Castles Crumbling (Zurich - Ljubljana)

Our final morning in Zurich saw the overnight rain consolidate into a very wet grey morning, dear reader. We had re-packed our bags the previous night because we needed to check-in our carry-on suitcase due to allowed bag weights in Economy. The big suitcase was slightly over the 23kg permitted. My carry-on was also over the 8kg limit. The easy option was to re-pack and check both bags.

The taxi, pre-ordered for 6:45am, was already waiting as we checked out of the hotel. Swiss punctuality. He was 10 minutes early, at least. We opted for a taxi because Uber was not permitted into the Altstadt which would have necessitated us dragging our bags down toward the main thoroughfare by the river. We made a good call given the rain.

It was a 15 minute drive to the airport and half of that would have been spent negotiating the one way streets in downtown Zurich. The rain grew heavier and it was clear that had we been staying another day, we would have seen little more than our hotel room.

Check-in and security was smooth and we went in search of a place for breakfast, close to our gate. The coffee was surprisingly good and served in a proper cup, not paper. Impressive. The flight to Ljubljana was 45 minutes. Seriously up and then down. Bonus on a near full flight, we had a spare seat in our row. We were in a taxi heading into Ljubljana before we realised.

A random flower to brighten your day.

As we neared the hotel, the driver asked if I was paying by cash. "No", I replied, "I have no cash". "I don't take card," he responded. As it eventuated he did accept cards but, like drivers in other countries, they prefer cash. Apparently he missed out on the 4€ card charge ... yeah, right. It might have been a metered ride but it wasn't obvious at what price the meter started.

We are staying at the Ljubljana Intercontinental for two reasons: I paid for it with Qantas points and it is close to the train station and we're travelling to our next destination, Zagreb, by train. You know my love of dragging my bag around foreign cities and the Intercon is as close to the station as I could get.

Given the early flight, we didn't expect our room to be ready at 11:00am when we arrived at the hotel, but it was. Winner. We'd anticipated wandering the old town and having lunch before being able to get into the room. However, the weather report said rain was coming so we'd re-ordered our plans and booked the tour to Lake Bled. It had a 2pm pick up. After unpacking, we went to the rooftop bar for lunch and a beer, maybe two.

The Ljubljana traffic ensured our pick-up for the tour was running late. He arrived at 2:15pm; 15 minutes late but also 15 minutes earlier than the rescheduled time. After two more pickups the 8 of us were off to Lake Bled. The traffic was heavy in parts, Sydney peak-hour heavy but soon dissipated.

The island from the castle.

It is easy to overdo the superlatives when you are presented with a scene that looks fantastic in photographs. Lake Bled surpassed the images I'd seen and we did not have picture perfect blue skies. It is stunning, it is awe inspiring, it is a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.

The tour with To Do in Slovenia caters for the group. Some people were dropped off to walk around the lake, others wanted to swim, we had a boat trip out to the island. The boat has a capacity of up 22 people and is powered by one person in a weird mix of rowing and gondola style propulsion. Regardless of how it is described, it was hard work, particularly into the breeze. Among our boat people, there was one lady of a particular nationality (OK, she was Spanish) who clearly did not want to be told where to sit and what to do. Initially there were about 10 passengers but we collected another group of people enroute to the island. This necessitated that we all shuffle up and make room for the newcomers. This lady did not want to move at all and even suggested to the boat operator that he was overloading the vessel, to which he took exception, pointing out he was licensed to carry more people. Again, he told her to move and she reluctantly shifted slightly further along. 

Bled Castle

We arrived at the island and were given 45 minutes to explore and waste money in the souvenir store. It was also perhaps time for the boat operator to rest and let some of the lactic acid drain from his body. A steep climb up the stairs from the mooring was rewarded with some picturesque views back to the lavish buildings on the mainland.

A nice summer residence.

The church that dominates the island was not open, but the path led around it to the other side and down to another pier. There were views wherever the camera was pointed, especially looking up toward Bled Castle that towered above the island. Today's title Castles Crumbling is by Taylor Swift from 2023, even though Bled castle isn't technically crumbling. I thought I'd go for a more contemporary reference.

From the church courtyard.

