My Italy/Switzerland adventure - Part two: Schweiz

For the last leg of our tour we arrived in Switzerland three nights ago. The tour is through Europamundo, but unfortunately our tour group, eight in total, was made up of three couples, two of whom were on their honeymoon and not enjoying the rigid itinerary at all, the third an older couple, and then my enthusiastic roomie and myself. Because of this, all our evenings seemed to end three hours earlier than the itinerary said, so we didn't have as much time to explore at each stop. Switzerland was no exception, arriving in Zurich and going straight to the hotel at 6.30pm because most of the group didn't want to stop in the city. Although a bit disappointed, we still made the most of the hotel restaurant where our water was more expensive than our beer.

The following day was spent mostly on the bus, stopping at Interlaken (the city between the lakes), then Jungfrauch, in the Alps, then Lucerne, before returning to Zurich for an hour in town and then heading back to the hotel. 
                               
Unfortunately, the weather was not in our favour, with rain, snow, and cloud blocking what we were told was a priceless view. Even so, the little old houses in the Alps covered in snow were a sight to behold, and I enjoyed the scenery. It would be nice to go again in summer, when it is meant to be at its best. Lucerne is also very picturesque, with the oldest bridge in Europe, and a lake, and a river, and mountains, all that jazz. The cafes are all very quaint, and the old buildings add to the character.

Our bus tour ended after breakfast yesterday, but because I had accidentally booked my flight back for a day later, I have had some extra time. In the morning I went to Rhine Falls, the largest waterfall in Europe and looking particularly magnificent after all the recent rainfall. They are also very close to the rail station, so easy to get to from town and well worth the trip. 

                

 

I had booked a walking tour for the afternoon in Zurich, but was surprised to find it was only me, so had a personal tour of the city. The guide was so passionate and knowledgeable, I would put it up there as one of, if not the highlight of this whole trip. We talked about the history of Switzerland, how it managed to survive being surrounded by the Reich, and yet remained neutral despite all the external pressure to join in the war. 

We walked past the technical institute boasting 30 Nobel laureates, including Einstein, incidentally founded by the same guy who founded the railway, originally intended to train engineers for that very purpose. We saw the memorial for Zwingli, a catholic priest who wanted to get married, and ended up becoming one of the main influences of the reformation in Zurich, We stopped in a little cafe where I had the best hot chocolate I've ever had in my life. If you ever go to Zurich, I would highly recommend this tour, through Viator.

Anyway, I have a plane to catch, so wish you all an amazing week. 

                                          Te aroha 

                                          Te whakapono 
                                          Te rangimarie 
                                          Tätou, tätou e.