Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Can you guess what the weather is like in Zurich? My, how bright you are!

Yes, I arrived in Zurich today, and it is, only off and on, snowing here. Preparing me for a Bear Valley Christmas, right? What's the outlook, those in the area?

So, with not much else to do, let me fill you in on my last day in Lucerne and my first day in Zurich.

I really made a good choice to wander around in town, take the boat ride, etc. on Thursday, 'cause I woke up to a steady rain on Friday. Great day for museums. First I had to change hotels, as the hostel I was in closed until March on the 16th, and I didn't leave Lucerne until the 17th. but they found me a reasonably nice place, and also made a reservation for me in Zurich, so I can't complain (and a lot of good it would do me, right?)

After settling in, I found a Starbucks and had coffee and a cinnamon roll. Have to get back in shape for home. Then I went to the Transport Museum. It really is a good museum. But make sure, if you ever go, to allow plenty of time. I didn't, and missed out on a lot. The rail section has a great deal about the early Swiss rail system in the Alps. With a broad representation of the rolling stock from the first railroads in the 1800's to the near present. I found it better than the Sacramento, CA rail museum, and that says a lot.

In addition to the transportation end of it, there is an IMAX theatre, so I elected to see a showing about the first group to travel the Blue Nile from source to the Mediteranian Sea. Very good, but it would have been even better if the narration had been in English. More on that later.

Then on the the planetarium. Told you there was a lot to see. Unfortunately, I spent too much time in the rail section. They closed the planetarium at 4:00 PM, and I arrived at 4:01. The Swiss are nothing if not prompt. So I spent the time until closing in the air and then the auto sections, but not enough time in either. So get there early.

The IMAX had a showing at 5:00 on the Lions of the Kalahari, since the museum was closing, I went to that. That's when I found out that there are are listening devices available that provide an English version. No one told me before, so I missed the narration on the Nile earlier. Even without understanding what I heard, it was very good.

Then for a very English dinner of Fish and Chips at the Pickwick Pub. With a couple cans of VB (Victoria Bitter) from AU to wash it down.

It snowed a bit in Lucerne while I was packing this morning, but stopped before I left for the station. The train trip was uneventful. Swiss trains leave on time, arrive on time, and are very comfortable. Not much more I can say, is there?

Checked into the hotel here, and went out for lunch. While settling in, I noticed it was snowing, but by the time I left for a late lunch, it had stopped. It didn't look too much like walk-around weather, so I bought a couple of papere, Time and Newsweek, and settled in for the afternoon.

I found that "The Famiily Stone" was playing here, so decided I'd give it a go. I'm seeing a lot of movies lately. Is that a sign I'm ready to get home, or that I'm just finding movies to see? I don't know. In any case, it was a pretty good movie. Maybe a few too many issues to try to cover in one movie, but it covered them well. And any movie with Diane Keaton has to be good.

Movies here ain't cheap! Tonite's was 16.00 Euros (can't find the symbol for Euros on this European keyboard, can you believe it?) or about $12.50. And I thought $6.00 for a senior was bad at home! Every movie I've gone to here has assigned seating and an intermission. Don't understand the assigned seating, as they never seem to be anywhere near filled.

That's about it for tonite, except to mention that the TV here has a wonderful selection of Swiss channels, and good old CNN. So back to the magazines, newspapers and CNN. If nothing else, I'll be well informed when I get home next Tuesday.

My apologies for spelling, Spell Check doesn't seem to want to come up tonite. At the moment, it looks like it's stopped snowing, but I've said that a number of times already today. So Goodnite.