1982 - Home Leave to England - Zurich Day#2

Monday August 2, 1982, Zurich - Day #2

Today was overcast but still very warm and looking out of the windows now at 21.15 as the last of the light goes, I see it is raining gently. It was warm all day though and we were in T-shirts and shorts. We woke up fairly late – about 07.00 - and after lying around chatting we went down for breakfast. Matt has what he calls a “frothy’ throat – hope it is not a precursor of a heavy cold from the flight. Breakfast was a very nice continental meal consisting of croissants, rolls etc and jam. We ordered cheese as an extra because genuine Swiss cheese is really very tasty.   

Rab's new watch and strap

We went downtown after we had eaten to the arcade under the railway station where Matt found his watch and where Rab got a strap for hers. I picked up a very nice camera bag and some film but the lenses are not as cheap as I had hoped they would be so I shan’t be getting any. I did get an electronic game which is most amusing. (From memory an early Mario Brothers hand held one about the size of an iPhone.) We were a bit  worried about the prospect of flying out of Heathrow on British Airways when we leave England next month over a Bank Holiday weekend (ground staff in Britain were notorious for undertaking industrial action over long weekends) and it suddenly struck me this morning that Swissair are flying into Harare now. So away to their offices to change our bookings. We lose half a day in London and spend a little longer in transit but I reckon we’ll be a lot more comfortable.

The rest of the morning was just spent wandering around the department stores mostly just looking at what was on offer and buying a couple of bits and pieces – Rab got a couple of yards of material; Matt got a Matchbox motor bike and a couple of small cars. He is quite good with his money being very tempted to blow the lot on a radio controlled car, but fighting it off so far. I also bought him a Swiss Army knife, engraved with his name and had no sooner done so than I was given one at my business lunch with the Swiss Reinsurance Company. More about that anon.

Matt and me in downtown Zurich

We had a nice coffee break at one of the shops - St. Annahof Coop City – with Rab and I diving into some excellent gateaux and Matt holding back before I went off to keep my lunch date with the Insurance Gnomes of Zurich. (We did a deal of business with Swiss Re throughout the world and they were always good about entertaining us on visits and indeed in providing training for my staff.) I suspect that Gareth cocked up the arrangements somewhat as Ed called me at the hotel at 12.20 and asked if I was coming to the lunch. I was on the point of leaving having been told by Gareth to present myself at 12.30. so in the event I was late. My hosts were gracious enough not to comment on that and we had a most pleasant meal – complete with a Zimbabwe flag on the table. Tomato soup was followed by a pot roast joint of pork, good cheese and then Johannesberen in yoghurt. Accompanied by good red wine and a glass of Pere William.

They gave me a lift back in one of the company cars – a Mercedes 280 SEL, which made Matt green with envy when he heard about it. I got out of my suit and dashed back to meet the family who had apparently behaved well in my absence. No sooner had I sat down than I got a bad case of the gripes, which are still with me, though somewhat abated. It must have been something I had for lunch – it will be interesting to see if anyone else was affected. (I am not sure how I was going to establish this. It is not a standard conversation opener to ask if the bowels are in good working order!) anyway I managed to make it through the rest of the afternoon with just one more emergency stop and drop. We just drifted up the Bahnhofstrasse and collected Rab’s new strap and the reissued air tickets. On the way we picked up some provisions for a snack supper tonight since we had all had a good meal at lunchtime.  Rab had pork fillet in a rich sauce with noodles and Matt had – surprise, surprise – schnitzel again. Not the most adventurous of eaters, our lad! (We had been given the tip to maximise our food enjoyment and budget: Eat as much as you can at breakfast; have a late lunch – lunch is cheaper than an evening meal and if you eat late they sometimes discount  food prices; have a snack supper. It worked well for us.)

Matt and Rab heading back to the hotel

On the way up to the hotel we saw an interesting pair of street musicians playing on their clarinets. What seemed to be a husband and wife team with their baby in a pushchair in between them. The women’s fashions here are fascinating too. What a mixed bunch. Rab need never worry about going braless after some of the sights we have seen here. How they manage to avoid tripping I simply do not know. Many of the men are in strange get-ups too. One who made us laugh this afternoon was leaning against a tram stop in an embroidered satin smoking jacket (filthy) with a pair of mid-calf striped trousers shot with gold thread. It was only when we got closer to him that we realised that the seam on one trouser leg had  given way, exposing his leg to all and sundry.

We got back to the hotel about 18.00 and loafed around chatting and watching an appalling  “Hit Parade”  show on German TV. Reminded us of Mvengemvenge in many ways. (This was the Zimbabwe Pop show on TV – pretty dire.) supper was smoked salmon on croissants followed by a lovely fresh peach. Just what we needed.