I’m just writing a quick post to update this blog, since it’s been 13 days since my last entry. The weather has been pretty crappy since my last post. This week, we had two snowstorms. One occurred Sunday, and though most of the snow had melted by the afternoon, Bill’s planned business trip to Prague was abruptly canceled.
The meeting he was supposed to attend still happened, but his flight was called off, and there was no way to get to Prague in a timely manner. I heard that not only was the weather bad in Prague, but there was also an airline strike. So I don’t know what actually caused the cancelation– the winter weather, or a strike. I was glad he missed his business trip, because I like it when Bill is home with me. However, it did kind of spoil Presidents Day weekend, which used to be a good time for short trips away.
It’s been quite a winter in 2026. This is the kind of snow we experienced in BW. But it doesn’t hang around for as long up here.
The other snowstorm happened on Thursday. A couple of inches were dropped and then promptly melted. Not quite all of the snow from the first storm was gone. The backyard is sodden, and the creek that runs through Breckenheim is very high right now.
Bill has another trip planned starting Monday. He’ll be gone until Thursday. It’s only to the Netherlands, though, so no airplanes are involved. Meanwhile, once again, a shipper has decided not to deliver to my house. I got an email letting me know that DPD tried to deliver yesterday, and wasn’t able to, because they didn’t have my full address. Of course, that’s not true… it seems like nowadays, shipping companies just want you to go schlep to a packstation. 🙄 The same thing happened last week.
Valentine’s Day was also pretty boring. Bill did send me 30 roses, but they didn’t last long. I think maybe it’s best not to get roses for Valentine’s Day. Maybe choose another flower, or get it a day or two ahead of time… or just buy diamond earrings. 🤣 My roses arrived on Friday, but they were pretty small. I remember last year, the florist sent a small bouquet, which they claimed was the “wrong order”. The roses were tiny and quickly wilted. The following week, they sent a new bouquet that was much better and lasted a lot longer.
Sadly, these only lasted a couple of days before they were depressing to look at. But I did appreciate the lovely thought.
Anyway, I’ve been giving some thought as to where I’d like to travel next. We will definitely go to Switzerland again this year, because of Bill’s studies at the Jung Institute. But I would like to go somewhere we haven’t been yet… providing that we don’t end up in another world war. So, I’m working on that, and waiting for the sun to come out again. Maybe we’ll go out and do something tomorrow… maybe not. But I do look forward to getting out and doing something fun in Germany, soon. The days are getting longer, so it won’t be long before spring arrives, and we can get out and about… then this blog will “spring” back to life. 😆
The featured image is a Christmas decoration one of my neighbors still had up the other day when I walked the dogs…
Sadly, unlike last year, when we took a trip to Basel, this year we haven’t gone anywhere. Bill was away on business last week, in our old stomping grounds of Stuttgart. He got back on Thursday, which delighted the dogs and me. Ordinarily, we would have tried to take a short trip, or something, but this year it wasn’t really possible. Besides, given what’s going on right now, I’m not even sure how welcome we’d be. Maybe another trip to Switzerland would be okay… The Swiss are famously neutral, after all.
We do have a trip to the Stuttgart suburb of Waiblingen coming up in a couple of weeks. It’s so we can get our teeth cleaned. We’ll spend a few days enjoying some of the restaurants there and a change of scenery. We don’t really need to stay in Waiblingen, but I found us an interesting looking place that has a well-regarded restaurant. It’s a chance to experience something new and generate some content for this blog.
As for the rest of the year? Who knows? The way Trump is talking, we’re going back to war. 🙄 This time, it’ll be with our allies! It’s so distressing to be here and have to witness this madness. I deeply resent Donald Trump making ordinary Americans enemies to people from other countries because of his insanity and stupidity. Most Americans are not batshit crazy, but he’s making it look like we are.
Sigh… maybe it is time to just go home. Maybe if I’m lucky, ICE will off me, and I can go out with a bang.
Bill has a couple of business trips coming up. At least one of them is with NATO. It hasn’t been called off yet… but who knows what’s going to happen? This is a mess, and it really sucks.
I’m sorry that this post isn’t like my usual stuff, but I try to be honest when I write these things. Living over here isn’t always easy or hearts and roses… but when your own POTUS is completely nuts and is determined to make the world think all of us Americans are nuts, that’s something else again. I don’t like to be political on this blog, but sometimes situations warrant it. We are living here, after all, because of politicians.
