1 EAGLETON NOTES: Arrival in Switzerland

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Wednesday 29 August 2012

Arrival in Switzerland

After a very solid night's sleep in Arras we left this morning just before 0900 to drive across Northern France and into Switzerland at Basle.  Our 'target' was Leistal in Switzerland.  We had one of the most enjoyable and relaxing 400 mile (640 k) drives I've ever done.   I'm not quite sure what happened but when we got to Leistal we discovered we were actually in the centre of Sissach.  I parked and just opposite was the Hotel Zur Sonne (The Sun).  We booked in.


It's a very strange thing is travelling.  For the evening and day we were in France my French language skills seemed to be adequate and I had no problems (not that I was exactly taxed, you understand).  There was a time when my German was better than my French by quite a long way.  This evening it was as if I'd never spoken the language before in my life.  The simplest of words seemed to desert me.  Fortunately when it actually mattered they returned but that was not before a delightful lady had acted as interpreter whilst Mo and Diane sorted out what they were going to eat.

If you ever happen to be passing through Sissach in Switzerland then I would heartily recommend the 
Restaurant Wystube zum Sydebändel.  We had a wonderful evening.  The atmosphere was very friendly and the patrons were obviously frequent and very much at home with some playing cards after the meal.  As an aside this reminded me very much of the days spent in Berlin in the '80s and a visit to the Kreutsberg District - something worthy of a post in itself - and some of the establishments on the Ku'Damm (short for Kurfürstendamm) where games of all sorts were played in the evening.


  It says a lot for a place when a shop in the centre of town can leave it's display out all night.


I could not resist showing you the view from my bedroom window as I post this just before midnight UK time and just after Swiss time.


Night night.  I'll speak again tomorrow - all being well.

14 comments:

  1. My cousin was fortunate enough to travel through Europe a few years ago. She said Switzerland was the cleanest country she'd visited. It looks like even the buildings are beautiful, as well as clean.

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  2. It's been a little while since I've had the opportunity to visit anyone. I didn't know that you were traveling to Switzerland! Oh, my, wow!! And...Graham, how on earth do you do it? I don't know that I'd be able to walk very well after driving/riding for 400 miles. I'd be all hunched over as if I were still sitting as I got up to walk, if I didn't fall over on my face, first ;)

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    1. Good to see you Heather: good roads, good company, comfy car.

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  3. Sissach looks a nice place indeed if shop displays can be left out over night... they wouldn't do that here in Ludwigsburg, and those restaurants and cafés who leave tables and chairs out have them all chain-linked together.
    Do you know what "Wystube zum Sydebändel" means?
    Anyway, good to read you had such a pleasant journey so far!
    (It is, by the way, Kreuzberg, not Kreuts. That's the Librarian in me, you see. Can't always switch her off.)

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    1. It does look nice if the centre is anything to go by. Thanks for the correction. I should have looked it up. After nearly 30 years I was surprised that I even recalled the name. No, I don't know what the restaurant name means. I could not even take a guess. PS If you are wondering why I answered some of my comments this morning but not yours it is because I lost my internet connection and could not get it back. Now I am on Lake Como with a perfect connection - I hope.

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    2. It means "Wine room at the silk ribbon", nice, isn't it?
      As I was not checking back until just now, I never noticed you replying to some but not to others. But even if I had noticed, I wouldn't have thought anything else than you simply being not here - you are, after all, travelling :-)

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    3. Gosh Meike. No wonder I couldn't guess at the meaning. It is nice, yes. It was one of those places with a lovely atmosphere as well as good food and friendly service.

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  4. GB, you have arrived in heaven! Switzerland....that's the home of my favourite Lindt swiss white chocolate....how I do envy you right now.
    Happy to hear that your travels are going well. Hope you had a good rest, since driving such long distances do take a toll on the body parts.
    Enjoy yourself, and don't eat too much chocolates.

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    1. Virginia, I am reading your comment on Thursday evening in Italy on Lake Como. Oh dear. We are at opposite ends of the chocolate spectrum. I love dark chocolate. I used to be a chocoholic but now, much as I love it, I eat very little. I am a reformed character.

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  5. Looks a very nice place - but I have to agree with Heather about the travelling... ;)

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    1. The travelling until last night had been very easy. Today has been a bit more challenging.

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  6. Hard to imagine you travelling that far in one day, GB, and not having some sights along the way to show us. But I guess you could still be driving if you stopped all the time to take photos. This place looks beautiful and now you are at Lake Como - envious I am!

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    1. Too much driving and not enough stopping Pauline. Mind you beautiful though the countryside of Northern France is, unless you come of the highway and stop in little villages there isn't a lot to photograph which is of interest.

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