Late nights, early mornings

A day full of sunshine in a lovely place.  An evening of beautiful music played in stunning surroundings.  The company of friends around a table until late in the evening before driving home to the other side of the lake left no time for blogging yesterday!

Maybe you noticed that?

Blue skies, green fields

Though the sky was pink as the sun rose over the brewery this morning.

Time to leave Kempten and head southwest towards Bodensee.  Not much traffic around, we expected a fairly easy run as far as the border, but from then we’d need to pay attention, because our German hire car has neither a Swiss nor an Austrian Motorway Pass.

We really enjoyed the scenery of the Deutsches Alpenstrasse and the miles passed quickly.  In no time at all it seemed, we were nearing the turn for Lindau.

We’d turned off the Navi in favour of a map on my knee – I don’t keep updating our time of arrival every minute or so, and mispronounce placenames so badly that they are unrecognisable.  So, arriving suddenly at the junction near the airfield sign on the map and seeing a motorway sign up there, we made a quick (but mistaken) decision to carry on the same road. 

Ooops.  Not only had we gone wrong, but there wasn’t another turn until we reached Kressbronn, which you can see is a good deal further on.  And guess where the only traffic jam of the trip was to be found? 

You’re right.

But hey, we’re patient.  We can manage.  Except our hire car engine stops as soon as my hero takes his foot off the pedal…and then starts again.  And stops.  and starts. And we hope we have a good battery.  Because this starting and stopping gets on our nerves in a traffic jam!

At last, we were on our way again, back along the lake shore, or at least, a little above it.  There are cloud banks over the water and the whole scene is rather lovely and very peaceful.

We drive through mile upon mile of apple orchards before reaching Lindau and the suburbs of Bregenz.  Suddenly, we found ourselves driving over the border into Vorarlberg, Austria.

These days, crossing Schengen borders is a bit of a non-event, because there’s no need to show passports or anything.  It was interesting to see how this small piece of Austria has transformed itself into a bit of a shoppers paradise, with cheaper petrol and other goods than the neighbouring villages in Germany and Switzerland.

We had no need of fuel and didn’t feel like shopping so carried on along the road.  But my hero is very good spotting things which might interest me and guess what suddenly appeared on the right hand side?

Only a true hero can recognise a Wolford sign at a couple of hundred metres and it takes one with a particular skill to notice that there’s a factory shop there as well.  Guess where we went next?

Well, he did insist!  Usually, Wolford tights are a luxury and when I find them reduced in a sale or in somewhere like Bicester Village, then I’m very happy.  Here, the “ordinary” designs were on sale for 18 Euros, compared with the normal price of around £25 at home.  I wasn’t really tempted by those with chains attached, or perhaps with Swarovski crystals embedded in the “seam” – even though that particular design looked stunning on one of the assistants.   But thinking that such things might be a little much in a Cotswold village, I thought better of it!

Driving away, we passed by a Hanro store too and I realised that this area is renowned for fine textiles.  The not-so-far-away areas around the Swiss cities of St Gallen and Winterthur have a long tradition of embroidered fabrics and lace and I suppose it’s no coincidence that Bernina sewing machines are made just along the lake in Steckborn.

 

Well, a hero’s patience is not without its limits, and so we drove on, to the Swiss border, where there was a jam. 

We thought we’d better get out passports out, just in case.

No need – we drove straight through without any fuss or question.  Apart from the sign which welcomed us to Switzerland with a friendly “Gruezi!”, the only change of note was a sign on our Navi:

That’s all right then.

Within minutes, we were there, behind a tractor, a car and a bicycle, pootling alongside the railway lines with a distant view of the Alps.  Were we happy?

We climbed higher into the countryside, heading for Appenzell, where we planned to buy some cheese and apples and have a picnic lunch.

But we failed in our timing, arriving shortly after the whole town had shut up shop and gone for lunch. 

Oh well, an enforced snooze in the car was called for, the quarter hours counted by the church bell.  The minute we heard “one thirty”, we closed the windows again, gathered our things and returned to the well stocked cheese shop to make a hard decision.  Buying cheese in Appenzell isn’t quite like ordering a pound of Cheddar!

Not only did we succeed in choosing the most delicious Säntis Bergkäse, a conversation with the shopkeeper resulted in her removing the rind and cutting the slices into perfect picnic sizes for us.  Since we can no longer travel with our Swiss Army Knives in our bags, such impromptu picnics can prove challenging.  So, there we are, two brötli, a couple of apples and eine viertel of cheese, cut in half.  Eaten in the fresh air, with the river just beneath us, it tasted divine.

