Maintaining our tradition of Sunday family excursions (last Sunday we visited downtown Zürich), we stretched farther our second Sunday by visiting the medieval city of Schaffhausen, 30 miles northeast of Zürich and perched near Switzerland's northern border, an hour-long train ride. If Hobbes had chased a rabbit the wrong direction we would have ended up in Germany. The weather was lousy--overcast, windy, chilly and damp--but the sights were fairly excellent! Pictures here:http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=2hd8fyj.5yhe1773&x=0&y=-4zxrci
Allow me to enter tour guide mode: greater Schaffhausen is decent-sized city but all the sightseeing action happens in the charming Old Town. The buildings, plazas and architecture are preserved from the Middle Ages but with modern and active storefronts of shops, restaurants and cafes. How often do you see a Bang & Olufson shop (super high-end stereo components) situated beneath an overhang featuring a gilded carved ox from the 1600's? The Old Town streets provided pleasant strolling despite the weather; the highlight was doubtless the town fortress called the Munot, a 450 year-old circular "castle" that allowed defense of the city from all sides.
Schaffhausen and neighboring small town Neuhausen am Rhein are situated on the Rhine river which enters from Germany to the north. Neuhausen contains the Rheinfall, Europe's largest waterfall (although not exactly a monster by today's global standards), which tumbles down with plenty of white water and mist through an oddly cleft rock formation adorned with the Swiss flag. A 12th century castle overlooks the falls for good measure.
Hobbes acts like he's on speed during the initial train ride--way over-stimulated. Then he dragged us all over the Old Town and up into the fortress. We later stopped for a coffee and he promptly passed out for a power nap outdoors on the patio. Then it was craziness again pulling to the falls, constantly eyeing the river (we're certain that pen-pal Charlie would NOT be impressed to hear that Hobbes visited the Rhine if he didn't SWIM in the Rhine). Finally he imitates an 85-lb sandbag on the train ride home; we use the special train cars with extra space intended for bikes and people just step around him. Thank goodness the Swiss are quite dog friendly, generally speaking.
Not a bad six hour excursion for a random Sunday and yes, we are reminding ourselves every day (multiple times) how lucky we are to be here...
2 comments:
I know the Swiss/Germans are famous for orderliness and neatness but i had no idea the "extremes" (American view) they seem to go too insure that. All in all, it does seem to make sense.
Hobbes looks like he is really in his element,much more so tha you! The pictures from the viilage are great..keep sending them. We are enjoying your insights as well.
Take care, we'll talk soon!
Dad
Dad must be logging in with my username because his comments say "Marti said" and I have not "said" a word for quite a few blogs and have no valid excuse for it except when we were in NC for those 3 days, there were 51 emails when we got back and although Dad had his laptop on the trip (which I am sort of not allowed to touch), he chose not to file or delete any of them.
Plus add to that the weather here has - finally - been gorgeous and it was a total waste to be indoors, so we have been walking in the woods, etc.
So now I have read all the blogs and am up-to-date on them and all the wonderful pictures. So sorry to hear about Steph's bout with the flu, but she sure looked good in the latest photos, so we are happy to hear all is well again.
Your blog explanations are great, but it looks like every day is a challenge. Sorry to hear that the weather is chilly and unpleasant. Hopefully Indian summer (if they call it that), is right around the corner.
Hobbes looks terrific! He must be having the time of his life! His adventures in Kloten and the surrounding areas vs. urban Chicago: not a bad exchange. We were so sorry to hear that Charlie was crying at your former backdoor, tho. We hope he is resolved now that his best friend Hobbes is no longer around. Somehow the new owner's rabbit is not likely to help much in that regard. Our best wishes to Gayle.
Stay warm, you guys, and keep moving forward. It sounds like progress is being made, but I gotta tell ya, that garbage thing is something else. Even though, as you know Todd, you have Swiss in your blood from your Jensen side, all that orderliness business and red tape over garbage would drive me up a wall.
More soon. Love ya!
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