As Time Goes by-Zurich

The old city of Zurich is as beautiful as the lady in Stendhal’s book, while the western district is full of rebellious young people. Come to the city of eternity and seek its truth.

Limmat River is the mother river of Zurich. It winds through the city and divides it into several parts, and sees through its persistence and changes.

Time stays

The sunshine illuminates through the leaves to the ground. The clean Limmat looks bright under sunshine and you may feel the leisure in the Adriatic Sea. The white collar workers are dressed formally and young students riding their bikes on the street reminds everyone that: this is one of the financial centers of the world.

It is bustling at the gate of Zurich Train Station and many people from Zurich and even Switzerland arrive here to transfer to some other destination. It is so busy in the train station and if you are careless, you may make a mistake here.

The guide, Thomas Ho, waited at the train station and said Hello to me, “People in Zurich care about time and it is not polite to be late or too early. If you get lost, I can help you. The public transport system is complicated for the new-comers. The official language is German here but nearly everybody can speak English, so it is very easy to ask the way. I am from Taiwan but I have stayed in Zurich since I studied for my master degree.” After the small talk, we decided to go to Zurich University and Schweizerisches Landesmuseum. In the university, there is a perfect viewing deck for overlooking the old city.

On the platform of Polyterrase in ETH Zurich, I was astonished at the sights you could only see in the picture album of the Middle Ages. The students, dressed in fashionable clothes, drank, chat and laughed, in the sunshine with not a worry in their minds. It was in harmony with the blue sky, green trees, old city and famous river. It is a city with no different classes. Billionaires and common citizens enjoy the history and what nature brings to the city. Ms. Ho said, “It is not much different from when I studied here, except that there are more cars now.” She pointed to a building with the red pointy roof, “Let’s go to Schweizerisches Landesmuseum.”

This museum has four sites in Switzerland and the one in Zurich is the largest and most important one. Four to six special exhibitions are held here every year. The information will be on the website half a year in advance, so the tourists will be able to plan ahead of time. I was lucky enough to view a Renaissance exhibition. With the help of the staff at the ticket window, I downloaded the APP about the museum and founded it was very helpful. The exhibition was spectacular, but the design, focused around humanity, attracted more of my attention. In each exhibition hall, you could interact with the LED screen. The watch industry and the finance industry that symbolized the country were exhibited. Everybody there was happy and the thirst for knowledge was aroused. The museum was like a good friend with a wide range of knowledge, and you look forward to meet it again.

The old city maintains its original style and the government protects it so well that you may feel like time stops here. In the museum, there are art treasures of Zurich and Europe. There are many architectural sites of the Middle Age. Zurich Train Station is the transport junction of Switzerland and a very popular sight.

At sunset, the sailing boats on the river became golden, then dark red, then dark purple. Then the evening lights were lit and people had dinner by the river at their own leisure. I ate the delicious food prepared with beef liver, beef, mushrooms and fries and thought to myself, “This museum combines old art and modern technologies so well and I feel time has stopped here.” Ms. Ho said, “There are sights of other styles in the city and tomorrow we will go to places beyond your imagination.” Then she toasted me for today’s work.

Zurich

Local band during rehearsal

Graffiti you can easily find at the West District

Innovative shops are a must see if you shop in West District.

This factory turned open-air bar in West District has a unique style.

Story of West District

The roar of the trains takes you to the industrial age while shops, bars and startup firms brings you to the post-industrial age. Ms. Ho said, “Welcome to West District and experience a different Zurich.” Zurich used to be a serious city full of protestant bankers and now it is one of the most vigorous cities in Europe. This change has much to do with the new West District.

West District used to be full of factories and residential areas for workers, but many passionate people come here now. This area has transformed successfully from an industrial area to a cultural center full of young people. Fregitag which means Friday is the best example. This brand uses second-hand canvas of sailing boats to makes bags. Each kind of bag has a unique code and the shops are in deserted warehouses. It’s interesting that many young people love this.

“I don’t know why people love this. If I see a person with a Fregitag bag, I will look and even talk with him.” Maybe, the charm of Fregitag comes from rebellion against tradition. It is the symbol of our young age. People that feel old can be touched by simple colors and random materials. Ms. Ho said it brought you the sense of safety.

Manager Bueler of the idea company

Fregitag shop constructed with containers

Langstrasse flea market

There are many shops there. Some are empty and the young people there just dealt with the computer. The manager said, “This is an idea company. We want to do something we like but we can’t afford our own studio. The rent here is too expensive. In West District, dozens of people can share an office and we are like family. Our ideas may look silly now, but maybe they will change the world in the future. ”

Maybe because of workdays, there were not many people on the street. Ms. Ho proposed and we went to Langstrasse flea market. It was not very large but there were various products and they were cheap. It was a good place to buy souvenirs. My friend loved the three-dimensional postcards and he bought a paper court at 20 Swiss francs. The unique products are what the flea markets use to attract customers.

