One of the biggest events of the canton, the Zuger Messe 2018, took place 2 weeks ago, and after a first unimpressed visit last year I decided this time to bring my son along. This year in fact, we could not prevent him from seeing the great ferris wheel in the center of the Messe area, and I did not have any argument to raise my case against a visit...so off we went.
A pile of (limited) cash in my pocket (always keep in mind when visiting Zug that most events remain cash-only, even those for which you need to pay 14 CHF to enter, or 7 CHF to buy a waffle...Damned, Zug!) we went through the gates and started what turned out into a fun journey for both of us.
The ferris wheel did not disappoint, nor did the little train ride and the visit of the stable and petting zoo, in which I was glad to see that the animals had been enclosed sufficiently far away to avoid unexpected and undesired pats on the head.
I even found the exhibition a lot more educative, as the representation of Swiss Agriculture was broadly highlighted.
I left a place with a proper allergic reaction to the animals as well as a handful of mini-books of traditional and seasonal recipes, information regarding the milk industry in the country, and a proper and very informative description of the various labels in the Swiss food industry.
My son left with a carrot in his mouth and the never-ending satisfaction a 4 year old can have after greeting a baby donkey joyfully.
As for the rest of the Messe, i.e. the various stands of the exhibition, I was stunned to see it looked exactly the same as last year. And when I say "exactly", I mean EXACTLY: the same brands at the EXACT SAME spots, selling the EXACT SAME things for the EXACT SAME prices.
For a second it felt almost like a sci-fi deja-vu moment (or a glitch in the Matrix), but I blamed my allergic reaction for this feeling: I recognized faces, posters, selling points, and did collect sufficient chocolate coins for the little guy to keep on walking fearcefully among a self-centered crowd.
My son went a few times to meet people and ask questions; but it seems that the purchasing power of a kid holding chocolate coins only was too low to trigger interest, or even sympathy. I would have punched some people for their lack of interest or even courtesy...but I was holding a helium balloon on one side, and my little person's hand on the other one.
Let's see if the Zuger Messe 2019 will bring any surprises (or not). I'll probably make sure next time to take a tablet before entering the stables, and remind my son that we still do not need a knife that can cut veggies in spirals, a weird Chinese massage chair, a never-ending set of spices and bouillons, or a new insurance that will protect our roof under the next winter storm. Carrots and some cheerful hee-haws will suffice.