A Few Hours in Zurich

I have a (not so) secret love of travel articles, especially travel articles for where I live. Some articles are good, some not so good, but today’s CNN article, Zurich in a hurry: Make the most of your stopover, made me wonder if the author had ever been to Zurich.

Love the premise of the article. A few hours layover can be a great way for a commitment-phobe to see a European city without dedicating several days and hotel room fees. Tim Hume’s article misses the mark in a few major ways.

Let’s start with getting to Zurich’s main train station (hauptbahnhof) from the airport. The CNN article suggests taking the Glattalbahn tram network. Ignoring the misuse of the term Glattalbahn, if you are only in Zürich for a few hours, do not take the tram. The number 10 tram might leave every 10 minutes or so but it takes a whopping 37 minutes to get to the main train station. Instead, take the longer distance trains that are easily accessible in the basement of the airport for a quick 10 minute ride to the main train station.

The Swiss are among the world’s biggest users of trains, second only to the Japanese, and insist on rail services that are reliably punctual. Zurich’s hyper-efficient Glattalbahn tram network is also invaluable for the time-pressed traveler. The number 10 service runs every seven to 15 minutes and connects Zurich Airport with the city’s centrally located main railway station.

The article moves on to the high cost of Zürich, a topic I wholeheartedly agree on. The ZURICHCard is a good deal with public transit and museums included, but I would be tempted to skip the Kunsthaus museum in favor of the Landesmuseum, also known as the Swiss National Museum. Unless you are a Dada fan, there are better art museums in the world and the Landesmuseum covers time before the Renaissance. Bonus: the Landesmuseum is directly behind the main train station in a 19th century building that is interesting in its own right.

Given that the return train fare from the airport to the city center is 12.80 CHF ($13.80), and the entry to the Kunsthaus, the city’s modern art museum, is 15 CHF ($16.20), even if you only have time for one activity, the card will more than likely pay for itself.

In reference to the bolded, the Kunsthaus is more than a modern art museum, although it does have a large display of modern art. It displays impressionist paintings and Swiss masters as well as contemporary art pieces. Although it is worth a viewing, if one must choose, the winner is the Swiss National Museum. Tip: The Kunsthaus is free on Wednesday.

Moving on to food.

But on a tight time frame, it might make more sense to grab something on the go. Follow the crowds to the Sternengrill — a mobile bratwurst vendor that is a city institution. Other Swiss specialties include soft, baguette-like pretzels loaded with savory fillings — available city-wide from pretzel chain Brezelkönig — and fresh-cooked crepes smeared in apple sauce, which you can pick up from countless roadside vendors.

Sternengrill is an excellent choice for a quick sausage and beer while touring town and is definitely a Zürich standard. It is located near Bellevue tram stop, at the top end of Lake Zürich. It is probably 10 to 15 minutes away from old town on foot, however the 2 or 4 tram will take you right there. It is slightly out of the way, unless you have a bit of extra time to head to the boats, but it does have good sausage.

Scratching my head a little over the roadside vendors selling crepes with applesauce. I have never seen crepes sold by a vendor in Zürich outside a fair or other celebration. If someone knows where to find them, fill me in. My big kid will forever love you.

What The Author Missed

Switzerland is known for its chocolate and Zürich has a number of chocolatieries around the city. Sprüngli is one of the famous high end chocolate shops but Merkur, on Bahnhofstrasse, has a small workspace in the back so visitors can stop and watch chocolate truffles being made.

Neiderdorfstrasse is a long, cobblestone pedestrian street that runs parallel to the Limmat River. Some of the buildings date from before the Reformation and there are plenty of cafes and bakeries to check out. One in particular, Cafe Schober, was recently remodeled but the interior still allows the details of the centuries old building to show through.

Water taxi. The article mentions boats but the majority of the boats are an hour long journey or more. Instead, take the water taxis on the Limmat. Best of all, they are free with a paid public transportation ticket. Check for the initials ZVV, or when in doubt, ask.

In the end, keep an eye on the time. Zürich is a bit bigger than most towns in Switzerland and it is easy to lose track of time. Stereotypes aside, Swiss trains are more punctual than most train systems but Murphy’s Law still rules.

