The Switzerland you never knew

The Switzerland you never knew
The Switzerland you never knew

 

What do I know about Switzerland? Swiss cheese, Swiss chocolate, Swiss banks, Swiss watches, Alps. I know it is neutral. Oh yeah, Geneva convention. 

We hadn't planned to come to Switzerland. We needed places to substitute for planning to stay in Berlin which was too expensive. Geneva became one of those places. We ended up in Lausanne - about 30 miles from Geneva. So glad we did. It is so beautiful. 

Swiss cheese. Ham and Swiss sandwiches popular in US. Swiss cheese has holes in it because of carbon dioxide bubbles that form in the cheese. Swiss chocolate. More milk than other chocolate. I like Cadbury better. Swiss banks-advantages are economic stability of the Switzerland  and privacy. I didn't know Rolex is made in Switzerland So is Tag Huer, Omega. I'm glad I can look at them through a window. 

The beautiful Alps. Sixty five percent of Switzerland is covered in mountains. There are two mountain ranges - the Alps and the Jura mountains. There is a plateau in between them and that is where most cities lie. The tallest mountain is the Dufourspitze at 15,203 feet. 

Switzerland is a neutral country. In its constitution it says it cannot get involved in any wars among other countries. It will defend itself obviously and has a military. Men have compulsory military service. They go through basic training and then have yearly training for ten years. You can choose civilian service instead. People who do neither are fined 3% of their salaries until age 37.

During WWII Switzerland sold arms to the nazis. They kept their gold in their banks. They refused Jewish refugees after the war. Not good. 

Last, the Geneva convention, something every soldier knows about. It lays out rules of humane treatment during times of war.

Switzerland is one of the most expensive places to live in Europe. It has a very good quality of life and stunning scenery. I have decided I am never leaving. (Har)

*Picture is Lake Neufchâtel. Another beautiful lake we saw on the train here.

via Blogger https://ift.tt/IG6AH59
September 11, 2022 at 08:07PM
via Blogger https://ift.tt/dgErDfi
September 11, 2022 at 11:03PM

The most interesting man in the world was on my train

 

Today I took a trip withe most interesting man in the world. Remember that commercial? Well this was the guy or perhaps his brother. 

So this man, probably in his 60's sat next to a kid in his early 20's for over 3 hours. He proceeded to tell this kid everything about himself. (Yes I'm an eavesdropper and proud of it)

He was born in Germany. He is a linguistics professor. He apparently travels the world giving lectures. He knows 50 languages. Literally you name the country and this guy claims to speak the language , German, Swiss German, French, Russian, Korean, Spanish, several African languages, English of course. 

He has also lived in Germany, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Africa, United States, Mexico, etc etc etc. He was jailed in Switzerland for 3 days for something. 

This kid was a college student wanting to be a doctor and he barely got a word in edgewise. Every time he would bring something up, the guy would relate some part of his life it and tell about the time he....

He has Two kids, both girls. The whole family travelled the world. Oh I forgot he trained for the Olympics in running. Don't know what came of that. Played a musical instrumental at some point.

What can't this guy do? He has yet to negotiate world peace. There's still time. 

Is this trip really worth it?

 

There are times whenI think about just going home. 

I am 67 years old and this isn't easy physically. I am walking up to 8 miles some days. Ridiculous. I was walking 4-5 miles a day most days at home so that has helped a lot. I still get sore legs. Sore back. I've got really good shoes that were expensive but I'm glad to have them.

So there's the physical aches and pains. Then there is the mental/emotional part. The physical aches and pains get me down and I find myself questioning whether I can do this for a year. 

Mentally it's hard to constantly going from place to place. Different place to stay, different bed. In Vienna the bed was like a rock. Air bnbs are far from perfect and you never know what they will be like.

Trying to figure out food is probably the worst. It unrealistic to think you are going to make complicated meals in an Airbnb. You would waste a lot of food. So you have keep it real simple. At hotels you to eat out, which is expensive. So keeping a somewhat good diet is hard. 

You probably think what a whiner! Most people would love to be in my position. I know that. I wouldn't change anything and I intend to complete the year. This is a life changing, exciting experience and I still cant believe we're doing it. 

I want to give a real picture of what it's like to do this. It is challenging . There are ups and downs. But it's so much fun!

**The picture above is Lausanne,Switzerland, our next destination. It's outside Geneva.

Fun at a German laundromat

 Went the laundromat one block from the hotel today by myself. I had looked at German laundromats and their were actual videos so I new I didn't need change and sort of how they work.

They are all computer driven. You put money in a machine at the wall, choose the number of the machine and you can now use that machine. If only it were that simple. 

Put the clothes in, detergent in. Then there is an electronic display asking what temp you want. So I pressed the lowest and start. Nope. Nothing. Tried a couple more times. Nothing. There was a old guy there and I threw my hands up and he came to help. He spoke no English. Tried same thing, pressed every temp except the last one with the word. Pressed that and it started. Yippee! 

Guy left to get coffee (asked if I wanted one). I'm sitting there and a guy comes in to repair a machine. Turns out he's the owners son, speaks English. He gave me a free dry after a woman was taking so long at the thing you put your money in. 