In essence there is precious little to do. Twenty minutes would have been sufficient to circumnavigate the island and take photos and even visit the tourist trap and buy an ice cream. But the boaties deserve a break. Mind you, it is hard to feel sympathy for them since they clearly are a closed fraternity who control a monopoly on transportation to the island.  As such, they dictate the going rates on the boat rides and at 20€ per person, it is clearly a lucrative business. David, our guide referred to them as the Bled mafia whose membership is open only to family. They took cash only and it is no exaggeration to say their wallets were bulging with Euros by the end of the day.

Our entitled lady passenger elbowed her way onto the boat first, declaring she wanted the same seat on the way back. Next to her was a young woman who was speaking to other people as we went along. The owner of the seat, having heard her accent, then inquired was she Irish? "Yes," came the reply. "From Ireland?" "Yes." Not sure where else the Irish come from...

The stairs down to the boats.

Back at the mainland, David, our guide, was waiting for us and drove us back to the point where we would eventually meet the walkers and swimmers. We had about 50 minutes to explore this part of Bled before departing for the Castle.

A lakeside church.

We used the time to walk along the lake shoreline in the surrounding parklands which sport numerous cafe/restaurant/bar options as well as swimming zones, gardens and wildlife corridors. Interestingly, while this is clearly a popular leisure playground, there were many signs prohibiting people from picnicking or even lying on the grassed areas. Everyone had to stay in the designated areas or stay on the paths around the lake.

The computereside lawn mower security guard.

After a stroll along the foreshore, we returned to the pick up spot to rejoin our guide and group for the drive up to the castle that stands watch over the lake.

That's how my back is after a day's walking.

The castle tower and parapet.

There is not a huge amount on show at the castle: a replica Gutenberg printing press, a wine cellar, cafe and museum, but it's about the view over the lake and surrounds. I won't try to capture it in words I'll let my pictures do the talking.

Bled cream cake with a view.

At the café we were able to try the 'world famous' Bled cream cake. A concoction of wafer, vanilla cream custard and whipped cream, topped with puff pastry. The serving size was way bigger than required, but it was quite delicious and delicate. Although I would have preferred a glass of wine instead.

It was back to the van for the 45 minute drive back to Bled. We were returned to our hotel around 8pm, a rather long but perfect transit day.

Until tomorrow when some serious rain is forecast.

Pure Imagination (Zurich)

Guess where we went today, dear reader? The clue is in the title song, Pure Imagination, it's from the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. As much as I love Timothée Chalamet's work, I have chosen to stay true to Gene Wilder from the original 1971 movie. The clip is worth watching if you remember the movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myqzUur4K98. Have you managed to work it out? We're in Zurich ... that's right, we were off to the home of chocolate, the Lindt factory.

We walked a familiar route down to Central, confident that we could operate the ticket machine. All went well until the payment page. It appeared to not want to accept my payment. I kept hitting the relevant sections of the touchscreen and nothing happened. Not totally true, my attempted purchase was timed out. On the third try, Jayne noticed a tiny payscreen to the right of the large touch screen. There was no information to suggest that payment would be received on another screen. 

An installation at Central. A gift from France.

Anyway, the Swiss authorities trust everyone, according to our guide from yesterday. No one checks tickets. There are no barriers to pass through. Tickets in hand, down to the platform we went and the train arrived on time at the other end of the platform which caused a number of people to scramble. Into the carriage and quickly seated, we looked around as the train moved toward the next station. It was all a bit fancy. Then it dawned - we were in first class. Our tickets were second class. We only had a couple of stops to travel and since we weren't Swiss, we stayed.

It was about a 10 minute walk from the station. Directions were not required. There were two foolproof methods of navigation: follow the crowd, or follow your nose. The smell of chocolate was quite strong. It became pervasive as we neared the factory.

Welcome to the home of chocolate.

The journey through the "chocolate museum" is actually a metaphor for life, dear reader. The process of birth is painful and its length varies, much like the ability to master the lockers where bags must be placed. Or getting the audio guide to work. I saw many people, frustrated people (me included) before they were at peace and finally entered the world proper: the Chocolate Museum.

The audio guide stations provided an explanation of the process of making chocolate from growing the cacao bean (so labour intensive) through to making the chocolate. There was also information about the back story, the pioneering people who made chocolate what it is today.

