Older and wiser in Die Schweiz… (part three)

Featured photo is one I took in Bern on my birthday.

Now it’s time to get down to the business of actual travel. We decided to use trains on this trip to Switzerland. The main reason we decided on train travel is because it’s convenient, especially for our destinations.

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that both of our hotels are within a few minutes’ walk from train stations. While it not feel like they’re that close when you pack as much as I do, they are actually super easy to access. Train travel means not having to deal with traffic, or expensive parking. And it also means Bill can do this…

Bill bought us first class tickets from Frankfurt Airport to Bern. Then he bought first class tickets from Bern to Küsnacht. Finally, we have first class tickets from Küsnacht to Frankfurt Airport. We took a cab to the train station from our house, and we’ll take another cab home on Saturday.

The trains going to and from Switzerland are Deutsche Bahn, while the train between Swiss destinations was SBB (Swiss Federal Railways). This is an important note, given what happened on the way to Bern. I’ll explain that down post.

On Friday, June 19th, we headed to the Frankfurt Airport train station. Our cab driver showed up in a Tesla, and we had to figure out how to open the door. We were a bit early, and I had a headache that turned out to be because I was hungry. We stopped by Burger King, where we saw a man who was the spitting image of our village’s manager. I don’t know if it was him, but it sure looked like him… or maybe his long lost twin! We also saw the cab driver in there!

Below are a few photos from on the platform… It was a hot day!

We managed to get two seats next to each other, going in the correct direction of travel. As I sat down in my first class seat, I realized how much more comfortable train travel is than most airplane travel. We had plenty of legroom, a large window, and a tray table that didn’t poke me in the beer gut.

One thing I didn’t like about our trip down to Bern was the noise in the train car. I like to sit in the quiet cars, but I guess we got one where it was okay to use one’s cellphone. A group of loud French speaking men were on their phones almost the entire four hour trip to Bern. We were also a little bit delayed, on account of something that happened before Bill and I boarded.

I noticed the air in the train was a little stinky. It smelled a little like halitosis. Maybe it was from all of the people talking so loudly. Anyway, I tried not to let it make me grumpy. The beer definitely helped.

*This is an Erdinger beer. Our ex landlady was from Erding. I like the beer a whole lot more than I liked her.*

By the time we got to Basel, Switzerland, we were about eleven minutes late. The Zoll (border patrol) guys came on, got one look at us Euro-looking Americans, and walked on by.

I think the train drivers changed, too, because I noticed a different voice on the intercom. He spoke perfect German, French, and English. And he made a point of telling everyone that we were delayed because of an incident that had occurred in GERMANY. 🤭 The way the driver said it was funny. It was like he was disgusted that we were eleven minutes delayed. I noticed that he also encouraged people with connecting trains to hurry, because the trains were waiting for them. The Swiss take punctuality VERY seriously, especially when it comes to public transportation.

I noticed after we got going in Basel, the train driver started to really haul ass. We we were going noticeably faster, and Bill and I were, at that point, riding backwards. Fortunately, we only had to do that for a short time. Bern isn’t all that far from Basel.

When we arrived in Basel, it was almost 6:00 PM. Rain was falling, and the driver had made up about five minutes of the delay. I noticed the beautiful Aare River, as the train pulled into the busy station. We got off the train and followed the crowd… and wound up exiting the station on the wrong side, which meant we had to walk the long way to the Schweizerhof Hotel.

I also didn’t know that from June 19-21, there was a Stadt Fest going on in Bern. The city was teeming with people, and there were DJs everywhere, blasting music. Although I usually enjoy a good city party, I was kind of hoping for quiet after listening to French business calls for four hours. Nevertheless, we made our way to the hotel, where we were welcomed by a lovely young lady named Lavina, who checked us in and gave us access to Room 516.

I booked a junior suite, which came with two bathrooms. They actually came in handy for Bill.