I am reminded that last year on this date, we had a delightful $1000 lunch at a three star Michelin restaurant. This year, we’re at home, the weather sucks, and we’re wondering if we’re going to have to move. And all because so many people hated the idea of having an educated Black woman living in the White House.
Anyway… hopefully we’ll stay out of Greenland… I can’t imagine that most sane military servicemembers would have the heart to attack the people of Greenland, or any other Europeans.
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!
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.
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
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!
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!
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.
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?
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.
We woke up early on Sunday morning. I think we were both eager to get on the road and head home. I was missing the dogs and running out of clean clothes. Unfortunately, on this trip, I ate a few things that dripped… some drippings ended up on my shirts! I was also feeling eager to write and play my guitar. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of music videos, which I find helps me maintain some serenity.
We packed up our stuff and loaded most of it in the Volvo, then went down for our last breakfast at the Sonne Hotel. On Sunday morning, it was quieter and much less crowded in the breakfast room. I guess people were sleeping in a bit.
I noticed service was a little slipshod on the last morning. No one brought us little mini smoothies, as they had on the other three mornings. The chafing dish that normally had eggs and bacon was empty. That was okay with me, but a German woman complained about it to one of the young staffers. Maybe Sunday is the day when new people learn the ropes. I noticed the friendly seasoned waiter who had taken care of us on the other mornings was a bit later coming in on Sunday.
At one point, as I was enjoying a mini cinnamon roll that I hadn’t quite finished, a young man grabbed my plate from in front of me! I was a little shocked, since that’s the kind of thing I would expect in the United States. I don’t think I’ve ever had a plate cleared in Europe before everyone at the table had finished eating. I guess there’s a first time for everything. I didn’t protest, though, because I’d had enough, and really had only wanted to taste the roll, anyway. I’d been admiring them every morning, but only tried one on the last day.
We saw the dark haired lady again on that morning, as we were finishing breakfast. Like us, she was checking out that morning. She told us she’d gone back to the cafe at the Lindt Factory and noticed that they had a “help wanted” sign up. They were strictly looking for part time help. This lady– a US citizen from Los Angeles– went up to the manager and asked to apply for the job, even though she doesn’t speak German. And they actually offered to interview her! What a go-getter!
She said that since she works for her family’s business, she can do remote work. And she likes Switzerland so much that she’d like to move there. If she has a part time job, she can establish residency. Then she started talking about apartments, and how she’d had trouble finding something in her price range that wasn’t snapped up immediately. I’m not sure if she meant short term apartments or long term ones, but I did clue her in to the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt, where we stayed in the summer. It’s not meant for long term renting, but she could stay for a short time and have a kitchen. It wasn’t necessarily a cheap place, but it was less expensive than the Sonne Hotel. They also have regular rooms.
I also told her about the B2 Boutique Hotel, although that’s in another part of the city, and maybe not that convenient. It has a great spa and cool library, though. That’s where we went the first time we visited Zürich in 2021.
We explained to the dark haired lady that we were in the city because Bill wants to study Jungian psychology and become an analyst. He said it was a totally new direction for him, which it is… I mean, it seems surprising that a career soldier would want to become a psychoanalyst. On the other hand, there is a real need for people like Bill to be able to relate to servicemembers who need mental health services… or even just someone to talk to who understands that life.
While we were talking, the dark haired lady spontaneously gushed about Bill and me being good people. As if she was compelled, she looked at Bill and said, “I can tell that she loves you very much.” I was taken aback, since we still didn’t even know her name. But she said she could tell there is a lot of genuine love between us. I have to say, she’s right. My mother-in-law told Bill the same thing about me. It was kind of surreal, but it’s not unusual at all for us to have surreal moments when we travel. If you’ve been reading this blog, you probably already know that!
I don’t know what to make of the dark haired lady blurting out that she can see that I love Bill. I know that I sometimes have a tendency to blurt things out– sometimes it’s things that other people are thinking, but don’t want to say out loud. Sometimes the message goes over well; sometimes it doesn’t. But it does my heart good to know that people can see that for all my faults, I do genuinely love my husband very much and want the best for him. He’s the best thing that has ever happened to me, and together, we have been so blessed to be able to enjoy many wonderful adventures. If not for Bill, I could not share these stories.
