Trip with F's on a BP. Firsts, family, Food and Fun.

[drron]

We left the IC in a tax. A very good driver,safe and interested in visiting Australia. And the cost 10 euro.
Then we had to fight our way through the shambles tht is LIS. People checking in for Schengen flights were virtually queued from one end o the termnal to the other. They blocked the way to those of us who wanted a non Schengen flight. Once through that it was just very busy not a shambles.. Fortunately there was a premium security line for J passengers.

The poblems didn't nd there as we trid to find the TAP premium lounge. asked a couple of staff who were no help. Signage was poor. Finally found where o go and wen up an escalator and found a huge line. Walked to the front of the line and discovered that it was the line for the Prority pass lounge. Only let the number of persons in as the number who came out.

Fortunately no queue at the tap lounge and it was crowded I think we found the only pair of empty seats. Opposite us this very casually dressed and very large fellow. What he was wearing on his upper body finished well before meeting his pants. Not a pleasant site. I braved the buffet.














I had some of the Bacalhau and a couple of bits of bacon. Didn't want seconds.
The time for boarding arrived an the board showed no gate so Mrsdrron went and asked a woman on the desk. She just pointed at the board. But it is not there she pointed again and a gate number appeared. So off we went to the gate naturally t the far end of the terminal. Got there and only a cleaner present and when asked which gate was the Swiss plane at she just pointed at the board which till had that gate number up. So started walking back and noticed an arrivals board so now knew which gate to go to. Naturally boarding had been delayed and the gate lounge was packed.
When boarding the wheelchair pax was taken through first then 2 women using walking sticks so we went up and the fellow said no. He went to answer a phone and the woman let us through. We were halted just before the air bridge a there were still stragglers coming off the plne with long gaps between them.
When we were allowed to go to the air bridge 3 young fellows and 1 woman were ushered in front of the preboarders. I saw ads for a paid Swiss service where thy pick your bags up pre flight and check them in for you and you go straight though to security and allowed to board first.

When I got to my seat I got an SMS from Swiss about the change of gate.

 

[drron]

Swiss have a different way of boarding groups in Y. Sounds sensible bu I don;t think boarding was significantly different on this full flight.

Group 3 Economy Class passengers with a window seat and companion

Group 4 Economy Class passengers with a middle seat and companion

Group 5 Economy Class passengers with an aisle sea

Views as we taxed out. The grass was very brown.
















Then we waited for a TAP plane to land.

 

[drron]

As we started to roll dwn the runway there was a large crashing sound and all this appeared on the floor.








We were in row 2 with Mrsdrron in the aisle seat. She got attacked by a tomato and piece of carrot.


The door on one of te heating ovens opened up. I did wonder if we would now be fed and whether everyone in J would get their choice. there were 7 rows of J so likely some missed out on their choice.
The woman in 1C got a bit of food on her shin and received a bottle of sparkling wine.
The poor junior FA had to get down on the floor and clean it all up. Speaking to her later on the inbound flight they had a medical emergency. She had had enough drama for the day.

 

[drron]

So now views from the plane. first not long after take off.








What those down the back could buy.






Then our meal was served and I had a beef stew. The alternative was a salad.




It was reasonable. I then went back to looking out the window. Though for a while all you could see was cloud.
















At this stage we were given chocolates,

 

[drron]

My guess was that we were flying over France for most of this time. Some bird killers noted.



















Lots of lakes now and occasionally light dusting of snow.








Increasing snow so I presume probably crossed into Switzerland.

 

[drron]

Lots of snow.

 

[OZDUCK]

My guess was that we were flying over France for most of this time. Some bird killers noted.
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Lots of lakes now and occasionally light dusting of snow.
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Increasing snow so I presume probably crossed into Switzerland.
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Some nice dramatic photos. According to my image searching you got some nice shots of Mount Blanc.

 

[drron]

Thanks. I did think that’s what I got but wasn’t confident enough.

