An afternoon in Strasbourg

I got up, went down to breakfast l, hurriedly ate and drank some hot chocolate and nutella on toast and chatted to the Australian guy in my room who came and sat with me before rushing off to the train station.  On the tram there was this middle aged man sitting opposite where I was standing and I noticed he kept looking at me and then quickly looking away when he realised I noticed. I was just standing there watching him looking at me and we kept making eye contact then he would quickly look away again.  I was trying so hard not to laugh. Probably one of those 'you had to be there' moments....

I managed to get an earlier train to Basel which was good because it gave me more time to get the connecting train to Strasbourg. I really confused the lady in the ticket office by saying Salzburg by accident.

Its going to be a very short stay in Strasbourg - just one night, although the hotel is costing me more than some places I've stayed 3 nights. France is going to be a very expensive country. But I'm really looking forward to Paris. Does being in France give me an excuse to eat crepes all day every day?

There is currently a ticket inspectors convention going on in my carriage. There are three of them all just standing in the middle chatting.

When I got to Basel I crossed what I assumed to be the border into France without so much as a passport check and found a seat on the very empty and delayed train.

When I got to Strasbourg it was like 11 o'clock. It was a 5 minute walk to the hotel I'm staying in. I have a very small single room with a bathroom but its got a bed and wifi and that's all I need. And a loo. Thats always good. When I say small I mean small though. I have to sit sideways on the toilet.

After dumping my bags in my room I went for a wander by the river. It's not as enticing as the one in Zurich but it has some lovely flowers hanging on the bridges.

I went into a supermarket to buy some more deodorant and it had a weird no bags allowed policy. You either had to leave them by the door or have them searched on the way out. Perhaps there is a lot of shoplifting around here.

I happened to stumble on the cathedral which is an incredible building. It has a 100m high tower, of which I climbed 66m of to a viewing platform. It was hard work but worth the view. It was a really ornate building too. And the inside and the windows were beautiful. It had a golden organ which I sneeked (snuck?) a picture of.

I wandered back through the shopping streets back to the hotel so I could shower and wash my hair as there is a light show at the cathedral this evening so won't be able to do it then. Now I'm heading back out for a spot of people watching.
Au revoir

Zurich 2

So I made it through the trolley tour in one piece. I learnt some interesting facts about Zurichs water, such as there are 1200 fountains in Zurich and that the lake water is almost of drinking quality.

The driver was a nice guy and insisted of taking photos of me infront of St Peterskirche when we stopped. Those gems however are on my camera.

After the tour I went to some of the sights again by foot so I could get better photos and actually visit them,  for example St Peterskirche has some famous painted glass windows I wanted to see (photos werent allowed).

Today I went to a public toilet in Zurich. They are so weird but in a good way. Firstly you don't have to pay which was very surprising, but most surprising was the actual toilet itself. They were like really wide silver metal containers. The toilet seat was not at all connected to it, instead it was almost like a lift up lid, like on a treasure chest but it was hanging from a bar above the toilet. It had a handle on the side and you just pulled it down over the toilet and then when you flushed it, it automatically lifted itself back up.  It was so weird.

Whilst I was at the Grossmunster I climbed up one of its two towers and almost died. But it had fantastic views over Zurich and the lake.

After this I got the tram to the Hauptbahnhof and went to a little park at the point where two rivers meet. On the way I got takeaway dim sum. I sat with my feet in the river next to loads of other people doing the same, whilst munching on my pork dumplings.. Then I sunbathed on the grass, got bitten by an ant and watched the police search some teenage goths/hippies for drugs. 

At around 5 I went back to the hostel and packed up ready for tomorrow's early start. I have an 8:08 train to Strasbourg but I need to have breakfast before so I'm getting up at 6:15.

After a sandwich I got the tram up to ETC which is some university place that has a big public terrace with a view over Zurich to watch the sun set. It was a bit cloudy but still nice.

Now I've discovered panoramic pictures I am doing alot of them. Expect many to be coming your way.

P.S sorry if some photos are there twice or are question marks. Having problems with the app

Panoramic pictures

Not sure how these will come out but I took these panoramic photos today at the top of the Grossmunster. You might have to turn your head or screen sideways

Trolley Tour

Today I'm doing a trolley tour of Zurich. I got up, had a salami sandwich for breakfast and a yummy hot chocolate. I booked the tour at the hostel and headed to the start point, behind the main station. It didn't take me as long as I thought. I got there at 8:50. The tour didn't start until 9:45. Thankfully the bus turned up at 9 oclock. I showed a man my ticket then got on the bus. I asked the driver if he wanted to see my ticket. He didn't really answer. He just said 'hallo, wie gehts gut?' Having not spoken german for 3 years I completely forgot how you're meant to answer in german so I just said 'I'm good thanks'. He thought it was hilarious.

I took my seat at the back of the bus in the open air bit and was immediately engulfed into a massive group of asian tourists. They insisted on having a group photo at the back of the bus. They clearly didn't want me in it as one man moved so to block me from the camera. I was most offended. I would have only improved the photo in large quantities.

Whilst sitting on the bus I noticednthe driver kneeling under the back. He went and got the ticket man and they both went and looked. Then they went and got another man who went and looked. He basically got right down under the bus, in his suit. They fiddled for a bit then came back up. I'm sort of worried the bus is going to fall apart. This may be the last time you hear from me.