The bathtub in our suite was pretty fancy. It even had a TV mounted into the wall, and a remote control. We didn’t use it, but I was kind of impressed, nonetheless. The hotel left us bottled water and two green apples, which later came in handy in Küsnacht.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, the hotel is a rare property in Switzerland with air conditioning. And unfortunately, the room had chandeliers that we couldn’t turn off, if we wanted to use the lamps. I don’t like overhead lighting, especially when it’s really bright. But we were only there for two nights, so it was no big deal. Naturally, there was also a well stocked minibar, but there was enough room in it to store the lovely chocolate mousse birthday cake I got at our first breakfast.

Below are a few shots of the “party” going on in Bern on June 19th…

Since it was evening when we arrived, we changed clothes and headed out to our first dinner reservation. It was a chain steakhouse called Williams ButchersTable. Bill picked this location before we left Germany, and I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if not for a few things.

There was a huge DJ setup outside of the restaurant, blaring music so loud we could barely hear each other.
The chairs were not very comfortable, and wouldn’t have been, even if I had a smaller ass.
The restaurant is also a “Metzgerei”, and one of the gimmicks they have is that you go to a meat counter and choose what you want. I felt uncomfortable standing behind a group of several men, picking out their cuts of meat. It was crowded and awkward, and I eventually told Bill to just pick something for me.
I had been eating leftover steak all week, prior to our arrival, and was really sick of red meat.

I know I shouldn’t complain, though. I am very fortunate that we were able to go to such a restaurant for dinner. I probably would have liked it a lot more if not for the loud music outside. I did lighten up a bit as we drank some nice Chianti Classico. And I have to admit, the steaks were good. I also had a dry baked potato, because I prefer potatoes with butter, rather than sour cream. Below are a few photos of the restaurant and food we enjoyed. Bill and I both had Swiss steaks, but his had cheese on it. He also had truffle fries instead of a baked potato. This restaurant does have vegetarian options, but you have to request them. They aren’t listed on the menu.

By the time we finished dinner, we were in a slightly better mood. The music had switched to 70s and 80s dance music, and I was enjoying watching the white people dance. Also, a lot of people were ordering bone marrow, which is apparently a popular specialty at Williams ButchersTable. I watched people holding a big bone to their lips as the wait staff poured vodka down the middle.

We ordered dessert. Bill had stracciatella tiramisu, and I had Ovo Mousse, which turned out to be mousse made from Ovaltine! I used to drink Ovaltine when I was a kid, but it was introduced to me by a former friend of mine. My mom didn’t buy it for me until I tried it at my friend’s house. I guess Ovaltine is popular in Switzerland. I did enjoy the malted dessert made with it!

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel. We were both kind of tired and cranky. On the way back, I took more photos of the rowdy crowds! All kinds of people were there… including what some might call “Jesus Freaks”. Check out their signs!

*These people were holding up signs about Jesus.*

We were ready for bed, but the rest of Bern wasn’t. The windows in our room were not quite a match for the loud, pulsating music. It went on until the wee hours of the morning. I looked up the schedule of events, and I noticed that something was planned until 5:00 AM! We were told this is NOT the norm for Bern, so we’ll have to visit again on a less rowdy weekend.

Fortunately, I had Advil PM, which helped me doze off at some point… I needed to rest up for my birthday, which I will write about in the next post!

Education, Luxury

Older and wiser in Die Schweiz… (part two)

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.

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…

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.

C.G. Jung, Celebrations, Education

Older and wiser in Die Schweiz… (part one)

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!

adventure, short breaks

Bernese Birthday…

Featured photo is of the little chocolate mousse cake I was presented at breakfast this morning!

We are here in Bern, Switzerland until tomorrow. We happened to get here just in time for the Bern Stadt Fest (city fest), which is a city wide party. Last night, there were huge sound systems and DJs in the streets, blaring pulsating music until the wee hours of the morning. My German friend tells me that Bern is otherwise pretty “sleepy.”

It made me a little grumpy last night, because after the four hour train ride, I was ready for quiet. But now that I’ve had some time to rest, I’m kind of delighted that there’s a city wide party going on today. It’s my birthday, after all!

I think we’ll take a long walk today and see what’s in Bern. Then tomorrow, we’ll head to somewhat quieter Küsnacht for six more nights.

