their group. I was trying to keep a straight face and get through dinner. And then, it happened…
In front of the restaurant, there was a very busy main drag. Trams go up and down that street every few minutes. There were also many cars coming and going, and people walking past. But, all of a sudden, the street seemed to empty out, and this man in a luxury sedan stopped right by where we were eating. There were no cars near him at all. His window was down, and he was playing loud music. It sounded like Louis Armstrong (Satchmo). The guy either lip synched perfectly, or sang along, complete with facial expressions and hand movements. It was like he was performing “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South” especially for us!
We all kind of stopped what we were doing and stared in amazement as this random guy in his car was singing to us… with loud Louis Armstrong blaring from his windows. It lasted for about one surreal minute, and he wasn’t interrupted by traffic of any kind. Some pedestrians gave him a quizzical look as they passed.
I heard the people sitting behind us murmuring, and suddenly I felt like we were all experiencing this weird, bizarre moment in time. Then I heard the annoying woman behind me say in English, “Now he’s going to want money.”
But just as suddenly as it started, it was then over. The guy rolled up his window and drove away, and traffic returned to normal. It was as if it had never happened. I wish I’d thought to take a picture or a video. He didn’t seem to want money. In fact, the whole thing seemed like a spontaneous act. For all I know, he does this every summer day, serenading random al fresco diners as he drives through Zürich. Maybe he just does it for his own amusement, to break up the monotony of life in such an orderly country. I did look on YouTube to see if anyone had caught him on video. Apparently no one has, yet. Or maybe I’m just using the wrong search terms.
Then, just as we were about to have a round of ouzo, the woman sitting behind us started telling a story in English about her brother, when he went into the Swiss Army. He’d forgotten his toothbrush, so his mother had to bring it to him. As she was telling the story, a man with a dog was passing. He came over and, although he was obviously a stranger to them, started a conversation. He’d heard the woman talking about her brother in the Swiss Army, and decided to tell the group about how he’d joined the Israeli Army and everything was provided, including toothbrushes.
The guy’s dog, a sweet, older, female, plopped down next to the talkative woman, and he told them (and us) about how he’d been a performer in the Israeli Army, and it had led him to Switzerland. He met his Swiss wife in Zürich, and worked in the arts there for many years. He said he’d been working as a clown, at one point. And he said his dog’s name was Gille (if I recall correctly). He said the name meant “comfort” in Hebrew, and added that she is a comfort to him.
This guy is an Israeli who lives in Switzerland with his Swiss wife and dog…
Bill and I sat there quietly, not actively involved in the conversation, yet passively involved in that we were hearing it. Bill could have piped up, too, as a 30 year Army veteran from the United States. I could have spoken up and talked about how I have my own performances as a singer. But nowadays, it’s hard to tell how people will react to the revelation that Americans are near. I’m sure they knew we were Americans, anyway. Bill has told me that it’s easy to work with soldiers from other countries because, when it comes down to it, they’re all mostly cut from the same cloth, doing the same job.
Still, it was a very weird evening… surreal, even. As annoyed as I had been with that woman sitting behind us, I suddenly felt like she’d given us a gift. Because she was engaging the guy from Israel, and allowing us to hear his story.
Stay tuned for the next installment, when I describe visiting the C.G. Jung Institute and seeing where Bill might soon be a student.
You must be logged in to post a comment.