It was a typical Saturday browsing the chocolate isles of Manor, a mid- to upper-scale department store in Geneva. The place was packed like the end of the world was just around the corner (oh, it is…) and people bumped and excusez-moi-ed themselves around towering stacks of Cailler chocolate caramel almond bars, absinthe-infused dark squares, and bins of brightly-colored Lindt truffles. Elderly Swiss (distinguishable from the foreign elderly because of their hardy, mountain-like appearance and their “Get-out-of-my-way-because-I’m-Swiss-and-I’m-old-and-I-deserve-this-much” sort of attitude) bustled about in huge, toe-length coats, occasionally popping a truffle in their mouths without bothering with the usual tradition of paying; and children wandered around behind their parents, eyes wide with that sugar euphoria, hands grabbing out at easily accessible bliss, others bored and playing games like “dribble spit out my mouth and try to see it on my chin” (I remember it as an occasional hobby during my own early to mid childhood).
The most impressive shopper, however, was an unassuming Japanese woman of about 70 who happened to be the customer in front of my roommate and as I we waited in line. The counter was piled with large red boxes of Lindt chocolates, looming above the woman’s small frame as she continued to unload more from her seemingly bottomless shopping cart.
The gangly, braces-sporting cashier had a rather incredulous look in her eyes as she rang up box after box, finally pronouncing the sentence in a underwhelmingly soft tone: 850 francs and some change. Miss Chocolate Superwoman didn’t flinch as she pulled out her Manor Club Card. Unfortunately, it appeared to have expired, which caused a small flurry of Japanese-accented Franglish (“Mais je think it bon a December…..Je acheté not year ago…..”) – a fairly common communication form in Geneva.
We didn’t get to catch the end of the exchange as another cashier took pity on us and rang us though, but later as we were leaving the store following a browse through the bakery section, we saw her again. Loaded cart parked by the exit and the tiny woman heaving massive bags of chocolate out to the curb before returning for another batch. I suppose a taxi was on its way or some pitying friend or relative who had been looped into assisting with the operation. Apparently the woman had a large family, with a healthy appetite for Swiss chocolate and waist lines that would soon be pushing at the seams of their pants with several pounds of gooey truffles chumming up with fat cells in their innards.
Following Manor and the incredible chocolate lady, my roommate and I trundled into a cheaper store to do our grocery shopping. When I found out I was coming to Switzerland last February, the most popular reaction, by far, flew straight past the positive stereotype of mountains, chocolate and clocks, to “ooo it’s really expensive there!!” Perhaps a brief illustration of some common products can give you an idea of what these Debby Downers were trying to get across:
Fancy a little ice cream indulgence?
Easy 10 dollars for brief emotional relief and long-term fat accumulation.
Pineapple perhaps?
Hmm maybe not 😦
Nachos!
Yes, a cool 10 dollars! Such a steal!!
Later in the day, we encountered something unheard of: FREE things in Switzerland!! Vin Chaud, tea and soup offered as part of an annual festival – the Escalade. This weekend’s activities involved a race around the historical part of the city, with about 25,000 runners of all ages, from families to old men with scraggly beards and sinewy legs (probably from decades of mountain climbing).
tararachael 