I’ll try to lighten up… in more ways than one!

Health, laws, Military, Rheinland-Pfalz

Optimizing the Ramstein optometry option…

Featured photo is the logo for the optometry clinic at Ramstein Air Force Base.

About a month ago, Bill and I visited Ramstein Air Force Base, so I could get an eye test done for my Texas driver’s license renewal. That visit happened on a day when the only staff member working was an American woman who was an ICU nurse in a prior life. I managed to pass the eye test, but it was a struggle. She really stressed me out, and when I was done with that ordeal, I felt like I needed a drink.

One thing that happened during that visit was that the lady set me up for an over 50 eye exam. Today, that exam happened. Bill and I got up early, ate breakfast, walked the dogs, and made our way back to Ramstein, which is about a 90 minute drive from our home in Wiesbaden. As freaked out as I felt last month, I owe that lady a debt of gratitude. She really did me a favor. She gave me an appointment two days before they opened up appointments. If she hadn’t, I might have been out of luck!

I was impressed when we went through the gate. A sharp looking young man, Bill said he was a senior airman, checked our IDs and smiled as he saluted Bill. I took it as a good sign when he welcomed up to Ramstein. It was nice to see a servicemember on gate duty, instead of a security guard. He was very professional, and actually seemed to enjoy the job.

When we parked the car, I realized I needed to pee. So we headed to the restrooms, only to find them blocked off for cleaning. We knew there were bathrooms near the optometry clinic, so we headed for those. Again, blocked. I was annoyed, because people have to pee, and we had an appointment to make. Luckily, Bill found a restroom for employees that was open and unguarded. I ducked in there and whizzed, and we went to the optometry clinic.

*Oh, come on. Why clean all of the toilets at the same time? People have to PEE!*

After a welcome, I was handed paperwork to fill out, and a nice lady with turquoise colored feather earrings invited me to get some initial screening done. I was a little nervous, because healthcare folks often tend to scold me, and that gets me upset. But this lady was really cool and friendly, so I was at ease. And then I met the optometrist, who is, unfortunately retiring at the end of the month.

The optometrist was quite nice, and I enjoyed talking to him. He’s an American from Ohio, married to a German woman, has German kids, and plans to stay here after he takes one last trip home. He gave my eyes a thorough look-see, and informed me that I don’t have macular degeneration or cataracts (yet).

Then, I got my eyes dilated, and he looked closer at the dark spot in the back of my eye. I had been told by an eye doctor in Texas that it was a freckle, but the eye doctor today said it was a CHRPE— (chirpie). He tried to get a picture of it, but their camera apparently couldn’t capture it because of its location. The doctor also said the camera isn’t very good, which doesn’t surprise me, since we were at AAFES.

The doc said he likes living in Germany and plans to retire here. We were both talking about how we enjoy living in Europe. I added that I despise Trump, and he concurred. I almost wore my “Is he dead yet?” t-shirt today, but decided it might not be a good idea, given the people who frequent Ramstein. The eye doc also said that in Germany, there are opticians and medical eye doctors/surgeons. They don’t seem to use optometrists, as we do in the United States.

I got new prescriptions for contact lenses and glasses. It turns out that for all the drama the lady last month stirred up, my prescription didn’t change that much. I opted for the multifocal lenses, because they allow me to read, even though my vision isn’t as sharp as it is when I wear toric lenses. The doc also said I didn’t have to get bifocals unless I want them, since I rarely wear my glasses. I’m not sure if I’ll get them, anyway.

The visit was $288, which wasn’t bad at all, given all they did. My eyes are finally about normal again, hours later. But when we went to lunch at Romano’s Macaroni Grill (an American Italian restaurant chain with a location on base), I couldn’t read the menu. Bill had to read it for me.

It was kind of weird eating at Macaroni Grill. It reminded me of being back home. But I settled on seafood ravioli, and Bill had Cacio e Pepe Pasta, which was basically Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and black pepper. My ravioli was stuffed with “seafood” and came with shrimp and tomatoes. It wasn’t the best Italian food I’ve ever had, but it tasted okay and filled us up for the drive home.

