Tag Archives: Switzerland

C.G. Jung, short breaks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sorry about the quality of these pictures…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Standard
Hessen, Sundays

Wiesbaden City Fest 2025…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Standard
Eastern Europe, Hungary

A rather exasperating day in Budapest so far…

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…

Standard
Eastern Europe, Hungary

Hello from Hungary…

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.

Standard
Hessen, holidays

Bird baths, bug eaters, and lots of beer…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Standard
adventure, Education

Ten things I learned in Zürich, 2025…

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

Here goes!

10. Small children in Switzerland are either encouraged or required to wear special safety vests.

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

9. You can swim for free at Lake Zürich.

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

8. The Lake Zürich cruise is a good deal.

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

7. Wegglis are life.

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

6. Rapperswil is a very cute looking town on the lake.

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

5. The C.G. Jung Institute is on rented land.

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

4. Studying at the Jung Institute is surprisingly user friendly.

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

3. Jetfoils are all the rage!

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

2. Sometimes weird things happen, even in famously orderly places like Switzerland…

See my story about the guy who serenaded us at dinner, and then how another guy from Israel stopped to tell us about his Army service and life as an entertainer in Zürich.

And 1. The Botanical Garden at the University of Zürich is a worth a stop…

If you need some time among beautifully tended plants, you can go to this oasis free of charge and wander around among the flora. It was time well spent for me, and educational, too!

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

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

Standard
adventure, C.G. Jung, Education

Swiss Studies… Going home (part nine)

Early Sunday morning, Bill and I got up, had one last lovely Swiss bakery breakfast, and packed everything in the Volvo. It was kind of nervewracking, because the car was behind a locked gate, and there was a car parked behind it all week. I later found out, once we got back to Germany, that the proprietors had sent me a SMS message on my phone. I didn’t get it, though, because I was using a Swiss eSim card. Switzerland is not in the EU, so if I don’t use an eSim, my German cell service quickly maxes out on roaming.

Bill had already arranged with the proprietors as to when we were going to leave. I was definitely ready to go, although I can’t deny that we had a great time in Switzerland. Again, every time I go there, I like it slightly more. I’ve finally started to notice its charm, which wasn’t obvious the first time I went there. I mean, it truly IS a beautiful country, and interesting because there are four official languages. But for some reason, I just felt like there was no “soul” there. Having visited a few more times, I realized that the Swiss actually do have soul… they just hide it better than the French and Italians.

We were out of the apartment by about 8:30 AM or so, and we anticipated an easy trip back to Wiesbaden. But first, we had to get out of Zürich, which turned out to be more difficult than we anticipated. We did not go out of the city in the same way we came in, which was probably a smart idea, since the way we came in was very busy. But, the alternative route was also problematic, because parts of it were closed. Bill surmised maybe there was another bike or running race going on. I didn’t see evidence of that, but we did have to find our way out. The GPS wasn’t helpful, so I told Bill to just keep heading north, and eventually we’d find our way out of the city. I turned out to be right.

On the way out of Switzerland.

The drive home was pretty uneventful after that, although we did stop at a very crowded McDonald’s near Heidelberg. I wouldn’t necessarily choose McDonald’s for lunch, but it was convenient, and it was also near an erotic store.

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

The weather in Germany was overcast and kind of “blah”, which is typical. Switzerland was much sunnier and warmer, although I heard that it was hot in Germany, too. My ankles were very swollen, which now happens when it gets hot. One of the many joys of being in my 50s. /sarcasm

Once we got home, we did the usual unpacking and restarting everything. Bill picked up the dogs at 6:00 PM, and they were happy to be home. I made plans to write this series, which has now come to an end.

Overall, we both enjoyed this trip to Zürich. It really is a nice city with a lot to offer. For so many years, we avoided it, because it was close to where we lived. When Bill decided to investigate the Jung Institute, it became much more interesting. I’d still like to visit other Swiss cities, particularly Lausanne and Bern. And maybe it would be fun to spend some time near Lucerne, which isn’t far from Zürich. God willing, we’ll get our chance.

I also want to mention, the proprietors of the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt were very nice! They repeatedly thanked us for leaving the apartment in such a “tidy condition.” So… I guess we aren’t dirtbag tenants after all, ex landlady. 😉

Anyway… if you’ve been following this series, and I know a few of you have faithfully checked in every day, I thank you very much for reading. I have one last post to write for Switzerland– my usual “ten things I learned.” And I did, in fact, learn new things on this trip. So watch this space for that post, which could be posted here today or tomorrow. We’ll see.

