Yipee I have arrived, easy collection of bags and transfer to Hotel Bristol, no problems at all, no lines or waiting anywhere - I arrived 7.50am and was at the hotel by 9am - before business opens.

On my arrival I asked if I could store my bags, only to find I could go to the room. This never happens - you normally have to wait until after lunch.   The room is small but that is all I wanted for a nights sleep. It was so clean and everything I needed - even free internet in my room!

I am so close to everything, only one street back from the Limmat River.   Walked over one of the many bridges across the river to the train station.  Zurich is so quiet for such a large city, not the capital but close too, (Bern is the Capital), no-one is shouting or making a fuss, and it's clean.   So many suits - Bankers or Insurance Brokers!! I picked up maps from Tourist Bureau and some change for toilet stops within the station at the money exchanger.

Then a short stop at Star Bucks for Ice Tea and then I was on the City Highlights and Surrounds Tour.

The bus couldn't drive close to the shopping area nor old town because it's all pedestrian, maybe that is why the place sounds quiet.  We start with a viewing of Lake Zurich, which is fed by the River Limmat and River Sihl. It's just getting warmer, it started off today at 13 but I am sure it was about 20 most of the day - warm! Bit overcast but the sun came out later on in the day.

We stopped at Fraumunster - the 13th century cathedral renowned for its distinctive stained-glass windows. Drove past the famous University that allowed women to attend Uni first in Europe and where Einstein attended for physics. 

We then headed along the Zurich Lake - on the Gold Coast side, the side that gets the most sun and is the most wealthy for all types of reasons but when named it was for the good crops in particular wineries.

We drove by some beautiful houses, of all types from the old to new, even went past Tina Turner's new home. We then cross the lake by car ferry to the silver side the not so wealthy used to live here but those days have gone and both sides are just about the same now in real estate value.

The bus took us up the mountain to take the Felsenegg Cable Car where we hiked for a little and also stopped at the café for views of all of Zurich and surrounds.   I tried the coffee and apple strudel. One of the nicest strudel's I've had with some fine chopped almonds in with the apple and sultana's.

On our return to the tourist bus station, I took the walk along the famous Bahnhofstrasse - one of the most expensive street malls to shop at in the world, up there with Rodeo Drive, Fifth Avenue. I did shop!! At the CO-OP, which is like Coles/Woolworths but nicer, lots of amazing food displays.   I decided to buy dinner, a lovely fresh Caesar Salad and some cut up fruit and I bought my first chocolate - Lindt - my favourite - this chocolate is so cheap here.

At the end of Bahnhofstrasse is the Zurich Lake, so I crossed the bridge to Bellevue square  (the national circus was showing in the square), and sat with the locals on the lake front - where I had my dinner and fed the resident swans and ducks. The sun decided to come out, so it was just gorgeous, it was funny watching the swans turn upside down to feed - tails in the air.

I then stopped of at the Café Felix for coffee and strawberry wafer cake - ok so you've seen the photo, it wasn't the healthiest I could find :) - I choose this café because inside - it was graced with flowers, mostly roses everywhere, a real girlie place to have coffee and cake - free internet again too.

It was about 7.30pm and the sun still hadn't gone down, I made my way back to the hotel through the cobbled streets in particular Niederdorf  of the Old Town, window shopped, I love these streets - small, quaint and the locals/visitors all finding somewhere to eat - mostly outside dining. 

I would have liked to have tried Hilti - the restaurant holds the guinness world records for being the oldest continously open vegetarian restaurant in the world. (1898) Menu now consists of vegetarian dishes from all over the world. But I just couldn't fit much in after that huge slice of Strudel in the first part of the day.

A nice relaxed day in Zurich, ready for my adventure to the mountains tomorrow.

TRIVIA : Switzerland was officially the Swiss Confederation (Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica, hence its abbreviation CH).   That is why the CHF - Swiss Franc abbreviation is such and airport coding also.