I forgot the intro entry for this trip but like this sudden "I'm in a new country" post this trip really snuck up on me. I started last summer planning for it, booked for November, cancelled, rebooked for March, and now I'm here. In between all of that I launched a new app, dealt with product issues, left a company in Brooklyn, and joined a company in New Jersey. It's a miracle I got my act together and made it at all.
The trip didn't exactly start off smoothly either. In all the chaos I lost a pair of snow pants, got a sweat pant replacement, left my folding backpack AND water bottle at home. And that was all before my flight. As always the TSA line was absurd but there were actually very nice people manning all the stations.
I found my way onto the plane after consuming a peanut butter sandwich and House of Cards. When I checked in to the flight the seat next to me was empty. I boarded with my zone and waited with baited breath for someone to fill the aisle seat. I saw more people get on after everyone was seated. Then people were moving seats. And then finally they announced boarding was over and I found myself the recipient of a double window seat. I immediately stretched out and munched on the Gardetos I treated myself to as the plane took off.
Now normally I fly only American when possible, the result of a former career on the road where all we used was AA. In fact I hadn't been on an international delta flight in years, since the Eurotrip fiasco of 2011. The seats were so plush and new. TV worked great (after they spent 30min resetting it). The food was pretty decent too. I fell fast asleep and awoke just as they were delivering cold breakfast boxes. I even had a bottle of water sitting on the seat next to me after I awoke. The flight attendant put it there even tho I was sleeping!
Unfortunately customs wasn't as refreshingly wonderful as my flight. I wound up the last person to go through and they grilled almost every single person on the flight (I learned later in the evening that a recent law made entry and visas much stricter in Switzerland).
I make it through customs, get on the train to Zurich HB (one of the main stations) to meet Karen. She told me to meet her under a sculpture and sent the first photo in her post. When I got off the train I was so lost. Everything was so industrial and stark. I thought for sure that if Phil (host of the amazing race) had given me the clue that I would've definitely been in last place. Then I chilled for a second and looked at the photo again, this time looking for clues as o where it could be (something I learned watching that show) and saw that there were high lofted ceilings and rounded windows. Where I was was stark concrete so I began to walk towards the town and sure enough there it was.
As I waited for Karen I watched a Samsung promotion gong on for the S7 and the VR headset. It was fascinating to watch the technology in action and think about how much data is being collected and how unrefined some of the aspects of VR still are.
Karen arrived and we took the tram to grab some lunch at a place that she had been meaning to try that serves Mediterranean style tapas. It was really good and then we hoofed it (well in hoofed it, Karen was graceful as always) uphill to her flat in a lovely pink building.
After the grand tour Karen informed me that if I wanted to bring back chocolate or souveniers that I really needed to do it today since everything is closed on Sunday's. So I got settled, changed my clothes, and then started to fall asleep on her devilishly comfortable couch. I wrestled with the heavy temptation of closing my eyes for a few moments and jumped off the evil comfy couch. I put on my shoes and headed off into the city.
I wandered through the Main Street and some of the side ones too. Unsure what exactly I was looking at sometimes but taking in the general beauty of the city. As I walked down the street I thought of how it was almost identical to the main road in Sweden and the main road in Denmark. Then I though wow I probably should have spaced out the Viking cities a bit to get their full worth.
It was still lovely and unique in its own way. Every few feet was either a jewelry store or a watch store or both. I made a mental note to return when I had a few grand to burn as I looked upon the Patek Phillip watches laying neatly on their handless wrists in the window (Pateks are my favorite).
Window shopping continued until the sidewalk suddenly ended and nothing but water appeared in front of me. A quick look at google maps (thank goodness the Swedish SIM card works here too and still had credits) told me that this was a lake that went south quite a bit through a dozen or more other towns.
On the walk back I stopped inside the fanciest chocolate store I have ever been in or will probably enter again. Even their sandwiches looked amazing. With Easter around the corner there were bunnies and eggs everywhere but I don't know anyone who would spend $35 on a chocolate bunny for a child. So after spending a dumb amount of money on gifts (and a small treat for myself) I continued on my journey wandering through the city center.
Now those of you who are loyal readers will know there is always one place I have to go to in a new city - the supermarket. Lucky enough for me there were three Coop's on the walk back, each one different from the next!
At the first one I picked up an onigiri (it had an authentic wrapper, I had to!) as well as the not super expensive chocolate to bring home. Walking through the store I noticed that food was pricey, like manhattan bodega prices, and they served hot baked goods. I also found Antartic Gaurana (Antartic? Really?), sour straws filled with cream (Groooooss) and weight watchers foods. Who knew Switzerland had a weight problem?
The next Coop that I stopped at was more like a Macy's, in fact I wasn't even sure where to find the food there. I picked up the rest of my souveniers and a reusable tote to carry everything in later. All shopped out I headed back to the tram where I saw a wedding pedicab roll by with the bride and groom in the back laughing and enjoying champagne. Definitely something to keep in mind for any possible celebrations. Next a tram car filled up like a dining room rolled by with people laughing and drinking again. I found out from Karen later that it's a touristy thing that the city does so people can eat or drink and see the city at the same time. Finally my tram arrived and I headed back.
My chance to relax didn't last too long as Karen messaged me to meet her at the Asian supermarket in town. After getting off a stop too soon I finally made my way there. Entering that market it was like a Thai H-Mart had opened in the middle of Switzerland. It was wild seeing all the same stuff from home and then watch an older woman go from speaking Chinese to German in a single breath.
Karen decided to make real Swiss fondue for me and one of her coworkers joined. We drank a few bottles of wine and ate a bunch of bread and potatoes covered in cheese. Karen and Matt were dipping cocktail onions and gerkin pickles in the cheese too which was a bit much for me though I tried the tomato in it and it was delish. After eating and talking we eventually moved to the evil couch where after an hour Karen couldn't fight the grip the couch had on her and fell asleep. Eventually we organized ourselves, set an alarm for tomorrow, and made the couch into a bed. It was pretty tough fighting off the couch to write this but now I welcome it's sweet embrace into slumber.
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