Return to Europe (in style)

[Princess Fiona]

Boarding was scheduled for 10:35 for an 11:05 departure but I was so bored I went over and through gate security at 10:00. Boarding for First Class started at 10:40, after wheelchair pax.

The B777-300 First cabin is set out in 2 rows of 1-2-1. I was in 1K. This did suffer a bit from being close to the galley, esp as there was to be a 'full' meal service after the (eventual) 12:00 midnight departure; but not too bad once lights went out.

It's an 'old' type of suite - flat bed, and pretty wide, but no space after the bed is deployed.

View attachment 325189

Coat hung in one of the suite doors (the other is closed by an electrically driven divider)

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PJs, slippers and amenity kit on the seat

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Amenity kit was quite comprehensive, especially these days

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I'm no expert on the facial etc products - @Princess Fiona ? anyone if its good stuff or not?

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Anyway, several crew members came and introduced themselves - I never actually worked out the hierarchy!! German, French and English newspapers offered (haven't seen that for a ling time - big tick from me!).

LP Grand Siècle Champagne and a spicy chicken thing, and hot towel. All a bit retro (or at least pre-covid) and I loved it.

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I have not heard of them.
I assume they are a boutique brand partnering with Swiss much like the QF La Gaia partnership.
Most of these boutique brands produce reasonably high quality products.

 

[Mr H]

I have not heard of them.
I assume they are a boutique brand partnering with Swiss much like the QF La Gaia partnership.
Most of these boutique brands produce reasonably high quality products.

Perhaps a branding created especially for Swiss First Class. Foerst would be pronounced 'first'.

 

[RooFlyer]

Perhaps a branding created especially for Swiss First Class. Foerst would be pronounced 'first'.

D'oh! Yes of course.

 

[RooFlyer]

LX 177 /SQ2929 sheduled departure 11:35 pm. We had push back delayed by 20 mins and then a very long taxi so eventually took off around midnight or a bit later.

Meal service was quite a long time beginning - maybe an hour after seat belts off and I would have skipped it except for the cabin lights and noise.

Table set, olive oil or butter fir the multiple bread types



Soup



Main of beef, perfectly cooked and tender. Not so sure about the noodles accompanying though!



I was very tired of by this time so skipped dessert and cheese and asked for the bed to be made up



It was comfortable and with the assistance of a Temazepam and melatonin I got some sleep.

Breakfast had a wide selection but I just chose Bircher museli fresh OJ and asked for the cheeses





Cheese course would have been improved if they identifed which they were, having defined then in such detail on the menu.

Moving map, no cameras. 'Old fashioned' IFE controller and lager TV screen.

 

[Mr H]

Did they do Swiss chocolates?

 

[RooFlyer]

Did they do Swiss chocolates?

I was offered at least once - I think after dinner but unbelievably I declined. There was a box opened in the galley shelf for anyone passing by on the way to the loos but again I resisted.

BTW 2 loos for 8 F pax. Just ordinary loos - may have been a bit larger than standard, but not much, if so.

 

[RooFlyer]

We pulled up at what I think what was a remote terminal building. I didn’t really see much. At the plane door we were met by a lady, taking the names of the F pax and then were invited to join her to do passport control and be taken to baggage collection. At no time was I told that this service would occur but of course it was welcome. So it was down the steps of the airbridge to the tarmac with our carry on and into a fairly comfortable small van. Then there was a long drive, including through a tunnel to the main terminal building where, after a bit of driving around, we stopped and got out and have our passports inspected and stamped, then got back on the van again, driven some more, and then got off at the door of the baggage collection hall.

A small wait for bags, then for me to the rental car areas where I picked up my Avis car. Vignette and required safety gear included, of I set for Colmar in France.

My Airolo eSim activated and although the vehicle had GPS ( a freebie inclusion) I set Google maps for Colmar. GM told me that the main route via Basel was closed (I doubted this EDIT : I later found that I had GM set for 'avoid freways' - but I had planned my freeway route on it before), so it set me a non-toll longer route cutting through Germany



I was ahead of my schedule thanks to the quick process at ZRH and easy Avis process, so accepted the route and set off about 7:15 am.

