I stayed 7 days in Zurich, Switzerland at the Hyatt Regency Zurich Airport in an area called “The Circle”. There were several other hotels in the Circle, and every mode of transportation (trams, buses, regional trains, and course the airport concourse). After picking up my luggage I walked towards the signs for the Circle. There was so much go on, I had to stay focused. However, I did notice a large food court (where I would go for dinner most day). I would late find out that the hotel was in the perfect location.
During my research, I had read that Switzerland was expensive, but I didn’t really know what that meant. I’ve heard people say that Hawaii is expensive, but I think that prices are the same as Atlanta. So stating that a place is expensive is subjective. However, I soon found out what it meant to hold the title of most expensive in city Europe when I had lunch. I had been walking for an hour or two and was starving, so I began checking out the menu of places as I walked by. I settled on a place that had sandwiches and a few other things I like. I chose a meatloaf sandwich, fries, and water (not free). The meatloaf was nothing like what I thought, it looked more like ham in a circular cut, and it didn’t taste like ham nor meatloaf, but it was good. I settled the bill and left a tip (research says you should round up; don’t tip like you do in the States). The cost of the meal, water, and tip was 51 CHF (Swiss francs); converted to USD is $63.56!!!!! I don’t know about you but paying $63 for a sandwich is way too much. I’ve paid this for a good steak but not a sandwich.
My research also mentioned the fashion district in Zurich that is the most expensive in ALL THE WORLD!! While out sightseeing one day, I walked upon the fashion district. You know it immediately because all you see around are beautiful shops with high-end designer names. Needless to say, I kept walking. I was trying to find a purse size umbrella to replace one that got destroyed in Ljubljana. I found one for $49.90… no thank you!! I rushed to the train station hoping the rain would hold off.
Once over the shock of having to spend a lot more during this visit, I found Switzerland to be a really nice place. I rode the tram several times.
The people in Zurich were friendly if you have a question or need assistance, but as with most other cities in Europe, they don’t offer a smile or word of hello when you pass by. I’ve sort of gotten used to this.
On one day in the city I came out of a different side of the train station, and it was as if I was in a different city. There was a marina with boats, a small beach, and a park. I walked along this path and ran into different sections. One section had live music, the beach section had folks laying out, there was a museum, and of course plenty of places to eat. I spent almost half the day there. Beautiful sunny day for a stroll.
Before leaving Switzerland, I had to take care of laundry, so I rode the tram to one I saw earlier. While there, I met a couple from Cincinnati. They had been traveling for 2 months and were preparing to head back to the States the next day.
Note: Switzerland is also one of a few countries in Europe that does not take Euros (EUR). They use Swiss Francs (CHF).
