Tag Archives: Trump

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!

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International relations, videos

Our awesome lesson from Awsam…

On my original blog, I wrote a story about meeting an Egyptian man in Berlin who taught us a few valuable and memorable lessons about civility, decency, and how we, as Americans, make choices that affect people all over the world. The original post was on my Blogspot version of the main blog. It was written in 2017. I later reposted it on my WordPress version of the OH main blog.

Today, I made a video version of that story, and I’m sharing it here on the travel blog for the interested. I hope one or two people will listen to this tale about an Egyptian bartender named Awsam who left an indelible impression on us.

Our elections have consequences for people everywhere, not just in the United States.
Awsam the awesome!
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Bulgaria, Champagne Bucket trips

A celebratory wine stand…

It’s no secret that I am not a Trump fan. I was pretty glad to hear that he was convicted on all 34 counts of his hush money trial on Thursday. I am delighted that New Yorkers are holding him accountable for his many crimes.

I spent a good portion of May making parody songs/satire on YouTube. I did so because it’s fun for me, but also because it helps me cope and process. I’m proud to report that several of my joke songs are pretty popular, even though I’ve also had to deal with a lot of trolls.

Anyway, since there was a scheduled wine stand last night, Bill and I decided to attend. We didn’t bring Noyzi with us, probably because we didn’t think we’d hang out there for long. The weather has gone back to being cool and cloudy. I even brought a sweater, because it was kind of chilly. It was crazy weather for the last day of May, even for Germany.

Bill and I enjoyed a few glasses of local wine and I took a few photos. We noticed that the local kita (kindergarten) is looking for help. I thought it was funny that they used Uncle Sam on their advert. They had sausage, pretzels, and Spundekäs, which is a local delicacy I’ve written about on this blog. In retrospect, we probably should have had some. It would have spared me this morning’s hangover.

Uncle Sam is everywhere!
I sang the Road Runner theme song to get this smile.

At one point, a little boy came over and started talking to us. Bill finally had to explain to him (in German) that we’re English speakers. I wish we could have chatted more with him. He was a cute kid who reminded me of Bill’s eldest grandson.

We do have a trip booked for next weekend. Friday afternoon, we’re flying to Sofia, Bulgaria for a long weekend. We did a Champagne bucket draw to make our decision. Originally, Dubrovnik won, but I was worried about it being totally overrun with tourists at this time of year. So we did another draw, and Sofia won. Bill and I have both already been there. I went in 1996, traveling by bus and crashing on the floor at a fellow Peace Corps Volunteer’s apartment, and Bill went for work in 2008. When Bill went, he didn’t have a chance to see much. I saw a lot, but that was 28 years ago, and things have evolved since then. We’re also upgrading our travel modes and lodging.

I expect we’ll have a good time… and then, it’ll be time for me to encounter the German healthcare system, at long last. I dread it, but maybe the doctor can help me feel better, so I can continue to fight the MAGA loving trolls who just want me to shut up and color. We don’t have any plans for my 52nd birthday… but maybe we’ll have a new dog by then. We’ll see.

As for Trump… I’m sure he’ll still be in appeals of this case when he finally kicks the bucket. It’s just amazing that some people finally held him accountable for something. So that, alone, is reason enough for me to smile through the pain.

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Noyzi’s TV terrors…

Noyzi, the Kosovar street dog, is getting braver. Yesterday, he came upstairs and actually stayed for a few minutes. In the past, he’d come up the stairs as if to look for me, but would never actually stay up there. I think he was excited after he had a walk.

I was sitting on the bed eating a sandwich and Noyzi came to the doorway and stood there. He wanted to come into the bedroom, but was looking worriedly at the TV. It occurred to me that he’d probably never seen one on before yesterday. We don’t have a television in our living room, and that’s where he spends most of his time. He doesn’t like men, either. So, I guess seeing Alan Thicke on TV scared him.

  • He wasn’t brave enough…
  • Alan Thicke is the boogeyman!
  • But he would have liked to have shared some of my sandwich.
  • Really, Noyzi, they aren’t going to jump out of the screen and kill you!

Every day, we’re faced with a new Noyzi challenge. He rewards us by making new strides. Last night, we had pork for dinner. Noyzi was happy to ask me for a bite, but when Bill offered him some of his, he was too scared to get it. He usually wears us down by giving me the puppy eyes and I end up giving him a treat. But last night, I was determined to test his courage. I led him over to Bill and held his collar while Bill gave him pork and stroked his head. Then, when we tried again, I just stood next to him without holding him. He’s still scared, but every time he successfully does something, like pass Bill in the dining room, or come upstairs and stay longer than a few seconds, it’s a victory. I really feel like his reactions are reflexive. I think he knows Bill won’t hurt him, but he’s phobic. I have a phobia myself, so I understand how that is.

