Interlaken to Zurich, Oct. 6

I wonder if residents of Interlaken ever become blasé about the slice of heaven that surrounds them.  I don’t think I would: every shift in the sun and clouds paints the mountains anew; every fresh breeze of Alpine air is literally inspirational.   

I’d gladly have stayed a while longer, gone for hikes through the deep green woods, wandered through the Lautenbrunner Valley, cautiously visited the mile-high observation deck at Harder Kulm.  (As the aptly named Jimmy Cliff sang, “the Harder they Kulm, the harder they fall …”) 

Alas, time, tide, and the Swiss railway system wait for no one, and our train to Zurich beckoned.  As if to ease us away from the natural beauty, the first half of the train ride skirted picturesque Thun Lake before arriving in Switzerland’s capital, Bern. 

The second half (Bern to Zurich) wasn’t particularly scenic, so I focused instead on the inside of my eyelids.  Two comfortable and quiet hours after we left Interlaken – the ride was as smooth and silent as a train can be – we arrived at Zurich HB, the massive station serving Switzerland’s largest city.

Here’s a travel tip:  if your hotel isn’t close to the station, take an Uber.  Being slaves to our step counts, Andy, Char and I elected to walk instead – after all, our app said the hotel was only 25 minutes by foot.  What the app didn’t say was that for much of the way, the sidewalk was cobblestoned.  I appreciate cobble stones from an aesthetic standpoint, but rolling one’s suitcase over them for a mile or so isn’t a particularly enjoyable experience.

After checking into our hotel, the Ameron, we struck out (sans luggage) to explore the old part of Zurich.  (The hotel is modern and chic, but it comes off as bland compared to the ornate buildings surrounding it.)

The river Limmat bisects this part of Zurich, with bridges crossing the water every couple of blocks.  The centuries-old buildings along the river create a cityscape reminiscent of Amsterdam. 

Spires from the Grossmũnster (a Protestant church whose building dates to the 12^th century) and the Fraumünster (built on the ruins of a 9^th century abbey) punctuate the skyline.  The Fraumünster is home to five stained glass windows designed by Marc Chagall, which I hope to see tomorrow if time allows.

I’ll close today’s post with some drinking and eating recommendations.  After a few hours of walking, we were craving refreshments of the cocktail variety.  Andy did a quick search on Yelp that pointed us to the Widder Bar, located, predictably enough, in the Widder hotel (Rennweg 7). 

The bar’s liquor selection might be the largest I’ve ever seen; they have a separate, 25-page whiskey menu.  One dark rum old-fashioned apiece later, we were ready once again to wander.

Soon it was time for an early dinner (we missed lunch today), so after another Yelp search by Andy (he is a Jedi master of identifying good places to eat and drink), we headed to Restaurant Mére Catherine (Nägelhof 3, 044 250 59 40).  We got there when they opened at 5:30, and they were kind enough to find us a table even though we hadn’t made a reservation and they were fully booked.

The food was excellent and the staff – particularly the maître d’, Anthony – was cheerful, efficient, and friendly.  If you’re in Zurich, it’s a great place for dinner, but don’t be like us: make a reservation.

Tomorrow we’ll get an early start and take a day trip to Liechtenstein.  More to come!