Zurich - Preparing for my Travels

Zurich - Boats Closed!

My swan song at work is a trip to Japan to handover my job to the Japanese team. This might sound all very exciting, but it comes with its own problems (some self-inflicted, admittedly).

One problem is that the Japanese stint is pretty close to my departure date for Egypt, the handover of my Swiss flat, and all that goes with it.

Another problem was that my credit card expires at the end of March and I hadn’t received a replacement. Since my Japan trip runs into April and I have to pay my expenses on my card and then claim back, I needed the new card.

I emailed to request that they send me a replacement card to my Zurich address. To my surprise, they replied to say they had my address down as Egypt. I have a clear memory of changing my address to Zurich as I knew the card was due to be renewed while I was in Switzerland. However, I looked on the website and indeed my address was Egypt.I couldn’t argue with what was in front of my eyes.

I changed my address on my account (even though I will need to change it back again in 2 weeks’ time) and got them to agree to send it to me by express post (I have to say, they were very good in this respect).

Meanwhile, I tried to book my flight to Egypt and a hotel in Zurich for the two nights before my Egypt flight (as I can’t sleep in the flat once I’ve washed the sheets), but my payment was refused. Unknown to me, my current card had been cancelled in the mean time!

Then, of course, the new card was delivered while I was at work, and I had to sign for it, so I ended up collecting it from their offices in the middle of nowhere.

The next issue was that the Japan hotel would cost more than the credit I now had left on the card, so I had to arrange an interim payment to ensure the card would be accepted on my arrival in Japan (well, so I hope!).

The other organizational problem was my mobile phone (aarrrgh!!!). Because I hadn’t used it at all (surprise, surprise), it had got disconnected and was no longer working. It’s been reconnected now, but I am still eyeing it with intense suspicion.

All these problems, and I haven’t even considered the work-side of things!

Switzerland - A Trip to Rome

Last Supper - Time to go on a Diet!

Somebody asked me if I was really into Italy when I mentioned that I was going to be in Florence one weekend and then in Rome the next. It’s not really the case – or wasn’t at the time – it just so happened that the two trips were one after the other. I don’t know why I’ve neglected Italy before in my travels – now that I’ve been, I’m a fan!

Anyway, last weekend I went to Rome – I flew in on Friday and left Sunday. We landed late but I still decided to be adventurous and take the bus to the hotel rather than just hop in a taxi. It was a bit confusing because there were shuttle buses at one part of the airport and the bus station in another part, but fortunately I’d remembered correctly that I had to head for the bus station. I saw the bus leaving just as I got there. Drat! However, it was warm, even in the evening, so I didn’t mind sitting outside to wait for 45 minutes.

The bus was relatively easy, but finding the hotel afterwards was another matter. I’d mistakenly thought it would have a sign outside, but actually it was just a name on a doorbell (bizarre!). Moreover, it was number 81 instead of 83. It was a B&B with just four rooms and the woman comes in especially to greet you, but is otherwise not really there, so you help yourselves to coffee and tea etc whenever you like. Anyway, she was getting a bit stressed at my late arrival. It was a Friday night, I guess! But I got there in the end.

My friends arrived the next morning at 10am, so that gave me time to get up and have breakfast, feeling relieved that I hadn’t had to get their early-morning flight.

It was a repeat of Florence in terms of walking, only this time it was mostly flat and not up and down stairs all the time.

I’d booked tickets in advance for the Vatican. We somehow got a bit lost on the way there so we ended up walking right round the outside. Unlike the Uffizi in Florence, the tickets this time really did mean that we didn’t have to queue and it was surprisingly quick to get in. The tours had sold out, so we had only the audio guide, which was OK, but the major stops could have been labeled a bit more clearly (the individual items were fine).

I didn’t have any expectations about the Vatican. I’d kind of forgotten it was in Rome so booked the tickets at the last minute. But it was amazing – just everywhere you looked, the walls, the ceilings, the floors, the items on display, everywhere was just masterpieces. At the end, there was also a section with modern art (including a Dali).

