On Red Bull, Fountains and Manners
I’ve noticed a few things in Switzerland this past week that I wasn’t previously aware of. First is that the Swiss drink inordinate amounts of Red Bull. I can’t claim to be a world traveler but at least around the states its seems the preferred non-alcoholic beverage is by and large coke or diet coke. In Switzerland it’s Red Bull.
This is somewhat ironic given the proliferation of public drinking fountains. Usually in Europe one might think of fountains as purely ornate or perhaps useful on a hot summer day to wash ones face. In Switzerland not only are fountains ubiquitous, the free flowing water is meant for drinking. Of course you can bath in them too if they’re big enough.
My third (unrelated) observation is that the Swiss are generally very courteous. They stop for pedestrians in cross walks, share the road with bikers and will help with strollers getting on and off public transportation. Perhaps this is why it sticks out when someone doesn’t make room for a stroller – especially when we’re trying to fit three at the end of a train car and avoid causing traffic jams for the rest of the passengers. It’s happened three times so far – almost enough for me to learn the Swiss German phrase for “excuse me, you are sitting in the stroller parking area.”