In other news, Bill’s new guitar got here yesterday. So did my new Donald Trump toilet brush, the acquisition of which actually caused a former friend to dump me on social media! I look forward to using Trump to scrub the shit stains out of the potty.

  • It’s cheap plastic… seems kind of fitting.
  • Proud Papa of a new Fender Telecaster.
  • And a new travel amp…
  • Ambitious work being done.
  • A year ago, we had zero guitars. Now we have five!

The featured photo today is of the sunrise we were graced with this morning. It’s not as amazing or dramatic as the ones we used to get in Jettingen, but it did cause me to pause and appreciate for a moment. Our heat went out last night, so our landlord is getting someone to fix it for us. We may end up with a renovation soon, because he says there might be something wrong with the boiler system. Ironically, he says he might put in new windows. Our last house got new windows as we were moving in, so I know what this will mean. But I also know that it will make the house quieter and less drafty, so that’s a plus.

Bill will be taking a work trip soon. He has to go to Bavaria for about three weeks. I’m a bit pissed off about it. But as usual, I’m building a bridge and trying to get over it. At least I have Noyzi around to remind me of how first world my problems really are. Employment is a good thing. I just hope it won’t be a superspreader event.

I guess my next Noyzi project is teaching him that the TV is not full of boogeymen who are going to get him. Maybe he’ll turn into a TV buddy like big brother Arran is.

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A drive to Kallstadt…

Recently, I read and reviewed Mary Trump’s book, Too Much and Never Enough, a scathing expose about the Trump family, particularly her Uncle Donald Trump. I read in Mary’s book that the Trumps originated in Kallstadt, a wine producing hamlet located about an hour’s drive from where Bill and I currently live. Because we had nothing better to do today, and we’ve spent far too many weekends at home since the pandemic struck, Bill and I decided to drive to the village of Kallstadt to check it out.

A German Facebook friend wrote that she lives close to Kallstadt and that if we visited the cute little wine town, not to mention Trump. Apparently, the locals aren’t all that pleased to be associated with the current U.S. president, even though remnants of his family remain in the area, especially in the cemeteries.

The Inside Edition’s take on Kallstadt.

We had the best intentions of actually getting out and walking around there once we arrived. Unfortunately, parking was in short supply today. We also brought Arran with us. I did get some photos, though, and we took a drive through nearby Bad Dürkheim, a nice looking spa town that’s a bit bigger than Trump’s grandparents’ stomping grounds. If we’d wanted to, we could have spent time trying and buying different wines produced in the area.

Kallstadt is currently in Rhineland-Palatinate (or Rheinland-Pfalz, if you prefer). When Trump’s grandparents, Friedrich and Elisabeth Trump, were living there, back in the 19th century, it was part of the Kingdom of Bavaria. Looking at a German map, it’s surprising to see just how far north Bavaria stretches. I guess I’m used to being down near Stuttgart, which is a couple of hours’ drive from the closest Bavarian border. Up here in Wiesbaden, we’re close to several other German states.

The weather didn’t turn out to be the best for walking around today. We’re about to reach Fall, which can be glorious in Germany, but can also be a bit “iffy” in terms of the weather. Anyway, I did get some photos, although that was pretty much all we got on today’s journey… I would definitely be up for another visit when the sun is out and maybe if we didn’t bring Arran. There are many Weinguts to try in the area, plus some tempting looking restaurants.

  • There are plenty of Weinguts…
  • And hotels…
  • The scenery is pretty, although I think Ingelsheim am Rhein is even prettier.
  • The main drag approaching tiny Kallstadt. There isn’t much to it, although there is a lot of wine…
  • This is the town that produced Trump’s ancestors.
  • The main attraction–
  • We parked near a Weingut, but it wasn’t the best place for walking.
  • Still, it’s very pretty country!
  • The next town.
  • I was a little enchanted by this narrow street, although walking on it would have been difficult.
  • Many people were walking through here, wine glasses in hand.
  • We should have stopped.
  • Bad Dürkheim had a ferris wheel and a market going on.
  • And more places to walk.
  • I was pleasantly surprised by the rest stops.
  • They were fairly clean, and they even had shower trailers for truckers.
  • But all in all, they’re very no frills. I think American rest stops are nicer, although German Autohofs are alright– you just have to pay to pee.