Like life, this section of the journey had its ups and downs. Sometimes things went well and the crowd diminished, other times you couldn't get to the audio guide symbol or the exhibit. However, the trials and tribulations must be endured before you get to Nirvana. The place where you get to sample the chocolate, warm, on a spoon, straight from a machine. Not quite paradise but close.

Pump the tap for a taste.

And then, more chocolate after it had been tempered and other technical stuff. These pieces of chocolate were like manna from heaven. You simply held your hand under the tower and a piece dropped into your hand. There were multiple towers, dispensing different flavours of chocolate, if you could get close enough and avoid those who felt the need to video the experience.

Then there were some other meaningless pieces of information before the final chocolate room - a counter lined with giant bubble containers. Each was filled with a different flavoured Lindor ball and we were allowed to take one from each container. Indeed, two master chocolatiers (at least that's how they were dressed) were policing this divine precinct and they caught one sinning woman trying to take multiple delights from one container. She was told in no uncertain terms to put all bar one back and to move on. She should have been dispatched to the beginning and made to endure the museum again. Apart from the rude ignorant people who pushed and shoved and the untended miscreant children, you could think you'd died and gone to heaven - except they wouldn't be there.

By this stage I had had enough. Of crowds. Of information about chocolate. Of chocolate. I collected my balls and headed for the exit. Really? Don't be so juvenile. My Lindor chocolate balls. Out through the chocolate shop we went into the sunshine.

The ticket machine was no challenge on the return train journey. Straight back to the hotel we scurried to put our booty in the air conditioned comfort of our room. 

The afternoon was spent successfully searching for the Stadthaus to enquire about obtaining the keys to secret archaeological exhibitions scattered around the Old Town. En route to there we dropped into the Grossmünster, the salt and pepper shaker church. 

They love a flag.

Not quite Chagall.

After securing the keys at the Stadthaus we went next door to Fraumünster church with its Chagall and Giacometti windows. Absolutely stunning.

Three of the six Chagall windows.

The 9m Giacometti window.

Finally we sat down to enjoy a beer in the sunshine and then do some shopping. Yes, the Pandora charm representing Switzerland was purchased.

We had dinner at one of the local restaurants in the Altstadt that we'd noticed was particularly popular with the locals. The food and wine were good, but the cigarette smoke was really starting to aggravate.

There was rain early in the morning. Lying in bed listening to the sounds of rain on metal roof brought back childhood memories. It also made sure we were up early. Today was the 'secret key' day that we had been invited to do by Stephanie at the tourist centre on our first day in Zurich. 

Zoom in - it's impressive.

Despite being ready to go, we had to wait for the bakery to commence serving at 9am. The picture on their sign is of a croissant. There were none on display. I opted for a blackberry tart and Jayne had some apple concoction which turned out to be very similar to a small apple pie. We sat and ate near the fountain - the one supervised by the medieval soldier with the massive codpiece.

The breakfast bar. Great name.

Appetite sated, we crossed the river to the Stadthaus and collected the keys to set off in search of site number 1. Fraumünster was stop number 1 but we decided against it because we had visited yesterday and it would cost another 10 francs to go inside. The second destination was St Peter's, the church with the big clock face. It was closed for renovation until the end of October. A bit long to wait.

St Peter's.

The next location was in a laneway leading down to the river. Part of the footpath had been replaced with a metal grate that allowed the amateur archeologist to view the remnant Roman baths beneath. There was a pictorial explanation on the wall. As digs go it was rather small. In this case perhaps size does matter.

Our attention was then focused on site number four, Lindenhof-Keller. It came with detailed instructions on how to access the underground chamber. Google maps suggested we had overshot the mark when we arrived at the park above the Roman wall. Not far from where we were, a small group of students was milling around as their teacher was trying to lift a floor plate. "We're here," I said to Jayne and pointed to the group. One problem solved, we wouldn't need to unlock access.

Impressive?

There were a few words exchanged with the group leader as we showed we also had keys and down we went into the very confined space underneath the building. What was visible were the remains of a Roman built wall. Hardly a spectacular find.

Next we tried to locate Parkhaus Urania with its golden jewellery artefacts. This proved a difficulty until a pleasant young tradie pointed us in the right direction, literally down into the underground car park where a simulated representation of the archaeological dig site was portrayed behind a perspex screen, along with a picture of some gold trinkets that had apparently been unearthed when they were excavating the site for the car park. Ho hum. Not worthy of a photo.

