Ole Radi: Zurich...ticking along beautifully...

I think this is a beautiful photo, imagine how Louis would feel today...

Zurich...after the hustle and bustle of Greece and Turkey, wow what a difference a flight makes! This city is sexy in a kind of clock worky way, everything from the service to even the sounds of the many (many) trams, efficient not overbearing but making you feel secure that everything is as it should be, you have got to love a town that gives you seats with swanky furry covers and the option for a lap rug when you sit down for a vino.

It's a city of many historical Louis's, LOTS of clocks! and the Bismark Baguette..Pickled herring, polski gherkin and sliced boiled egg...

Hrrrrrr! yes baby!

This was the city that I decided to "up the ante" of solo travel and rather than do my usual grab a cab to the hotel, I thought I would give the local rail system from the airport a red hot blast.. I could have ended up anywhere in Europe, (well at least Germany or Italy) that day, but I had time on my side so, I kind of had a "wander" and a "play" on the ticket machine, a "wander" and a play on the platform, boarded a train with clenched teeth (mine not the trains) and BINGO! I got it right...Happy days! Achievement ratio V high, $ value (or CHF) rewards/spendings points... one Dior Lipstick...#991 actually, fabulous!

Marc Chagall 1/5

On one of my first wanders I came across the

The Fraumunster Abbey, Built by King Ludwig the II, it was a Benedictine Convent for female members of the Aristocracy....I kind of lost the thread a little there, why on earth if you were a member of the "Aristocracy" would you EVER want to go to a CONVENT?... interesting space, very austere compared to the gold/silver and general lavishness of recent places I've visited, however a stunning set of stained glass windows from Marc Chagall...once again the Swiss, understated but Oh so classy...

With a little more "time on my hands" I visited the National Museum, in general am frankly not much of a Museum girl, however on discovering a special exhibition of Horological Art (yes you guessed it Clock making!) it seemed churlish to not have a look...so...Louis -Abraham Breguet (yes the name in the main photo that was taken this afternoon on the poshest street in Zurich) is the most renowned watchmaker of all time, a major claim to fame was that he first invented the "perpetual" watch that did not need manual rewinding....

The first people he supplied these to were King Louis XVI AND Marie Antoinette, can you just imagine her keeping her watch going with the "let them eat cake" wrist action, I had to stop myself from laughing out loud! If you can believe it, there was an alternative exhibition at another Gallery showing the skills of Louis-François Cartier...these guys takes their Louis's and there watches VERY seriously indeed.

A couple of other Swiss points...they are the airline that has the tag line of "We're more disappointed when we're late than you are..." my flight was late, poor loves...hope they're ok...

I can't resist luscious blooms!

It is a City that I learnt not to be too "cocky" with the foreign, language but seriously...

Kabien Hieren=lift has arrived, right, so...

Bathroom scenario...Herren, what would you do? Hmmmm, sorry broad shouldered businessman type, yup I should have gone the Damen....

Must be said they're a bit "skimpy"on the pour sizes of their beverages....

Not quite the wild and reckless

Swiss do swans not seagulls OR pigeon

generosity of the vino's and G&T's I'm used to, having said that though this is the first country I've visited (Turkey excepted) that is not in financial meltdown...Oh, I hope it's not my fault...

A local burly bloke sorry he's a little grainy!

I've enjoyed some lovely food, no, I didn't eat a Bismark baguette, however I couldn't resist a Swiss sausage in a bun with sauerkraut and spicy mustard, some roasted chestnuts from a street vendor, a rather delish Lobster Bisque and a very nice little hand made pasta with olive oil, chilli and parmesan. This interestingly from a restaurant with wines supplied by the Antinori family of Florence, I met the ex-wife and and heir apparent, many years ago on a train from Paris to Florence on their way to an access visit, she was as mad as a cut snake but that child probably made the wine I had with my lunch, you just never know!

I loved Zurich on so many levels, efficient friendly and with great great service, easy to get around and as you can see below, not THAT buttoned down...