Standard
adventure, C.G. Jung, Education

Swiss Studies… The big finale– cruising on Lake Zürich! (part eight)

Saturday came at long last. I can’t say I wasn’t happy about it. Bill finished his time at the C.G. Jung Institute, and we had one last day to enjoy Zürich together. If you’ve been following this series, it should come as no surprise to you that we chose to spend our last day on the lake. But, instead of swimming, which is what I thought we might do, we decided to take a 4.5 hour cruise around the lake on a very nice boat.

This isn’t the first time Bill and I have done a lake cruise. Back in 2008, we visited Thun, Switzerland, and bought boat tickets that allowed us to cruise Lake Thun. I think, back then, we got second class tickets. We were broke back then. In 2021, we used the lake “taxi” to get from downtown Zürich to Küsnacht, so we could visit the C.G. Jung Haus/museum. We’ve done lots of river cruises, too, though we’ve never done one that last longer than an hour or so.

I enjoy lake cruises, because they offer the chance to take pictures from different vantage points, and because they’re relaxing. You can sit there with a beer and just enjoy the scenery. Maybe you might have lunch, too, which is what Bill and I did.

We took the tram to the opera house, then walked along the lake and over a bridge to the ticket office. I think, for the two of us, first class tickets were about 43 euros each. They covered the 4.5 hour cruise, as well as the tram ride back to the apartment. If we’d wanted to, we could have used that pass to pay for any public transportation until 5:00 AM Sunday!

Below are some pictures I took on the way to the dock…

The opera house…

Our cruise left at about 11:00 AM. It was perfect, since we’d be on the boat at lunchtime, and that would mean we wouldn’t have to hunt for anything before boarding. The ship was very nice, and included a full restaurant and toilet facilities. On the first class deck, there were many chairs to sit on, while I noticed benches on the second class deck. To be honest, I think the benches were probably more comfortable. The benches were flat, rather than molded and tilted. The chairs were kind of hard and at sort of a weird angle.

We were able to find a table next to the side of the boat, which allowed for easy photography. On both levels, there’s an indoor area for people to sit and have a meal. We had perfect weather, so most people were sitting outside. One guy even wore Lederhosen, but he was also speaking German. However, it didn’t look like he was wearing authentic Lederhosen.

A big, beautiful boat…

I was pleased to see that the menu on the ship had dishes that were priced much like the land based restaurants are, even though they had a “captive audience.” There were salads, fish dishes, meat dishes, and snacks available, and a full bar. They also had specials. Bill opted for a Caesar salad with chicken and bacon, and I had the roasted chicken special with potatoes. Naturally, there was wine and water, too…

We saw lots of boats on the water, everything from little pedal boats to big vessels.

Yes, dogs are allowed on the boat, too!

Our cruise took us all the way to the extreme southern end of the lake, which is where the charming, car free, lake side municipality of Rapperswil is. We didn’t get off the boat there, but I can definitely see us exploring it at a later date. It has a castle, restaurants, little hotels, and lots of Swiss charm. Rapperswil is known as the “town of roses” on Lake Zürich. It really is a pretty little hamlet. Of course, we also passed people sunning themselves on beaches, a small fest, and what appeared to be a nature preserve, where people could hike in the forest and then cool off by the lake. It took about two hours to get to Rapperswil from Zürich, and then another two hours to get back to the dock, where we started our trip.

We got off the cruise at about 3:00 PM. Bill decided to go ask the ticket folks if our tickets for the boat also covered the trams. While he was in line, a group of Aussies approached me and said they loved my “Trump Sucks” t-shirt, which I decided to wear on the cruise. We had a moment of levity and solidarity, as we expressed our mutual disgust for Donald Trump. And this week, it’s gotten even worse, and more apparent that indeed, Trump really does suck on multiple levels.

Ordinarily, I might not feel like I should wear such a provocative t-shirt in public. I probably wouldn’t dare do it in Texas, where a lot of MAGA Republican nutjobs live, and one might decide to off me with one of their high powered weapons. But here in Europe, the t-shirt appears to be a hit. I also wore it yesterday, while walking Noyzi and Charlie, and noticed big smiles from my neighbors. When I told my mom that I had that shirt, she groaned, but I told her that Europeans seem to be relieved when an American tells them they aren’t Trump supporters. He’s definitely NOT popular over here. I will confess, though, that I wondered if it was a good idea to wear the shirt. Again, it was one of the less sweaty ones I had with me on this trip. I got a few more photos on the way back to the apartment.

