HEIDI

Remember Heidi, the little orphan girl who was a cross between Pollyanna and Anne of Green Gables. She was sent to live with her sullen, grumpy, grandfather in the Swiss Alps. Her “glass half full” cheery disposition softened him. She is in every store window I pass in Zurich, Switzerland.  I was told that it is the most popular school play and they even have a Heidi musical. Amazing she is still so popular- at least in Switzerland.

Zurich was an easy, astonishing train ride from Milan. How two countries could be so close and the food, language and culture so different is a puzzle. My seat mate on the train, a student studying “applied mathematics” in Zurich told me there is a small Italian region just over the border where people speak Italian. The predominant language is Swiss German and about 20% speak French near the French border.

I cannot decide which was more spectacular, the snow covered alps or the abundant water falls bursting out of the side of the mountains. As beautiful as it is, Switzerland is sooo expensive. The least expensive place I could find to stay was a “Capsule” hotel. The bed is literally a small narrow capsule in the wall with an opening in the end that you crawl into. You cannot sit or stand or dress in it, just crawl in and sleep. The bathroom is about a mile away and is next to the lockers they give you to store your suitcase or backpack, which does not fit in the capsule. The lockers are also capsules, but vertical instead of horizonal like the beds.

The showers, you guessed it, a capsule!  About 3 feet by 3 feet, don’t even think about bending over to wash your feet. There is a button to turn on the water and it automatically shuts off after 45 seconds. You get wet, off goes the water. Suds up, turn it back on to rinse off in 45 seconds. No, you cannot keep hitting the button to keep the water going. After about three times it pauses for about 2-3minutes.  Great way to save water. All this wonderful luxury for $60.00 a night – outrageous!

And if that is an outrageous price for a capsule you should see the price of food. I find the closest grocery store and live on fruit, yogurt, nuts, canned tuna and a store bought salad.

In addition to Heidi in every store window there are also the famous Swiss Army knives and of course Swiss wrist watches. I would have thought Swiss watches would be a thing of the past with new technology. I seldom see anyone in the states with a wrist watch, but evidently not in Switzerland where they have wrist watch “police” checking to make sure everyone is wearing a Swiss watch.  😊 I will put in a good word for the Swiss Chocolate- Lindt which is everywhere.

Switzerland is my stop, breath and rest break. As a traveler who has no agenda and who is not on a mission to “see it all” I require a break now and then from all the stimulus. I looked at the “must sees” according to Rick and Fodors and decided I would rather sit on the small balcony where I have a beautiful view of the Limmat River and the mountains.  I start and end my days with strolls around town and along the river and feel very at peace just taking it all in.

MAKE YOUR LIFE WIDE RATHER THAN LONG!

SOME PEOPLE CREATE THEIR OWN STORMS, THEN GET UPSET WHEN IT RAINS!

The best journeys in life are those that answer questions you never thought to ask.

WATERFALLS FROM THE ALPS

CAPSULE HOTEL – IT ACTUALLY LOOKS BIGGER IN PICTURE

Heidi is every where and on every thing

An artist carved this dog out of sand. I wonder where he got sand in the mountains?

The view from my hotel – not bad. Mountains are to the left.