// JSpot //

We went out last night, and we went all out. We started the evening with a few drinks in the apartment, but as Ted learned, it’s okay to bring your pre-game with you (pay attention to what’s going on in the background):

So we did. But before we went, Brian explains a little bit about the local beverage selection:

Later, we left Big Ben’s and strolled down the street, looking for another place to continue our evening. We stumbled into a place called Forecast Bar. The bartenders here were a bit different. Not that we didn’t have a good experience, but it was expensive. The barman refused to serve Ted almost immediately, saying he was too completely hammered to handle anymore. Of course, that might have been true.

Eventually, we decided it was time to end the evening and stumble home. Brian and Nicole split without hesitation, and Ted and I, staggeringly intoxicated, raced to keep up. “Warten Sie auf!” we shouted. But Brian’s navigational intuitions could not be slowed.

We got to the hotel, and it was only minutes before everyone was collapsed in a bed. Except me. Where was my camera? What had I done with my new camera? I had been so careful to keep it tucked in my pocket all night - it had to be in the apartment! I reasoned that I had perhaps left it at the last bar, so I reluctantly donned my coat and headed back out for a search and rescue. Interestingly, the entire time I was gone, I spoke only German. I walked back into the bar, right up to some people, and asked them if they had seen a camera. No, they hadn’t. Or maybe I was drunk and they thought I was crazy. Either way, I went home, depressed. And then I realized that I did in fact have my camera. I don’t know where I came up with it, but I did. So that’s good.

I returned to the apartment to climb in bed and discovered Ted had completely covered the futon, sprawled out and conked out. I decided not to bother him and spread my hostel bag - for which I am infinitely grateful I brought - on the floor and passed out.

L-R: Brian, Jarrod, Nicole, Thad

Morning came and went. Afternoon came, and then we woke up. We spent a long two hours getting things in order, and finally, by about 12:30, we departed for more time in the city. The sun was already setting by this time. How crazy!

We walked lazily about the shops and the Christmas Market, eying things we’d planned to return tomorrow to purchase. We walked back down to the pier at the lake to see the mountains again, since the sun was lower and the photo would be better. Nicole suggested we take a boat and see the lake. It sounded like a good idea, but there was one small problem.

“I have a ticket, but there’s no boat!” Nicole whined. It was about the funniest thing we’d all heard all day.

On our way off the pier, we noticed a few water fowl behaving peculiarly. There was also a Mallard duck who was shooting underwater completely, remaining on the bottom to find food for 20-30 seconds at a time. How bizarre!

We continued walking to other parts of the city, further from the Hauptbahnhoff and took the S-Bahn back to the apartment. We are about to head back out for food and fun, and it should be good because Bahnhoffstraße is completely lit up with Christmas decorations, so it should be nice.

L-R: Nicole, Brian, Thad, Jarrod, Mike

After a short break from walking around, we went back out for dinner. Brian’s friend Mike joined us after some confusion on location.

The weather has decided to get a bit wet and it drizzzled all evening. On thing I noticed, though, is that this city (and most European cities) was still quite beautiful when wet. The streets glowed with warm light reflected from the shiny wet bricks. American cities just feel dirty and smell bad when they get wet.

After dinner, we walked over to Wings Bar and Lounge - a bar created when Swiss Air went bankrupt. They even had some of the old fixtures from the planes. Ted had a seat in one.

We didn’t stay long at Wings, and instead we treaded across town to Long Street and the Long Street Bar. Mike lives in Zurich, so he was supposed to know all the good spots to go.

And finally, we set out again in search of a good Irish pub. Instead, we wound up at a place called Nacht Flug. It was a neat little bar on a side street with cobblestone walls and large liters of  Swiss beer on draght.

We called the evening an early one, around midnight. The effects of jumping ahead six hours after a redeye flight were seriously kicking in. There will be more tomorrow, including (possibly) snow.