Weekend in Zurich

Hopping off the bus in Zurich, I was mentally prepared for a couple of days of solo traveling and hostel staying. So far on this adventure, I’ve been with friends so I prepared myself for the independence and solitude of traveling alone.

I walked through the bustling, beautiful city. I first taken aback by the gorgeous blue of the Limmat River and the old buildings, many stories high built right into the riverbanks. I made my way along the river to the Old Town where the streets narrowed so much that few cars attempted passing. Many of the alleyways were just for foot traffic. The streets were lined with cute boutiques and small restaurants. I found my hostel, the Hotel Otter on Oberdorfstrasse street.

At the hostel, I immediately met a fellow traveler that would become my travel sister for a few days. It’s common to meet fellow travelers and enjoy some time exploring new cities together. However, Pearl and I could have known each other for years with the quick friendship and connection we found in Zurich. She was starting some solo time on a six month trip around Europe and Southeast Asia.

An hour later the reception opened for check in. It had been a while since I’d stayed at a hostel; which was perfect for this solo trip, sharing space in a pricey city and meeting fellow travelers. I stayed in a dorm for six females and found that lots of improvements have been made to hostel stays since my last hostel stay; huge boxes to lock up rucksacks, a power strip and night light on each bunk. This one was quite nice as it also provided bedding and a sink in the room. What hadn’t changed in the past decade was the classic hostel breakfast of cornflakes, toast and coffee: the same around the world.

After check in, Pearl and I set off to explore the city. We walked by the river, through the plazas, down the streets with the high end luxury stores, through the fruit market and around residential streets. Eventually we stopped at the grocery store to pick up a bottle of wine, bread and cheese and people watched down by the lake near the mouth of the river. Families, friends and couples, both local and tourist, lined the lake to enjoy the summer evening. Huge swans paddled around looking for scraps of food and a Hare Krishna group came through with singing and drumming.

Back at the Otter Hotel, we stopped by the bar for another sip at the late night happy hour. We met another solo traveler. From Wisconsin, he had just returned from the World Cup in Russia. From there, we continued walking and stopping at a few other bars in the alley ways of the Old Town.

The next morning after the familiar hostel cornflake breakfast, we departed for the city walking tour. We swung by a coffee shop to supplement the instant coffee from the hostel. There were alot of tourists at the meeting point and we spread out among the five guides. We choose the one with a loud, calm voice that make nerdy history jokes.

Along the walking tour, we learned how Switzerland developed through history and the diversity among the different cantons, or states. Power was spread between Bern as the political capital, Zurich as the central bank and the supreme court in Lausanne, closer to Geneva. They have four official languages; German, French, Italian and Romansh. While strolling around the Old Town, we covered the history of the convents and the old churches, the Reformation in Switzerland, the wars and the effects of Swiss neutrality, the vegetable bridge that has been the home of a farmers market since the middle ages, the impressive universities boasting 26 Nobel prize winners and the banking industry. The guide also confirmed that the water in the 1,200 public fountains do, in fact, contain safe, drinking water.

That night we connected with two other travelers and went to a soccer game in Basel. In the late afternoon we walked back to the train station and boarded for an hour long ride to the stadium of the “Fussball Club Basel” for the regular season opener against St. Gallen. Outside the stadium fans in blue and red striped jerseys flocked the stadium while police donning riot gear marked the perimeter. Inside the energy in the stadium was intense. From our nosebleed seats, we sat above the crazy fan section with megaphones, drums, flags and fireworks. And certainly, a sporting eventing wouldn’t be complete without brats and beer. When in doubt, root for the home team, although the visitors won with a goal in the last seconds of stoppage time.

The next morning I said goodbye to Pearl as she was heading off to Budapest. This whole day, I spent alone in Zurich. For me, this was a challenge that I was actually excited about. I’m very active, extroverted, and talkative so alone time can potentially be a struggle.

My first stop was a hike up the Uetliberg, the mountain and forest area right in Zurich with a fantastic view of the city. Most visitors take the train to the base and then a tram to the top. In lieu of figuring out the logistics and in the interest of exercise and seeing the city, I just walked, but most people don’t want to add an extra 12 km to their day.

At the park entrance, I realized there were many paths in the recreational area, some of them leading to the top. I studied the map and asked a few hikers, then I started up the gravel path. I welcomed the shade while climbing the steep switchbacks and stairs built into the path. While hiking there weren’t that many people around but once I reach the peak where the tram drops off the tourists, it was packed. The view overlooking Zurich was impressive but I think I appreciated it even more for having climbed to the top, despite my fear at a few of the ledges.

Returning to the old town neighborhood, I detoured through the Ethnographic museum and the wellkept botanical garden. After all that walking, I needed a shower and some time with my journal. Later that evening, I treated myself out to dinner of my favorite; Thai food and a glass of white wine. I took my last walk down to the river and then, back at the hostel,  repacked my bag for Chamonix, France and hiking the Tour de Mont Blanc.

Initially, I hadn’t planned on visiting Zurich. I choose it to fill a few days between Munich and Mont Blanc. It turned out to be a weekend of history and beautiful views, fast friendships and football fans, great walks and delicious food. Thanks, Zurich!

July 2018