The amount of alcohol that can be consumed in Switzerland is amazing. Not a day went by where I didn't have at least 5 glasses of wine, with the possibility of a beer thrown in, which could be topped off by a whiskey or brandy. It probably was a good thing that I only stayed 4 days. I've never been anywhere where one would order beer and wine with lunch or dinner. This is just the same as it was when John and I were there in 1980, so it just seems to be the way it is done with our friends.
I saw recycling was alive with separate receptacles most everywhere for plastic, paper, glass. I did like that a lot. I also was thrilled to see "free trade" items for sale and offered in restaurants. This is very important to me. I need to write the one big store that did such a good job with fair trade.
There were lots of beggars in Dublin, many of them just laying off to the side in sleeping bags. They had volunteers out with tables set up for Soup Kitchen donations. Paris had many refugee women literally laying down on the sidewalk with cups out in front of them for donations. On the Champs Elysee there were probably 10 women with maybe 30 feet between them in a row. It appears the influx of refugees has saturated jobs for the men, or they can't find work. Many of these women had their children with them. Those were the two main cities where the poor or homeless were so evident. It probably depends on the laws of the countries if they are allowed to be out on the street like that or not. Very sad situations.
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