Money and time (Day 6)

Our arrival into Zurich was gray and cold. There is some interesting reformation history here that I was unaware of, but my primary mission was to get a hat. I had lost mine between my room and the bus in Munich. But first, I needed some Swiss Francs.

We had a quick orientation to the town around the Bahnhof (train station). The Christmas market was set up right inside the station, and the main street with the money machines opened up the hill. I have to say, it is something else to witness the mass transit systems in European cities. None of this one hour for a 20-minute trip stuff. But I digress.

I started up the street looking for that ATM. I saw plenty of banks, but it was several blocks before I saw an ATM.

"I wish Kay were here," I thought to myself. It was on the first day in Vienna that Kay had spotted all the things that we were looking for. She was a good luck charm, of she paid attention.

But soon I stumbled upon a Credit Suisse (ironic) ATM and got my 100 Francs. I turned up a side street with painted buildings, cobblestone streets, cafes, and plenty of window displays. I had noticed that everyone in Zurich wore either black or gray, and boots. I was really mis-dressed in the American standby, jeans and tennis shoes. So I stopped at a display of boots.

This next part is in jest. I thought maybe a good pair of boots would help me fit in in Switzerland. I saw a pair I liked and looked at the price - 260 francs, marked down from 390! (Multiply by .85 for American dollars.)

Needless to say, no boots for Robin. (Scott, you can laugh at that.)

I turned back on the main street and headed back to the Bahnhof - I needed to get that hat - and ran right into Kay and Bill. They were going on a walk around the city, would I like to join them?

"Sure, but I need a hat first," I said. Kay said she'd walk around the market with me, and Bill set about finding us a route around the city.

Like I said, Kay is a good luck charm. We found a hat booth within 5 minutes, and there was the perfect hat - a red crocheted cap with a little brim hanging with the black hats. I bought it and told Kay she was my good luck charm.

"I bet you could have found an ATM for me too," I said.

"Well yes, there's one right in the exchange office."

That'll teach me to strike out on my own looking for money. That Kay would have saved me a lot of time.