So, we said our goodbyes to the lady, and wished her luck on her plan to reside in Switzerland. I hope things turn out the right way for her. I have a strange feeling we will run into her again. This isn’t a crazy notion, either. I have a habit of running into people… sometimes I bump into folks I haven’t seen in decades. I also have a habit of meeting people who know people I know. There have even been times when I’ve met people from other continents who know people I know. So, if we run into the dark haired lady again, I won’t be surprised at all. Maybe we’ll visit the Lindt Factory again and see her in the cafe, perhaps even as an employee!
After we said goodbye to the friendly waiter who had taken care of us at breakfast every day, Bill got the rest of our stuff from the room, while I did one last check to make sure we had everything. After a quick visit the to WC, we checked out of the Sonne Hotel and mounted up. A man with a slightly Germanic accent asked if we were leaving our prime parking spot. Bill answered affirmatively, and he quickly got in his fancy gas powered SUV so he could vacate the spot he was in. It was a spot for electric vehicles. It’s just as well we were leaving, as the restaurant is going to be closed at the hotel for a couple of weeks while they renovate.
The weather was still pretty crappy as we made our way out of Zürich. I took a few shots from the car, wishing we’d ventured deeper into the city. But I have a feeling we’ll be back soon. Bill has one more interview. Last night, he had a session with his analyst, and the analyst said, “It sounds like you’re in.” I will be shocked if he doesn’t get accepted.
Sorry about the quality of these pictures…
It was relatively smooth sailing leaving Switzerland, but once we got to Germany, the weather got rainier. There was also a lot of traffic, as it was a holiday weekend in Germany (German reunification day), and lots of people were returning home. There were also transportation strikes at the airports, which probably also affected traffic. The GPS kept adding time to our estimated arrival. I think we were originally supposed to get home at about 1:30 PM (without any stops). But thanks to traffic and a rather long lunch stop, we were on the road until about 4:30!
Below are a few photos from the road trip. When the GPS alerted us to a Stau, we stopped at a place called the Schwarzwald Stube and had lunch. It was surprisingly good, although the service was pretty slow. I was glad we hadn’t gone to the very crowded McDonald’s across the street. And bonus– they had a vending machine that was selling sex aids in the ladies room!
Five euros for your pleasure.I took a picture of this very classic yellow car/trailer. It looked very 1972.It’s hard to believe, but these stickers are apparently necessary.
Bill went to get Noyzi and Charlie. I wasn’t with him when he picked them up, but he said that Noyzi actually gave him a hug. He got on his hind legs and wrapped his forelegs around Bill’s waist. Charlie was running around all excited to see “dad” again. They were glad to go to the Birkenhof… and they were just as glad to come home.
So ends my commentary about our latest trip to Switzerland. Bill is going to go to Bavaria next week, and he’ll be gone for three weeks, so this blog may get a bit boring… or maybe not. It might be time for a few culture posts.
Anyway… I’ll try to wrap this up with my usual “ten things I learned” post, either today or tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Yesterday, after spending Saturday at home, working on chores and stuff, Bill and I decided to attend Wiesbaden’s City Fest. We mostly decided to go to the fest because the weather was sunny and somewhat warm. I remembered attending it in 2019, but thanks to COVID and trips out of Wiesbaden in the following years after 2019, we never got a chance to visit again.
Yesterday, the festival was very well attended, with lots and lots of crowds. It took awhile to find a parking spot, and Bill was very grateful he had cameras on the Volvo. But we got out and walked around the fest for awhile. The main part of it was over by Wiesbaden’s artificial lake, and it included many of the same exhibits I remembered from 2019.
They had goats, sheep, cows, and ponies giving pony rides. There were a couple of groups providing live entertainment, and plenty of food stands, although there weren’t many places to sit down. It was also wall to wall people, without the walls!
I got some photos, although my phone was about dead…
I remember these from the last time we went to this festival.
I have to admit, we didn’t stay very long at the City Fest, because there were so many people there that it was hard to walk freely. There was also a lot of shrieking! Many kids were freaking out! It was still nice to see the exhibits, smell the food, and enjoy the farm animals. We even saw a lady from our village there. She smiled and said hello. And I saw a charming scene, as two women were walking with an elderly lady on the sidewalk, only to be met by a gentleman, who took the place of one of the women and gallantly offered the elderly lady his arm. It was heartwarming to watch him help her to their car, which he had helpfully brought up from the parking garage for her.
