Zurich Airport, Switzerland

Moments in Zurich, Switzerland

Louis beef burger, Zurich, Switzerland

Around 2:30pm, it was a bit drizzling and a bit breezy.  There came a nice aroma of the beef patties being pan-fried.  The shop highlighted their house speciality sauces - one is spicy and the other not.  So I asked for a spicy one.  It was really refreshing with the lettuce, tomato and onion.  The fries was not to be missed and a very big portion. 

Hotel Continental by M Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland

This hotel is about 10 minute walk to the Zurich main train station, and about 15 minute walk to the restaurant and shopping areas.  The room is quite spacious and cozy.  However, it's better to book the hotels in many European cities in a few week advance as the room rate can be increased by double or triple.  

Whopper's meal, at Zurich, Switzerland

In fact, I'm not much into burger and fries.  I can't take too much cheese; so a burger would be a better alternate choice.  It may be the most expensive whooper's meal I have had.  CHF32 (very close to USD) for 2 combo meals.  It's a bit weird they even charge ketchup for 30 cents.  If this meal is 3.99 or 4.99, then I don't mind it.  As this meal is already that pricy, make the meal to $17 (1 dollar extra) with complimentary ketchup wouldn't be too different from $16.

Enjoy the sun, along Zurich lake, Switzerland

Perhaps the summer is a bit too short for the locals to grab every moment of the sun and long daylight hour.  Any open area or park, even an artificial island can be crowded.  Saw quite many having BBQ and some jump-dive into the water.  Though I could tell from their chilling expression, they still enjoy this precious summer time.

A boat with water slide, Zurich Lake, Switzerland

Breakfast at Hotel Continental by M Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland

Something good about this hotel's breakfast - freshly squeezed orange juice (but a bit not too hygienic as most guests use their bare hands to squeeze it).  The croissant is pretty nice though.  Apparently restaurants in Zurich are pretty much under the influence of French and German.  They serve nice cold cuts too.

Raclette Factory, Zurich, Switzerland

Got a thin crust pizza with heavy cheese, bacon and cheese, a mixed salad and the house signature dish melted cheese with potatoes and some pickled.  If the dishes were served one by one, the whole meal experience would have been much better as the melted cheese would get less aromatic when it gets cooled.  So in this connection, it tells the careless mistake of the restaurant. 

I recall the cheese meal I had in Annecy (near the border with Geneva).  That restaurant could serve the cheese meal for you to slowly enjoy it.

The canal, Zurich, Switzerland

Zeughauskeller, Old Town Zurich, Switzerland

Ran into this place before the tourist groups got in.  Though there were some tourist groups, it appeared that they were in quite some manner and behaving politely.

I thought the food might be quite touristic, but pork chop, coleslaw and the pork knuckle were surprisingly good, especially the pork knuckle which was shimmered in dark beer (very soft and aromatic inside and the grease getting lighter) and then deep fried with the skin being a bit crispy.  The side potato salad was awesome that it was in nice sour cream mayo and chopped chive.  The coleslaw was very nice too with the dressing just right, not overwhelming creamy, sour, nor sweet.  I thought about coming back to this place for another meal.

When I got the bill, the waitress expressly mentioned how much tipping I would like to pay them.  At first I found it a bit odd but it seemed like many other Zurich restaurants are having this reminder.  Also,, they have extra-charge on bread, ketchup...etc.  Most dishes were at the range from US$30-50 in many restaurants.  So charging extra on some small items seem to be a bit unreasonable.  When those dishes were already a bit too high, why not adding it up with 5-10% more as it made no difference for US$30 and US$33.  At least the guests would find those bread and ketchup "complimentary".  Really ironic when we consider ketchup as complimentary at this point. 

The sky net and the swans, Zurich, Switzerland

What impressed me with this city was the tram cable and the swans in the lake when I visited here 18 years ago.  It has become a stranger to me except these 2.

Our childhood with Toblerone, at Geneva Airport, Switzerland

On the trip back from Annecy to Bangkok, we had to pass through 4 countries.  First trip was from Annecy (France) to Geneva (Switzerland), 2nd from Geneva to London, 3rd from London to Kuala Lumpur and the last from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok.  Because of the no check-thru' baggage service under One World.

It takes about 40 minutes from Annecy to Geneva and the limo. cost about EUR100.  At the Geneva Airport, we saw quite many cafeterias selling Toblerone, my friend couldn't help it and give it a try.  He told that in the childhood, the TV ad. showed a kid playing this Toblerone as a harmonica.  So he got one and tried to play it.  Just like in the old time, when we bought the instant noodle and thought what's inside should look like the packaging photo having some prawns and veggie on top.  That's our childhood.  We are losing our innocence because of all these beautiful surfacing tricks.  Belief and the behaviour confront.

At this cafe of Geneva airport, it isn't that expensive as I tried in Zurich.  Perhaps Swiss Francs dropped.  3 drinks, an apple strudel and a toblerone cost about US$20.  

A family European trip - Titlis, Switzerland

Good to see there are still much snow in the Alps mountain. This place is really beyond word. Thanks Nikki again for all these gorgeous photos. Very good framing too.