The five sites on the north-eastern side of the Limmat had proven underwhelming. Back on our side of the river, we went in search of Stadtmauerkeller in the university sector. Again, the entrance was not well signposted. It was in fact little more than an unassuming door to the street. However, the key fit and in we went, onto a metal landing overlooking a room with an exposed section of the ground. This turned out to be part of the original Roman wall of the old town. There was an example of the style of piping used by those ancient world builders and one exposed pipe entrance. Again there was further information on the wall.

The wall.

The pipe.

The excitement was almost unbearable as we set course for site number 6, Brunnegasse, which required the use of a fob to open the door. Well, it would have, if there weren't renovations happening in the building. Again there was no signage and we set out down the passageway to be turned back by a local and directed up the stairs. 

Party time.

On the wall, protected by perspex was a mural dating back to the 1330s depicting the life of a well-to-do Jewish family, their banquet scenes and the coats of arms of the guests.

Next stop was a restored 1800s villa. We had actually stopped here on the walking tour. The façade is little different to any of the other buildings and there was no option to view inside. Downstairs was an art supply store.

The villa. Are you still awake?

The church that was number 9 on our list was not open yet so we continued past our hotel further into the Aldstadt to a sewer passage. Not something I thought I'd ever write in my blog. Again, another unassuming doorway but the key fit and the handle turned and we found ourselves in a very confined space. We turned the lights on and made our to the other end. It was akin to a scene from Willy Wonka where the walls and ceiling seemed to converge on you. The exit door was a squeeze.

A bit shit really.

I've seen bigger skateboards.

Thankfully back into the sunshine we meandered to the Stadthaus to return the key and collect Jayne's passport which was left as a security. It was time for a beer and a discussion of where this walking archeological excursion sits on our list of underwhelming adventures. Personally, it's toward the top for me. A city that has such significant and obvious Roman heritage and the best they can muster is a few dingy rooms with the bits of heritage that haven't been destroyed. Mind you, they obviously regressed after the Romans left, if their sewer options were to defecate out of an annex over the laneway.

Then it was time to return to our hotel to start the process of packing up in preparation for an early departure the next morning. Once this was achieved, we ventured out once more to determine a final dinner venue and then wandered down to the riverside for an afternoon Swiss refresher of wine, sausage, onion, cornichons and bread, accompanied by some people watching. This pursuit revealed an individual who blatantly engaged in un-Swiss civil disobedience by swimming in the part of the river where it is not allowed - fines apply if you are caught. We also watched multiple river cruise boats slide by, under the low bridges and numerous young women, stopping to pull duck face for influencer selfies. 

Illegal activity.

Our last day in Zurich concluded with an Italian dinner, next door to our hotel, which was fortunate as the weather had finally turned and the rain the locals were missing, commenced. The dinner menu was heavily focussed around the giant wood-fired oven (as large as yours, Luke) and it was mesmerising to watch the two chefs churn out all manner of pizzas, focaccias and other fare in next to no time - the waiters had trouble keeping up with their production to the point where, if a meal was plated and not distributed fast enough, the chefs took it to the table themselves.

Tomorrow we have an early plane to Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia, leaving Switzerland in the rear view mirror.

Until then.

Don't Lose Your Head (Zurich)

Yesterday's beautiful afternoon morphed into a blue sky, sunny day. After 10 hours of sleep, everything looked good, dear reader, except my reflection in the mirror. Breakfast was essential, prior to embarking on our 6 hour walking tour. Not noticing anything in our rambles the previous day, we opted for Delish, the café associated with the hotel.

An excellent espresso was followed by tomato and burrata, and cherry tomatoes and ham, prosciutto and salami. There were also fresh fruit and cereals and nuts and yoghurt. The croissant was passable. Suitably fleeced, sorry charged, for the day, I paid the almost $100 AUD and we walked to Central to meet our guide and fellow walkers.

Now is probably the time to talk about how expensive Zurich is ... it's really expensive. Scandinavia expensive. There, that's done. No, seriously, it is one of the most expensive cities in the world, certainly as far as food is concerned. A basic pinsa (pizza) is around $50 AUD, a schnitty is similar and specialty restaurant prices are just scary. If you're planning to visit, and it's worth it, don't convert prices to AUD, just live your life - but make sure you've saved up plenty of expendable cash.