Bill and I crossed the street as the strains to “You’re Gonna Miss My Loving” by Lou Rawls played for a fashion show, complete with runway/catwalk. It was then that I realized that it was a “shopping Sunday”, meaning that some stores were open for business. No wonder the city was so crowded.
In the Marktplatz, there were more food stalls and a big stage was set up for a band. Although there was more space there, it was still crowded and low on seating. I also noticed that in front of the Marktkirche, there was a huge hole excavated. I’m not sure what is going on there, but it looks like major construction that might mess up future festivals until it’s fixed.
We decided to have lunch at the Les Deux Messieurs, a chain French bakery/cafe near the Marktplatz. It was nice out, so we sat outside. I kind of regretted that after a few minutes, because it was chilly and breezy. We had the same problem the first time we dined there a few months. Nevertheless, we both had quiche– Atlantique for Bill, and Lorraine for me, with side salads and beer. And then for dessert, I had a chocolate eclair, and Bill had a chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream and berries. It was a nice lunch! Next time, I’ll bring a sweater.
After lunch, we decided to go home and hang out with the dogs. The French late lunch was enough to tide us over until this morning. I’m glad we went to the City Fest, and grateful to live in a place where these events take place, and they are reasonably safe and fun for the whole family, even if parking and seating are in short supply!
On Wednesday of this week, we’ll be packing up to go to Switzerland again. I’m looking forward to the change of scenery. Bill will be having two more interviews for the C.G. Jung Institute, as he tries to gain admission to the program. I’m pretty sure Bill is a shoo in for admittance to the Jung Institute, but I could be wrong. So I hope for the best… and you can expect that next week, I’ll be writing all about it!
This morning after breakfast, I wrote a book review. Then I took a three mile walk, thinking maybe I was going to end up in a different part of the city. I wound up by the river, and my ankle was hurting from all the walking I’ve done since Sunday. I decided to head back to the hotel. I sat in the lobby for about 45 minutes, figuring the housekeepers hadn’t had a chance to get to our room.
I was going to get a beer from the vending machine, but the machine only takes tokens and I mistyped my selection. I wound up with still water and M&Ms. When those were done, I went up to the room. It wasn’t done yet, so I dropped off my big camera and took a whiz. Then I went back down to the lobby and played with my iPad for another 45 minutes or so. I noticed that the cleaning cart was at the room across from ours, and its door was open, so I figured our turn might be soon.
I went back to the room at about 12:15 PM. It still wasn’t done, nor had they moved from the room across from us. I wondered if maybe someone threw up in there or something. I decided to look for lunch, but I really hate eating alone. I walked around the area near the hotel, logging another mile or so, bringing me up to four miles. Nothing seemed appealing, and no one was particularly welcoming. It was about 1:00 PM. I thought surely the room would be done.
Went back to the hotel… ordered a large lager, just in case they needed more time. Went to pay for it. Was told one of my 1000 Forints notes is no longer valid. It’s old currency. I made what I’m sure was a hideous face when the lady told me that. Fortunately, I had another 1000 note that is good in 2025. Gave her that to cover the 2173 Forint bill for my beer, and told her to keep the change. Drank the beer, feeling really pissy and wanting to go home.
Went back to the room, opened the door. It’s now 1:30 PM and it still wasn’t done. The housekeeper asked if I wanted her to do it. I asked how long would it take to get to it. She said in about ten minutes. I told her to just give me new towels and a roll of toilet paper. I don’t want to hang out in the fucking lobby for another 20-30 minutes.
I gotta say… I know it’s not their fault, and they work hard… and for the most part, this hotel has been okay. But I’m so glad I got to pick the next place we’re staying, when we go to Kusnacht, Switzerland next month. We’re going to stay in a hotel where people at the Jung Institute often go, and where Jung himself liked to drink beer. The funny thing is, when Bill and I were there in July, we stayed in Seefeld and he took the train to Kusnacht. This time, he has appointments in Seefeld, and we’re staying Kusnacht.
I do like Budapest, but I hate wandering around alone, like a refugee. And I hate eating in restaurants by myself.