I finally saw the entire picture of Plato and Aristotle walking and talking that featured so prominently on the cover of The Republic when I studied Philosophy at university; I hadn’t realized before that its origin was a painted wall of the Vatican.

The Sistine Chapel was awe-inspiring; the figures appeared to be hanging down from the ceiling; Michelangelo’s fresco of The Last Judgment also encompassed so much within it. But even in other parts of the Vatican, the ceilings were incredible, the tapestries enormous and detailed. I was a bit disappointed to see a tapestry with the Last Supper where they appeared to be eating a pig. I’m convinced that I’ve seen other pictures where they’re all eating chicken.

But just wandering around Rome is also an experience and it reminds me of Luxor to the extent that anyone who digs into the ground in Luxor finds ancient artifacts and the same holds in Rome. There are ruins everywhere.

You divert yourself down a narrow street in the old town, and then in the next square you’re confronted with an amazing building or the Spanish steps or the Trevi Fountain. It’s hard to stick to your itinerary because you just get sidetracked onto something else.

We also did a food and wine tour, where we learned the difference between an osteria and a trattoria and between a bruschetta and a crostini, as well as between a piazza and a campo. Artichokes were in season and we had some great double-fried (whoops!) ones in the Jewish district. I did also finally eat some gelato.

I’m now 7kg heavier than when I first returned to Switzerland; I think 3kg of that is from my Italian trips. It’s probably about time that I returned to Egypt.

Zurich - Culture

Florence - Made Up for My Cultural Laziness!

When living in Egypt, I’m rather aware that I’m quite a long way from anything cultural (unless I go to Luxor or Cairo). There used to be a cinema complex at Senzo Mall, but it closed before I got round to going to it (and if other people are the same as me, then that’s why it shut down!).

So, I did think I would enjoy having the opportunity to go to the theatre and museums when I returned to Zurich. However, at the same time I was aware that most of the enjoyment comes from knowing the option is there rather than me ever actually doing it.

So, predictably, I’ve done a few cultural things, but not much. There was the Long Night of the Museums, but as far as museums of any kind go, that’s really been about it. I haven’t even seen any art exhibitions, which I’d normally do maybe once in a while. I should really have grabbed the opportunity while I was here and I'm a bit annoyed with myself for being so lazy.

Nevertheless, I have been to one dance event (Ballet Revolucion) and also Art on Ice. Both events were a little unusual – Ballet Revolucion was unusual in that in addition to the dance (which was a clever mix of modern and classical ballet to modern music) there were live singers and live musicians. Every time I see dance, I wish I would go more often, as I love the combination of the music, costumes, choreography, and movement.

It may be for the same reasons that I enjoy Art on Ice. Each February, Art on Ice invites famous artists (this year it was the Jacksons and Jessie J) to sing while Olympic and World champion ice skaters perform to the music. A couple of comperes introduce the acts; there's usually also someone doing gymnastic feats as well in between the various elements. 

It can be quite hard to watch as it's all going on because you don’t know whether to pay attention to the singer or the skaters or even to which of the skaters. It’s an amazing event and a privilege to see these world-champions skating in front of you (for a price, of course, but look what you get for your money!). Again, the choreography also makes the show. The venue is huge and holds a packed audience of over 10,000 people. But it's in Switzerland, so it's very well organised.

Otherwise, I haven’t even been to the cinema that much. In fact, I bought myself a cinema card with enough money loaded on it to go to the cinema four times and I haven’t used it since the day I bought it (I went to see an Arabic film, but couldn’t understand any of the Arabic! There were subtitles, I hasten to add…). I also went to see the latest Bond film when it came out, a couple of Ladies Night films (Christmas with the Coopers, and The Intern) where the pull of a “free” prosecco beforehand was the main incentive. I did attend a couple of events at the Zurich Film Festival as well, so with that and the Film Fluss and Orange Cinema, maybe I didn’t do so badly. I still need to spend the credit on my cinema card, though!