Labor Day in Italy

May 1st is the labor day, at least in Switzerland and Italy. For me, this meant the day off work and I found myself in Bologna, Italy in the middle of an unexpected (to me) demonstration. First thing that was amiss – police vehicles blocking off the street and police in riot gear lined up.

Lagging at the end of the protest were Italian police officers in riot gear.

Despite the riot gear, the protest remained non-violent.

The Italian word for “close” was spray painted on a number of businesses. May 1 is supposed to be a global strike day and at least in Italy and Switzerland, the majority of businesses are closed.

The No People Mover signs win my “sign of the protest” award. They are protesting a free shuttle from Bologna to the airport that raised the price of bus tickets. For those who are interested, they have a blog (in Italian) aptly named No People Mover.

McDonalds was open despite the calls for a global strike closure spray painted on its windows. Most of the major chains in Bologna were open, as were restaurants, but smaller stores closed for the holiday. H&M was open but devoid of shoppers. McDonalds was not terribly busy at lunchtime with most of the people at the square for the protest.

The march started on a major street in Bologna and wound its way down to the main square in town. Signs were calling for the protesters to take the square. City officials seemed quite willing to give the square up without a fight.

Calling for a global strike

The banks took a lot of the protesters’ anger. ATMs had their displays covered with cartoons that called them crooks. Banks had their plate glass windows partially covered with impromptu brick walls. Europe has some anti-Euro sentiment, even in Switzerland which does not use the Euro.

A small group of marching drummers provided the music for the protest.

After the march to the square was over, most of the groups gathered and continued to wave signs or shout their slogans. I didn’t have much more time in Bologna so a quick trip through the church and old town later and I was on my way back to the train station.

The Böögg predicts a moderate summer

The Böögg’s head exploded in 12 minutes and 7 seconds, slightly faster than average. According to legend, the faster the Böögg burns, the hotter the summer. The Böögg rests and waits in an open field near the Opera house and is lit at exactly 6 PM when the church bell rings. The Böögg is declared consumed when the head burns up.

After the head explodes and most of the people head home, a few make their way down to the burning remnants and watch, or pose for photos like this random stranger.

The event ends in a barbecue. Some people bring the Swiss national sausage – cervelat – on a large stick, and roast them the way Americans roast marshmallows. Official looking men with large shovels take ashes and distribute them to party goers sporting portable barbecues or small cleared areas in the muddy ground.

And with the Böögg officially burned and Sechseläuten officially over, spring is here.

Kinder Fasnacht – Carnival for the Kids

Switzerland is a Christian country and every year there are Carnival-like celebrations in major cities, traditionally called Fasnacht. The last year I went to Lucerne for the large Fasnacht parade, which was followed up by parties throughout the city. The Swiss people take Fasnacht very seriously and a large percentage of the parade-goers wear costumes and throw confetti.

This year, I decided to hit a local kinder fasnacht parade in a nearby small town. The kids parade is slightly different because instead of standing on the sidelines and watching, the kids are the parade.

The parade begins on the street next to the bahnhof. Families gather with costumed children and wait for the signal to start. There were all sorts of costumes. Pippi Longstocking is a popular choice but there were also angels, devils, a variety of animals, and my two were a fairy and Superman.

The parade route follows the main street to the old part of town and stops just before the local castle. This year, the weather was pretty cold and I was envious of the warm looking costumes worn by the marching band. That, and I like red.

After reaching the square next to the castle, the parade broke up. There were tables with glühwein and punsch. Cakes were sold bake sale style. I am pretty sure I saw a few weinerli, the Swiss equivalent of hot dogs, on bread. Since it was so cold, most people went inside a town building where more cake was sold.

Upstairs in the town building, the kids gathered in the confetti covered room for songs, games, and skits performed by older children. After the marching bands ate, they gathered and played very loud music on the ground floor for the adults. All and all, it was a fun time.