Shortish post - Zurich

Zurich Hauptbahnhof is an impressive place. I mean firstly, its an impressive building anyway. On Tuesdays though,  by happy coincidence, it has this fantastic food market with all different cultural foods. Mum would have spent a fortune. But also, it has this (see photo) simply.... fascinating sculpture. I mean, what is it? I'm lost for words.

For dinner I got a chill sausage from the grill and made it into a sausage sandwich with the bread roll I was given. Which technically makes it a sausage roll.
Then I had a crepe. Self control of a peanut. When I get home,  serious diet and exercise regime. If I have any money left after this, (unlikely at Zurichs prices) I am buying a two week spirit health club membership and going every single day. Expect Wednesdays because of football training. I need to get into shape for Peru anyway. Mum, if you're reading, force carrots and red pepper down my throat till they come out my ears.

I bumped into that asian girl from the train at the train station. That was fun.

I miss Fudgey. I keep seeing look-a-likes every where but they are just imposters.

I haven't done anything this evening really except Skyped with the parentals and Leila. So this isn't a very long post. I'm hopeful tomorrow I will have lots to write about.

Zurich

This morning I got up at 6:17 and packed up my stuff. I wasn't going to have time for breakfast but I wanted one of the amazing bread rolls. The woman very kindly said she would make me a packed breakfast. The people at the hostel were so kind and helpful. I would definitely recommend Ostello Villa Olmo.

I got to the station and got talking to an asian girl who happened to be in the same carriage as me. We spent most of the train journey just chatting and then she suggested we should meet up later. I didn't really feel I could say no....

On the train there was this russian looking guy with hundreds of tattoos and alot of expensive looking things. When we passed into Switzerland two border control guards got on. They just walked past most people but when they got to this man they stopped and checked his passport and luggage. One of the guards rang someone up and was talking whilst looking at the passport. After a while they seemed to say it was ok and carried on up the train. Then three stops before Zurich some people in plain clothes got on. One of them had a name tag type thing round his neck. They went straight to the man, searched his luggage and checked his passport. The man then rang someone up whilst looking at his passport. The russian guy said to the police officer he didnt speak german in English. After a while the plain clothes guys left. I'm hypothesising he is ex Russian mafia.

When I arrived in Zurich I went to the hostel to dump my rucksack and ended up staying for lunch. Then I got the tram to Lake Zurich. One side is just made for people. The benches are on the edge of the lake, facing it and even have somewhere to rest your feet. There were tonnes of people just sitting by the lake and of course, I joined them. Incase you haven't noticed by now, I like lakes and all things watery.

From the lake I walked down Bahnhofstrasse which is a mile long road from the station (no kidding!). On the way back I passed an ice cream and frozen yogurt stand. There was lots of little bowls of sweets and fruit that could top the ice cream and yogurt. Since I have the self control of a peanut I decided to get some. I thought I'd go for frozen yogurt coz its healthier. It couldn't be that bad. I got frozen yogurt with chocolate sauce and chocolate bits. It was not good. Frozen yogurt has a really weird taste. I ended up just eating the chocolate bits which was probably just as unhealthy as ice cream.

Due to how unhealthy I am feeling I've set myself some rules. From now on only two cans or 1 bottle of coke a day, no pudding - which I hadn't really been having anyway and no more ice cream. If I want more coke after the two cans, I can have diet. There's no sugar in that. Although it doesn't taste as nice. Or even nice at all.

From the tiny bit of Zurich I've seen today, and it is only a tiny bit, it seems like a very affluent place. There are so many audi's and mercedes' around and I couldn't afford to shop in any of the shops on Bahnhofstrasse. Not that I want a watch anyway.... because there are loooooooads of watch shops.

For dinner I was looking for something cheap.  I asked at the reception if they could recommend anywhere and the man said 'here is the cheapest'. Whilst he may be correct,  they have an option of one thing and its not really something I want/like. I wouldn't choose it at a restaurant. So now I'm going to head to the old town in search of cheap, good food.

Lake Como - part 2

I've had a really lovely afternoon. I got the ferry to San Giovanni in search of somewhere to swim. On the ferry across, just as it was docking I spotted a stoney beach type area with people in the sea so I headed for that.
It was marvelous. There was a marked out swimming area with a floating platform and a hammock in the middle and on the shore there was a bar that did crepes with nutella. I didn't get any because it would have cost €12. Absolute rip off.

I got changed and went into the lake. It was a right saga. The floor was stoney sk obviously it was slippery, made all ghe worse by the moss or whatever it was. It was also quite painful. I slipped over 3 times and landed on my butt. I also managed to cut my leg although I didn't realise until after.

When I had finished swimming I got out, dried off and slapped on the suncream. Then the sun went in.

Thankfully however not for long. I was swimming and sunbathing. Typically the hottest time was the time I had to go for the bus. I had realised when I got to San Giovanni that the bus stopped right by the beach so I could have just gone straight there but oh well. Bellaggio was pretty and I needed lunch.

About ten minutes before I left there was thunder from over the hill sounding out as as l was waiting for the bus it started raining. It was just a quick shower but now it is raining heavily here at the Hostel.

I was just sitting at the back on the bus, shoes off, jammin' to my ipod, getting thrown from side to side as we rocketed down tiny roads, looking out over Lake Como. I had had wonderful afternoon.

When I got back to the hostel I showered and washed my hair. I had to straighten it in the reflection from the fire hose box because there were no sockets by the mirrors. I almost burnt my ear off.

Now I am sitting in the hostel bar waiting for pizza. I wish I had another day here.