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Our plan was to buy food at the grocery store and eat it while riding on a train around the lake. After getting our groceries, we discovered that we missed the train that goes next to the lake, but if we hurried we could get one that goes near it. So we ran down the platform and jumped on the first car. This was first class, so we had to walk through several first class aisles before finding our second class seats. But the train began moving before we got there, so we would have missed it if we walked that distance on the platform.
We found a nice spot and sat down to enjoy our lunch of bread, meat, cheese, jelly and special drinks. Then we got off the train and took another one back to Zurich by way of the lake route. Then we found a park and saw people playing chess on two large boards on the ground, with large wooden pieces. We watched one game and when it finished Jon and the boys played. This was an interesting game of chess. Jon allowed each boy to have a turn before he got his turn. At first, the boys were not coordinated and Jon made progress. Then, with some hints and tips from Aunt Janet and Uncle Stephan, the boys found out that if they worked together, they could really do damage to Daddy's pieces. Noah had a blast knocking over pieces with the killing piece. The queen was his favorite. At some point, Noah had had enough and it was just Daddy and Jonathan playing. It ended up being a draw.
Then we walked back to the train station and headed home. At the Basel station, the boys walked all over the place trying to find a bathroom. At first, Jon did not want to pay 2 Franks to use the restroom, but after wandering far, they finally came to a ½ Frank bathroom, but they didn't have a ½ Frank piece, so they ended up paying 2 Franks for it anyway.
While I was waiting for them I saw a pigeon do something I'd never seen before. He was sitting on the ground, penned in by two walls, a sign, and a dog. He seemed content enough until the dog moved. Then he flew straight up into the air like a helicopter to avoid his entrapment. Amazing!
After our tram ride home, we had dinner with the Dutlers - pasta, shrimp, and vegetables.
I, too, used to refuse to pay for a bathroom - it shouldn't cost! But then I realized, I pay much more for other forms of entertainment, and 2 Francs (which is a rather high price, actually) is a cheap way to buy comfort. ;)
I'm impressed you've been able to write so much. I still have to write about our engagement, but life post-wedding is rushing up to meet us with all the little details that need to be taken care of. Oddly enough, marrying a Swiss didn't make life easier for me when dealing with the Swiss government, in fact, Stephan is is now being treated more as a foreigner because of me! Paper work, paper work, paper work . . . oh, and then it's tax time in both countries. Ain't married life grand? ;)
So glad you came to visit!
Oh, frustration! Perhaps previously his American side was considered just an unfortunate accident of birth, but since he chose to marry an American....
I, too, think paying for bathroom facilities is terrible, just like the difficulty in getting tap water in a restaurant. But I'm old enough to remember when using the bathroom cost a dime in this country, too. It was automated, however, so one could get half a family -- one sex, that is -- in on one dime by holding the door open. :)
That is what we did (well, actually, we all went in at the same time), in both the half franc bathroom (about a mile away underground in the train station amidst 2000 bicycles), but you want to be careful to make sure the bathroom doesn't think you're gone, because it sprays the entire room full of water to clean it.
The 2 franc bathroom had a guy to check it, and would be safer, though he was quite concerned that Jonathan not push the exit bar to get counted on his way out. I suspect it had something to do with that we all went in together, and the system would have only counted one person, so if extra people exit, maybe he gets in trouble for not monitoring people not paying or something.
Oh, I wouldn't count these bathrooms as exceptionally clean, though I suppose the bathrooms in Grand Central Station in NYC aren't anything to be proud of...
Of course it's nice when a clean bathroom is free, but I'd pay anywhere to have a clean bathroom if dirty was the other option.
I typed most of the posts in New Hampshire and in the car on the way home, knowing I wouldn't have time when regular responsibilities returned. (or, really, when I returned to them!)