So, as the Sun is a-shining today, thought would take this opportunity to purchase my last few Sunflowers, before summer is well, and truly, over for this year.
I love Sunflowers.
The Swiss really like Sunflowers, and I mean REALLY LIKE THEIR FRESH SUNFLOWERS.
Driving around, takes you past fields, and fields of them. They grow in abundance here, and are a very popular flower.
Of course you can buy them in a supermarket or a florist, as in "any country".
But, there is A VERY SWISS WAY of buying your Sunflowers, and it is also a way of being able to buy one, or two, or three - 24/7.
Never seen anything like it.
24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, SUNFLOWERS TO TAKE-AWAY !
I am no: "Globe-Trotter", but am lucky to be fairly travelled, and this is a truly "New-find" - on the journey -
- Carts.
Yes, I mean Carts, a bit like old Gypsy carts, dotted about, at regular intervals, with plastic, or metal, buckets, filled with Sunflowers, for sale, where one can simply - Help Oneself.
And, not unlike in a church, there is a money box, where you pop in your coins.
However, unlike in a church, it is not a (suggested) donation, there is a set price.
Currently of, on average: 1.50 CHF (Swiss Francs) per stem of Sunflower.
This level of TRUST, is both incredible, and beautiful.
That the flowers are not wrecked, stolen, nor the money box vandalised, is very surprising, and very surreal.
Please, do not get me wrong, I am not being cynical, in any way, but it is somewhat difficult to understand, and believe that a mode of sale, can be conducted in this way.
And, that it seems to work ?
(I mean, got absolutely no idea, how much profit, the seller of these flowers makes, hopefully they do, but this is not the point..!!??)
The point of this particular post, is that these Flowers, and there are other types of flowers on sale, BOUQUETS too, all year round.
All lined up, for an Honest Grabbing.
Have heard, well mostly read - in a selection of: "Guide Books" on LIVING IN SWITZERLAND (and there are not very many of them, might I add)- that this is a relatively - Crime-Free Country...
Being.....That the Swiss... (in general)..... trust that...... each person will : "Do the right thing".
In this case : Respect the Sunflowers, and Pay for the Sunflowers, which they "Take Away".
WOW.
How wonderful.
And, Surreal (or am I: "Tainted", by "Modern Life"...?)
Whatever, whichever, and no matter.
THIS is going to take SOME getting used to, for sure !
Going to put my coins in the Sunny Sunflower Money Box, this time
in the hope, that these ones will chase, the coming Winter, Cold and Flu, Nasties, away.
Like an Anti-Bug kind of Fairy-Mother Nature-Offering.
Please please, no Antibiotics, this Winter, please !!!
I will chant to myself as my Swiss Franc Coins are deposited in the KASSE BOX.
And, will add an extra chant to chase those: "It is not even 4pm, and it`s already dark, as night outside, Winter Blues" away too.
But, before I do go off, on my mission of: "Humble Offerings to The Sun-ness Highness, of The Sunflower".
Thank you very much, and Merci Vilmal, Vielen Danke, Grazie, and all the other ways of saying thank you, in this Land.
Here is another example, of common (cultural/monetary) Swiss practise, discovered, and still, err, somewhat - digesting.
- If you order a product from a Swiss company, on-line, and you live in Switzerland -
No need to: "Pay Now".
The Invoice, arrives about, one week later, in the post.
And, ALWAYS AFTER, the arrival of the product.
AND, further to this, one has up to ONE MONTH to make the payment.
WOW.
This is a Blog, but lost for words !
Until next time, Thanks for reading, Yours, CFC x
No comments:
Post a Comment