A fountain ornament near the hotel. Great codpiece.

Anyway, I digress - we arrived at the appointed meeting spot on time. There were 14 of us in all, 1 younger guy from South Africa, 3 Australians and 10 Americans. Our guide Vasi was originally from Greece. Or so he said, but his ability to praise the Romans and not once say anything like, "but of course the Greeks did it first", had me wondering about his authenticity.

I picked the tour through TripAdvisor and it was then booked through Viator. Once confirmed it became Wow Zurich Tours. The Zurich Walking Tour with Cruise and Aerial Cable Car is a mouthful and a tad overstated. The 'cruise' part is actually a public transport ferry, not that there is anything wrong with that, and the pace required to complete some sections is unrealistic. Aside from that, you get to see and do all the basics and it is a great introduction to Zurich.

The Landesmuseum is a bit Harry Potter.

The meeting place was outside the Landesmuseum near Central Station. Vasi was quick to point out that one section of the tour required us to walk up a very steep hill to catch a bus. This was time critical. We had 7 minutes to get to the top to make the bus connection and if we were unable to fulfill this requirement, we should look for alternatives. Not a very positive start to the day as a number of the group began second guessing whether they would be able to fulfill the brief which incidentally had not been mentioned anywhere in the tour criteria. Yes, a moderate level of fitness was recommended, but given none of us knew what the gradient or distance of the "steep climb" would be, it was not realistic to make an assessment of the likelihood of being able to complete it in the requisite time.

That is a solid door.

The tour commenced uneventfully with a stop at the Zurich Central train station followed by a short walk to the entrance of the funicular that took us up to the campus of the premier University in Zurich, ETH, which apparently boasts many Nobel prize winners among its alumni, most notably, Albert Einstein. Apart from being an excellent vantage point to take some photos of the Altstadt precinct, it also provided the next anecdotal opportunity for our guide.

Here we heard about why Swiss chocolate reigns supreme - a mixture of:

- happy cows which provide the highest quality milk due to their personalised care, including daily massages from the farmers who own them. No, really.

- highest quality organically grown cocoa beans.

- traditional recipes and methods of production overseen by master chocolatiers, handed down through generations.

The view from the University entrance.

We also heard multiple theories questioning whether Einstein was the brains behind his theories or in fact, like many celebrated men (George Orwell, Picasso, me ...) his wife was the genius who never received any recognition due to the prevailing patriarchy. I suspect this will be an area of major academic study over the next 10 years or so. If you're interested, Wifedom by Anna Funder looks at the Orwell situation.

Fancy lights for a University.

Our walk was a rambling pace and stops were designed to impart a more in-depth knowledge of Switzerland, its people and culture. The next stop was on top of one of the many bunkers that are dotted around the country in case of attack. Apparently being neutral means you have no friends and need to protect yourself, like some Marvel hero, Crow for example (I watched it on the plane. Just don't). The bunkers are huge with dormitories, classrooms, cafeteria, all you need to survive, except the will to live because you're trapped underground with thousands of others. Vasi said that there is around 10% capacity in the bunkers for tourists and people from out of the city. A quick google check found his population stats to be rather rubbery, but I guess the concept is, room for all. I'm a sceptic.

This unassuming ramp is the bunker entrance.

On top of the bunker (see what I did there?) we also discussed military service and gun ownership. It's a complex story but basically every citizen has to do military service and everyone owns a state issued gun. The gun needs to be kept and maintained in a specific way and this is checked by a some nice police people or the army, whatever. If you breach the rules you are fined.

We walked parts of Altstadt with the group that we hadn't already traversed, although it was close to our hotel. Here the influence of Scandinavia was evident. In times when literacy was poor, paintings on the side of buildings allowed for navigation. Some buildings had their purpose carved into stone over the doorway. Something also prevalent in Roman times. As are the fountains that produce drinking water. Every fountain in the city has a separate water source and is safe to drink from or refill your water bottle.

A shoemaker?

A boot maker of quality as signified by the snake.

There are narrow laneways and wider streets throughout the old town. The narrow alleys were actually the sewer system back in the day. The toilets in the house were in rooms perched over the top of the lane or alley. Should you be using the laneway as a pedestrian thoroughfare you needed to move fast or carry a large umbrella, and be careful where you placed your feet.

Don't look up.