A clown shoots a confetti cannon off a Tintin themed float

Ordering a Cosmo at THE Dada Bar

Maybe only I appreciated the irony of ordering a pedestrian drink at the bar where the Dada art movement was born. The bartender just looked at me and said no. Instead I found myself with plum wine and prosecco in a champagne flute and my visiting sister got a green absinth specialty of the house.

The Dada art movement began in a second floor bar, Cabaret Voltaire, located on Neiderdorfstrasse in Zurich, Switzerland. The idea of Dadaism as anti-art began as a reaction to the bourgeoisie during World War I. The concept was anti-art. Sculptures were supposed to cause shock and discomfort with the viewer, a giant Mr. Yuck sticker in the mind of the audience. Probably the most famous piece of the Dada art movement is the urinal fountain but the Dada artists did not limit themselves to only visual arts.

Artist Tristan Tzara on using chance to write poetry.

“Take a newspaper.
Take some scissors.
Choose from this paper an article the length you want to make your poem.
Cut out the article.
Next carefully cut out each of the words that make up this article and put them all in a bag.
Shake gently.
Next take out each cutting one after the other.
Copy conscientiously in the order in which they left the bag.
The poem will resemble you.
And there you are–an infinitely original author of charming sensibility, even though unappreciated by the vulgar herd.”

The obvious question is, why would pulling words out of a hat make a good poem? I don’t really know. From what I read, Dadaists were interested in what the subconscious pulls out of the poem. It is interesting to see what people read into things given their own biases and experiences. Does this mean online message boards are the ultimate in Dada art?

Go to Cabaret Voltaire for the electric atmosphere and little bit of history. It is worth the visit. Just don’t bother trying to order a Cosmo.

A Rainy Day in Germany

Lake Constance on a Rainy Day

On a surprisingly less busy Saturday I took the opportunity for a girls day out in the German border town of Konstanz. I like going to Konstanz for a number of reasons, a big one being the price. Germany is just cheaper than Switzerland, even accounting for the value difference between Euros and Swiss Francs. Konstanz lies on the edge of Bodensee (Lake Constance in English) and has a beautiful old town filled with Swiss tourists.

Bodensee borders on three countries, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Next spring I hope to bike around the lake and through all three countries. For the day, I was just another tourist with an umbrella, enjoying the glühwein.

The month of December, many German and Swiss towns have Christmas markets and Konstanz is no different. Small wood huts were constructed in the street of Konstanz’s old town and all types of vendors came to sell their products. There are usually a number of wood workers who make advent candles to display on windowsills and other decorations for your house.

In Zürich, the glühwein, or mulled wine, is sold in bad for the environment styrofoam cups. Not so in Konstanz. The glühwein stands charge a 2 Euro deposit and provides a festive mug with the name of the town and a wintery scene. Glühwein varies slightly from stand to stand depending on the brand of wine they use and what flavors are added but there is generally orange and cloves simmering or added to the cup.

At a Christmas market, glühwein stands are planted every few rows so the stands add decorations to draw customers. My favorite was a giant snowman on the roof of this stand.

Zurich at night – a few photos

Grossmünster stands on the east side of the Limmat River, in the old part of the city. I usually find myself standing under Grossmünster, looking up, after walking the length of Neiderdorfstrasse. A statue of Charlemagne sits with a crown and sword, perhaps watching over the church. A larger statue of Charlemagne rests in the basement crypt.

Grossmünster switched religions around the year 1500, changing from a monestary to eliminating mass and other Catholic rituals in favor of the Swiss-German Reformation and a protestant denomination.

Turning away from Grossmünster and looking across the Limmat, there are two churches with visible clock towers. Several footbridges cross the Limmat connecting the old parts of Zürich on either side of the river.

A view of St. Peter and the Limmat River. The clock face on St. Peter is purported to be the largest in Europe.

Not visible at night from the other side of the river, I would still be remiss if I didn’t mention the stained glass windows at Fraumünster on the west side of the Limmat. They were designed by Marc Chagall and installed in 1970. If you see them in person, a hint: the red stained glass panel does not contain images of dinosaurs. If you ask the church lady working at the gift shop about the dinosaurs, she will princeface you.