Give me a space crowded with people and I’m content for hours on end.
For me the trams are not just a means of transportation, but a are a nucleus of social interaction. Trams provide a fabulous place to watch people. That is, to observe the interactions between people from all walks of life.
One day, while riding the tram to the end of the line, I heard a old man singing, unabashed, to his heart’s content. His words were all in German and, from the smiles on the faces of my fellow passengers, the words were quite humorous. He was obviously enjoying himself and entertaining others. When I got off the tram at the end of the track, I noticed him sitting alone, in the very last seat. He was still singing, smiling, and toasting himself with a wine glass of dark red wine. He was coherent, and he seemed just happy to be alive.
It’s not the only time I’ve been serenaded on a tram. A year ago, when Doug and I were touring Basel, we were treated to a musical trio on a very crowded tram. It was wall-to-wall people so we couldn’t see the men, but we could hear their voices. One of the men traversed the tram with ‘a hat-n-hand’ seeking donations after the performance. At the next stop, they were off the tram as quick as they had gotten on. You see, this is actually illegal behavior on trams, and can cost the performers a stiff fine if caught. It was a fun interlude, though.
Many Swiss nationals, expatriates living in Switzerland, and tourists take the tram on a daily basis. There are thousands of commuters who take one or two trams on their way to work. But there are also school children boarding the trams for transport to school. Not just teens, but I’ve seen scores of six- and seven-year-olds boarding the trams with backpacks in tow, heading to and from school. And the pre-teens and teenagers also ride the trams…en masse. They board in groups, often chattering, laughing, poking, chasing, and talking loudly on their cell phones. They often are carrying their skate boards or scooters, a basketball or tennis racket, or even a musical instrument. This past weekend I even saw a young man on the tram with his toboggan.
Near our apartment is an obvious drop-off spot for a boarding school (I think). There are often teens – in mass – either boarding and disembarking from the #11 tram, then walking the two blocks to school. Why do I think it’s a boarding school? Well, I often hear them speaking in different languages (German, French, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, etc), but the most common language I’ve heard them use is English—spoken with a wide variety of accents and skill levels.
For me the trams are not just a means of transportation, but a are a nucleus of social interaction. Trams provide a fabulous place to watch people. That is, to observe the interactions between people from all walks of life.
One day, while riding the tram to the end of the line, I heard a old man singing, unabashed, to his heart’s content. His words were all in German and, from the smiles on the faces of my fellow passengers, the words were quite humorous. He was obviously enjoying himself and entertaining others. When I got off the tram at the end of the track, I noticed him sitting alone, in the very last seat. He was still singing, smiling, and toasting himself with a wine glass of dark red wine. He was coherent, and he seemed just happy to be alive.
It’s not the only time I’ve been serenaded on a tram. A year ago, when Doug and I were touring Basel, we were treated to a musical trio on a very crowded tram. It was wall-to-wall people so we couldn’t see the men, but we could hear their voices. One of the men traversed the tram with ‘a hat-n-hand’ seeking donations after the performance. At the next stop, they were off the tram as quick as they had gotten on. You see, this is actually illegal behavior on trams, and can cost the performers a stiff fine if caught. It was a fun interlude, though.
Many Swiss nationals, expatriates living in Switzerland, and tourists take the tram on a daily basis. There are thousands of commuters who take one or two trams on their way to work. But there are also school children boarding the trams for transport to school. Not just teens, but I’ve seen scores of six- and seven-year-olds boarding the trams with backpacks in tow, heading to and from school. And the pre-teens and teenagers also ride the trams…en masse. They board in groups, often chattering, laughing, poking, chasing, and talking loudly on their cell phones. They often are carrying their skate boards or scooters, a basketball or tennis racket, or even a musical instrument. This past weekend I even saw a young man on the tram with his toboggan.
Near our apartment is an obvious drop-off spot for a boarding school (I think). There are often teens – in mass – either boarding and disembarking from the #11 tram, then walking the two blocks to school. Why do I think it’s a boarding school? Well, I often hear them speaking in different languages (German, French, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, etc), but the most common language I’ve heard them use is English—spoken with a wide variety of accents and skill levels.Trams are also not just for getting from point A to point B. Trams are the means by which many Swiss do their shopping. Not just occasional shopping for a birthday or Christmas present, but routine daily shopping. Going to the grocery store is a common tram trip. You go to the Migros or the Coop (like a mini Safeway, QFC, or Fred Meyer) to purchase your groceries – not by the car load, but by the bag or two – and take them home on the tram. You don’t purchase more than you can carry in one trip.
It’s not just groceries that are carried on the tram. I’ve seen people carrying packages that contain an end-table lamp, a small bookcase, or a computer printer. If it can be carried by one or two people, it can be, and has been, carried on a tram. Everyone carries some sort of bag.
This past weekend I even saw a twenty-something carrying his dog in a large blue IKEA bag! (I later learned that, IF a dog can be carried in a bag - no charge. IF he lies on the floor then there is a charge for his/her fare.)
What I find most interesting on the trams are the young mothers (and nannies) with baby carriages. Not your ordinary baby carriage, but sturdy, heavy duty carriages with warmly bundled infants. The babies are taken everywhere! The carriages load on and off the trams with ease. Every day, there are babies riding throughout Zurich in these carriages – sometimes with a toddler or two in tow, riding piggyback on the carriage.The trams are a microcosm of people – ALL worth observing. ALL fascinating in their own way. ALL apparently oblivious to the fact that this foreigner is observing their encounters and listening intently to their conversations.
Have I mentioned that most everyone is speaking German, or French? And that I know very little of either? It’s quite an experience to witness a tram full of people in conversation, and smiling or laughing at the same joke in a language you can’t understand.
Posts
