Nice chat with Ingrid Carlqvist, a popular Youtuber and writer from Sweden, to discuss what life is really like in her country. We go over the political landscape of Sweden, its immigration problems, no go areas, the Julian Assange sex case, Greta Thunberg, and what unites the Swedes, amongst other things.
Please check out Ingrid’s stuff:
Youtube: Ingrid and Maria: https://youtu.be/KD_TqGxKsQQ
Good discussion with The Irish Megaphone on the awful state of Irish democracy.
Democracy in the Banana Republic: Joined by The Irish Megaphone, we take a look back at the most recent elections in Ireland. Viewing the European and Local election results and trying to figure out what it all means for little old Oireland.
Thanks to TIM for his time and for sharing his thoughts and experiences.
My next Swiss football trip brought me to the small medieval town of Rapperswil-Jona.
Rapperswil-Jona is a German speaking municipality, with a population of about 27,000, in the canton of St. Gallen in eastern Switzerland. Rapperswil and Jona, were actually separate municipalities until 2006, when they decided to come together in a bid to become more important in politics and society. The town is located on the shores of the beautiful Lake Zurich.
So the town is well known for its wooden pedestrian bridge between itself and the nearby village of Hurden. Built in 2001, crossing the Lake Zürich, the bridge symbolizes the fact that over the centuries locals have crossed between Lake Zurich and Obersee, mostly on boats, but also on a wooden bridge that was constructed by Count Rudolf IV the Wiseand Duke of Austria. In 1358 this structure was a handy little earner as there was a toll set up on the bridge, that’s why he was considered a wise man! It is also important to acknowledge that there were other bridges from prehistory, and in the Roman times, so this crossing was and is of an important cultural and historical significance to the local area.
The wooden bridge linked the two shores for over 500 years, it was renovated for the last time in 1847. Due to other means of transport and alternative routes the idea of the toll fell away. In 1873 the Swiss federal parliament approved the construction of a stone dam with railway tracks and a road and construction began two years later. This bridge is adjacent to the wooden bridge that we see today, so there are two bridges side by side. In 2001 the old wooden bridge was replaced with a more safer and more enjoyable pedestrian oak built bridge. So what we have today is the longest wooden bridge in Switzerland at 841 metres long. (2,759 ft), and is listed as a heritage site of national significance.
To get to the town is easy as it is well linked to Zurich by rail, with many trains to the city every hour, a 35 minute journey. If not in a rush, one can also get a boat from Zurich that stops in the town regularly throughout the day.
I found the town to be pretty pleasant, nice to walk around the Old Town on an early Sunday morning. Not too far from the train station, is the historic wooden bridge that got my attention and is stated as the number one thing to do in the town re TripAdvisor, to which I walked along to the end and back. There is a nature reserve around the bridge where one can see some birds and other wildlife. The views of the lake and the Alps in the distance are lovely, and the walk is nice enough, but to be honest it wasn’t anything particularly extraordinary.
Went up to the castle walls to have a wander. The second thing recommend to do in Rapperswil from TripAdvisor! Didn’t go in, as I went to the castle in Thun and to be honest see one small castle you have seen them all, at least Swiss Castles, this isn’t Wales! So I ventured around the grounds. Built in the 13th Century by Count Rudolf II and his son Rudolf III von Rapperswil. The castle also has a Polish museum inside it which isn’t particularly clear to me why, but its there nevertheless! Ok I know that a Polish émigré, Count Wladyslaw Broel-Plater who purchased the Castle in 1870 and refurbished it, set up the museum, but why? To the south of the Castle is an old Vineyard, and to the north a small deer park. There is also a nice rose garden near the grounds. Either way the Castle, perched on a hill, is where you can get some decent views of the town and of Lake Zurich.
Funny thing about Rapperswil is that, according to media tabloids, the place is heaving with Nazi’s, and that the town is where a group of neo-boys have settled in. A local tattoo parlour and the Boomerang bar, which I visited, is owned by a Neo Nazi. Can read it here. To be perfectly frank I couldn’t give a flying…….I dont care much for a persons politics when I sit down for a pint. Not that I am apolitical but it seems some people like to play a game where you have to choose from one bunch of cunts on the left to another bunch of cunts on the right, both equally statist. Well they can play that game, and the media, but as long as they serve me a cold one and don’t bother me, then jog on.
Arriving early to the town, it was good to see at least one bar open on the promenade. Nice looking bar from the outside, ventured in to a very small bar. A few people came in, looked like they were in town for some sort of sporting gig, so the small bar, with an interesting wooden and nautical themed decor, was actually quite busy. Ordered a Falken bier (from Schaffhausen), poured well and not too bad to drink for the first beer of the day.