At first through very pleasant Swiss countryside with passing showers and sun

 

[TheRealTMA]

LX 177 /SQ2929 sheduled departure 11:35 pm. We had push back delayed by 20 mins and then a very long taxi so eventually took off around midnight or a bit later.

Meal service was quite a long time beginning - maybe an hour after seat belts off and I would have skipped it except for the cabin lights and noise.

Table set, olive oil or butter fir the multiple bread types

View attachment 325348

Soup

View attachment 325346

Main of beef, perfectly cooked and tender. Not so sure about the noodles accompanying though!

View attachment 325345

I was very tired of by this time so skipped dessert and cheese and asked for the bed to be made up

View attachment 325352

It was comfortable and with the assistance of a Temazepam and melatonin I got some sleep.

Breakfast had a wide selection but I just chose Bircher museli fresh OJ and asked for the cheeses

View attachment 325350

View attachment 325356

Cheese course would have been improved if they identifed which they were, having defined then in such detail on the menu.

Moving map, no cameras. 'Old fashioned' IFE controller and lager TV screen.

I love soup, consommé, broth or bullion in F on flights. Seems very decadent!
Go for it! (And hope turbulence is over!)

 

[Quickstatus]

Avis car

Given the run of bad luck some AFF members have had with their rental cars, I assume that the absence of pictures of the engine bay or engine light instructing you to check for the presence of an engine mean that the Avis Car is of acceptable quality?

 

[boomy]

LX 177 /SQ2929 sheduled departure 11:35 pm. We had push back delayed by 20 mins and then a very long taxi so eventually took off around midnight or a bit later.

Meal service was quite a long time beginning - maybe an hour after seat belts off and I would have skipped it except for the cabin lights and noise.

Table set, olive oil or butter fir the multiple bread types

View attachment 325348

Soup

View attachment 325346

Main of beef, perfectly cooked and tender. Not so sure about the noodles accompanying though!

View attachment 325345

I was very tired of by this time so skipped dessert and cheese and asked for the bed to be made up

View attachment 325352

It was comfortable and with the assistance of a Temazepam and melatonin I got some sleep.

Breakfast had a wide selection but I just chose Bircher museli fresh OJ and asked for the cheeses

View attachment 325350

View attachment 325356

Cheese course would have been improved if they identifed which they were, having defined then in such detail on the menu.

Moving map, no cameras. 'Old fashioned' IFE controller and lager TV screen.

Looks incredible LX F is definitely on my bucket list.

 

[jeeekyy]

Have a great trip!

 

[RooFlyer]

Given the run of bad luck some AFF members have had with their rental cars, I assume that the absence of pictures of the engine bay or engine light instructing you to check for the presence of an engine mean that the Avis Car is of acceptable quality?

So far so good - however the combination of getting used to a manual plus LHD ( tried to operate the clutch with my right foot ) and getting out of a convoluted parking garage nearly brought me undone!

BTW no request for IDP by Avis (driving in Switzerland, France and Germany) but the local wallopers might want to see it, so I have one.

 

[RooFlyer]

On reviewing my random pics of my drive from ZRH to Colmar yesterday, looks like Google had a bit of fun with me. This was close to my actual route



Now, I don't regret it but, gee ... was that really the best route, Google? That said, some gorgeous mountain landscapes in Germany. And I got up pretty high, along some pretty narrow sub-alpine roads, where I was really hoping no-one was going to come the other way!










Into France



So, yes, do the Google maps lucky dip when time isn't a problem I know I'll have my answer when @Mattg poses the question "What's the most indirect route you've taken thanks to Google maps?"

 

[RooFlyer]

I got to Colmar about 11:30am and swung by my hotel - James Boutique Hotel - as recommended by @VPS and @boomy in order to park my car. They give themselves 4 stars, which is about right. Very personable and helpful staff. Standard queen room is comfortable without being plush.







Downstairs bar area and reception.





Parking is E11/night at an adjacent small supermarket car park, behind boom gates. Also an underground option, according to boomy. I asked about the aircon not working and the staff said twice they had fixed it, but it wasn't. Next day, reported to me that in this season, its turned off centrally. Not a surprise, but odd that the otherwise very proficient (and wonderfully tri lingual!) staff didn't know that.

