Ausländer Reports from Zürich

Budapest

2009-05-10T21:58:00.002+02:00

Wow I've been falling behind! I'll try to catch up in the next few days.

In this post - Budapest! I visited more than a month ago. The river Danube runs right through the middle of the city, dividing it into two main parts - Buda and Pest, easy to remember, no? This is the parliament building across the Danube.

From Budapest

On the Buda side you can spend many hours (probably days) exploring the Castle Hill area. Here's a part called the Fisherman's Bastion:

From Budapest

The hill also houses the Hungarian National Gallery (which I went in and would definitely recommend):

From Budapest

The area includes many streets you can walk around to look at pretty buildings, eat at somewhat expensive restaurants, and also enjoy great views of other parts of the city:

From Budapest

Outside the Castle Hill there's plenty to do in the city too. For example, this small square on the Pest side:

From Budapest

Some metro stations are very deep (the escalators seem to go on forever):

From Budapest

Like any city, you'll see graffiti in places (like this pedestrian tunnel):

From Budapest

Finally, here's a link to the entire album:

Budapest

Next stop - Prague.

Bern

2009-03-19T23:46:00.008+01:00

My Bern trip was pleasant. It was a clear day and there was a farmer's market going on.

I bought a savory crepe for lunch - it was delicious.

I'd seen a spork before but never seen a knork!?

A game of chess provided entertainment during my lunch.

Then I walked around town. I don't know what these are but they looked important.

Here's a security company vehicle. I'm guessing they don't do high speed chases.

They have these bunker style underground shops lining the main shopping street in Bern.

Here's one that's open.

More walking around old town.

Check out these chimneys.

And of course, a clock. You have to have a clock. The lower one is pretty fancy - it seems to show the zodiac sun sign.

Fastnacht für Alle

2009-03-07T01:25:00.013+01:00

Fastnacht is a carnival festival celebrated in many places in Switzerland. The one in Basel is the biggest (and best). These photos are from the one in Zurich.

A lot of people wear scary masks. This is supposed to scare away the winter time.

Find many more pictures in the album here:

Fastnacht für Alle

Here's a video of the day (compressed into just about 6 mins :). Wait for the parade - you might like the music!

Lugano

2009-02-22T22:37:00.005+01:00

Lugano is a small city in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland in the Canton of Ticino. Piazza Manzoni is the main square in the old town area.

The weather is always warmer than Zürich, but it was pretty windy so we were still wrapped up pretty well.

I had lunch at Piazza Manzoni.

Then walked around the area. Stopped at a cafe for cappuccino.

Then walked back to Piazza Manzoni to find a band playing there.

Overall a very pleasant afternoon. Lugano is supposed to be a summer place - but it was wonderful even in February. Besides everything seemed to be on sale and was a lot cheaper than in Zürich.

I did see these in many places, but I have no idea what they are - anyone know?

There was also an antiques market (or garage sale?) going on in the neighborhood the next day.

Luzern - Hairy Buffalo

2009-02-22T20:31:00.002+01:00

Here is the city wall of Luzern:

Here are a couple hairy buffalo (or some other kind of cattle?) grazing about in a fenced area in front of it:

Ok, after some research I've concluded that these aren't buffalos but Highland Cows. I'd think they don't mind the snow much.

Btw, here's another kind of Hairy Buffalo.

Luzern - Old town

2009-02-22T20:17:00.005+01:00

Luzern is less than 1hr away from Zürich by train. I went on a particularly uninteresting day. These photos are from the old town area.

It was Sunday and it was snowing, so not much was going there. (All shops are closed on Sundays in Switzerland - except ones at a train station). The buildings were prettier than in Zürich - with ornate paintings on the external walls.

There is famous wooden covered bridge in Luzerne and also a lion monument. Somehow I missed taking a photo for either one, but I'll probably go back there (on a sunnier day hopefully).

Zürich at Night

2009-01-25T19:14:00.005+01:00

On the way back from HB after returning from Ütliberg, I took advantage of the clear blue skies and got some good shots of the city at night.

(Üetliberg towers above.)

Another Day Out In Zürich - Üetliberg

2009-01-25T19:09:00.011+01:00

First I went to the Museum of Design (Museum für Gestaltung).

It was pretty small and didn't take long. Then I took a train from HB...

and went up to a place called Üetliberg. It's on a hill. Once you get off the train, you climb a slippery trail to reach the top of the hill.

Here you can eat bratwurst, drink tea, coffee or punch (pronounced poonch) and generally hang around in cold windy conditions enjoying great views of the city and surrounding areas.

You can also climb up a tower, and get even better views at the risk of mild frostbite. Enjoy...

It is really windy up here!

Yup, that is Zürichsee.

On the way back in the train, I was trying to decipher the signs.

I think I have it. In order from left to right (click on the image above to get a bigger picture): No crazy wigs allowed; do not empty your pockets on the train (or is it no broke people allowed?); no rock stars allowed either; don't saw the seat you sit on; and finally, no chilling out on the train. Hehe, but seriously I'm fairly certain what each of them means except the second and I guess it's just don't travel without a ticket.

Grossmünster

2009-01-21T22:30:00.001+01:00

This is the Grossmünster (gross -> big, münster -> cathedral). I went in and up the tower on the right.

They charge CHF 2.00 for going up the tower. There is no lift. You go up this small spiral stone staircase...

until you reach this opening with windows...

...I continued on the wooden staircase till I reached the top.

(This of course is a photo of the other tower, but you an see the shadow of the tower I am in.)

There are balconies on all sides of the tower and you get great views of the city. Enjoy...

This is Zürichsee (the lake).

You see the Limmat river running through the city.

Street Lights

2009-01-19T00:30:00.006+01:00

This is a street right outside HB.

What you see above is a street light suspended from a cable tied from two buildings across the street. This is done all across Zürich. If you read my first post titled 'Seefeldstrasse' and didn't notice them then go back and look at the photos.

Some poles are erected just to tie the cables to suspend the street lights.

HB or Hauptbahnhof

2009-01-19T00:00:00.001+01:00

This is HB - the main railway station of Zürich.

Bahnhof means railway station. Haupt means top of the hierarchy, or something like that.

Notice the distinctive clock inside HB. The design of this clock is famous. All Swiss train stations have clocks like this. In fact they even sell souvenir wrist watches and wall clocks that have the same design. The movement is pretty unique - the seconds hand actually stops at 12:00 for 1.5 seconds. You can see the movement in someone's video below.

The main hall was mostly empty on a Saturday.

Yes, there was a Burger King at HB. No, I did not eat there.

Seefeldstrasse

2009-01-18T22:30:00.001+01:00

This is Seefledstrasse. It is the street where I live.

I live on the 5th floor on one of those buildings. Which building? It doesn't matter - they all look the same. If this was the US, they'd call it the 6th floor.

Trams run on this street - you can see the tracks. There are a bunch of shops in this neighborhood too. They're expensive, but nothing like the shops on Bahnhofstrasse. (More about Bahnhofstrasse later.)

Somebody told me 'Seefeld' comes from the words See (ocean or lake) and feld (something to do with view). Well, I can't really see the the Zurich lake (or Zürichsee) from my place, even though it is pretty close by. Anyway, I'm not sure I believe the story behind 'Seefeldstrasse' because I couldn't find 'feld' or anything similar in the German dictionary (See was in there and it means ocean, sea or lake). But I will ask around to find out.

Strasse means street - if you didn't know you should have guessed by now. I haven't seen a single address in Zürich that didn't end in strasse.