I truly meant to write more about this. I hoped we could walk around and see a lot more of the area. It just wasn’t the right day to explore Trump’s grandparents’ stomping grounds. We’ll have to go back and spend more time… and at least taste a few of the products of the region. I’d like to know Kallstadt for the products it can truly be proud of, rather than our current leader. Kallstadt is a really cute little town, though. I can see why people visit.

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Our little Adventmarkt!

A year ago, Bill and I spent December 1st moving into what was our new home in Wiesbaden. He was recovering from cleaning our old house in Jettingen, which turned out to be a complete waste of time, since our former landlady was determined to find and charge us for every little defect, whether or not we were responsible for it. In retrospect, I wish we had just broom swept the place, as required by our lease, and been done with it. Trying to clean that house to her impossible standards was a waste of energy that took away from the energy we needed to set up our new home.

Anyway, because we were in the process of moving, we never did make it down the hill to Breckenheim’s adorable little Adventmarkt, which goes on for just one day every year. They had it last night, so we went down for a couple of glasses of Gluhwein. I got some pictures. Most of the booths were for food and mulled wine, as far as I could tell. They had waffles, crepes, and I could see the Breckenheimer bikers were selling brats off the grill. They were the ones who threw the awesome rock festival over the summer.

I love how community minded Breckenheim is. This is a community that does a lot of neighborhood events and I can see that the neighbors are friendly and social and like to do stuff together. I experienced this a lot less when we lived in the Stuttgart area. They had events, but they weren’t necessarily neighborhood events. It was also a lot harder to meet people down there because it seemed like the general mood was more reserved. I did make friends in the Stuttgart area, but it usually took more time. A lot of times, our dogs facilitated the meetings, too.

  • The church was all lit up. Maybe we should have gone to the service.
  • This is Sammy…
  • His little shirt reads “Security”. Indeed, he was acting the part!
  • The
  • many adorable
  • faces
  • of Bill!
  • Someone’s Santa hiding in a crevice.
  • Lots of pretty lights in our neighborhood.
  • It was a well attended event.
  • I’m glad we didn’t miss it in 2019!

The lady who owned the dog, Sammy, was also working the Gluhwein stand. She noticed Bill’s German accent wasn’t native and quickly figured out we are English speakers. It turned out she lived in the United States for awhile and worked for Seagram, the beverage company. She came out and had a lovely chat with us on topics ranging from The Rolling Stones to Donald Trump. I found myself apologizing for our president, who is not popular over here for obvious reasons. But Germans have a laugh about that, since Trump’s origins in Kallstadt are not far from where we’re living now. Some of Trump’s poor extended relatives in Germany have been treated badly because he’s a distant relative.

Our new acquaintance from last night had plenty of opinions about American politics, which she expressed in excellent English, as well as a funny story about visiting the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky and being shocked that it was in a dry town. We chuckled and told her that Jack Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee is also in a dry town, and that folks who live there have to bring in their booze from a neighboring town that doesn’t ban alcohol.

When we told our new acquaintance we used to live in Swabia, she had a good laugh about the dialect, which even a lot of Germans don’t understand, and the stereotypes about people from Stuttgart. She said they are very good at business, since they’re very detail oriented and hate to spend money. I suppose I can agree with that, although I don’t know that being that way always leads to good business sense. Sometimes, both of those qualities are alienating and can get in the way of business. The trick is knowing when to be that way and when to lighten up and go with the flow. Sometimes a person can be “penny wise and pound foolish”.

Sammy, the dog, was incredibly adorable. His owner told us that he doesn’t like little kids and she worries that he’ll bite them. I noticed Sammy started barking whenever kids ran past him, but he was utterly charmed by the two fluffy furball puppies another family brought. I wish I had Arran with me, but he’s at the Hundepension Birkenhof today, because Bill and I have to go to Landstuhl and spend the night. Bill is having routine tests done at the hospital and I am the designated driver, because he will be under the influence of sedatives. God help us. At least we have a Volvo!

We headed back to the house when it became clear that my kidneys are in good working order. I suppose we could have gone back to the festivities and hung around for the appearance of Santa… Maybe if we’re still here next year, we’ll do that, if it’s not too cold. Last night’s weather was chilly, but not too unpleasant, but you never know in Germany. A few years ago, we had snow on December 1st. But then, that was down in Stuttgart, where things can be chillier in more ways than one!

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