Zurich, Switzerland
July 2014

Never in the city on a Saturday but today was an exception. As I was walking by one group I noticed the majority were standing under a shop roof cover, away from the hot sun. Some dared to go out of the shade and grab a shot of the Grossmunster. Quickly scurrying back into the shadows when their task was completed.

As I come closer I hear the group leader trying to explain the church. I realize its all in Polish. Suddenly a group of ladies in stress and fans waving away furiously stop the tour leader in the middle of his lovely history:

"But why is it so hot? What is the temparture?!"

...35..the tour guide explains and continues on.

Leave it to a bunch of 50 year old ladies to just completely forget where they are and just start complaining about things and not listening to anything. ;)

Zurich, Switzerland
July 2014

The following day after incident one I decide to do the simple task of traveling from work back home. A simple task, where nothing is supposed to happen. Point A to Point B, 20 minutes done. No. Never done.

I am a minute away from home walking along the street and I see these two men walking with this rat on a leash. It wasn't actually a rat, but a dog. But from far away you don't no these things.

So they pass and one turns around and starts to speak in this language I do not know. This got me thinking while I stared that it is about time I start learning. So we switch to English and he starts to say that the dog..rat..whatever it was needs a mom. That I should be its mom.

- No thanks, I don't really fancy dogs.

- Oh no, no he is a good dog and needs to be taken care of!

- No, I don't like children either. No dogs, no children.

- Where are you from?

- Canada.

- Ah! Mais souffle de bonhomme de neige..other French things..

- No I am from the English speaking part.

- Aha! Ok well I am from North Africa and speak Arabic!

- And my dog, he speaks Spanish.

So at this point the dog is barking like crazy.

- He is saying no no no in Spanish! He does not want his mom to leave.

- I am not his mom.

- Ok well this was a nice..conversation we had.

- Yes, it was lovely. Thanks. Bye.

- Bye.

Zurich, Switzerland
July 2014

Coming to Switzerland I felt as if my blog would deteriorate. It felt as if no one talks to anyone. But I was wrong. This month has led to some interesting conversations. And it feels as if it is only the beginning.

On a Sunday I was waiting at the tram stop reading my book. For some reason this is a bad thing to do, listen to music or read a book because it seems to be more of an invitation for others to talk to you? Why. I have headphones in for a reason. A. Music is nice. B. I don't want to hear anyone else crying or screaming into their phone at 8 AM.

So a very lovely, drunk man comes to close to comfort speaking in Swiss German, until he naturally switches to English when we realize this communication is just not going to work. Its 11 AM, remember this as well. A Sunday. So he starts talking literature. How there is this one Swiss author to check out and a Mexican one.

He gets on the same tram, and says only one stop. But he is so into talking about the Latin American culture and scientology that he misses his stop. The whole time he is swaying back and forth in the tram. Drinking + tram = chaos.

He decides to get off at the next stop and so we continue this journey. He is very happy we talked books and we shake hands. He says he won't follow me he just has to go pee over there.

Zurich, Switzerland
2013

Around the tram station, I look out my window and see two men in Robin Hood costumes. Shoes, hat, tights and all. Green and brown. That same week or month, driving back when I stop for some pedestrians crossing. It doesn't click until after they have fully walked across, that these two guys are in robes, in the middle of winter, with some rain boots on.

Zurich, Switzerland
May 2013

Driving from the dry cleaners I believe, I look over to my right some guy is standing and waiting for the bus. He has a red clown nose, no big deal.

Zurich, Switzerland
May 2013

Got on the train, this is probably the time I rushed to catch the train and did not finish painting my nails. So I did them at the train station, outside, in the dark. There was one lamp post. When I got on the train I could not believe what I saw. Let's just say, Miriam never do this again. This is the second time I have painted my nails and it looks like a baby did them.

I sat down and across from me there was a couple. They were not making out, they were not reciting poetry to each other. The girl was combing her boyfriends' hair. He had such long, luscious blonde hair. You know those Romance books old ladies read? The cover always has some overly buff guy and he has long hair and is standing on some sort of cliff or boat and it is blowing and slightly wavy. Yes, that hair.

At first I thought it was kind of weird, but they were cute in a way as well, and he got very shiny hair because of her help.

Rome, Italy
June 2013

A good Samaritan. As I mentioned before, getting around the city was pretty simple for the most part, however things always come up, and sometimes you need a direction or help.

I got to one station and I placed my ticket in but it would not come out. I could not cross to the other side, and would have to buy another day ticket. Some lady noticed and called one of the Metro security over to help me. He tried but nothing happened and let me come to the other side. But I told him it was a day pass not a 100 minute ticket.

So then 2 people standing by saw, and passed over their ticket to try to push it through. Did not work, the other one took out a heavy duty xacto knife, because we all walk around with those in our bags, and it did the trick! They missed their first train unfortunatly, but were very, very kind people. Kind people still exist.