Nikki

I'm signing on to follow the trip. I'm particularly looking forward to Edinburgh as I loved the Fringe the two times I went and would go again in a heartbeat. I was less thrilled with the tattoo and am interested to read that some here agree with me. Although I certainly understand going back to please a travel partner who enjoys it.

I agree that the Traverse Theatre is a great Fringe venue. Interesting new plays by living playwrights. The shows we saw there were highlights of the festival for me and for my travel companions.

bilboburgler

There is a phrase in British that might help you "bums bags seats not bags" normally works quiet well if you smile. Most people move their bag especially if you use a gruff Yorkshire accent (which I have to fake).

29FEB

Re bags on seats :
They very well may belong to another passenger who wanted to stretch their legs, get a coffee or visit the restroom and said "will you watch my things, I'll be right back."

Very readable report ~ good going!

Dukey1

After about a 45-minute delay the flight for Zurich finally took off. At least we were able to wait in the terminal rather than out on the tarmac somewhere.

Such narrow seats and probably no more so than on any other airline in Economy. British simply blocks the middle seat in a few rows and Voila! we have Club Europe. This morning those seats came with a choice of a full English breakfast or an omelet.

Husbear chose the omelet which included this odd green vegetable cake about the size of a miniature hockey puck and about as difficult to chew, too. He asked me to taste it to identify the vegetable ingredient; we were both baffled and probably should have asked the flight attendant but didn't. He's still alive so no harm done.

Back up at Zurich airport passport control and you know how it is when you are REALLY tired: every little thing becomes super irritating as in the folks who got into the wrong line (for EU and Swiss passports only) and were directed over to ours and decided they needed to be at the FRONT of our line.

Luggage arrived; bought train tickets from then machines and we were at the main station in just a few minutes.

Temps in the mid 80's here (just like home without the ocean). We usually stay at the Schweizerhof when we come for operas and it is located directly across from the train station. THIS time I got a "deal" for as good a room with lounge access, breakfast, and an evening meal thrown in at the Marriott for a couple hundred Swiss Francs less so took it.

The walk from the station takes about ten minutes; in the heat and literally running on fumes at that point I was thinking I should have remained the wastrel I can be when it comes to hotels; live and learn.

Time for a NAP!!!!

thursdaysd

Glad to hear you and the bags made it.

Agree about the "line lice" but since my carry on fits under the seat in front of me I don't fight it. (It's one reason why I like the window seat - the bag fits nicely in the curve of the fuselage after take off.)

Trophywife007

I hope you were in the Concord Room at T5. It is their best lounge, but yes, people can be thoughtless and if it's busy, hard to find a spot.

tomarkot

Dukey, really enjoying your "ongoing" report. The details you experience in prepping and airline issues are ours also. Glad you made it safely to Zurich. We were there only two days before we took off for our real trip. Looking forward to reading more!

goddesstogo

Do you want to take a short cooking lesson in Bologna? It sounds like fun and you can do it in one of two ways -- cooking only or market visit + cooking. It was recommended by a friend who actually did it and loved it.

I'm thinking of surprising my SO (the cook in the family) with it.
Here's the link:

http://ilsalottodipenelope.it/en/home-eng/

Let me know if you do it -- I'd love to hear about it.

annhig

As we are reading scare stories of how Brits are being treated at passport control this holiday season, [all the fault of Brexit of course, if you're a Daily Fail reader] I started reading your latest post with some trepidation as we are also flying into Switzerland [Geneva, not Zurich] but you haven't put me off yet. We only have a short flight of course but we will still be putting luggage in the hold - albeit not very big luggage so we won't be rushing to get on the plane to bag the overhead lockers!

Glad you arrived safely and keep it coming!

Trophywife007

"As we are reading scare stories of how Brits are being treated at passport control this holiday season, [all the fault of Brexit of course, if you're a Daily Fail reader]"

Maybe it's payback for all the grief we're put through at security at LHR!

thursdaysd

@ann - are you saying that if I go to Europe for less than 90 days I should use my US passport instead of my UK one?

Dukey1

Thanks for all the replies and comments.