Featured photo was one of a group of four little dogs near the Soviet War Memorial. I did get to see that today, before my ankle started to hurt. I really just wanted a shower and peace and quiet. Maybe I’ll get that now. Wonder why that room across from us took so fucking long…
We arrived yesterday morning, after a mostly smooth flight from Frankfurt. Bill is here on business, while I’m tagging along. So far, it’s been warm and crowded, but I did get some very nice photos of the Danube River last night, along with some shots of some of the sights.
At one point, an older couple randomly stopped in the street in front of the famous (and very beautiful) Parliament building and started tongue kissing. I blurted out, “Gawd! That was totally for us, and not for them…” Hello… it’s a government building! Why do you need to swap spit in front of it?
At another point, some obnoxious ass was peeling out in front of everyone with his car. I said, “Someone has a very small penis.” A passer by heard me say that and cracked up. By the way, it’s hard not to be overheard here. There are a lot of people in Budapest right now. Maybe that’s why the hotels were so expensive.
We had lunch and dinner, and are staying in a hotel that, frankly, I wouldn’t have booked. But when you’re staying places on the company dime, you don’t always get a choice. Anyway, Budapest is still a beautiful city. I expect I’ll experience some things… Eventually, I’ll go across the river and get some photos of the Parliament building from a distance. That will replace the one I took in 2009, with an inferior camera.
Anyway… it’s always nice to get away for a few days. We’ll be here until Saturday, so there will be more pictures and stories to come. And then, I will get to work on booking us a fabulous hotel in Zurich, because I get to tag along on Bill’s next trip there, too. That happens in early October.
It’s Labor Day weekend. In previous years, that meant going away for a short break. This year, we stayed home, because tomorrow, Bill has to fly to Lausanne, Switzerland for an overnight. He’s going to meet with one of the analysts at the C.G. Jung Institute as he progresses through the admissions process. Then, next Sunday, we will both be flying to Budapest, Hungary for several nights. Bill will be working, and I’ll be tagging along, looking for interesting photo ops.
We did a few things this weekend, though. On Friday night, we went to the wine stand. We talked to our American neighbors, a married lesbian couple with two children. One of the wives is a reservist in the military, though not posted here. The other is applying for German citizenship for herself and their children. The reservist is pursuing a doctorate in social work, so she was interested in hearing about Bill’s journey at the Jung Institute. She’s setting up a private practice for Americans and other English speakers here.
It stormed, so we sat under the tents and waited for it to pass. I couldn’t help but remember that in 2017, the awning from hell collapsed, and our former landlady accused me of negligence, because later that day, there was a storm. She claimed I was negligent for using the awning in a storm, which I hadn’t done… but obviously, it’s not uncommon for Germans to use awnings and tents when it storms. Yesterday was the anniversary of that sad event, which led to a lawsuit.
Saturday morning, I got up and went into the backyard to clean up dog poop and check the water bowls. I noticed one of the bowls was dirty. It wasn’t the first time. Then I saw a feather floating in the bowl and assumed that a bird has been using it as a bird bath. It occurred to me that maybe we should have a bird bath for the backyard. That would be a good excuse to get out of the house, anyway.
So we went to the hardware store– the one with the cool slide for kids. We searched the whole store, but they didn’t have any bird baths for sale. We also tried the Globus, which is a HUGE hypermarket. No luck there, either, although we did leave with a booze haul, Belgian beers, some groceries, and some really tasty snacks called Fonzies, which are like Parmesan flavored Cheetos. I’d say they’re superior.
Then last night, as I was sitting in the backyard, listening to music and drinking beer, I saw what appeared to be a female blackbird eating bugs. I assume she’s the one who keeps dirtying the dog’s water bowl. I put two out there, and they really only use the one on the right. The bird uses the one on the left. I am still looking for a bird bath, but maybe I shouldn’t bother. It’s going to be winter soon enough. I got some pictures of her. Looks like she was eating the bugs on Bill’s tomato and pepper plants. They say blackbirds don’t eat aphids, though… Maybe that’s not a female blackbird, after all.
As I was taking photos, the song “Maneater” by Hall & Oates came on. I changed the lyrics to “Bug eater.”
And then this morning, after being repeatedly pawed by Charlie, Bill got up and made breakfast. The biscuits turned out perfectly. So did the grits. I’m so blessed to be married to a man who knows his way around comfort food. He has really perfected making perfect biscuits. It’s not as easy as it seems!
