Deciding To Pause In Zürich

While arranging our return flights from Morocco, we noticed we could squeeze in a 12-hour layover in Zürich, Switzerland. It was an attractive opportunity. Not only would we spend time in a beautiful city, but we could avoid having to either race through the airport for a connecting flight (stressful) or sit around for several hours waiting to fly out (boring). 12 hours wasn’t a lot of time. But it was long enough that we could leave the airport and get the teeniest of tastes of the city, which Mr. Fool hadn’t visited in over a decade and Mrs. Fool had never set foot in.

The Fools And Their Money Are Soon Parted

Zürich is much more expensive than Morocco. (At the time of this post, the exchange rate was roughly 1:1 USD.) Even though we knew that would be the case, we still experienced some sticker shock. Our room at the City Backpacker Biber Hostel, for example, which contained two single beds, a sink, and a small wardrobe, with a shared bathroom down the hall, cost around CHF $125. Dinner that first night, eaten shortly after our 11 PM check-in, was slices of pizza that cost enough for us to pause before ordering a second slice each. (We did, but only because we were hungry, and convenience stores weren’t open.)

A Whirlwind (Partial) Tour Of Zürich

Before bed, we walked along the Limmat river and enjoyed the cool night air – quite a contrast from the hot, humid temperatures we had just left behind in Marrakech.

The next morning began at 6 AM. We walked to Platzspitz park to play a game of chess on an oversize chessboard. From there, we meandered though the city and admired the architecture. Zürich contains a beautiful mix of Baroque and Neo-Classical influences. After pausing at the Stadthausanlage square farmers market, we finished our all-too-brief day at Lake Zürich. From there, it was back to the airport.

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