Is beside the much larger restaurant Steinbock, which owns the small bar. It also has a terrace but the weather was not suitable to sit outside on this day.
A nice bar, cosy and very comfortable. Good friendly service, decent beer, and a nice start to the day.
Not too far from the Rapperswil-Jona ground is an Australian style bar. Yeah sure why not!
I was very surprised to see it nestled in the middle of an industrial estate, this bar looks a little out of place. I was wondering if it was even open as the surroundings looked a bit dead.
Open it was, and it actually had a few punters in.
It is a bar that obviously caters for large parties and music events as it is quite spacious and looks like a decent place for a gig. Had a big area reserved for smokers as well, at the side.
Had all the typical Aussie paraphernalia one would expect and a crocodile hanging from the roof of the bar, yeah hats off to the interior designer as they really did a good job with getting the right mood for the bar.
Ordered a Coopers Pale Ale, a popular beer from Adelaide, and it went down well, nice and cold. Served with a smile and also got a complimentary basket of popcorn.
Was a nice place to relax before the big game, and happy to know that I didn’t have to walk to far to the match, with the ground just round the corner. Sweet.
Founded in 1928 Fussball Club Rapperswil-Jona, the 2017/18 season sees the team play for the first time in the second highest league in Switzerland, the Challenge League, after winning promotion the year before in what was the clubs best achievement in its 90 year long history.
The club play in red out of the Grünfeld stadium, a small ground with a capacity of 2,500, which was opened in 2014.
To the game
FC Rapperswil-Jona 1 – 2 FC Vaduz
11.02.2018 • Stadion Grünfeld, Rapperswil-Jona
Mathys 27′ (Vaduz)
Konrad 47′ (Vaduz)
Elmer (FCRJ, Pen) 83′
Attendance: 780
Enjoyed my time at the match. Not a bad game, good atmosphere, beer and food was flowing, and the locals and staff were in fine spirits. The only thing that was a tad bit annoying was the weather! Game started of in decent, albeit wet, conditions, but by the second half snow was coming down heavy enough that by the end of the game I was well frozen.
Vaduz started the game much better and scored after about half an hour, a well worked goal deservedly putting them in the front. Devic squaring the ball lovely for Mathys to easily slot home.
After the break they got their second, and looked well in control of the game. Konrad close range.
FC Rapperswil-Jona did have their moments, but the Vaduz goalkeeper was in fine form, pulling off a few good saves to keep Vaduz 2 up.
But he couldn’t stop a penalty that was given to Rapperswil, for a hand ball. That resulted in the last few minutes with Vaduz hanging on, just about. Rapperswil had that golden chance to equalise but again the Vaduz goalkeeper,Peter Jehle, saved brilliantly to keep the three points for the visiting team.
Enjoyable game, and fair play to both teams for that as the conditions were not suitable for good football so well done there. The better team won too, Vaduz just having that bit more quality.
I also would like to say that everyone associated with Rapperswil, from the ticket sellers, to the stewards and the guys and gals selling the beer/hot food were all extremely friendly and a credit to themselves and their town. Really great time and would love to return again sometime in the future, but perhaps on a hot summers day!!!
Overall
Enjoyed my short time in Rapperswil-Jona, a nice little town with its own character. The match and the football ground hop was good fun, the food and the beer was tops, and I will definitely be back in the near future. Nice one little Rapperswil-Jona!
Estrella Galicia (Spain): V : Casablanca (Morocco): 1-0
? (Iran): V : Super Bock (Portugal): 0-1
? (Iran): V : Estrella Galicia (Spain): 0-1 Gallas Cerveja (Portugal): V : Casablanca (Morocco): 1-0 Casablanca (Morocco): V : ? (Iran): 1-0
Estrella Galicia (Spain): V : Gallas Cerveja (Portugal) 0-1
Estrella Galicia (Spain): V : Casablanca (Morocco): 1-0
For the first time Casablanca actually didn’t taste too bad today, but smoother and more enjoyable than the other two days. Still hadn’t much in the way of actual taste though. For that reason I will give the win to Estrella Galicia, as I really enjoy this beer cold from the fridge, perfectly smooth, and the malts hitting the spot. Yeah one nil to Spain.
? (Iran): V : Super Bock (Portugal): 0-1
SuperBock on its own, nice and smooth. No competition, so Portugal take top sport in my World Cup of Beer, Group B.
? (Iran): V : Estrella Galicia (Spain): 0-1
Estrella with no competition, enjoyable enough cold on a hot summers day watching the football.
