The Girls Tour Italy: Day 1 Schaffhausen!

Today was a well earned rest day. I am a firm believer in having days off while travelling. If you spend every second leaping at out of bed at the crack of dawn and sightseeing all day then you exhaust yourself and stop caring about what you're seeing. And especially when one has her own king size bed and should be indulged! So after a sleep in (by which I mean 8am-incredibly late by my current standards) I organised the rest of my day. I found a supermarket and picked up some fruit, breakfast stuff, and ham, cheese and tomato for lunch. My hostel doesn't have a kitchen but if I propped the window open in my room and put the cold stuff on sill it was as good as a fridge!

My second problem was washing. After investigation on the net, I discovered Schaffhausen doesn't have a laundromat. I asked the hostel for suggestions, this caused much consternation. I think they were already fairly bewildered by having an Australian English speaking tourist in their midst, I've discovered that this hostel caters mainly to bike riding German speakers or construction workers (there are big works going on next door). They were looking somewhat askance at me for leaving home without washing my clothes (which to be fair was 5 weeks ago!). Eventually post negotiations they agreed I could use their machines (the pub ones) for a brilliant price ($12 AUD which is a steal by backpacker standards!)

I then investigated the tourist information place which I'm happy to report is the best I've ever been to inspite of the fact that it doesn't open til after lunch. The lovely lady planned my whole stay and I'm super excited!!

After putting on my washing on I went and did a self guided tour of the Old Town; marvellous buildings with renaissance frescoes and Gothic facades. Lovely fountains, a few obligatory statues and magnificent views from Munot an impressive city fortification which sits over the city and the Rhine built in the 1500s. It has a moat filled with deer!

A few words about Schaffhausen itself. The old town is paved and pedestrian only. The people are lovely, really friendly and obliging and LOVE saying hello to you at every opportunity. It's like a small country town everyone is calling out to each other and hugging everyone (either they know everyone or they are super friendly to strangers). They all speak English which is excellent because so far I have mastered hello (which is hello), thanks, please, beer (which is also beer) and staring blankly at people (which is the face I make when I'm trying to figure out if they are speaking English, Italian, German or French and then once I've got that, what it is they said and then realising that I haven't said anything in a really long time).

They are also super proud of being Swiss and really good behind the wheel. They very nicely always stop at pedestrian crossings and give a gleeful wave in a "go on, please cross it'll make me so happy" kind of way.

In fact the only thing I don't love so far about Schaffhausen is the smoking. I can't remember if when I was previously in Switzerland that they all smoked so much or maybe it was the areas I was in and they were more populated by tourists (yes by the way I'm the only non German speaking tourist here). Anyway they all smoke and everywhere. In pubs, cafes, bathrooms, houses, shops everywhere!! As an Australian of my generation this is quite bizarre. Not only that cigarettes are advertised everywhere!! I cannot remember when I last saw cigarettes advertised in Australia. The other astonishing thing is the smokers are all youngish (TEENS -openly smoking, 20s, 30s, 40s). In fact it was hard to find older people smoking, I can only presume it's because they are all dead from lung cancer. I guess it's so surprising because I would be hard pressed to find many people my age in Melbourne smoking, and if they are then they are hiding away in corners. The Swiss are standing on street corners chain smoking.

Anyway enough of all that I'm currently sitting in the pub (again) although this time it's because I'm waiting for my clothes to dry. Yet again I'm watching the soccer, France are playing now (people aren't as excited as yesterday), really should've brought Conor with me, he would've appreciated all this endless soccer. (Honestly the way they carry on when they fall over is so annoying, seriously man up! That and the lack of scoring, but I'm keeping my views to myself).

So this incredibly long blog is what one does when then have excellent WiFi and a slow dryer. I have also a plethora of 90s music to entertainment, just heard mumbo number 5 and now spice girls! Have also just realised they serve Guinness, this needs investigating!