Switzerland

[Liar]

So, I'm flying to Zurich tomorrow for a press conference thingy friday afternoon, a footie game (and the opening ceremony of the Euro -08 championships) saturday night and back home late on sunday.

So, lots of free time to sample what's good out of the Helvetican Federation.

What should I do? Stock up on cheese? Learn to yodel?

 

[sr71plt]

Take lots and lots of money.

 

[3113]

And declare yourself neutral

 

[voluptuary_manque]

And declare yourself neutral

Chocolate is good, there.

 

[Chantilyvamp]

Chocolate is good, there.

You took the words right out of my bouncy head

 

[voluptuary_manque]

You took the words right out of my bouncy head

Chantily's-head-bouncing image . . .

face starts to redden, begins to pant, "excitement level" rises

 

[sr71plt]

The Hotel Softel has a really, really good restaurant--where you can order that famous dish of veal (geschnetzeltes Kalbfleisch) on a bed of shredded potato (rosti) smothered in a mushroom sauce. Also, if you like cheese, you'll be in heaven. For chocolates and atmosphere, find the Sprungli cafe. (Again, any of these are possible only if you've taken lots of money.)

The cheapest thrill is to walk the Bahnhofstrasse down to the river and visit the Lindenhof square. The second biggest cheapest (since you have the plane ticket anyway) thrill is to arrive/depart in the day and get a window seat on the airplane.

Did I mention the need to take lots of money? Most expensive meal I've ever had.

 

[trysail]

So, I'm flying to Zurich tomorrow for a press conference thingy friday afternoon, a footie game (and the opening ceremony of the Euro -08 championships) saturday night and back home late on sunday.

So, lots of free time to sample what's good out of the Helvetican Federation.

What should I do? Stock up on cheese? Learn to yodel?

Ahh, you're on a fairly tight schedule; you're not going to have time to do any climbing or hiking. If you had time and the interest, a trip to Zermatt to see the Matterhorn, or a day trip down to the Jungfrau or the Eiger might be fun.

There's nothing that's quite as good as a traditional raclette dinner (damn, I'm starting to salivate at the mere thought!)

 

[CharleyH]

So, I'm flying to Zurich tomorrow for a press conference thingy friday afternoon, a footie game (and the opening ceremony of the Euro -08 championships) saturday night and back home late on sunday.

So, lots of free time to sample what's good out of the Helvetican Federation.

What should I do? Stock up on cheese? Learn to yodel?

Never been and my disillusion of the country includes mountain after mountain of beautiful heli-skiing in all seasons, not to mention bank accounts where I can hide money from over-taxing governments!

Please report back with photos, Liar!

 

[Stella_Omega]

See if you can find the little place that served Lowenbrau beer along with charred servelat sausages and ash-blacked 'burli brot' bread rolls that could break your teeth biting into but were meltingly delicate inside the crust.

It stood somewhere near Limmatquai and ... maybe Torgasse, looking at google maps. It's been thirty years....

What you do with the crusts, is you step over to the bridge and throw them to the swans. A certain merriment comes from identifying the Top Swan in the flock by his vivid red beak, and tossing the crust onto his back...

 

[voluptuary_manque]

What you do with the crusts, is you step over to the bridge and throw them to the swans. A certain merriment comes from identifying the Top Swan in the flock by his vivid red beak, and tossing the crust onto his back...

that's funny! And just what I'd expect you to do, Stella.

 

[Stella_Omega]

It's still there!

have a servelat in my name, please?

that's funny! And just what I'd expect you to do, Stella.

Cheap thrills...

 

[voluptuary_manque]

"See if you can find the little place that served Lowenbrau beer along with charred servelat sausages and ash-blacked 'burli brot' bread rolls that could break your teeth biting into but were meltingly delicate inside the crust."

Almost makes me want to go to Zurich . . .

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Was there a few times in 1968. I don't think my memories will be much help, except to second that stroll the Banhoffstrasse comment.

 

[Munachi]

i wish i could go to switzerland. i'd leave zürich though and ignore work and football and go into the mountains instead.

 

[colddiesel]

So, lots of free time to sample what's good out of the Helvetican Federation.

?

Literally? Slovenia, it's like Switzerland but without the Swiss - much better!

 

[Stella_Omega]

"See if you can find the little place that served Lowenbrau beer along with charred servelat sausages and ash-blacked 'burli brot' bread rolls that could break your teeth biting into but were meltingly delicate inside the crust."

Almost makes me want to go to Zurich . . .

I do hope it's a good now as it was then. That stand was famous and unique.

Some of the most elegant graffiti I've ever seen was happening when I was there. According to wikipedia, one of the few remaining examples has been declared a work of art-- it all was. His little critters were spooky and always appropriate to their settings-- a triangular spider hung from a single strand of web, in the corner of Spinnegasse (Spider Alley), and under a bridge, I remember a very happy fish swimming with human arms. Downstream.

 

[jomar]

Don't forget to send us a postcard.

 

[WRJames]

I've only been to the very southern part of Switzerland -- actually it was part of an Italy tour, and we went up to Lugano after visting Lake Como.

Both towns are a little unsettling for an American -- lake resorts with thousands of tourists milling around rather aimlessly along the shore -- but NO ONE goes is the water. Too cold? Too polluted?

There were some interesting little churches -- I think one in Lugano had murals by a student of Leonardo DaVinci. There was one church in Lake Como that was really strange -- all these churches have side chapels decorated in different styles -- but this one that had a side chapel that was -- well -- pagan. Looked like a good theme for a horror novel.

As for chocolate -- all the restaurants were SO expensive -- I mean, who wants to pay fifteen euros (each) for lunch? So we wound up eating at a Burger King. Yes, I know, that sounds really classy -- and it was just about that good. So I'm paying in Euros, and the checkout girl says, in very good English, "I'm giving you change is Swiss Francs." No room for argument. So there we were stuck with this handful of Swiss Francs and about a half hour left in Switzerland. So we did the rational thing -- we bought some chocolate bars. One was eighty or ninety percent chocolate -- which is maybe a bit too dark. It sort of hits your tongue and you just gasp. You need some water to dilute it enough to actually taste it.

 

[THROBBS]

Say "Hey!" to Sven!

 

[Stella_Omega]

Say "Hey!" to Sven!

No one is named "Sven"-- they are named Hansli, Peterli, Marco, and Octavius

 

[voluptuary_manque]

No one is named "Sven"-- they are named Hansli, Peterli, Marco, and Octavius

Oh, there is a Sven, all right, but he's over on the DeeperBlue website, bein' a diver and all.

 

[THROBBS]

No one is named "Sven"-- they are named Hansli, Peterli, Marco, and Octavius

Really!?
crazy!

I have never been to Switzurlund.
I did encounter a Swiss Cheese on-line... She was very discombobulated about having a male-ish root to her name.

 

[Liar]

Say "Hey!" to Sven!

Dude, that's where I'm flying from.

 

[THROBBS]

Dude, that's where I'm flying from.

Swedelund has Sven's too!?