 

[Flyfrequently]

But I hadn't come back empty handed. In the food court of the department store was a bakery and they were doing a roaring trad firstly ith coffees plus a pastry but secondly with take away pastels. There was a sign up 3 for 7.90 euros. But I was out of choices. When I joined the line an African woman signaled to me to come over to an unoccupied side when she noticed my walking stick. I asked for 6 pastels to take away. She then told me to go to the front of the line and she went to the cashier and said Seniors discount 6 euros. What a gorgeous lady. So here hey are when i got back to the hotel.View attachment 477567

They were very nice and also the best by value that I have had.
Then time for our last Happy hour.
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We didn't include breakfast when we stayed in Lisbon in '23, almost regretted that as I fractured 5th metatarsal on arrival @drron - until Mr Flyfrequently discovered Aldi 600 metres up the hill, 4 pasteis de nata for €1.39!!
He got his steps up every 2nd day

 

[drron]

We have now started our descent into ZRH.
























And then a long taxi to our gate. As usual right at the end of the terminal.

 

[drron]

We didn't include breakfast when we stayed in Lisbon in '23, almost regretted that as I fractured 5th metatarsal on arrival @drron - until Mr Flyfrequently discovered Aldi 600 metres up the hill, 4 pasteis de nata for €1.39!!
He got his steps up every 2nd day

When we drove around the Douro region in 2023 we found those at Aldi too. Prices seem to have risen since then. There was nothing wrong with the Aldi product and great value. These ones this visit were better though.

 

[drron]

I certainly got my steps up negotiating ZRH. Our gate was at one end of the terminal and immigration was nearly at the other end. Quite a queue at Immigration but everyone was getting through quickly until we got to see the agent. She flicked through the pages 4 or 5 times and then said to us when did you enter the Schengen area. September 12th at Rouen from a cruise ship. But you haven't got an entry stamp. So she called a supervisor and they had a chat. You will have to go to a different area. Turn lrft leving here nd follow th signs to baggage collection. Everyone else was tuning right.

So we followed the sign twisting and turning and going up and down many sets of escalators then finally entered our third building though in fct it turned out to be the terminal we arrived at. we came to another Immigration set up with no one else there. We went up to a booth and the fellow said what are you doing here. We were sent here because we don't have a Schengen entry stamp. He flicks through all the pages a couple of times and hn stamped the passports twice. So we had both an en entry stamp and an exit stamp for Schengen and the bureaucracy was satisfied. Mrsdrron asked where do we go now? he used the day's way of helping - pointed at a sign.
Finally to baggage collection. Only 1 bag gong around so we picked it up an went to the taxi rank. another good driver and fare at lower end of suggested cost at 5 eur. We were staying at the Neue Schloss Privat hotel. An autograph by Marriott property. So came with free breakfast as I am LTP with Bonvoy. When we arrived there was an Aussie couple checking in and they were having problems. A second agent appeared and we were checked in quickly..

So to the room. A little on the small side but perfectly adequate.






And with a balcony with reasonable views. even a water view in the distance.












And some choccies.

 

[drron]

That night we ate in the hotel restaurant. There were a couple of really good restaurants close to the hotel but they were just a tad expensive,. For instance at the Park Hyatt one block away set menus were over 200 eur. 250 gm of australian Waygu striploin 175 eur, So the menu here.








I>t wasn't cheap but not too expensive so we treated our selves to a bottle of wine.




I had 2 tapas. crumbed langostino (prawns) which were nice and Argentinian beef empanadas which weren't.




Mrsdrron had mushroom risotto with peach. She said it was very nice.

 

[drron]

We weren't here to do the normal Swiss tourist activities. Mrsdrron gets significant altitude sickness. Kosciuszko will bring it on and 2200 metres is pretty puny in Switzerland. We had 4 nights here and looked at the glacier Express but too rushed for us to do in a day. So our simple plan was 1 day cruising on Lake Zurich and the other days walking the City and museums. But we made the classic mistake. Set aside our last day for museums and it was a Monday.
The first day then was a stroll along the waterfront of Lake Zurich and find somewhere for lunch. So a pictorial. I is quite beautiful.














At a picnic stop with a couple of well patronised cafes a jazz group was playing. very well too.

 

[drron]

The stroll continued.




And these were the views from outside the restaurant where we had lunch.






The restaurant was called Samigo Amusement as most of the building was an amusement parlour which wasn't operating.It serves a brunch but that had finished. told they were only serving burgers and pizza. A pizza was fine with us. So we shared a mushroom pizza with a side of fries.




Mrsdrron had a glass of sav blanc and I a beer.


Outside some nice flower arrangements.