Umkirch: Day 5, part 1

We got up really early Tuesday morning to catch a train to Frieburg. We discovered later that our tickets were good for anytime within 24 hours so we probably didn't have to get up SO early, but it was OK because we had a busy day in Frieburg, Umkirch and Colmar (France).


In Frieburg, we met Scott's friend Henning. He had arranged a hotel room for us in Umkirch. He and Scott talked business for a few hours (I napped and read!) and then we had lunch and started a grand tour.

First stop: An amazing view from up above the Rhein Valley (famous Rhein wine growing area). From our vantage point, we were in Germany but could see France and Switzerland.


After that stop, we stopped at a cathedral and saw the Rathous (city hall). The Rathous had dates on that went back to the 1100s. Just amazing to realize how young our country really is.

Then we headed into France, to explore the charming town of Colmar.

Zurich: Day 4

Scott and I had a free day in Zurich on Monday! We had plans to go to the Lindt factory shop for cheap chocolate, but we were told that they stopped the tours and the tourist information spot at the train station.


Instead, we were steered toward Morkur chocolate shop near the station. When I walked in, it smelled like heaven. They had chocolate in big stacks and sweet displays and someone even making chocolate in the back. Kids in a candy store :)

After we had chosen our chocolates, we stopped nearby in the shopping district for bratwurst and wiener schnitzel. We sat on a window sill and people watched.

Then we went up on Lindenhof, down by Lake Zurich and then to Casa Mia's for pizza. The waiter took about a year to pour my beer, but the head was about three inches thick! This seems to be important to Europeans, the home of no Miller Lite.

Afterward, we tried some hesse maroni, roasted chestnuts that seem to smell much better than they taste.

After that, it was time to head back to the hotel and pack for our trip to Frieburg, Germany.

Here are a bunch of pictures from my favorite day so far.

Zurich: Day 3

Sunday was Scott's last day of the show so we had breakfast and then I sat in a cafe for awhile and read with Linda's nook. Later I took some pictures of the guys playing chess. We love that guys with the cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He seems to draw a crowd so he must be a fierce player.

I sat with Scott at the show for awhile. He was walking around the show and I had this odd conversation with a guy who wanted to buy one of World Coin DVDs:

Guy, holding up the dvd: "How much?"

Me: "Um, 15 francs."

Guy: "I was thinking more like 22 or 24 francs."

Me: "Well, my husband told me 15 francs would be about right."

Guy, frustrated and thinking I was not all there: "Would 20 francs be OK?"

Me: "Yes! Perfect!" I just got 5 bonus francs for seeming stupid! woo-hoo! I am a hard core negotiator!


After the show was over, we headed down to Paradeplatz in search of a hearty meal. I'd had two croissants for the entire day and was ready to chew my arm off. We ended up at Zeughauskeller for bratwurst and beers as big as my head!

It was in an old armory and the atmosphere was amazing. They sat us at a table with other people. There was self-serve bread at the table...just one piece was as heavy as an apple in your hands. Scott got the classic veal bratwurst and I got pork/beef sausage with gravy (reminded me of some U.P. cuisine ... sort of a combo of Ralph's italian deli and a touch of Beef-R-Roo). Soooo good.

Later, we got ice in an ice cream shop that can only be described as "mod." While as a designer I loved the decor, for me it wasn't screaming for ice cream, it sort of screamed "hair salon of the future!"