I'm in my apartment, it's half past nine and I suddenly think...half time! Must watch the second half of Liverpool Chelsea somewhere.

I'm on the verge of taking a tram or bus down towards Oliver Twist when I suddenly wonder whether they are watching it in the bar that's one of the closest to me that I have never been in.. I don't even know the name of it...all I can tell you is that it's located just down the hill from the tram stop Englischviertelstrasse.

Anyway...it turns out they do have a little screen in there, so i set down to watch it. It becomes obvious that the few in the bar are regulars and everyone who comes in afterwards is known to them all. The big Swiss fella behind the bar serves me my first drink, but as I confess that I only speak English, it's obvious that I'm not exactly welcome with open arms.

My saving grace at that moment is a fella with his wife (I presume) who talks some english and is the one most intent on watching the match. He asks me who I'm rooting for and puts me a little at ease.

The next thing I know, as I am finishing my drink, he has asked me if i want another and waved away my doubts to get me one.

Now the reason i had doubts was that I had overestimated how much I had on me. I only had a ten franc note, 7 francs of easily recognisable change and then only bits and pieces.

Anyway I return the compliment buying him and his wife a drink and, as the game rolls into extra time, I nip away to get some cash down the road at the machine (next to the Bohemia)

I feel a bit more comfortable, financial wise, getting back to the bar, so when my friend buys me abother drink, i have no problem in accepting and then returning the favour.

The game goes into penalties and as Liverpool triumph I consider that I am done for the night.

The big looking gruff barman (who'd previously turned down my offer to buy him a drink) gave me a bill for 16 francs.

I said it couldn't be, and wondered if he had not taken into consideration the drinks I had bought the others.

But he took the change that I had and proceeded to give me back about 12 francs of it

So all my drinks had cost me about 6 francs in all. I tried explaining to the guy who spoke english but he just said go on..take it...its your lucky night! He was joking with the barman and the barman was smiling away.

Perhaps it was just good PR, but i don't think they need that. It really reminded me of the no nonsense spit and sawdust pubs I really like back in the UK (when you are regarded as a local that is)

For me...I have to go back there again...and again now. I did leave the rest of the change I had and insisted it went into the pot for tomorrow....and I think they were arranging this!

I think the Swiss are just great. I only wish I could learn the language

The Swiss are great! Me and a few colleagues took May day to mean we were allowed a 4 day weekend, so off we went to a little town named Praden. Very small, very quaint, not so much action, but we were there to have some quiet days anyway. Ok, to the point, come Monday night we had well exhausted our beer stocks. Me and my Scottish mate, us two being the youngest of the lot, still had our hopes up for a beer. We started chatting to an older local who was walking past on the street, he joined us and we did our best in very broken Deutsch. Soon he noticed we were out of beer, and asked if we wanted some, of course we jumped at this offer. He returned with a mini-keg of Heinekin. We tried to pay him for it, but he wouldnt take a cent, and when he went home after a few beers, we tried to convince him to take what was left with him, but he wouldnt hear of it. He was just a wonderfully friendly local! We are set to return to Praden next year to return the compliment, and hopefully with much better Deutsch.

That is great. I've been in a few such Lokals, mainly in Germany, and when the bill comes, it bears no resemblance to what you have drunk: often you are bought drinks without even realising it, or you have offered a round, without knowing the full extent of it... either way it's good sociable experience, good value, and is in complete contrast to the surly, miserable bastards that serve the drinks in the city-centre pseuds-bars.

dave

When i first came over here for an interview I went for a bit of a wander around. I was out in the sticks a bit and wasnt sure where the bahnhof was so i went in a small bar i came accross had a quick stange and then asked the staff where it was. The lady had difficulty explaining to me so without hesitation she told me to follow her and to my stark surprise she took me in her car to the station !

This was the experience that ultimatley led me to signing the contract the following week..

You weren't posting whilst drunk, were you?

Great! a positive thread about Switzerland

you married her?!!??

certainly wasnt a cassablanca moment Lob and wasn't a young bird by any stretch of the imagination

reminded me of good old nothern hospitality ...

"I followed her to the station, with my suitcase in my hand...it's hard to tell, it's hard to tell, when all your love's in vain..."

dave

robert johnson ?

Yep. That well-known swiss blues Alphornist.

dave

I think the Swiss are just great. I only wish I could learn the language [/quote]

I loved Swiss-German when i first heard it! That made it easier to learn. You will too.

Was it the "Klosbächli"?

Could well be....it's on the corner of a road going off Klosbachstrasse and the decor is...well let's just say....not elaborate.

Cam back over and forgot to bring my crib and dominoes set. It looked the kind of place where it may well be welcome....

If it's the one I'm thinking of, then you could probably join some of the locals in a game of Pétanque, a form of boules. They play in the "doggy" park, next to the Artergut park between Minervastrasse and Englischviertelstrasse. Thursday evenings? or more spontaneously - I'm not sure.