Farewell Europe in Zürich

Monday 1 to Tuesday 2 April

We were back on the train on Monday, to Zürich. Monday is Museum-closed-day, but the sun was shining, so we decided to walk alongside Lake Zürich.

Bruce had managed to find a jeweller to have the band on his Tag watch replaced. We were greeted at the entrance by a number of young people in formal business wear. From there we were escorted to the lift and to the repair section on the second floor, where a sweet young girl with impeccable English looked after us. We were offered water, tea and coffee. The usual sweets on the counter were bespoke chocolates. Yes the watch band was expensive, just hope it lasts longer than previous ones.

We had walked on the Promenade on the western side of the lake during a previous visit to Zürich, so this time we turned right onto the eastern shoreline in the direction of the Chinese Gardens.

The Chinagarten Zürich, Chinese Gardens is a gift from Zürich’s south Chinese twin city of Kunming. It was built in 1993, in gratitude for the technical and scientific assistance in expanding Kunming’s water supply and drainage systems.

The garden is an expression of Drei Freunde im Winter Three Friends of Winter, one of the main themes of Chinese culture – tangled and bent pine, bamboo that bends in the wind and cherry blossom, the first to appear after winter.

It was a very pleasant way to spend a sunny afternoon.

The walk back was just as delightful. We were approached by an Italian musician – he thought we could give him some money to feed the musicians – rather cheeky I thought.

Aperitifs came to mind, and we stopped at a café beside the river to enjoy a beer in the late afternoon sun. I tried an Aperol Spritz, so very Swiss. We enjoyed the location so much we stayed on for dinner – our last in Europe for now. Of course Bruce had to try a wurst and we both made a critical assessment of the rosti.

Still enjoying the ambience, we wandered into a bar close to our hotel for a nightcap. The balmy evening was just too enticing.

After a good sleep, breakfast in a nearby café and a short walk, we were ready to head to the airport and New York.