We had plans to light out of Zürich early on Sunday, so we spent a quiet evening in the apartment, packing everything up, and eating leftovers. I had a great time visiting Switzerland’s largest city, but it was time to go home and see my dogs, wash my clothes, and get back to my regular routine. However, if Bill plays his cards right, and things go according to plan, it’s possible that Zürich will soon become a very familiar place to us. And that’s kind of crazy to me, because when we lived in the Stuttgart area, it was only about a 90 minute drive from where we resided, and we never visited, even once! And now that we’re about four hours away, it could become more familiar…

But, of course, a lot depends on what happens in the next year… I guess we’ll just have to stay tuned for that.

The last post will be a short one about our drive home. Watch this space!

Standard
adventure, C.G. Jung, Education, Gardens

Swiss Studies… Botanical bliss in Zürich! (part five)

On Wednesday morning, I knew I had to get out of the apartment so it could be cleaned. I was getting tired of going to the lake, so I decided to seek out a different venue. The proprietors at the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt had mentioned that the University of Zürich’s botanical gardens are very close to their facility. I looked it up online and found that the gardens were about a ten minute walk from the apartment. A bonus was that I could also visit Patumbah Park, which is just across the street from the side entrance to the gardens.

After breakfast, Bill and I said goodbye. He headed off to his class, and I got dressed and walked to the gardens, which was a brief, pleasant walk through a residential neighborhood and past what appeared to be a (very nice) elementary school. Then I found Patumbah Park, which was not very big, but did offer lots of shade and a beautiful villa to admire as I walked past the grounds.

I didn’t spend a lot of time in the park, which offered lots of shady trees and benches for sitting and contemplating life. Maybe I should have taken a few minutes to enjoy Patumbah Park, which dates from the end of the 19th century. From the city’s official Web site:

The builder, Karl Fürchtegott Grob (1830–1893), had become enormously wealthy as a tobacco plantation owner on Sumatra. He gave his villa the evocative name “Patumbah,” an old term that describes a place where one feels at home—roughly meaning “room for everything” or “open house.”

I was focused on seeing flora, though, so I passed through the park quickly, and soon found a gate that led to the gardens. There were two office chairs near the open gate, but no cashier’s booth. The gardens are free of charge to visit and fully open to the public. I noticed some people walking through who seemed to be treating like any open space. It could have been a shortcut home for them, for all I know.

I saw lots of small children wearing these.

It was hot and sunny in Zürich last Wednesday, but lots of people were at the gardens, including a group of small Swiss kids. One thing I noticed when we were visiting Zürich is that a lot of very young children wear little bright orange or yellow safety vests. I saw several groups of little kids wearing them and sometimes holding handles attached to a rope to keep them all together in a group. I also noticed that every group of little kids I saw was tended by at least two adults.

I looked up the safety vests and learned that in some parts of Switzerland, small children are apparently required or maybe just encouraged to wear the vests. They seemed okay with wearing the vests. I think I would have hated that, when I was a child. But then, I hated wearing seatbelts for many years. 😉 Swiss children are notoriously independent in many ways. Even when they’re very small, they are encouraged to walk to school by themselves or in groups. It’s the same in Germany and, in fact, it was that way for me in the United States when I was living close enough to a school to walk.

Anyway, I don’t have much to say about the gardens, other than that they were very beautiful and well tended, and I especially enjoyed going into the “domes”, which are artificially created habitats for different plants… Below are some photos:

There was also an interesting exhibit about traditional herbal medicine methods used in medicine in Uganda. It was presented in German and English. I enjoyed it because it spoke to my time as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and as a public health student.

I got so many photos… and here are some more for my plant loving readers…

There were a lot of young folks at the gardens. They were a little annoying in the “domes”, because they were noisy and all over the place. But, I just remembered that I was young once, too, and I have surely had many obnoxious, annoying moments in my life, both as a child and an adult. So I kept that in mind as they were yelling, running, and engaging in horseplay. I resisted the urge to tell them to stay off my lawn.

I got back to the apartment a couple of hours later, and it was clean. It was so hot outside, though, and I realized that we needed more beer and orange juice. I decided that was a good opportunity to check out the bigger COOP market in the opposite direction of the smaller one. So I walked there armed with a paper bag. The store was, indeed, much bigger and nicer than the neighborhood market was, but it was just as hectic and frustrating to navigate. I managed to get what I needed and carried it back to the apartment.

