walking around

When I got up on Thursday, there was a lot of action going on outside my window. Have I mentioned before how all my vacations usually include a construction project going outside my window? Well, this one fits the pattern. However, one pleasant difference is that the building I'm in is constructed really well, so the sawing, jackhammering, and --look in the photo -- this crane outside, hoisting construction materials to some men who are standing at my eye level -- wasn't that intrusive. Amazing! Compare that to my experiences in Paris, where I heard everything on my street and the adjacent ones, and of course, suffered from that awful grocer.

So what did I do on Thursday? I walked around. Even though I bought a tram pass, I decided to walk. The danger of that, of course, is that I drifted into shops along the way and bought things. One of the things that I bought was a pair of long pants. Nothing exciting, but something that actually fit and will give me something clean to wear on my trip home.

However, I made a discovery: unlike in some countries when you try on clothing in a shop, in Switzerland the closed curtain in your changing room is no barrier to other people, whether it's the helpful shopclerk or another customer. I was surprised when the saleswoman barged unexpectedly into the changing room shortly after I pulled up the zipper on the first pair of pants, but after that, I was expecting her....and she arrived behind the curtain again and again. So did another customer, who began taking off her clothes inside there with me. If I did this at home I'd set off screams and probably get shoved from the room or even get thrown out of the store, but that's what makes changing cultures so much fun.

After spending a lot of money for very few items, I decided to use the public restroom in the train station. I have to say this is the cleanest public restroom I've ever seen in my entire life. The name says it all. You have to pay to go inside through the turnstile. While it's not uncommon in parts of Europe to have to offer change to someone to use the toilet, this place was entirely different. Once inside, there was a huge fountain area for washing up, and behind that, several doors with red or green lights over them, indicating their availability. The bowls inside were sudsy from just having been cleaned. And when you're done, an employee rushes inside after you and scrubs it down again. A bit neurotic, I agree -- I felt almost guilty for having bodily functions -- but I nominate Mc Clean for being the cleanest public bathroom in the world.

Oh, but a word about the pricing. There are two entrances: one for men and one for women. On the men's side, the pricing on the window says that it costs 1 Swiss franc to use the toilet. On the women's side, it costs 2 francs. Women have to pay twice as much. So, sit for a moment with your favorite beverage in your hand and ponder the social, biological, and political nuances of this pricing scheme.

And now about the trams. The trams are everywhere....they come often. They're comfortable. And if you're in the area of Central, you have to be really careful. They're coming from every angle and as a pedestrian or even a passenger, you have to look carefully and move quickly to avoid being hit by a tram or a car. I've bought a one-week tram pass that I'm apparently supposed to punch once for every 24-hour period that I want to use the tram. However, I'm not using it as much as I thought I would so far, and after I punch my pass, I feel like I should be riding the tram as much as possible to get the maximum benefit from it. Now here's something else you should know about the trams in Zurich: you have to push the button on the outside of the car to open the door to get in, and there's a button on the inside that you need to push to get out. If you don't, you'll be staring at a closed door and get left behind.