My first stop on the Horn of Africa tour was a long layover in Zurich. I visited Switzerland when I was younger and a day tour an ideal way to refresh my memory and allow me to pick up a missing tourist shirt.
The afternoon flight from Newark was uneventful, but the eight hours of walking around Zurich were quite the opposite. From the airport I stopped at the Tourism Information Office which set me up with a map of the city and a 24 hour ZurichCARD for CHF 24 (EUR 24 or USD 27). This card allows usage of public transportation, including the train from the airport into the city center. It also gives discounts and free entrance into museums, great for a quick day tour.
From the main station I generally followed the walking tour according to the tour map. The walk took me by the beautiful churches of St. Peter, with the largest church clock of Europe, and Fraumünster which both had Sunday service. Further down I found a filmed interview in progress on the bridge. I looped around to the quiet financial center where UBS and Credit Suisse have their headquarters. The area unsurprisingly is surrounded by luxury watch and clothing stores.
Zurich on a Sunday is very quiet, or so I thought. When I reached the bank of the lake, I found a Harley Owners Group having charity event which included a ride through the city. Quiet no more. It was fun to watch and there were even some vintage Mustangs in the lot.
I took a 1.5 hour short lake tour which is included in the ZurichCARD around Zurich Lake. The small ferry had a restaurant area and several outdoor seating terraces. A crew member came around to check tickets, after which we were left to take as many photos as we liked.
The small towns along the water were very picturesque and the boat moved slowly so you could enjoy the scenery.
On the way back to the train station, I walked up the east side of the river. I made a detour to visit one of the most important museums in Europe, the Kunsthaus Zürich. This art museum had a peculiar collection of classic and modern art. The collection on the first floor definitely had some shock value with pieces that were very pornographic. Discounted entrance was CHF 10 with the card.
Making my way back to the main road, I entered Grossmünster church and climbed many steps up the tower for a great viewpoint over the entire city.
Passing through a trendy restaurant area, I grabbed my swiss flag tourist shirt and a quick bite before rushing to the Swiss National Museum next to the train station.
Housed in a 1896 chateau which seemed like a castle, this museum focused on culture, art, and history. The building was being expanded and upgrading during my visit, but most of the exhibitions were open. I went through the entire building, stopping at interesting displays such as antique furniture, sports equipment, and ancient arms.
After the visit, I caught the next train and made it to the airport in 10 minutes. The convenience and relative cost of the tour was really perfect for a layover of four hours or more.
Feet aching, I kicked back on my flight to Istanbul where I would met with my friend Chris who just finished touring Istanbul in a day. Relieved we found each other at the boarding gate, we soon were on a plane to Djibouti.
Being quite exhausted, I fell asleep on the plane. Our specific Turkish Airlines flight continued to Mogadishu, Somalia after Djibouti, so I had to make sure I didn’t oversleep or it would be an awkward awakening to say the least.
Next up, the small state of Djibouti!