The attraction of West District lies in unique shops and innovative firms, as well as the bars and music. Under the bridge, there are many restaurants, bars and live houses. In the afternoon, there were not many cool young people, but I saw a band rehearsing their routine. This is an inclusive district and all kinds of ideas will be respected. Maybe a new fashion brand will appear here and maybe a rock star will emerge from the live house. After a few glasses of wine, we were about to leave when we heard the music of Post-rock. No lyrics or language, just an expression. People went home with the gentle music.

Sweet Life

I went alone on my last day in Zurich. I could transfer buses easily and use the public transport App for information like a local. The sweet and soft side of the city appeared to me. In the financial center, there is much tension and pressure. Even so, many people choose to swim or tan after work time is over. Many of them brought bathing suits directly to the river.

The life of the locals can’t be separated from water. Attracted by the locals and their leisurely life, I walked by the lake, although I can’t swim. There were many blonde women by the lake. I took off my shoes and socks and played by the lake. The water was bright under the sunshine and I tried to remember this sight. Local people jumped into the lake with fun. Many couples, young and old, poor or rich, love to enjoy the life beside the lake. In Limmat River, cruises pass by one by one, through the flower bath and the fountain. “Is this your first time in Zurich?” An old man asked me in English with a German accent. “Yes, but I think I have fallen in love with it.” The old man smiled with proud and modesty. He must have heard so much praise regarding his city.

When I packed up and left, I chose to take the train to the airport. On the train, I tried to memorize the names of the stations like farewell. As my passport was stamped exit, I looked back with emotions. On the other side, many people in line waited to enter the country. No matter what they were thinking, I knew, Zurich would bring peace and happiness to them.

Drinking site

People playing in Lake Zurich

Animals in the greenbelt of the city

You can see nature loves Zurich and the residents are proud of the city from the drinking sites you can easily find on the street, people playing in Lake Zurich and the animals in the greenbelt of the city.

Local people love to enjoy nature. They often jump into water for sun during lunch break or after work.

Something you must know about ZURICH

If you leave from Beijing Capital International Airport, you can take the direct flight service from Swiss Air to Zurich and it takes about 10 hours. The flight usually departs from 6 a.m.

In Zurich, from 6 a.m. to midnight, trains run between the train station and the airport. With the Zurich Card, you can take public transport and visit museums for free. You can buy a card at a tourism office or at the train station. For more information, please visit: www.zurichcard.com

You can visit Zurich all year round, but we recommend spring and summer. At that time, there are open-air coffee houses on the street everywhere and in August a street music festival will be held.

Drink by the lake

During the daytime, Frauenbad only receives women while Manner bad only receives men. But at night, the two bars accept both genders. The Barefoot bar of Frauenbad can receive 150 men. Remember to take off shoes, so that you can drink and play in the water.

Plan your trip

1. Bahnhofstrasse is the most famous shopping street of Zurich. There are too many top luxury shops to see. Beyer Museum is located here on the ground floor of a watch shop. This private museum presents the long history of the watch, from striped candles in the Middle Ages to modern watches and you can rent an iPad.

2. Next to Schweizerisches Landesmuseum, Kunsthaus is famous for its abundant collection, most of which are European arts. They include works of artists in the Middle Ages, painting of Monet and Van Gogh, sculpture of Rodin and other products of the 20th Century. With the Zurich Card, you can visit the museum for free.

3. Aside from museums, Zurich is famous for its festivals, including Street Music Festival in August and Long Night of Museums in September. If you are too busy at daytime, you can appreciate art at night via Long Night of Museums. Since, Zurich Food Festival will be hold in September and become another event of the city.

4. Cabaret Voltaire is the origin of Dadaism and there are many books and discussion about what is Dadaism. This art school named after the sleep talk of babies changed the form of art and has profound influence. Cabaret Voltaire was reopened in 2004, with functions including a bar and a gallery. If you don’t care about Dadaism, you can go to the coffee house on the top.

5. Grossmünster is a symbol of the old city of Zurich. It lies on the bank of Limmat River. It was originally construct in the 9th century then undergone refurbishment. In the 16th century, the missionary Ulrich Zwingli delivered a public speech against The Roman Catholic Church. The old house of Ulrich Zwingli was nearby and he used to work and live there.

6. Since you are in Switzerland, don’t forget to bring back some chocolates. You should know that milk chocolate was invented in Switzerland in 1875. Now, there are various kinds of chocolates in Switzerland with different favors.

(This article is translated from Lonely Planet. Author: Chen Xu, photographer: Yu Qitong, Zurich Tourism, Gettyimages. Do not reprint it without permission. For more information, please visit We-Chat lptraveller.)