We next paused to admire a wall built in Roman times as Vasi waxed lyric about the Roman contribution to Switzerland back in the day. He was so enthusiastic I had to question his Greek origins. What Greek raves about the Roman empire without referencing that the Greeks did it first? And better. He said he was as scientist interested only in facts. I call bullshit.

The walk up to the park atop the wall was steep. This was the tester to see who would make the ascent later in the day. It was clear our group of 14 would not be that large at day's end. In the park, discussion turned to voting, women's rights and other issues. Voting in Switzerland is interesting. Anyone can create change provided certain criteria are met. Then there is an education process that generally takes years. Finally the vote for the change, yes or no, is like a referendum in Australia. If you agree with the concept there is no need to vote. It's left to the naysayers. There is an assumption that non attendance to vote is a vote for yes. Why waste your precious leisure time voting to show you support what is already being proposed?

Grossmünster Church with the salt & pepper shaker towers.

There are numerous churches worth visiting for the artwork. Fraumünster has several stunning stained glass installations by Marc Chagall as well as a 9 metre window by Giacometti. Chagall's work can also be found in a nearby café. Clearly culture abounds, but it was not always like this we were informed by our guide.

St Peter's boasts the largest clock face in Europe.

Women did not get to vote until 1970. There are numerous places across the city that are still divided along gender lines because of the previous incidence of domestic violence. Apparently a new, educated Switzerland was born sometime in the 1970s and has been getting progressively better ever since.

The history of Switzerland, like many European countries is long and chequered and is a story of occupation, overthrow, peace, rinse and repeat. Vasi constantly reiterated the theme that the Swiss are kind and welcoming people and then would follow a tale where the protagonist had his head removed. The guillotine was very popular and no doubt helped to keep the people well behaved. Points in case - the removal of all Muslims around the 1300s (I think) and a similar dislike of Jews some years later. The guillotine got a work out. Hence today's title, Don't Lose Your Head by Queen from 1986. Here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecrheD1eYYU.

A former hero who lost his head.

After a brief (and imho unnecessary stop for lunch) the tour continued. We caught a public ferry down the lake to disembark and climb the stairway to heaven, well the bus, in 7 minutes. Or else the guillotine. The path was very steep but made more problematic by the constant reminder that we would be left behind if we did not get to the top in the required time frame. We made it and then stood around for three minutes waiting for the bus. As I predicted, our numbers had dwindled. Three of our group were missing out on one the main reasons for going on the tour: the cable car to the top of the mountain for the panoramic views of Zurich and its surrounds.

The cable car is able to accommodate 30 people. My mind drifted back to the crowded elevators in HK. Thankfully we didn't cram that many people in today. The ride to the top takes about 10 minutes and then if you're an energetic local you go hiking along the trails. If not you walk the ten minutes to the café for food, beer and a rest. The view is, of course, spectacular. It looks down on the lake and out over the urban expanse of Zurich which was much larger than I thought. In the other direction are the 'baby' Alps. Not so visible today through the camera lens due to the haze.

The view from the top.

We have experienced the best weather. Temperatures in the mid 20s, blue skies with some light clouds. Not the weather the locals are used to nor what they want. They want cloud to keep the temperature down. Climate change is having a serious impact and the glaciers are melting at a faster rate than ever. The impact of this means the alps are moving apart. One current study suggests they are moving into Italy and the border between the two countries may need to be renegotiated.

Our ride home.

Waiting for the cable car to return, Vasi was answering questions around health care, crime, whatever. He explained that health care was subsidised by the government and your healthy lifestyle options will be also be subsided. Unhealthy people, as in obese, receive nothing but smoking incurs no penalty. Again, I call bullshit. Every second person here smokes. It is disgusting and pervasive. It is near impossible to enjoy a meal or a beer outdoors and not be suffocated by cigarette smoke. Vasi said the link between smoking and ill health is not 100% proven. That just demonstrates he is not the 'scientist' he says he is. There are very few studies that can claim a 100% causal link, if any.

The 'baby' Alps in the haze.

The cable car trip down saw us onto a train to head back to Central where we bid the remainder of our group farewell. The other Aussie then joined us for beers in Altstadt before he headed back out of town to his hotel and we retired to freshen up before dinner.

Another big day, dear reader, that saw me asleep by 8:30pm.

Until tomorrow.