To answer a couple of questions; No, not in the Concord Room at T-5 only because we arrived and came OUT of First and upcoming segment was in Club Europe. Regardless, I just wanted to find a BA lounge, ANY lounge to take a load off and chill a little.

re Bologna: we have scheduled ourselves for one of those basically all-day "food" tours where you go to the cheese factory and all that (the details escape me at the moment) but no cooking. I honestly don't know how much I might enjoy that but haven't given it a lot of thought, either.

Our hotel room here in Zurich overlooks the Limmat River and this afternoon and well into the early evening there were a lot of swimmers, many of whom were diving in from one of the low bridges. I know from past visits there is also a local "beach" near the opera house which is popular in the warmer summer months. Overall, the activity was fin to watch.

In terms of the Immigration line-up at the airport: the lines started moving a lot faster when a couple of additional agents showed up. The person on the booth scanned our passports, eyeballed us, and waved us onward.

The "extended" wait had a positive effect on that by the time we got TO the luggage carousels our bags were there for easy retrieval. In terms if actual Customs we simply walked through the "Nothing to Declare" portal where several agents were standing around chatting with one another. Couldn't have been easier.

Tomorrow morning we leave on the train for Milan around 9AM where we have about an hour to change for the train to Bologna. This is very familiar travel activity for us; Bologna OTOH is a totally new experience as I may have said earlier.

I would have tried to find a performance to attend but August is a somewhat 'dead time' in many houses over here so we have for several summers contented ourselves with the Verona offerings. There are exceptions, of course, but we continue to stick with the somewhat "familiar."

Trophywife007

If you arrive from traveling first with BA you are allowed to use the CCR if you're departing that same day... for example you depart from the US on Aug. 1, arrive on Aug. 2, depart on another BA flight (any class) on Aug.2, you can use it -- a nice experience as airport lounges go. I'd recommend the espresso martini, but not sure that's your thing! Keep your boarding pass to expedite the process. Maybe next time.

Eager to read more about Zurich!

Leely2

I enjoyed Bologna and hope you do too. Are you planning to go to Ravenna one or playing things by ear?

Have fun in any case.

Gwendolynn

Hi Dukey... good to hear everything is going so well. Where are you staying in Bologna? Last time we were there we stayed at the Baglioni. We were upgraded to a suite and I still haven't gotten over it. Eat well and hearty!

Dukey1

I had no idea about that "admission criteria" for the Concord Room! And I am sorry to say since we are only here in Zurich for the night there's not much further (for me, anyway) to say.

What I WILL reiterate about this city, having visited several times in the past, is that it offers a great deal in terms of sol-called "arts" opportunities and I don't mean just the opera offerings, either.

We have always enjoyed the museums here as well as some of the religious institutions. We've had a lot of nighttime fun here in the past, too.

In terms of Bologna, yes we do want to take a day trip to Ravenna to see the mosaics and yes we are staying in the Baglioni. Of course we keep hearing about all the great FOOD. Why am I putting myself directly into temptation's way as I am desperately trying to lose weight?

Leely2

I visited Bologna in the summer and had worried about my appetite for heavy/meaty/pasta-y food in the sweltering weather. Either here or on chowhound or both places, I was told that it's easy to get just wine and a big salad in Bologna, it being a university city. I found that to be the case, though I was awfully tempted by heavier fare (mortadella, salumi starters, how I love thee) anyway....

Enjoy!

Gwendolynn

Great Dukey... I'll rest well knowing you are resting in luxury!

sundriedtopepo

Well Dukey not much to say, just that it sounds like a wonderful trip and we like Zurich too.

Dukey1

I have a LOT of difficulty with weight watching when we travel. I need to start using the hotel fitness rooms since the walking exercise is usually not a problem.

Breakfast IS a "problem" in hotels because often the food is more than just tempting. I never EVER eat "this" much for breakfast at home which consists of some high fiber homemade cereal mixture with skim milk and that is all I eat.

This morning the scrambled eggs were really good; ditto the sausage; ditto the local bread which I toasted and added real butter and orange marmalade. And I ate some granola, too.

See what I mean? It's hopeless.