Zurich July 2004

It is funny how long a trip to another country continues to affect you. Forever.

Zurich, and the entire country of Switzerland, is one such place. Coming from the US, an American will notice from the airplane, the tremendous difference in land use between our nation and Europe. Buildings and towns are clustered in small, compact areas. The demarcation between rural and urban is distinct. There is not the grotesque environmental blasphemy of sprawl.

Upon entering Zurich’s small and scrupulously clean airport, and after passing customs, easily readable signs direct you to the trains. An attendant, well educated and polite, is ready to sell you a reasonably priced package which allows you to travel for seven days on any bus, boat, funicular, train, streetcar—throughout Switzerland.

Zurich’s Bahnhof (train station) is located just steps from downtown’s hotels, restaurants, bike paths and lake. Bike rentals can be found for free–just hand over your passport and ride all over Zurich.

The architectural splendor of Zurich includes gothic churches, two and three story painted buildings on cobblestone streets, a winding river, meandering old alleys, mountain vistas, misty lakefronts, and those ever present beautiful clouds that shroud the city in allotments of sun and shadow. During our July visit, we experienced days with rain, intermittent sunshine, a violent hailstorm, and breezy conditions.

There is a lot more to say about Switzerland, and what they do over there, which I will post in later columns.