Zürich, Switzerland

Sept 27, 2012

Today, we were up and astir at our usual time, did our final bit of packing, and checked out. Our navigator GPS sure took a while to get us onto an autobahn - but oh, boy, what fun it is to drive on an autobahn!

We arrived at our hotel around 11. At that time, the room was still being cleaned, but before we completed the check-in process, the front desk got a call saying that it was ready. So we dumped our bags in the room.

And wended our way to the airport. This was just a bit tricky. Some people would have absolutely no problem with this task. But not your intrepid travellers.

You see, we told the navigator to take us to Airport Car Rentals. It took us to an Avis building, but one that was about a mile from the airport car rental return place. After a bit of gee-hawing (including driving backwards down a one-way street), we did make it to the proper place, and returned the car. We then had lunch at the airport. And prepared for a bit more excitement.

Because the desk clerk at the hotel had suggested that we take public transit to get back to the hotel. He gave us the instructions - which bus to get and which stop to get off at. The rest was up to us. We found the bus place, found the lane for our desired bus, and awaited its arrival, in 3 minutes. When we got on, it seemed as though the bus driver wanted tickets. I told him we didn't have any, and didn't know where to get them. In English. He said that I could get them right here. I showed him the paper that the desk clerk had given me. He asked for CHF4.10 each, gave us a couple of pieces of paper, and then we rode. There was a big display screen at the front telling us which stops were coming up and how long it would take to get there. Ours was 3 minutes from the airport. We successfully got off (only because someone else got off ahead of us and got the door open!).

Right beside the hotel is a river with bike paths on both sides. So we went for a walk, for about an hour. 3.7 kms. It was pretty.

Photos of the day

Our hotel (used the same architect as the Max Bell Arena, I figure). We're on the top floor, which is the floor above the highest floor that you can see in this photo. It includes a balcony, whose walls are just barely visible as white jut-outs against the blue sky.

The Google Earth view of our walk. We started at the top, went to the bottom, and returned. We went under those freeways.

The river and pathway:

Some Fauna:

Tomorrow, we fly home, so this is the last report in my travelogue. I trust you have enjoyed it.

Until the next trip....