Zurich, Switzerland

From Basel we  bused into Zurich to the Sheraton Zurich at a very convenient location for transportation. 

The train/tram station near the hotel was full of bikes parked around the area.  It is impressive that only 50% of the people own a car in Zurich.  The preferred method is bicycles and public transportation.  Amazing that they can locate their own bike in this bicycle parking lot!!!

 In the morning we woke to heavy fog.  Kind of a bummer as we had an excursion on Lake Zurich.  Apparently the highlight of the short round trip was Tina Turner and Carl Jung's houses which were hidden behind some trees anyway.  Much was obscured by the thick layer of fog.

We then took a walking tour the Zurich lake cruise into old town.  Just a large, busy, bustling city at first.

Again, the popular farmers market in a town square

City Gate

Rooftop Gardens

Fun photo of a woman sitting in her small town square with her companion.

Window seats on the second floors.  Popular in the 16th century as they could watch the streets and see who was out there or approaching their front door.  It definitely was a prestigious addition to a home.

The photo below shows one of the window boxes as well as one of the 1287 fountains in Zurich that were once, and still are, sources of clean drinking water for the town.

St. Peter's Church is the oldest parish church in Zurich. The original foundation walls from the 9th century are still visible under the choir. The clock tower It was built in phases from about 1000 AD to 1300 AD and has the largest clock on its tower in all of Europe.  The church clock face measures 25.5 feet in diameter. There are five bells dating from 1880 in the tower – the largest of which weighs over six tons without its clapper.

We strolled to the Lindenhof Public Park with a Lookout of the Limmat River which runs through Zurich. It is a short walk up the cobblestone streets to this park which overlooks the Limmat River. Take in the beautiful views of the Old Town settlement and rolling Swiss hills in the background. It is the site of former Roman and Carolingian era imperial palace around which the city has historically grown. The hilltop area—including its prehistoric, Roman, and medieval remains—is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

This is a "borrowed" photo so the you can see the park on a  sunnier day.

Well, okay.  Can't see the rolling hills because of the fog.

Finally, we enjoyed a fondue lunch, typical cuisine of Switzerland right in the old town and watched the people stroll by.

And so our trips ends with each of us leaving Switzerland on different flights to head home.  It was a great trip with lots of history about the relationship of France, Germany and Zurich and building relationships with family for this adventure.