A visit to the Maestrani and Halba chocolate factories; tea at the Dolder Grand Hotel; observing Rosh haShannah
Mark learned how to park the car on the street, distinguishing between white spaces from the blue spaces painted on the pavement. All spaces need to be paid for using a system we were familiar with from earlier travels (and have now seen all over NYC). A white space allows 2 hours at a time for (at least in our neighborhood) 5 CHF. Pay at the meter and put the receipt on the dashboard. Though you’re allowed to repeat this process, it is suggested that you move to a new spot. After 9:00 PM overnight parking is free… until 8:00 AM. So, Mark set the alarm for 7:30, dressed and moved the car to a spot where he could continue to park for another 2 hours. This meant that we were on the road by10:00.
Before we left NYC we did a thorough search for chocolate factories (with tours) in Switzerland. So we headed to one near Zurich, Maestrani, in the small town Flawil (not so small, nor as isolated as Courtelary).
Within ringing distance of cowbells was the ultra modern chocolate factory (A on the Google map).
The contrast between the new factory and the surrounding countryside was stark. That’s Debbie approaching the door (on the left) and Mark in the circle on the right. A tour bus driver is visible between us. The store manager happily welcomed us.
The chocolate was available in bulk at great prices:
We generally enjoy chocolate covered orange peel, however, this was not to our liking.
We stayed in town long enough to enjoy a cup of hot coffee and tea, then back to Zurich for yet another chocolate factory: Halba (on the outskirts of the city itself). We arrived with a downpour, but that did not dampen our interest.
These chocolate manufacturers produce candies and chocolates that then get packaged for distribution as other brands, as evidenced by these flags outside Halba:
as well as this display inside the outlet store:
Our chocolate explorations finished for the day, we found a little place to eat lunch as we waited out the rain. Then, on the way back into the city we noticed signs for the Dolder Hotel.
Debbie’s parents stayed at the Dolder twice. The first time: flying home from the opening of the Berlin Jewish Museum on September 11, 2001, their flight had to be turned back when all US airports closed. Their flight landed in Zurich and passengers were put in at the pre-remodeled Dolder. The second time: Debbie’s mother’s cousin Gerhard Pincus, celebrated his 92nd birthday there in 2002.
We wound our way up the back side of the mountain that overlooks Zurich from the south until we arrived at the imposing hotel. We had a few hours before needing to be back in town for Erev Rosh haShannah services, so we found a nice table on the terrace where paid through the nose for tea and cappuccino. But, we did have our photo taken there, our portrait for that day. Note the contrast between the sleek remodeled awning sen throughout most of the space and the old Swiss look.
While the Dolder is directly up the hill from Zurich, we gave ourselves plenty of time to drive down the hill, find the synagogue and park the car. And it is good that we did. On our descent we found ourselves in a new section of town. While we knew we were not far from the synagogue, Gertrude repeatedly told us that she had “lost satellite reception.”Finally, we were able to find a parking spot within a block from the synagogue with plenty of time to relax and read before services.
Whenever we have traveled overseas, we have tried to connect with the local Jewish community for Shabbat and holidays. Our first trip in 2006 was organized to be available to small, rabbinically-underserved World Union for Progressive Judaism congregations. Most often we led part of the service, offered a d’var torah, and/or shared our experiences traveling, and were welcomed to some form of a Shabbat repast. Shabbat was particularly lonely while traveling in Spain, except for our visit in Valencia.
When we initially touched base with R. Reuven Bar-Ephraim at Juedische Liberale Gemeinde Or Chadash, Mark was intrigued by the tri-lingual pun in his signature: “yes oui כן”. R. Bar-Ephraim offered to see about finding us a ‘shulchan aruch’ (evening meal) before the evening service. However, as the time came and passed, we realized that we would be alone with each other. And so, we were a bit intrigued by R. Bar-Ephraim’s sermon that evening which stressed the importance of hospitality, in which he reminded the congregation that only one family had offered hospitality.
Whenever visiting a synagogue in a city in Europe we always bring our passports. Security is much more strict at most congregations we have encountered overseas than it is anywhere in the States. As requested, we had registered with the congregation’s office manager who had our name on file. So, when we, strangers to the small community of liberal Jews in Zurich, approached the synagogue we were greeted by the security guards, asked for ID. We made it clear that we were expected, and sure enough, there were tickets with our names on them held just inside the building. Finally, after a quick check of our bags, we were welcomed into the bright airy space of the synagogue as services were about to begin.
R. Bar-Ephriam recognized our presence by offering Mark the honor of opening the Ark at the beginning of the service and welcomed us, mentioning that we were on a “culinary” tour of Switzerland. As we gathered for apples and honey, a couple of people came up to us to learn more.
We moved the car to another parking spot and walked around the middle-class neighborhood and found a cute restaurant/café called Bubbles. After a nice enough dinner we returned to our red light neighborhood for the night. On our arrival, once again the friendly young man at the hotel taught us yet something new about parking in Zurich. Pay 15 CHF for an all day pass that you buy from the hotel! Since we did not plan on using the car the next day, this was a great solution. Not cheap, but it would keep us from needing to return to the car every 2 hours.