And not a Weissbier in sight!  (well, someone has to drive….)

Having eaten, snoozed a little and enjoyed a little walk around one of our favourite Swiss towns, we were ready to be gone.  Just a shortish drive over the pass then, and down towards Lake Zürich and the small town of Rapperswil, where we’re staying.

It’s lovely to be back here again, by the lake.  The weather is perfect and we’ve already bought our tickets for tomorrow, when we’ll leave the car behind and travel by train into Zürich, have a potter around and maybe a spot of lunch, before coming back here by steamer in the afternoon.

Bliss!

The Guuggemusig, as promised

First, the Munchenbuchsee Taktsurfers

Next, the Altstaetten lads who, as band number 52, brought up the rear of the procession.  The two young Civil Defence chaps brought up the rear, having stood still for the whole duration of the procession, gratefully accepting whatever sweets and sausages (yes!) they were given.

What do you reckon to the costumes?  The face paints?

After they had passed by, we scooted through the small streets to the Town Square and equipped ourselves with gluehwein before heading into the narrow "final stretch" to watch the parade go by a second time.

Finally, the Chepfschytter band, who I see are looking for a couple of new players.  Any volunteers?

I think the children from the Steffisburg Playgroup looked pretty good too, didn't you?  It was very cold by that time and their fur waistcoats were a great choice.  As for the Samba group - perhaps they had the prize for the most elegant of the afternoon!

All in all, great fun!

Postscript

Unsurprisingly, our morning in Zurich resulted in one or two extra bits to squeeze into our suitcase.  Whilst in Heimatwerk we'd fallen for the herdsman to accompany the fine cow who stands in our sitting room. There was also the "fresh" chocolate from Laderach and two vacuum packed slices of our favourite Fleischkaes which we thought would make a yummy lunch. We put them into a check in bag and set off for the airport as the snow started to fall.

By 5pm there was an inch or two but no delays forecast.  We smiled as we took the shuttle to Terminal E, enjoying the three minute soundtrack and the clever video screens which feature a rather grown up and glamourous Heidi waving and blowing a kiss to us as we passed.  The soundtrack is a little disconcerting to begin with as the last thing one would expect on an airport shuttle is birdsong and a low mooing!  But as the journey progresses, the cowbells begin to chime, the alphorns sound and that glorious harmonic style of a yodel choir attracts everyone's attention and the soundscape is complete.  Aaaah, Switzerland!

We had our usual joke with the security staff as our Sprungli carrier bag containing a Zuger Kirschtorte and a couple of boxes of Luxemburgerli was swallowed up by the x-ray machine - they always comment that we might not see them come out the other end - and we headed to the lounge.  By this time, serious snow was falling and small fleets of snowploughs were clearing the runway - thankfully so efficiently that there were still no delays.  Our flight left more or less on time, having had the man with the deicer spray the plane first and we landed at Terminal Five as planned.

But one of our suitcases didn't.

Yes, the one with the cowherd, the chocolate and the Fleischkaes.

At 10.15pm last evening, some 50 hours after landing, we had a phone call from the driver of a delivery van requesting directions.  At 10.40pm Mark was finally able to unpack his things.

Take a walk in Zurich

We'd love to share some of our favourite corners of the city with you, so why not join us this morning, before we gather up our things and head back to the airport later?

It'll be a long walk though, so get your comfy shoes.   Perhaps we'll spread a bit of confetti from yesterday as we go?

Setting off from our hotel,  people are hurrying across the Rathaus Brucke, going about their business first thing on a Monday morning.  In the summer, this bridge would be full of tourists, of flower and fruit stalls and people enjoying the view and the atmosphere, but on this cold winter's day, no-one is hanging around.

Today, we make the briefest of stops to take in the view of the Grossmunster and the pleasing clusters of buildings on the east side of the Limmat river.  This is often the view form our breakfast table and we enjoy watching the trams go up and down, looking at the little architectural details like the oriel windows and wall paintings.

Having crossed the bridge and turned right into the Munstergasse, we note how quiet it is today.  This is a street which fills with people at the weekend and in the evening but today, it's us and a couple of policemen.

We decide to turn left up the side of the Cafe Schober, an old fashioned tea room and a great place for a hot chocolate mit oder ohne schlag  We've just had our breakfast however, so perhaps we'll keep going.

