Zurich & Gentlemen’s Clubs

Zurich was my last stop in Switzerland before deciding either to head north towards Germany or East towards Austria. Train tickets price determined my choice and on the first day in Zurich I had secured the most expensive cheapest ticket out of Switzerland bound for Salzburg, Austria in two days time. The ticket cost 104 CHF

I headed for the City Backpackers Hostel a short walk from the train station. What I did not expect to see was the amount of advertisement on Gentlemen’s clubs and the big signboard on Adult Cinema with its nice photographic smack in such central location. I for one thought Zurich was a business city with wealthy international businessmen and would be the high class niche area. Perceptions could sure skew heavily when you are from another part of the world.

Should I enter and check it out? You don’t get these back in Asia … not like these …

Alas one perception was right and everything was downright expensive. I resorted to sightseeing instead.

The train station is located nicely at the tip of Lake Zurich or the river that runs to it and the old town is a mess of cobbled stone to turf road and climbs up and down terrains with no ends. Zurich itself I found it was old messy yet pretty at the same time. The river seam to mark the invisible divider where to the west you would have the high end niche market remarkable restaurants with stunning menus which I could not afford and to the east the nightclubs and bars and more residential and local as you span further from the train station.

Zurich

Expensive Watch Shop

The Swiss I have to salute when it come to watches or clocks. Just walking around you will see all the Swiss made watches in heavily decorated high end shops but unless you are in the social class I doubt any would know the brands of watches they sell. Window shopping for watches it seams to me brands like Rolex and Tag Heuer or Oris for that matter were cheap watches. I could not believe the price on those Swiss watches which would have cost me my whole backpacking trip and more.

Cuckoo clock was another very expensive item but fascinating as it was a dying art. Each to its own unique design and make was beautiful but no souvenir for me. My dad asked me to find him one when I was there and all I could do was walk on. My consolation was a Swiss army knife which I bought for practical purpose.

Swiss Army Knife & Free Spoon

Walking around Zurich there is no shortage of sights to be seen. Favorite’s pastime was to stand on the bridge by the river and see the Swans swim and nurse their feathers. Church, city halls and the maze type layout of the town made it nice for exploring.

Switzerland was my getaway from my travels. There were no hiccups with trains or lodgings or food for that matter. Everything was perfect and beautiful but expensive no doubt.

It was time to move on as my traveling itch for adventure has started up again.