Gallas Cerveja (Portugal): V : Casablanca (Morocco): 1-0
Had a Gallas IPA, was ok, much better than the bland lager Casablanca that has proven to be a disappointment so far in the beer world cup, a bit like their football team to be honest!
Casablanca (Morocco): V : ? (Iran): 1-0
Unlike the football Casablanca won this one, just as well as it was pretty shitty, but with no competition from Iran, they take the win.
Estrella Galicia (Spain): V : Gallas Cerveja (Portugal) 0-1
Gallas Wit Cinco de Abril Versus Estrella Galicia. Although I enjoyed both beers, I will give this one to Gallas, as it was just that bit more fruity and tasteful. 1-0 to Portugal.
……………………………………………………………………………………
Three nations here that I can play around with. Iran dont do beer, full stop, a big no, no! But interestingly Morocco do, a lager called Casablanca from, eh, Casablanca. While I got two standard beers from Spain and Portugal, football special Super Bock, and Estrella Galicia. But I also got some interesting Portuguese beers from Gallas Cerveja which might shake the group up. But lets see…….
In South Africa they had the awful Vuvuzela’s and Shakira dancing with little black babies, ah the cute little things, but very little else. While in Brazil they not only had Shakira back but this time she brought a little dog with her, Pitbull. More dirge, and very little for me to signify a World Cup was in Brazil. (Edit I see it was Jennifer Lopez and not Shakira, my mistake not knowing the difference between the generic leggy Latino pop stars, me bad!)
Still the best World cups for me in terms of atmosphere or world cup songs was the Korea/Japan event where the passion came from the stands, and the 1990’s when music was still something to behold.
So will Russia be any different? You would like to think so, but this time round we are going to be treated to “Live It Up” by Nicky Jam feat. Will Smith & Era Istrefi. I know Will Smith, but had to Google the other two, an American rapper and an Albanian singer, great! Not only did they not get a Russian to headline, they also are singing in English. Why does everything have to be diluted into corporate nonsense? Will Smith! Really? And why always is it rap shite, ok granted footballers have generally bad taste in music, but why do the fans have to suffer?
So I probably wont be looking at the opening ceremony. The music might be trash, sorry, will be trash, and I couldn’t really stomach seeing the corporate in their suits guffawing in the prawn sandwich seats, while doing the two step to look down with the kids.
But to be fair, generally opening ceremony’s be they in Olympics or World Cups are a bit dull. The best for me was definitely the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics. They had an open air concert, with a good combo of traditional and modern music. The worst was Beijing, everything was faked even the fireworks. Makes you wonder why they even bothered.
As for music, surely the best ever was Pavarotti and his rendition of “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini‘s Turandot. Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras, “The Three Tenors” of 1990, will linger long in the memory.
Pavarotti with the best World Cup song EVER
The Open Ceremony, Russia, 2018? Nah, will pass. The football should be more than enough to get me in the mood. But if I did miss something be sure to tell me!
And the best World Cup Song representing a national team, definitely this one………………
A chat with Tom the Beer Whisperer, take two! As explained at start of video this was the second effort at this chat, as the previous day we had too much of an echo in the video.
Also my first effort at Goggle Hangout so be kind!!
Thanks to Tom for his patience and for sharing his beer thoughts and experiences
So the town is well known for its wooden pedestrian bridge between itself and the nearby village of Hurden. Built in 2001, crossing the Lake Zürich, the bridge symbolizes the fact that over the centuries locals have crossed between Lake Zurich and Obersee, mostly on boats, but also on a wooden bridge that was constructed by Count Rudolf IV the Wise and Duke of Austria. In 1358 this structure was a handy little earner as there was a toll set up on the bridge, that’s why he was considered a wise man! It is also important to acknowledge that there were other bridges from prehistory, and in the Roman times, so this crossing was and is of an important cultural and historical significance to the local area. 
Arriving early to the town, it was good to see at least one bar open on the promenade. Nice looking bar from the outside, ventured in to a very small bar. A few people came in, looked like they were in town for some sort of sporting gig, so the small bar, with an interesting wooden and nautical themed decor, was actually quite busy. Ordered a Falken bier (from Schaffhausen), poured well and not too bad to drink for the first beer of the day. 
Vaduz started the game much better and scored after about half an hour, a well worked goal deservedly putting them in the front. Devic squaring the ball lovely for Mathys to easily slot home. 
Still the best World cups for me in terms of atmosphere or world cup songs was the Korea/Japan event where the passion came from the stands, and the 1990’s when music was still something to behold. 
So I probably wont be looking at the opening ceremony. The music might be trash, sorry, will be trash, and I couldn’t really stomach seeing the corporate in their suits guffawing in the prawn sandwich seats, while doing the two step to look down with the kids. 