I should maybe make the effort to go to an art gallery before I leave! Time, however, is running out…

Italy - A Trip to Florence

The Cathedral

Another thing I’d promised myself, in addition to visiting Idette, was to go to Florence while I was in Europe again. I’d been years ago on a work trip, but hadn’t really had the chance to see it other than to know that I’d like to go back. I’d planned to meet Geraldine at Florence airport on Wednesday night. I bumped into a former colleague (Julian) at the airport gate; he was just off to a congress in Florence. Zurich can be very small at times.

After my Dubai trip, travelling by economy seemed a bit of a let down. Nevertheless, my luck was in. Although my flight landed in Florence 15 minutes late, Geraldine’s flight from Gatwick came 30 minutes early, so in the end we arrived at around the same time and I didn’t have to hang around 45 minutes at Florence to wait for her as originally planned.

It was weird to see and hear Italian again. I’d learned it maybe 30 years ago for two years but haven’t really had much to do with the language since then. It’s beautiful and hearing it made me feel quite nostalgic. Watching all the expressive hand movements was also entertaining!

We managed to get a taxi without a problem, although I’m so used to taxi drivers in Hurghada that I found it difficult to believe that it was a fixed fare and that we didn’t have to haggle. It was the same on the way back – the hotel ordered a taxi for me, said it was “Barcelona 14” but instead a taxi named “Milano 11” came along saying he was the replacement. In Egypt, taxi drivers try tricks like this all the time to take the business for themselves, so I was sceptical. However, Geraldine persuaded me it would be fine (she wasn't leaving until the next day). It was and he did try to explain again (in Italian) that he was the replacement as he drove along, but by this time my fascination was drawn back to the fact that a fixed fare was flashing and I didn’t have to haggle.

I didn’t remember much of Florence at all. At the market, I suddenly remembered that I’d been disappointed when I’d tried to buy a leather jacket before, because I’d discovered it was just the shopkeeper behind the market stall who was actually selling them (I’d liked the idea of buying from the market rather than a shop at the time). I also remembered the queues at the Uffizi Gallery, which stopped me from going as I didn’t have the time. This time, we booked a tour in advance.

I hadn’t really appreciated how large the Uffizi was or just how many very famous pieces of art it contains. We had a two hour tour, although half an hour of this was still spent queuing, much to my surprise. I was also caught unawares at how fast the guide would move on to the next item (sometimes a few rooms away). I almost lost the group after the first painting not realizing that they’d all rushed on. Still, he needed to do this to have a chance of showing us the bare highlights. It was well worth having the tour.

Most of our time in Florence seemed to be spent climbing steps – up the cathedral dome (I hadn’t realized that a dome was difficult to build!), up the tower, up the floors of various museums, up and down the hills of the Boboli Gardens, up the hotel stairs… it was a holiday of aching calves!

I hadn’t realized that Florence was famous for its steaks; they were succulent and tender and among the best I’d tasted (and were also huge, often being sold by the kg). That will remain a highlight for me.

Statues adorned every corner of the city and I wondered whether the Florentines missed them when they visit other cities. The people were extraordinarily friendly and helpful; it was a joy to be there. Their favored mode of transport seemed to be motorbikes, which could wind their way through the narrow roads with no problem. There’d be whole rows of motorbikes parked by the side of the road. It’s not often these days that I find somewhere I think I’d like to live (I used to think this all the time about everywhere), but Florence would definitely be on the list.

The cathedral and baptistery were striking, as were the other buildings that mimicked their style on the front façade but not on the rest of the buildings. Museums abounded almost to the same extent as the statues (although, really, the statues won by far!).

And I have to say a quick word about the Davanzati Hotel where we stayed – it was great. They had a happy hour with free prosecco each evening (for the entire hour), so you could chat with other guests. It made it feel homely and sociable. I hope one day I can return!