Well, HELLO Zurich!

Zurich HauptBahnhof (Main Station)

Or should I say Hoi?

Finally, after two days of pouring rain and major jet lag, today we had a sunny day, which inspired us to ignore the jet lag and come see you, Zurich.

I have to admit, I was feeling a little resentful to be here, extremely unappreciative even – because alas, I couldn’t enjoy the prettyness. It was rainy, and we spent most of our time indoors, either sleeping, hanging out with friends and family, having weirdly-timed meals, grocery shopping, and so forth. Or in the car, to go from one place to the other. Staying indoors, especially in the tiny apartment that constitutes, for the time being, “corporate housing” until our things arrive and we can move to our own, much lovelier, flat.

The jet lag, the short buildings, the narrow streets, the rain, it all contributed to my feeling kind of miserable about being here, only two days in.

Then today, glorious sunny day. Finally the right weather to walk around and get reacquainted with you, Zurich. A few errands to run, walking around the Bahnhofstrasse, and I felt a little better, but not yet at home. Until the errands were done, and we got coffee on the Rennweg, then walked down Uraniastrasse and finally I saw it, Zurich. The lake. Your lake. It was just a peek, really, and not really the lake, strictly speaking, only the Limmat river. But  knew I was close to my favorite area, and that alone made me jump for joy.

a view of the Limmat, a peek of the lake behind the bridge, further down

And suddenly, I was happy to be here. To be back. To have left New York, with its great buildings and busy streets, and its fabulous fashion, and even Central Park. I loved it there. But now, to my surprise, I realize I love it here, too.

Ah, Zurich, you tease. You were saving the best for last. I was walking down the Limmatquai, and enjoying the familiar views, the stores, the restaurants.

outside eating on the Limmat-Quai

And then I started feeling excited, ’cause I knew what was coming. We got to Bellevue, walked through the traffic of bodies, trams, bicycles, and crossed to the other side of the street. To the Quaibrücke. And there it was.

the first peek of the lake, from the corner of the Bellevueplatz

the Quaibrücke

And I said to Sascha “If I was Julie Andrews, I would probably break into song right about now.” And I so felt it, Zurich. You little b*tch. You totally got back at me. And I felt silly about not wanting to come back to you – how could I not miss this?

Uto-Quai, with the Zurich opera house and other lovely buildings

But I was too lost in the elation, the emotion of being there, of being here again, in the place where you can always see the beauty beyond the beauty, like now, the mountains beyond the lake, and the opposite coast of the lake, with the fountains, and the gorgeous Arboretum park, the park I walked in so many times with Sarah when she was a baby.

Ah, Zurich. You got back at me. But I won’t hold it against you. You are too lovely. And only now I realized, I missed you.

Tagged as: From Big Apple to Big Cheese