Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Thun

Because of winter I have forgotten how easy it is to just get on a train and go somewhere random for the day. I know. I know. Go skiing. Hike in the freezing cold. Yeah. Not really my style. This girl doesn't do cold. Ask my folks. After experiencing the worst winter in the history of South Dakota during my senior year in high school, I vowed never to live in a place again that I would have to own a windshield scraper. The first snow fall here was pretty, but then it just gets gray...and I have been seeing gray for the last too many of months. Enough.

Thank goodness Spring is here and to celebrate Stella and I jumped the first train to Thun yesterday and got the hell out of dodge. It's just a short hour and a little trip southwest of Zurich, in the direction of Interlaken. It must have been one of the first expat blog posts I ever read after moving here telling about the beauty of the city and for some reason I have been itching to check it out ever since.

The city is, just like they had said, beautiful. It felt quaint to me. Lots of little shops lining the streets, streams following in and around the city, tiny alleyways. Perfect for a dog/mom day. We made our way through the town checking out the usual Swiss city sites. Rathaus. Check. Church. Check. Castle. Check.

I was busy trying to take pictures while Stella was either pulling me in the opposite direction or trying to pee on the graves behind the church. It definitely made for an interesting few hours.

We strolled along the water. Had a "ladies that lunch" stop down by the water. And, then continued along the waterfront hoping to reach the edge of the Thunsee and get some amazing panoramic shots of the Alps overlooking the city. Funny enough though, I must have looked at the map wrong. I needed to be on the other side of the water (opposite side of the train station) to get where the water opened up. All I got was a gate saying "Geschlossen". Boo.

Now, I might have retraced my steps trying to make my way to the other side until I realize I had a bigger problem. How was I going to use the Toilette when I have a dog in tow? Hmmm. I guess maybe people tie up their dogs outside? I thought maybe I would just catch the next train back and hope there was a large potty on board where both of us could fit. No such luck.

Then Plan B was to have Josh ditch work early and meet me at HB (the Zurich main train station), hoping I hadn't peed myself on the way back to town. Maybe Plan C should have been to have him ditch work and bring me some dry pants, now that I think of it. Luckily, the sensation, that turned into discomfort, that turned into pain, subsided and I was able to make it home without making a scene. I know you are all concerned. But, seriously, these are things you have to think about when it is just you, your camera bag, and a dog.

Besides not having three hands to juggle everything, it was a wonderful day. The sun was out. I was experiencing a new place. All by myself (which is huge). The only thing missing that would have made the day even better was, of course, Josh...but, someone has to bring home the bacon.

Couldn't resist. She's just so darn cute.

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