Joy and I got up early Friday morning to head to the airport. Once in the airport, our flight unfortunately got delayed but we made the best of it, already reminiscing about our time in Prague. We eventually hopped on our flight eager to make our way to Switzerland. With a cheap flight from Prague to Zurich, Joy and I could not resist that opportunity. I was super excited to explore Switzerland.
While flying in, it was a beautiful, sunny, Autumn day. You could see the green hills and teal ponds and I even saw the snow covered Swiss Alps from my window seat! Joy and I eagerly hopped off our flight to explore the charming town of Zurich. We snagged the train into the heart of Old Town and were both in disbelief that we were in Switzerland! Compared to the chill of Prague, we were nearly sweating when walking around Zurich's Old Town. Zurich was absolutely charming with the colorful buildings with a small Swiss town feel. I was immediately in love with the town. We explored the alleys of Old Town and ate lunch sitting in front of a chapel, admiring the views. We made ourselves bread with jam and bananas, and it was one of the best lunches I've ever had. After some additional exploring, we decided to make our way up to Uetliberg Mountain.
Uetilberg was beautiful! Being able to stand on top of a mountain in Switzerland, overlooking the beautiful town of Zurich, it felt unreal.. With the haze in the air, Joy and I could only spot a peek of the Swiss Alps in the distance. As the sun started to set, the haze started to fade away and you could really start to spot the Alps. It was amazing just how vast and large they seemed even from such a distance away. You could even spot some snow on some of the peeks. Before leaving to hop back on the train, we watched a pig race on top of the mountain!
Joy and I stopped at a local co-op to grab ingredients for dinner and our breakfasts and lunches too! Switzerland is an expensive country and budget is important to the both of us. We made our way to our hostel and cooked a great pasta dinner in the microwave with some Lindt chocolate for dessert. Joy and I were not complaining though, we were just glad to even be in Switzerland. We called it an early night to prep for an early day tomorrow.
Saturday morning we packed our bags again and made our way to Luzerne, Switzerland. Luzern is a short train ride away from Zurich and offers magnificent views of the Swiss Alps on the shores of Lake Lucerne. Joy and I were very excited to explore this picturesque Swiss village. We hopped off our train and grabbed a bus to our hostel for the night!
Unfortunately the weather was not on our side today. Rain was in the forecast all day so we weren't sure how the visibility would be to see the Alps. After eating a quick breakfast we started our rainy day at the Lion Monument. We checked out this lovely square with charming red and green buildings and a beautiful church. As we walked along the shores of Lake Lucerne, we unfortunately could not see the Swiss Alps.. Joy and I were a bit disappointed but were trying to make the best out of the day!
There just so happened to be a marathon happening tomorrow and as Joy and I walked past check-in we were able to win ourselves a free umbrella! Score!
Next, we explored Old Town and Joy and I fell in love! The entire town was filled with charm and color and Joy and I were obsessed! The town looked like it belonged in a fairytale! We walked across the Kapelbrucke bridge and stood to admire our surroundings as we ate lunch. We continued to explore Old Town, checking out a few shops and even a flea market. We ventured up to the Nine Towers, walking along the wall and climbed up the stairs for a magnificent view of the city! Afterwards, we ate lunch and updated my Swiss sim card. The last stop of the day included visiting the church situated in the center of Old Town. The church was absolutely breathtaking with pastel colors and crystal chandeliers and beautifully painted ceilings and walls. It just so happened to be The Jesuit Church of St. Francis Xavier which was a very pleasant surprise to make that connection back to home school at Xavier.
Joy and I found out that on Saturday's in Switzerland, everything closes at 4 P.M. Due to this, Joy and I called it an early day and head back to our hostel. We were happy to warm back up in our hostel as we made pasta in the microwave for dinner. We worked on writing some postcards and mingled with a set of girls from Australia and America. One of the American girls I met was from the Philadelphia suburbs and we even shared a few family friends. What a small world! Joy and I also had a lovely conversation with a Swedish girl whom we were sharing a room with. She was running the half-marathon tomorrow.
Joy and I got up early the next morning to grab our hostel's free breakfast. Fun fact: The Swiss love Ovaltine! Ovaltine was an obsession of mine when I was young, but they changed the recipe and unfortunately it still does not taste good anymore. We ended up connecting with Sophia, the girl in our hostel, so well that we walked her to the half-marathon. Since I had to catch my train back to Zurich, I said goodbye to Sophia and wished her luck. Joy and I also said our goodbyes as well. What an adventure it has been with each other!
As I rode on the train back to Zurich, I admired the rolling green hills and the teal lochs, still wishing I could have seen a greater look of the Alps. I checked into my hostel, right in the center of Old Town Zurich and dropped my bags off. It was still raining outside but I was determined to make the best out of the day. I walked to Lindenhof Park and admired the beautiful view of Old Town and walked to the Zurich Succulent Botanical Garden. I walked along the colorful harbor and a beautiful park. I also tried Ovaltine chocolate along the way too, which was surprisingly good! I LOVE succulents so this was the perfect escape to warm up from the cold and rainy day. I explored the garden, checking out succulents from across the world. I especially loved the blue cacti. I continued to explore Zurich until arriving at my hostel to unwind.
It just so happened that two girls from Xavier were also in Zurich and we caught up with each other and chatted about our study abroad experiences so far. It was absolutely lovely to catch up with them and see a familiar face in a completely different country. We said our goodbyes and I made another pasta dinner at my hostel. I joined in a card game called, "Asshole" downstairs and met people from China, Canada, New Zealand. Australia, Germany, Austria, and America. It was a great and fun way to end the night!
For my last day of my Reading Week adventure, I got up early and checked out the rooftop access of my hostel. It was still a bit cloudy that morning. I wondered through the streets of Old Town in peace and quiet, snapping a few photographs with my camera to capture the picturesque town. I also explored the Munsterplatz church, with a free entry from my student ID card. Next, I hopped on a bus to the Lindt chocolate factory store! When walking up to the store, you could spell the chocolate in the air and the employees even handed you a piece of free chocolate when you walked in. I was a big fan. After making my way back to Old Town, I decided to treat myself to a wee cupcake shop I had eyed earlier to end my time in Zurich!
Afterwards, I hopped on the train to the airport and witnessed a beautiful golden and pink sunset from my window seat. It was a beautiful way to end a fantastic week of traveling and adventures.
loved Switzerland! I truly thought it was a beautiful, charming, and colorful country. I wish I got a closer look of the Swiss Alps and had more time (and money) to explore the adorable towns of Switzerland.
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