So he spoke good English, got into a long conversation. He told me about Augsburg, prices of apartments and houses. How houses are out of reach of average person. How the Plarrer was Augsburgs version of Octoberfest just earlier in the fall. The cost of beer at Octoberfest is $14 for a liter. (The beer mugs at the Plarrer probably hold a liter). Outrageous prices at Octoberfest he says. 

All in all, a really nice guy. It really is fun to talk to locals. You find out everybody has the same problems and views no matter where you go. You find out what everyday life is life. No different than yours.

Augsburg Plarrer is magic

I walked 8 miles today.  A little over 1 mile to train station. Train to Munich about 45 minutes. Walked 6 miles in Munich. Then train back from Munich and mile back to hotel.

I would like some sympathy please....

Going from Vienna to Germany, there is a stark contrast. They feel as different as night and day. Vienna felt very fancy, opulent. In Germany, you come back down to earth from your lofty perch. Germany doesn't feel fancy, it feels practical. The architecture is distinct, but now showy. 

The people here in Augsburg like to have a good time, as witnessed by the folk festival (Plarrer)  going on next to the hotel. We went and listened to music in one of the beer tents last night and people were standing on the seats, singing along, shouting, clapping. It was really fun. Many were wearing their lederhosen and dirndl. 

The Plarrer has made staying in Augsburg really fun. Everyday, thousands of people go, taking their kids on rides, trying carnival games, drinking in the beer tents, listening to music. The German food is great. It's different every day. 

This place is where you see who German people really are, fun loving and proud. I am so glad we are staying in this smaller town (200,000) rather than a large city. It's a lot more fun.

via Blogger https://ift.tt/y5pkDeh
September 07, 2022 at 07:49PM

Augsburg renters pay 87 cents a year for an apartment

 Once upon a time there was a rich man named Jakob Fugger who was very rich and powerful and also a Count in the Holy Roman Empire. This guy is considered one of the richest guys ever. He lived in the early 1500's.

Now unlike some rich people, Jakob had a good side. He was a Catholic which is important to this story. In 1516 he built Fuggerai "as a place where the needy citizens of Augsburg could be housed". By 1523, 52 houses had been built. 

Eventually it expanded. A square and church were added. A wall was built around it with gates. It become like like a small medieval town. People were only charged what would have been equivalent to 87 cents a year, equal to one months pay back then. 

The main rule Jakob made was that the price would never go up and the place would exist forever. So the rent remains 87 cents a year for tenants to this day, 500 years later. 

It now consists of 67 houses, 147 apartments. About 150 people live there. There is a church. The rules he made were:

1) You had to be Catholic (they were a minority in Augsburg and lived poorly)

2) You had to have good standing in the community

3) You had to be poor.

4) You had to do some job in the complex part time. 

The houses have 2 stories, an apt on each level, consisting of a living room, kitchen, bedroom and small extra room. Originally they didn't have bathrooms but they do now. It was communal. The first floor has a back garden. The 2nd floor has use of an attic.

The gates close at 10 pm. Anybody trying to get in after 10 is fined.

If you visit there is a museum with a model of the original apartments. Then there is another model with the modern version. Both are very well done. It's obvious that he wanted them to live in quality places and that continues today. 

People of all ages live there and can stay as long as they want. There is a social worker to help. There is a resident council and administration. 

Nineteen generations later, the Fugger family still runs it and there is a foundation that supports it through investments. Jakob put money in an account for investment way back in the 1500's. His nephew set up a financial structure to insure the future of the community. Amazing!

The end.

Pictures: 1) street with homes

                2) All the homes look alike. People would go in other peoples places by mistake. So the made a door knocker on a string. Ever place has a different pull design. Problem solved.

  

via Blogger https://ift.tt/P4vkoFr
September 06, 2022 at 08:41PM

Travel lessons learned

Warning: Bit of a rant ahead. 

 How am I feeling about the trip? Good. I think we have made some mistakes in planning this month.

So originally we were going to go to France, to Paris, for the month of September. It is expensive in Paris. Too expensive. We’ll go to Paris in October we thought, less expensive. So let’s go to Berlin. Again still too expensive now.

Now what? How about a week in Vienna? Found a reasonable airbnb. Ok. Done. Let’s go to Munich for a week. Done. Then let’s go to Geneva for a week. Then to Lyon. That takes up the month we would have been in Paris and going there in October, it will be cheaper.

Can you see where we went wrong? What we’re we thinking spending a week here and there? Crazy idea. Not only too short of a time at these cool cities but running ourselves ragged with the transport.

We started this part flying from Dublin to Vienna. No problem. Figured out how to get to our air bnb easily. Transport to center easy. Too little time in a great city like Vienna. Then things get tricky. 

We took train to Augsburg, outside Munich. That involved 4 trains and a 20 minute walk to the hotel. Turns out Augsburg is 45 minutes away from Munich and it’s not a cheap ride there. Hotel is not really conveniently located even within Augsburg. We’re mostly walking. 

Next stop Lausanne, Switzerland, outside Geneva. One week. It will take us 7 hours to get there. Should actually be a nice place on Lake Geneva and there are mountains right near there.

After that Lyon, France. One week. Only two hours from Geneva. 

So the point of all this? We never should have stayed in these places a week. It’s too little time, too much travel time.  Another lesson learned.

via Blogger https://ift.tt/WglsNrD
September 05, 2022 at 08:06PM