The hotel is about a 10 min walk to the start of the old town.

 

[RooFlyer]

Colmar has a history from early in the second millennium AD and, in spite of being close to the present-day border with Germany, has been mostly spared the destructive forces of WW1, WW2 and even before. There is an extremely pretty medieval old town with many buildings from the 14th-17th centuries.

The town's best known former inhabitant is Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the designer of the Statue of Liberty.

Chocolate-box scenes are a-plenty. Some of the buildings have been sexed-up a bit, but most are authentically very old.

 

[RooFlyer]

Sorry, random insertion as I forgot to mention it before and in case anyone is following along re LX.

There are number of online reviews of LX First which mentioned specifically that the cabin gets hot or least too warm for those people. I’m also sensitive to an overly warm cabin and when I found out there are also no personal air vents in the enclosed suite, I got a bit worried. But in the end, the cabin was at a reasonable temperature to start the overnight flight and actually cooled down a bit during the flight, so I had no worries, FWIW.

 

[boomy]

Sorry, random insertion as I forgot to mention it before and in case anyone is following along re LX.

There are number of online reviews of LX First which mentioned specifically that the cabin gets hot or least too warm for those people. I’m also sensitive to an overly warm cabin and when I found out there are also no personal air vents in the enclosed suite, I got a bit worried. But in the end, the cabin was at a reasonable temperature to start the overnight flight and actually cooled down a bit during the flight, so I had no worries, FWIW.

These things are very subjective. I’ve read similar reviews about SQ and never had any issues myself (I’m also not a fan of overly warm cabin).

 

[RooFlyer]

After having a good look round Colmar, I went in the steps of VPS, Boomy and others and checked out a few of the surrounding villages. Unlike at least some of the others, wine tasting during the day and sit-down lunch was not part of my excursions.
The weather improved a bit.

Riquewihr

This is another preserved medieval town, surrounded by vineyards about 20 min drive from Colmar Paid parking easy to find around the pedestrianised old town.
Riquewihr has many of the same characteristics of Colmar, including the pastel-shaded 'half-timbered' houses from the 15th & 16th centuries ... and hoards of tourists

The Dolder gate dates from 1291



Not a lot to say about the rest of the structures ... pretty etc











if you go off the main drag, the tourists thin out and you find some nice things to photograph

 

[RooFlyer]

Next, Kayserberg. Again, much appreciated by others, and by me, although I was flagging a bit by this time - only landed in Zurich the same morning. It deserved more time, so I planned to come back in a few days.

Does this qualify as sakura, @rbjhan ?



A picturesque fortified bridge and a castle ruin above the town

 

[RooFlyer]

Back to the hotel for a rest before heading out to the wine bar Le Cercle des Aromes, again, found previously by Boomy & VPS (who needs a Lonely Planet when you have AFF?) . I had already booked for the following night, unsure if I'd be up for going out the first one, but as they say: Where there is a wine, there is a way.

You could easily miss it:


There was one guy, obviously the boss, or leader on both nights; this night his offsider I don't think was the #2 - he was on the following night, when i went again. Without a reservation and being just one, I plonked myself at the bar.



I said I'd like to taste some local Rieslings and asked him to choose; I was there just after opening and the guy gave me quite a bit of his time explaining the various wines.

Started out pretty basic



but soon went up into some Grands Cru



They have about 200 wines available by the glass. Its all on a menu; this is just a part. I didn't order off the menu, just let him choose various ones from the district.



There are a few to choose from!



Also a selection of platter type snacks



After a while I chose the Jambon de pata negra - from the black Iberian pig. I had a bit of knowledge about this stuff, having spent a number of weeks in Salamanca, Spain working and it was great to get back to the good stuff again. No pic, but a decent plate of finely shaved ham and nice fresh baguette pieces to go with it. I thought there were a couple of wedges of cheese with it and I tasted one - it was butter! but so glorious I could have eaten it neat.

Moved onto some local pinot noir - the same Grand Cru



this one was the highlight of the evening for me



The place was really buzzing by the time I left, abt 8pm, but I was hanging out to hit the bed - I had been a really long day.