Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/10/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]One of the main squares in Zurich is called Stadelhoferplatz. It is fairly large, with nice trees, benches, a fountain and so on. At one end is Stadelhofen, one of Zurich's biggest commuter train stations, with an underground shopping arcade. The square is close to the city's financial district and is passed by thousands of commuters daily on their way to the many banks and insurance companies in the area. Unfortunately, the square itself is mainly populated by the local alcoholics. They like the benches, and if the weather is bad they just go inside the station. The supermarket is conveniently open late and on Sundays (highly unusual here) and stocks cheap fortified wine (think of Mad Dog 20/20) and a brand of beer which costs only 0.55 CHF (less than 40 cents) for a half-litre bottle. To combat this slightly seedy image of an otherwise attractive place, the city has been running various schemes this year to attract families to the square. Significantly, there was no police-type effort to remove the drunks (who do not bother anyone); rather, the idea was to put on things that would attract regular people as well, under the motto "Stadelhoferplatz for all". So, as part of this, a petting zoo, complete with mini-farm and pony rides, was set up on the square, and I hung around for 1/2 hour with my Leica. The scheme was successful in the sense that people, like this well dressed lady, who would otherwise just hurry across the square, actually stopped to have a look and feed the animals: http://www.wajsman.com/2002_40alt1.jpg http://www.wajsman.com/2002_40alt2.jpg ...and this elderly lady was very interested in the ponies: http://www.wajsman.com/2002_40alt3.jpg And finally the main picture, a portrait of the girl looking after the horses, with one of them: http://www.wajsman.com/2002_40.jpg The complete PAW index is at: http://www.wajsman.com/indexpaw2002.htm and comments/critique are always welcome and appreciated. Nathan - -- Nathan Wajsman Herrliberg (ZH), Switzerland e-mail: wajsman@webshuttle.ch mobile: +41 78 732 1430 Photo-A-Week: http://www.wajsman.com/indexpaw2002.htm General photo site: http://www.wajsman.com/index.htm - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html