On my way home from Nairobi last November, right before Thanksgiving, I flew through Zurich. I've been to Geneva and Bern but not Zurich and figured out that my layover was just enough time to take the tram into town and do a bit of wandering. A few hours in a new city with absolutely no agenda, nothing to accomplish, and only the roughest idea of where to start is one of my favorite things in the world, and that's exactly what I had in Zurich.
I had glanced at a map before I got on the Nairobi-Zurich flight and knew that heading towards the lake and old part of town was probably my best bet. My flight landed at about 6 am, so it was very early and still dark. The tram into the central rail station was easy to catch at the airport and takes you through lovely leafy neighborhoods and past the University of Zurich. It was cold and clear and people were bundled up and the morning rush was on. I love cities in the morning.
Even though it was almost 8:30 am by this point, the sun was really just coming up. I'm always surprised in Europe in winter at how short the days are.
From the lake, an inlet runs in through old town, with ancient buildings lining both sides...and a circus, of course.
When I got too cold (coming from Nairobi, I didn't have anything remotely warm with me) and a little hungry, I went into this little cafe in Old Town for salted caramel hot chocolate and a croissant and to read for a little while.
Another hour of wandering and I was back on a tram to the airport to go home....
As a side note, when I'm somewhere where I am distinctly "different" ie from elsewhere, I have no problem whipping out my camera and taking loads of pictures. But when I'm somewhere where I blend in a bit more (or a lot more, in the case of Zurich) I find myself much more reluctant to take pictures, as if I might be mistaken for a local and don't want to be seen as a tourist. I have to make myself pull out my camera and take pictures in these places!
I had glanced at a map before I got on the Nairobi-Zurich flight and knew that heading towards the lake and old part of town was probably my best bet. My flight landed at about 6 am, so it was very early and still dark. The tram into the central rail station was easy to catch at the airport and takes you through lovely leafy neighborhoods and past the University of Zurich. It was cold and clear and people were bundled up and the morning rush was on. I love cities in the morning.
Even though it was almost 8:30 am by this point, the sun was really just coming up. I'm always surprised in Europe in winter at how short the days are.
From the lake, an inlet runs in through old town, with ancient buildings lining both sides...and a circus, of course.
When I got too cold (coming from Nairobi, I didn't have anything remotely warm with me) and a little hungry, I went into this little cafe in Old Town for salted caramel hot chocolate and a croissant and to read for a little while.
Another hour of wandering and I was back on a tram to the airport to go home....
As a side note, when I'm somewhere where I am distinctly "different" ie from elsewhere, I have no problem whipping out my camera and taking loads of pictures. But when I'm somewhere where I blend in a bit more (or a lot more, in the case of Zurich) I find myself much more reluctant to take pictures, as if I might be mistaken for a local and don't want to be seen as a tourist. I have to make myself pull out my camera and take pictures in these places!
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