Toto, I don’t think we’re in Moscow anymore: My Day in Zurich

The prospect of a 6:45 a.m. flight was not appealing to me at first. Especially since the flight Laura and I had booked to London from Zurich left at 8 p.m., and Laura was with the half of the group arriving in the late afternoon. But Julia Smeliansky showed me the bright side back in Cambridge. “You can spend the day in Zurich!” She exclaimed, informing me that it was super easy to get into the city from the airport and that there was a great art museum.

Despite her assurances, I was still worried about just how easy it would be to get my luggage, find an area to store it, get tickets for the train, find my way around…frankly, I found it all a bit daunting. But I’m happy to say that my day in Zurich was one of the easiest, loveliest days I’ve had.

After getting my luggage immediately (phew!), many of my classmates and I followed the signs to the left luggage area. There the security guard didn’t charge me for my backpack since I had two large suitcases (aw), and told me when I asked about how long trains to the city center took that we could get tickets at the info desk around the corner, which had no line. There, a woman told me that a day pass for the equivalent of $16 got me in and out on any train, and I could use any metro, tram, or bus, AND get free entry into museums. Um, sold! We made our way to the train, as people gradually said goodbye and went their separate ways to their different destinations. I wound up boarding a very swank train (we may have been in the first class car, woops) with my classmates Nick (an actor) and Joe, and we set off to explore the city. I was already relieved and more at ease with how easy it all was…especially since I had been up since 1 a.m. Zurich time after about 2-3 hours of napping time combined, and it was now 9:30 a.m.

After examining the handy map I received with my pass, I realized that it outlined a lovely walking tour to all the spots I wanted to cover. We set off to find breakfast first, and wound up eating delicious birchermueseli (I think that’s how it’s spelled) at an outdoor café. It’s a mixture of yogurt, berries, and granola. The three of us could not get over Zurich’s beauty, saying things like, “Are we in paradise? Is this heaven?” We marveled at the clear aqua waters of the river, the charming squares with fountains, the clean cobblestone streets with interesting boutiques, and at how cars actually stopped to let you walk. In fact, the area of the city we were in was fairly empty until around lunchtime, making it a quiet and peaceful tour. After three months in Moscow, we had found an oasis. We were all in love with Zurich.

This love grew as the day went by and we took in the sights. We saw Europe’s largest clock face at St. Peter’s, then gazed in awe at Marc Chagall’s stained glass windows in Fraumunster, another cathedral (free entry!). Winding our way up past quiet store fronts, we found our way to the Kunsthaus Museum. This was the art museum that Julia had told me about, and she did not exaggerate—it is my new favorite art museum. The collection is amazing, ranging from old masters to impressionists, expressionists, and contemporary art. It housed so many of my favorite artists’ works: Kandinsky, Monet, Chagall, and it even had a cool Robert Rauschenberg piece, just to name a few. Entry was free with my pass, and there was also a free English audio guide. AND we could take photos. I was one happy camper. The museum had a light and airy feel, and I found my new favorite painting by Marc Chagall. It was a beautiful and moving piece called “Les lumieres du marriage” in French, which translates to either “The wedding lights” or “The lights of marriage” I think.

After the museum, it was time to find lunch and caffeine. I had asked the woman at the info desk of the Kunsthaus to show me where the Cabaret Voltaire was on my map because I wanted to make a little pilgrimage to the birthplace of Dada. Sure enough it was nearby and easy to find. After lunch we said goodbye to Joe, and Nick and I got iced coffees and wandered along the river and through the streets. We went into the Grossmunster, which we had stopped outside of on our way to the museum. As “Zurich’s greatest landmark,” what was really amazing were the windows. Some were stained glass, but most were made out of thinly sliced multi-colored agate crystals.

After saying goodbye to Nick, I easily boarded a train leaving within a few minutes for the airport. As I sat on the train I reflected on how lucky I was to have this opportunity. It may have only been six hours, but my time in Zurich was absolutely lovely.