I’ve been catching up on some trips that I’d done previously and never got around to putting up.
I’m doing half an hour each morning, and continuing in my lunch hour, until they are all complete.
Have a read and tell me what you think.
I previously worked for a Swiss company, and was invited to a meeting at our head office.
Never missing on opportunity for adventure, I had an afternoon free, so since I was there, I went to visit Zurich.
Having arrived at the Kloten airport, I had my first experience of Swiss trains.
The person at the desk who sold me the ticket spoke perfect English. A bit costly, but I was there on company expenses, so no problem.
Spotlessly clean, it made practically no sound as it sped towards my destination.
Unfortunately, when I arrived the weather was awful and it was belting down with rain (and being December, it was freezing).
I head straight out of the station, find some water and follow it down towards the water front.
As I keep walking, something doesn’t seem right.
I realise that instead of following the river, I’m actually following the Sihl canal.
The Zurich Hauptbahnhof is so big, that I’d walked out of the wrong entrance without realising.
A friendly chap jogging on the canal gave me directions and I’m back on track.
I decide to stop and get something to eat.
I decide on Macdonalds. Not to everyone’s taste, but ideal travel food as its: A, cheap B, usually served quick and C, you can eat it on the move.
Macdonalds look the same all over the world, so this is St Jakobs church on Stauffacherstrasse next to it.
I continue walking, and one thing that surprises me is this.
It’s a sort of folding scooter. That in itself isn’t unusual.
What is unusual, is that someone had left it there, and there was nobody around.
In most of the places I know, it would have been stolen.
I wander around the town and see the side streets and shops.
It’s said that as you wander around in Zurich, you are literally walking on gold.
Under the ground are vaults with money and gold in them.
The Grossmunster church and the Munsterbrucke bridge which borrows its name.
I arrive at my goal of Lake Zurich (I’d hoped for better weather)
I wander up to Lindenhoff hill.
There is a lovely park here. It had stopped raining now, so I sat down for about 40 mins to soak up the atmosphere.
The view from the park.
When I think of Zurich, I’ll probably think of this scene.
Well, the clocks ticking and I have to get to my destination, check into my hotel and prepare for my meeting the next day.
I wonder back, stop for coffee on the way, then arrive at the Hauptbahnhof.
It takes me 50 minutes to find the correct platform, then I’m off.