Whatever the time of day, it's easy to find a quiet spot and when Edward was small, a walk around these streets which open into small squares with freshwater fountains was - and still is - a delight.  I wonder how many photos we have of him standing with the fountain at a particular angle?

The promise of a little blue sky tempts us on up the hill

and we daydream as we go, about how lovely it would be to have a place here in the middle of a city, yet where there is still peace and quiet.

We arrive in Neumarkt, another charming little place where there are interesting details

one of which, the Hand Art yarn store is sadly, closed.  It's Monday. 

We really enjoy exploring the city when it's so quiet though - there is a stillness and a silence which is hard to imagine, compounded by the snow and the low temperatures.

Until, of course, the peace is shattered as we turn onto Hirschgraben, to the back of the Kunsthaus (also closed on a Monday) where we find someone at work.

Round the corner, in Raemistrasse, they're tackling the same job in a slightly quieter way.  We're heading downhill towards Bellevue and there on the left is the Kronenhalle, where the art is as impressive as the food.

Bellevue is the corner of land between the lake and the Limmat, a major tram stop and where we decide to turn left, after popping into Navyboot to look at shoes first, though!

Time for a little something from Sprungli in Stadelhoferplatz too, I think.  We need to try the honey-sesame flavour of the month, after all.

We potter across to the frozen fountain in the middle of the square before turning right, towards the lake.

To get there, we go past the Opera House, currently surrounded by building works as they install a new underground car park.

Reaching the lakeside path, we decide not to extend our walk but to turn right and return to Bellevue, for it's a chill wind blowing from the water.  Still, a glimpse of snow mountains over there is lovely and reminds us of summer days spent here.

The view of the city from here is lovely too, with the green roof of the Fraumunster and the large clock face on St Peters there on the skyline.  We are not so far from our starting point, really.  We continue, past the turquoise cafe, turning left onto the Quaibrucke to Burkliplatz.

We stop here for a while (but resist the temptation to sit on a snow covered bench to admire the view).  Nothing much going on the lake today with just one steamer departure headed for Rapperswil later and a short roundtrip to Thalwil and back this afternoon.

Had we a little more time, we could have gone to Uetliberg, up there with the mast on the top. But it's a little late to do that now...next time, perhaps.

Instead, we'll turn right into Bahnhofstrasse, the main street of the city.

First stop, Schweizer Heimatwerk where I admire these gorgeous boots in the window.  At nearly 600CHF, however, perhaps it's as well that my own boots are perfectly comfortable!

Whilst Mark stops by for a look in a CD store I admire a few rooftops

but arriving in Paradeplatz, we both agree we're ready for a hot drink.  Having been into Sprungli on the corner here when we arrived on Friday, we choose another old favourite, the Movenpick next door but one.

Normally a bustling city street, filled with shoppers, businesspeople and tourists, today the Bahnhofstrasse is surprisingly quiet. 

But take a look up any of the small side streets and there are pockets of activity.  I love the fact that here, in one of Europe's main cities, there are these small, pretty streets just off the main thoroughfare.  This is a city of family businesses, of individual shops which have been here as long as I can remember, offering a personal and very focused service right alongside the large corporate banks and institutions.

Walking up the Bahnhofstrasse from Paradeplatz, we pass the Urania building

and the Globus department store, with the statue of Pestalozzi in front of it.

Finally, no surprises at the top of the street, because of course, it's the Hauptbahnhof, the station.  In front stands a statue of Alfred Escher, railway magnate, policitian and founder of Credit Suisse. I guess he deserves a prominent position, all those things considered!

Turning back to walk along the other side of Bahnhofstrasse, I can't resist a quick visit to Merkur, where there's a Laderach counter.  Not for now, but for later ;-)

That's the shop counter by the way, not my purchase.

But we are getting hungry, and passing these cottonwood branches which look remarkably like the snow-laden trees here,

and running the gauntlet of another little truck doing a bit of cleaning up

we drop into the Zeughauskeller for lunch.

We have our favourites here - Schweinhaxen for Mark, Wienerschniztel for me, both with Rosti and Weissbier for me, apple juice for the driver.

The atmosphere is gemuetlich and comfortable.  It's a great way to end our stay here and we leave feeling very full!

We turn right out of the Zueghaus and walk up through "Im Gasse" and past another favourite shop for a quick look inside the Fraumunster and the Chagall windows.

Then we are back to our starting point, ready to collect our bags and our car and head off to the airport.  As we leave it begins to snow....more about that in the next post!