I smiled when I saw this tam, now I know for sure...there are more strange countries in the world.....
I was on the floor when I saw the link of the Muesli..hope Philine can take the joke, I keep wondering though what might have killed him, to much pork's meat, to much beer or too much Bircher muesli beetroots......
Hope Philine knows the answer.
Een prettige dag verder....groetjes.

Chris: Have no fear Astrid: there are madder countries than Holland - and dear Philine seems to know everything there is to know!

Hahaha, a really funny, silly pic from your tram-train-travel to Switzerland! Never I thought that the Swiss have so much humour like the English people!-
Ohohoh, what have I said and done! I'm afraid to have lead myself in a rather slippery situation! Socrates would have said to me: "If you have held your tongue, you had been a philosopher!" (Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses!) -
Chris' text about Socco (Is there not a footballer named Socrates?) has been written very well- informative and funny at once, as Socco, self an humorous-witty man, would have done, I'm sure he would have been pleased about that, only the birchermuesli-joke, Astrid, could perhaps have disgusted him, for the death was for him a very serious essential point in his life. -
We are very well informed about the look of Socrates by his friend and lover Alcibiades: He compares him to a statue of Silenus; the statue is ugly and hollow, and inside is full of tiny golden statues of the gods (Symposion, 215a-b). He then compares Socrates to the satyr Marsyas; Socrates, however, needs no flute to "cast his spells" upon people as Marsyas did -- he needs only his words (Symposion, 215b-d). "But once I caught him when he was open like Silenus' statues, and I had a glimpse of the figures he keeps hidden within: they were so godlike -- so bright and beautiful, so utterly amazing -- that I no longer had a choice: I just had to do whatever he told me." (Symposium 216e-217a.) I would like to leave it to the other viewers further to philosophize about inner beauty and outer beauty or the opposite of inner and outer look - but never I wanted to say that Chris is an "ugly Silen-figure" or looking like that depictured pig-tram, never, never, please, - and I myself am always looking more at the inner values and inner beauty- and I think everybody of us has his/her special beauty we have only to detect!!!-
Socrates is a very, very interesting, still modern personality, worthy to get read, and the most beautiful sentences about love you can find in his dialogue "Symposion"! Thanks to Chris to have introduced to him!

Chris: I said, "O thou stranger woman, thou sayest well; but, assuming Love to be such as you say, what is the use of him to men?" "That, Socrates," she replied, "I will attempt to unfold: of his nature and birth I have already spoken; and you acknowledge that love is of the beautiful. But some one will say: Of the beautiful in what, Socrates and Diotima?-or rather let me put the question more dearly, and ask: When a man loves the beautiful, what does he desire?" I answered her "That the beautiful may be his." "Still," she said, "the answer suggests a further question: What is given by the possession of beauty?" "To what you have asked," I replied, "I have no answer ready." "Then," she said, "Let me put the word 'good' in the place of the beautiful, and repeat the question once more: If he who loves good, what is it

The Swiss have a great sense of humour only they don't like to give this away by their facial expressions. This photograph shows the love for the pig and how I enjoyed the Bratwurst und currywurst mit pommesfritz und beer. I think I could have suited being German but from where. Swiss, Southern, Northern or Eastern germany. There are pluses and minuses to each.

Chris: The trouble with Switzerland is that it has no core identity. I found everything was German - then it suddenly was French! No doubt a bit further south and it would have been Italian. I had wonderful bratwurst & bier in a market, somewhere or other. At that moment I felt like wanting to be there for ever!

This picture would benefit from a really good frame. I have one on my picture today, you could use it if you like.

Philine has a point.

Love the tram, never knew the Swiss had a sense of humour.

Chris: I am deeply obliged to you for the offer of a frame - but on this occasion I would prefer my works of art not to be completely overpowered by their immediate surroundings.

I was surprised too that the Swiss had a vein of humour in their bodies. In fact you could have knocked me over with a book of Socratic musings - or a bratwurst: whichever was the heavier...

Good catch Chris, not Ken or indeed Boris would have commissioned this, Gordon Brown would be on the war path.

Chris: It's wonderfully barmy Sesan!

Oh Chris what a surprise. I love it.

Chris: Thank you Aussie: it was a surprise for me too!

Apparently according the american candidates for president even if you put lipstick on a pig it will stll be a pig or a tram or a hocky mum ... hmmm american politics ... oh bugger I'm waffling this morning.

richard

Chris: Isn't a waffle an American something you eat for breakfast covered in maple syrup.

So please post a picture of yourself covered in maple syrup eating breakfast

What a lovely bright start to my Sunday morning. You had me giggling with this one. Your opinions and pictures of Switzerland are really surprising me - perhaps I should go and see one day, if I can tear myself away from the spanish sun!

Chris: I'm glad you like it Sheila: it was sunny there too!

Where does the driver sit? In the jaws?

Chris: This is the back end Sheila

I think this would encourage children to take the tram. The pig has a look of surprise or maybe he is being pulled by his tail.

Chris: Thank you Mary - I didn't think of that!

Okay I just fell off my chair!!!! I'll probably take this tram every morning just for sheer pleasure. I would die od histerics aboard this great beast... "Oi I'm on a pig"
I love Socrates...amazing fellow and philosopher.

Chris: Oh goody: that's nice!

and oh yeah...I agree with Philline...

Chris: Anyone with any sense would Ada

I bet the kids all love to be pulled along in this tram Chris by Mr.Pink Pig.

Chris: They'll be squealing with delight Brian

lol great shot and liked the note on Socrates too Chris

Chris: Excellent Tim: I'm glad your pleased

Very cool capture.. Those pigs always made me laugh.. And what city was this in?

Chris: Basel Jen

Where does the driver sit - is he somewhere in the snout, peering out of a nostril.

As for Socrates, at least as portrayed by Plato, he was a regular pain in the neck. But so am I, so I have a small bust of him in my office.

Chris: Thank you Ian: sorry for having not picked up your message earlier. I wonder how many others have this accessory in their workplace?