I realize I've introduced you to quite a bit about life in Zurich, but I haven't yet informed you about the layout of the city. Zurich is a city which sits between two lower range mountains. Utliberg (not shown on the map), the mountain on the western side of the city has an eastern slope that is mostly wooded and a western slope that is covered in rolling hills used for pasturing cows. A train runs from the train station in Zurich most of the way up the mountain. The hiking path along the top provides spectacular views of Zurich and a few restaurants provide traditional Swiss fare to hungry hikers. Zurichberg Mountain runs along the eastern side of the city. It is wooded and has several hiking and mountain biking trails. Also, there are several spots where groups can gather and build outdoor fires. Our daughter's class has traveled often by tram and funnicular up Zurichberg Mountain. They've hiked, jumped off and around boulders and built fires on which to cook their lunches. Last weekend we hiked up the mountain to see where she has gone. What a great adventure they must have together!
This is a hiking trail along the top of Utliberg Mountain. Cows grazing along the western side of Utliberg Mountain. Often hikers can smell the cows before seeing them. Looking down on the lake and the southern end of Zurich with the Alps in the background
Hiking in the rain on one of the trails in the woods at the top of Zurichberg Mountain One of the campfire building sites on the top of Zurichberg Mountain
We live about a third of the way up Zurichberg Mountain just behind the Universitatspital, the University of Zurich Hospital. Take a look at the map and locate the major river, the Limmat, and the lake, Zurichsee. Much of what is happening in Zurich occurs right around these two bodies of water.
The lake, in particular, offers the possibility of a variety of recreational activites. It's banks are lined with large grassy areas for picnicing and playing and beautiful walking paths. In addition, people swim in the lake and river in the summer time. While there are designated areas for families and kids with docks, rental paddle boats, slides and even dressing rooms, people are permitted to jump in anywhere along the banks of the lake for a dip. Both the lake and river waters are clean. (It is difficult for me to get my mind around this as they are in the heart of a large city, but I have not seen evidence to suggest otherwise) As a matter of fact, the drinking water for the city comes from the lake. Boating is another favorite water activity in Zurich with a boathouse for sculling and sweep rowing and a few marinas for sailboats and motor boats. There is even a tram with several tram stops that runs up and down the river and lake.
Changing place for lake swimmers Walking path along the lake lawn for lounging and playing along the lake Water slide and designated kiddie swimming area on the lake
Besides the mountains and water, the city offers museums galore, a ritzy shopping district, a growing alternative area, and a medieval section.
The church to the right has the largest clock tower in all of Europe. The church to the left with the green steeple has Marc Chagall, stained glass windows. The area at the base of the churches is called Aldstadt or Old Town. It has cobble stone streets and old passageways between buildings. However, it is also the most expensive shopping district in Zurich. We’ve seen watches priced at 18,000 Swiss Francs in a shop window. There is a tradition of sweethearts "sealing their love” by securing padlocks to bridges in Europe. Several thousand locks are attached to one bridge in Zurich.
Hello Ms. O’Brien the article you posted of the padlocks on the bridge reminds of a movie called now you see me and in the ending there is a scene with a bridge completely covered with padlocks. it looked awesome. 🙂
Jonathan,
When a friend of mine first pointed out the padlocks to me I thought they were so sweet. I think my family will leave one on the bridge before we leave. However, we noticed padlocks on bridges in Austria and Italy, too. So, it is not just a Zurich tradition. I’ll have to check out the end of the movie you mentioned.
This is an amazing type of post.
Safe
Often featured in films, night vision devices capture the imagination with their mystique. In the dark corners of the world, they create azure images, as if from dreams. Although in reality their functionality is different than in the movies, they still gave me many evenings of exciting thoughtful reflection on what it would be like to see at night like the characters on the screen.
How often have you noticed that in films you can see a large number of devices, especially night vision devices! Post https://www.agmglobalvision.com/nv-in-video-games-and-movies-p-I, which I recently read, details the night vision devices so often depicted in movies. They seem to take us to the world of fantasy, where the darkness comes to life. But in fact, behind all this magic is an innovative technology that reveals the invisible to us. However, regardless of the scientific foundations, every time I see them on the screen, I once again admire this miracle of night optics and imagine myself as a movie hero.