27/10/09 07:56 In Switzerland after a great nights sleep in a couchette compartment on the 12 hour train to Zurich. This has been such a fascinating ride trying to converse with Italian and German. I have been relying on reading body language. There was a man who spoke Italian and English but got off a few stops ago. I think between the 4 men in this compartment, we spoke 3 different languages. At first, the steward took my passport and my ticket and Eurail pass with him. I was very confused and a little scared, being in a foreign country without the passport on my immediate person. I’ll have to continue this conversation later my pen ran out of ink, and the man next to me lent me his. I didn’t want to hold onto it for long, so I’ll finish saying that the steward took all passports so when crossing the border in the middle of the night, we as a compartment were not disturbed. I got it back when the steward woke us up an hour ago with espresso and a muffin. I love trains! (New Pen) Aha! A much better pen GIVEN to me by the man across. I kept rejecting because I didn’t know he was saying “gift” in German. Also the man next to me fixed my old pen but it was a lesser one than this. We are about a half hour away from Zurich now. This is what I was looking for in this adventure. The exploration of people. I woke up around 6am to see dawn over the Alps. Small houses with lights on with the mountains silhouetted in the background. I have to start thinking in a German mind frame.
09:50 Oh my! Zurich is beautiful. Grosse Schoen! I am presently sitting in the city’s highest part, the Lindenhof, which is a wide terrace of Lime trees overlooking the river. So, my plan for the 12 hours in Switzerland? Take the S-bahn 10 for a beautiful hike in the mountains towards a cable car back to Zurich. Uetliberg-Felsenegg-Adliswil-Zurich. If there is time, both Grossmuenster and Fraulmuenster along with the Landesmuseum near the rail station, or Bahnhof. I wish I had another day, it’s just spectacular.
10:35 On the S-10 towards Uetliberg. The view is supposed to be amazing. I first have to see the point “Uto Kulu” which is a good view supposedly. And then on to a path that is shaped like the planets, strangely enough towards Felsenegg, where I can ride a cable car towards Adliswil where I can take the S-4 back to Zurich. Except for the cable car, the trains are free with my Eurail pass.
11:20 I am sitting at the “Top of Zurich.” And it is a sight beyond words. I can see the entire city of Zurich from above and all the mountains surrounding. I can probably see Germany from here but I do not know the borders to be sure. You can see the snow-capped mountains to the East and South but there are mountains surrounding me. I went up another 72 meters on the observatory tower to get an even better view. Truly epic. I had no idea what to expect in Zurich. Surely not this. Switzerland is amazingly beautiful, especially this time of year! The leaves are changing colors. It is cool and nice, especially with all the hiking I am doing today. So sweating is not an issue. There are wisps of clouds here and there and mist and fog in the distance but other than that, blue skies up above me with the sun beating down. The sun’s location in the sky would say 10am or so, but it is 11:30 with daylight savings time. With a unified Europe, their true time in Switzerland must be altered. Ok, time to walk down the path through the Solar system!
12:30 When booking this trip, I had no IDEA I would be hiking the hill of Switzerland. I am almost moved to tears on how beautiful it is. The leaves are a spectrum of color from green and healthy to dull and brown and dry. Yellow trees are illuminated by the sun. This is the most beautiful autumn colors I have ever seen. The path I am on goes right past many farms. The ringing of cowbells is a familiar sound now as it harmonizes with the wind through the leaves and birds in the trees. All of this is with the epic view of Zurich See or Lake Zurich and the Alps. The “Little Big City” is as beautiful as ever from up here. I have past Neptune so far on my walk so getting closer and closer to Pluto, when it was a planet, of course.
1:00pm On the cable car down to Adliswil it cost 4 Swiss francs. A fascinating system. The door would not open into the boarding area until all of the passengers from the last car got off. Then it automatically opened for me. The car leaves at 1:05, so I am just sitting, waiting with a woman and her golden retriever until that time. There is no one operating at this station. It is all done electronically. So, it will never be late. So far, this has been a life-changing hike in the Swiss hills, but it’s not over yet!
13:35 You can set your watch on these Swiss trains. And in fact, I did. There was a 2 franc store at the bahnhof in Adliswil so I got some nice Swiss sunglasses and a much needed comb. I haven’t had one in months, just used my hand before. The cable car was quick and exciting! Took me right into this small town, with kids on scooters and dogs being walked. A good ol’ suburb of Zurich. A slice of real life, Swiss life. I simply love it here. Everything is so easy going. Everything just works and works perfectly. Just breath-takingly amazing.
14:50 Sitting in the Swiss National Museum watching old Swiss films including Ja-Soo! (1935) and Swiss Tour (1949) which was an American sailor getting all caught up in the Swiss languages and culture. There is another that looks great that I would love to watch in full called “Tell , zony,Regie: M.K. Eschmann”16:00 That was an amazing museum. I didn’t know that Heidi and William Tell were both Swiss. Half of the museum did not have English, but there were many political cartoons about the Swiss and US Politics. I talked to a man who worked there, and he showed me a real signature of Adolf Hitler, which we are not to take photos of but he said “go ahead, no flash, I didn’t see it.” I am now sitting outside Kurtz/Schmuck UHREN listening to the bells of the clock and little Swiss figurines circling around. A lot of Schmucks here. Now to a Mac store to check internet.
16:53 Just went to the top of Grossmuenster. The cathedral was finished, at least the towers, in 1990. It is rather modern with very original and unique stained glass, by Signor Polke. Amazing pieces of Art. I got a pamphlet of them. He also has quite a history and resume behind him. Simply Amazing! Zurich continues to amaze me. So Swiss! I Love it! I got a Swiss flag shirt all red with the white across the middle very excited to wear it. I was not able to get to the fraumuenster before 17:00, closing, but it is still magnificent from outside. Now off to find postcards and stamps! 18:00 Sitting on the Zurich See facing the Grossmuenster. Looking north, a new city, a new love. Each city grows in beauty in the night. And Zurich is no exception. The reflection onto the water of the lights from the Little Big city bring such grace to an already impeccable city. East Zo Schoen I did get into the Fraumuenster thus completing my checklist for today! While trying to buy postcards the credit card system shutdown in the store so maybe it will be up and running soon. I will go back in a half hour to check. I am running low on cash, which is not good, since I need cash for my Hostel in Berlin. The Fraumuenster was beautiful, another simple church, rather new and fresh looking, but with amazing stained glass. I had to buy a picture because there was no photography allowed. Now off to see if I can get these cards and then to the Mac store for internet. Then to food and the Train!
19:44 Tschuss Zurich. On the train to Germany. I had a mad dash in these last 45 minutes to write 3 post cards, since I just got them from the shop at 6:30, and a quick fish and chips dinner for 8 Swiss francs that I could carry onto the train. I am truly in love with Zurich. I have only felt this way about one other city and we all know that one. I had the best hike of my life and a stunning day at the museum. The Conductor made an announcement that my train is going through Prague. That’s worrisome since my eurail pass is only for Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark. Not the ‘Czech Republic.’ I hope I don’t have to pay extra for it. I didn’t book it, Rail Europe did. Only four people here so far in this entire car, the seats are very comfortable. No compartments this time. Ooo, I see an IKEA in the distance. It has supplied all the hostels I have been to so far, lets see what Berlin has in store. Tonight marks the halfway point. 3 more left. I am using the German phrase book a lot that Laura gave me to refresh my memory of German, but it is amazing how the Swiss know 4 languages and that is common. German, Italian, French and English are all National languages of Switzerland. I love the Swiss.
No comments:
Post a Comment