*You can see where Bill got a mark on his head this week. He had a coughing fit that caused him to collapse for a second. He hit his head on the carpet and got a rug burn.*

The waitress was okay, although I noticed she sat down with the two guys at the table ahead of ours while dealing with them. That’s behavior I’ve noticed in casual American restaurants. I enjoyed a glass of white wine and some San Pellegrino. We decided that was enough for us and came home. First, we stopped by that cool Italian store in the AAFES mall, and picked up some more Italian goodies.

*More pasta, wine, and cheese! A different lady helped us today, but she was also Italian.*

I’m really glad that’s over now, although the appointment went surprisingly well. I actually enjoyed the staff at the optometry clinic. I hope they find a new doctor, so the ladies working there won’t have to go work at the BX/PX, or wherever AAFES “needs” them. The lady I dealt with today was surprisingly knowledgeable. I heard her on the phone with someone who apparently got new contacts to correct astigmatism and needed some advice on getting used to them. She really handled that person professionally. Her talents shouldn’t be wasted straightening clothes or stocking personal hygiene items.

Aside from that, American people over here with the military need to be able to see a US licensed optometrist, so they can renew their driver’s licenses. The Trump regime has made it a lot more challenging than it once was, and now people have to go get their eyes checked, rather than just take a simple test.

It’s illegal for Americans to drive with expired US based driver’s licenses if they are here on SOFA status. A lot of people do it, but it’s technically unlawful, and can result in troubles. I remember back in 2015, German cops were busting Americans with expired licenses, and it caused a huge amount of ass pain for Americans. They eventually straightened everything out, but ever since that issue, I’ve not wanted to risk having an expired license.

My new license has since arrived, and is good until 2034. By then, who knows where we’ll be? It was actually lucky that mine needed replacement now, and I was able to get it done before the optometrist’s last day. Otherwise, we might have been shit out of luck. I’m also glad we did this today, instead of last week, when I was pretty sick with a cold.

Anyway, that’s done now. We are mostly over our colds, too, except for an annoying cough. Next week, we head off to Bern, Switzerland, for my birthday, and then onward to the Jung Institute in Küsnacht, so Bill can take his psychoanalysis classes. The travel blog will soon come to life with actual travel content, so watch this space!

German lifestyle, Health, Hessen

Sickness from Spain, and a sudden death in our kitchen…

Featured photo is a screenshot of the ad for the fridge I bought in September 2014, when we first moved back to Germany. At the time, we didn’t have much money, but we needed a fridge of our own, because our house only had a really shitty dorm sized fridge in it. Now that we live in Wiesbaden, that fridge is coming in handy, as the one that came with the kitchen has finally died on us… Meanwhile, Bill and I are both sick.

Bill got back from Spain a week ago. He brought with him a vile respiratory virus, which he has now shared with me. I’m assuming we have the same sickness, anyway, because I haven’t been around anyone else who would have been able to pass it to me.

I have noticed that Bill and I have different symptoms. His are more like a sinus infection. Mine is just annoying crud in my lungs that makes me cough and gives me a sore throat and scratchy voice. He probably picked up the virus on the plane, although he might have gotten it at the conference, which had about 300 people from different countries in attendance.

This is one of the drawbacks of Bill’s job. He travels a lot, and he goes to different countries, where he mingles with all sorts of people. Then, he brings home viruses to me, and I get sick, even though I rarely interact with people in person anymore. It’s a real drag, because I always seem to get these things on weekends and holidays.

I remember when Bill worked in Stuttgart, he often went to African countries. More than once, he brought back really nasty sicknesses that he passed on to me. This virus that I have now doesn’t seem quite as gross as some of the African ones I’ve experienced, but it’s never fun to be sick… especially in the summer!

Last night, I felt so icky that we decided to skip the wine stand. I do enjoy going to the wine stands, but I don’t want to spread this yucky illness to my neighbors– especially the elderly ones who tend to go to the wine stands.