On that trip, I noticed that the COOP had some nice looking sushi on display. I later suggested to Bill that we either go buy some or order some for dinner, since the weather was so warm and neither of us felt like going out and sitting in a hot restaurant. So we had sushi and dumplings on Wednesday night, and it was just what we needed, although it took awhile to get to us.

I later found out that there was a big event at Lake Zürich on the one day I didn’t hang out there. Thousands of swimmers crossed the lake from Mythenquai to Tiefenbrunnen. After the event, which has happened most years (except during the pandemic) since 1985, the swimmers were served hot bouillon and risotto for lunch. Apparently, that is a tradition, even though it was very hot outside, and the water was also pretty warm. It’s probably just as well that I wasn’t there for that event, since tickets were required. I’m sure it made the area very crowded.

Anyway, that about wraps up Wednesday of our trip. I would definitely recommend visiting the botanical gardens. There is also an “old” botanical gardens in downtown Zürich that is reportedly well worth visiting.

Stay tuned for the next post!

Standard
adventure, C.G. Jung, Education

Swiss Studies… Sizzling in Zürich! (part four)

Tuesday, July 1, turned out to be a somewhat lazy day. It was very hot outside. Bill had a somewhat later start at the C.G. Jung Institute, so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. I was amused by the rolls he bought, which had little Swiss flags in them. I’m sure there’s an official name for these, but I don’t know what it is… Edited to add: They are called “Weggli”.

After Bill left for his classes, I slathered on sunscreen and got dressed. I decided to go back to the lake, if only because I figured it would offer cool breezes and opportunities to people watch some more. Instead of going straight back to the park where I’d been going, I turned in the opposite direction. I passed by the Strandbad Tiefenbrunnen, a public beach that offers bathrooms and a restaurant. I was curious about it and might have gone it, if Bill had been with me. Ultimately, I decided it would probably be too noisy for me, and since I wasn’t wearing a bathing suit, I kept walking.

Creepy entrance to the Strandbad. Reminds me of toadstools.

Continuing past the entrance to the Strandbad, I gazed at a different section of the lake. I saw two men who looked a lot like Mormon missionaries. They wore suits, although it was so hot that they carried their jackets. They also stood close to each other, as if they were companions. But, as they had their backs to me, I couldn’t tell if they were missionaries. Then I noticed one of them had a beard, and the other looked like he might be too old to be a missionary. I noticed that a lot of men in Switzerland dress formally for work. That was probably what I was seeing, rather than Latter-day Saints.

Looking further down the sidewalk, it appeared that the way was going to be less conducive for pedestrians. So I turned around and went back to my usual spot at the lake. I actually had to wait for a bit, because the bench was taken by someone else. By the time I was able to claim it, the sun had moved to a point at which the area was no longer shady. At least I got some more photos. The lake is so beautiful. I also got some video, as I stood by the water’s edge and enjoyed some gentle splashes.

Proof there was a gentle breeze.
Christmas in July?
Gives you a feel for how things were last week, during the heatwave in Switzerland!

After a short while, I realized that I was hot, sweaty, and worried about sunburn, in spite of the sunscreen I’d applied. After a short while, I decided to go back to the apartment, where I hoped after doing some writing, I might get further into my latest book… but, if I recall correctly, I ended up falling asleep and taking a very long, deep nap for a couple of hours.

Later, when Bill came back to the apartment, we decided to try an Italian restaurant called Miracle. It was just down the street from the apartment, on the way to the lake. We would have preferred to sit outside, because it was so hot on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the outside tables were taken by a large group of locals. So we sat inside, and enjoyed a very lovely dinner, in spite of the heat. I especially liked the aperitif, with was made with prosecco, lime, and mint. Bill had his usual Campari with soda.

For dinner, we started with bruschetta, and then I had fried shrimp with chili-coriander butter and salad, while Bill had Loup de Mer, with lemon basil butter. The food was very good, and beautifully presented. Service was friendly and professional. We had after dinner drinks instead of dessert– grappa for Bill, and a refreshing limoncello cocktail for me.

We walked back to the apartment and ended our Tuesday with sleep. I enjoyed Miracle. I would have liked to have gone back there again. It was a bit hot the day we visited, but I can see why this place is a local favorite.

The next post will be a departure from the lake, as on Wednesday, I went to the botanical garden. More on that in part five.

Standard