I’m not sure what we’ll do today. Bill just asked if I want to go out. There is a wine fest going on in Mainz that we could attend. Do I want to go? I don’t know… The Mais Labyrinth is also going on, and we passed it on the way home from the store, but after we went to Globus, we were too tired to consider visiting. I always feel drained after going to Globus. It’s a HUGE store. But it was cool to watch the ladies making the melon displays as we passed. They take melons and turn them into people or animals or other decorations. Quite an impressive skill!
Anyway, that’s about all I have to write about for now. If we end up going out, I’ll update.
It’s time once again for a “ten things I learned” post, which I write for every travel series. Since we went to Zürich in 2021, and I probably wrote a “ten things I learned” post for that series, I’m differentiating this one with the year 2025. Some people like these lists of random tidbits from my travels. They are kind of a nice way to sum things up…
Here goes!
10. Small children in Switzerland are either encouraged or required to wear special safety vests. When I was in Zürich, I noticed a lot of little kids in groups wearing orange vests or “harnesses” (for lack of a better word) in florescent colors. I read that the vests are required for kids on bikes, and I got the sense they were probably required for the youngest children. I’m sure it makes sense to many, but I have a feeling I would have hated being forced to wear them when I was little.
9. You can swim for free at Lake Zürich. Before we went to Zürich this time, I thought I’d have to go to a beach and pay admission to enjoy the lake. That isn’t so, at least at this writing. I saw many people jumping into the lake wherever, and just enjoying themselves in the hot, sunny weather. I wish I’d had a chance to do it myself.
8. The Lake Zürich cruise is a good deal. We got 4.5 hours on a very nice vessel with facilities for about 85 francs, or so. That gave me plenty of time to take photos and enjoy the lake, with access to a restroom. It would have been even less expensive if we’d gone second class, and it would have been even easier to get to the potty! Then afterwards, the pass is good for the rest of the public transport system in Switzerland.
7. Wegglis are life.
Seriously. I love the way the Swiss make their breakfast breads. I thought I loved Brötlis, which we discovered when we were in Basel in January, but I love Wegglis every bit as much. I wish I could find them in Germany, made the same way.
6. Rapperswil is a very cute looking town on the lake. I had not heard of the little hamlet of Rapperswil before we passed it on our lake cruise. It really is a charming looking place that I want to explore at some point. I’m going to have to read up on it, especially if Bill decides to study formally at the Jung Institute.
5. The C.G. Jung Institute is on rented land. I wouldn’t have expected such a famous institution not to have its own grounds, but we learned that the facility is owned by someone other than the Institute itself. I don’t know what they’re paying every month, but they sure couldn’t have beaten the location. It’s stunning!
4. Studying at the Jung Institute is surprisingly user friendly. Bill wasn’t sure he’d be able to manage studying at the Institute, but thanks to the pandemic, the school is even more user friendly than it used to be. Distance education is definitely doable.
3. Jetfoils are all the rage! I had never seen a jetfoil before we visited Zürich this time, but I saw so many people on the lake riding the things. It looked like a lot of fun– for people who are very fit, that is…
2. Sometimes weird things happen, even in famously orderly places like Switzerland… See my story about the guy who serenaded us at dinner, and then how another guy from Israel stopped to tell us about his Army service and life as an entertainer in Zürich.
And 1. The Botanical Garden at the University of Zürich is a worth a stop… If you need some time among beautifully tended plants, you can go to this oasis free of charge and wander around among the flora. It was time well spent for me, and educational, too!
I’m sure I learned other things while we were in Switzerland. I didn’t make a real effort to try to learn things, as it was too hot to go to a lot of museums and such. But I’ve learned that one can often pick up new information simply by being in a place and observing. And that’s what I did while Bill was learning about Jungian psychology. True, there were times during our visit when I wished I was at home, but I also realize how very lucky I was to be able to go to Switzerland and soak up the atmosphere. There must have been a reason for it, other than keeping Bill company. So, I’m glad I went! At the very least, I got some really gorgeous pictures of the lake, and got to eat some delicious Swiss breads (not that I needed to be doing that!).
I don’t know when or where our next trip will be, but I’m sure we’ll go somewhere soon. At the very least, I really need to go see my dentist in Stuttgart. So watch this space for more travel stories in Europe!
You must be logged in to post a comment.