Also, we’re not all that popular, so I didn’t want to feel physically bad, while ignoring the side eyes from the folks who are tired of Americans in Germany. 😏 I’m being slightly facetious, of course. Most people in this neighborhood are nice, and we’ve been here long enough that they know we aren’t troublemakers. But I can tell that some would like it if we left. As it is, we will also miss the next wine stand, because it’s happening while we will be traveling.

Luckily, our landlord is not among those who hope to see us go. In fact, he’s really been great.

Here is a case in point. Last night, we had a mishap with the landlord’s refrigerator. After dinner, I went to put the butter back in the fridge, and the light went out. A few seconds later, I realized that the damn thing had just died. I told Bill he needed to go tell the landlord, because we definitely need a working refrigerator!

Bill was reluctant to bother the landlord, since it was a Friday night. I insisted that he should let him know, because the sooner he knows, the sooner the problem can be fixed.

So Bill went over to tell the landlord. He spoke in broken German, and apologized profusely that he was bothering him on a Friday night. The landlord and his wife (who actually owns the house, because it was built by her brother), were very kind, understanding, and welcoming. In fact, the wife, who speaks less English than her husband does, even figured out the problem first. She said, “Der Kuhlschrank ist kaput!” (or maybe she said it was “tot”).

The fridge in our current home is definitely much nicer than the dorm style fridge our former landlady had in her house. However, the fridge in this house was old when we moved here in late November 2018. It’s also installed in a cabinet, which means that it’s not as easy to replace as a freestanding fridge is.

Anyway, the landlord said he would come over today and measure the space for a new fridge. He’s been really great about replacing appliances when they break. A couple of years ago, he got us a new dishwasher and a new garage door opener. He also put in a new shower head for us, which was really a nice upgrade.

Bill moved all of our refrigerated stuff to the fridge we own. He said the ice cream had already gone soft, so I guess the death wasn’t as sudden as it had initially seemed.

It’s actually kind of a blessing that all of this is happening this weekend. Next weekend, we have to go see the eye doctor at Ramstein, so I can update my prescriptions for glasses and contacts. I definitely don’t want to be sick for that.

The weekend after that is my birthday, and we are going to Bern, Switzerland for two nights to celebrate. Then we will move onward to Küsnacht, so Bill can attend courses during the summer session at the Jung Institute.

Also, the landlord said that he and his wife have been in Munich, not for a vacation, but because she’s having hip replacement surgery. In a couple of weeks, they will be going back to Munich for a month. So… it’s fortuitous that the fridge gave up the ghost now, so it can be replaced before they go away.

Meanwhile, I am so glad I bought that spare refrigerator back in September 2014… the one the ex landlady accused us of stealing. We bought it because the existing dorm sized fridge, which she later claimed we had “dumped” on her, wasn’t going to serve our needs adequately. Fortunately, I had a photo that I took on the day we moved in, which proved it was there when we took possession of her house. I now wish I’d bought a bigger fridge. I hesitate to replace the one I bought now, because who knows how much longer we’re going to be living here…

Sigh… one of the many challenges of contracting life in Europe, especially during the Trump era. Hopefully, I’ll feel better today, and the whole weekend won’t be ruined. I actually do feel better than I did when I woke up this morning. We’ll see if it lasts.

blog news, German lifestyle, Hessen, holidays

Winter can scram now, bitte!

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. 😆

Hessen, rants

MLK weekend 2026… hunkered down in Hessen…

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.

Eastern Europe, Hungary, Lithuania, Türkiye

2025 was an interesting travel year…

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

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

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

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

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

Basel, Switzerland— January 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Vilnius, Lithuania— June 2025

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

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

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

4. Zürich, Switzerland— June/July 2025

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

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

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

5. Budapest, Hungary— September 2025

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

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

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

6. Küsnacht, Switzerland— October 2025

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

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

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

6. Istanbul (Maslak), Türkiye— November 2025

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

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

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

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

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

C.G. Jung, short breaks

Ten things I learned in Küsnacht…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. Sometimes being a go-getter pays off!

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

6. Küsnacht is relatively peaceful.

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

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

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

4. Falken is currently my favorite restaurant in Küsnacht.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for reading!

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: Switzerland