Zürcher Theater Spektakel is an annual summer event on Lake Zurich, an anticipated event that sprawls along the shore for two weeks in August. We went on a cool Monday evening, three Swiss ladies and me. That's right, it was Ladies Night for this group. Before walking out to view the outdoor performances, we started with wine and hors d'oeuvres alfresco. It was fine; and I mean that in the best sense of the word. The Theater Spektakel is truly entertaining. For...

We went to Lake Zurich Sunday to walk along the glistening water. When the sun shines warm in Zurich, head for the lake. It quickly became obvious this was the mindset in the city. The European Athletics Championships held in Zurich and for the first time in Switzerland in 60 years, had just wrapped up with a marathon which wound into the city. Besides those city dwellers and visitors who came to watch and cheer on participants--and were now seeking sun by the l...

The beat went on and on and on. The heart of the city of Zürich beat in sync with the hearts of 950,000 people filling the streets and bridges along the lake for the annual Street Parade; "a Demonstration for Love, Peace, Liberty, Generosity and Tolerance." Sidewalks and cafes were thick with people. Orders were placed by those taking a parade break--or watching delighted and sometimes surprised as I was--for espresso, the popular soft drink Rivella, beer or win...

Just a brief note to include a Swiss National Day entry. My friends bought passage for the three of us on the Zürich Lake Ship Linth, built in 1951. It was a dinner cruise and the cuisine was as expected--superb. After the sun set below the hills, fireworks of every design began to erupt around the lake, booming and flashing along its edges. Every community seemed to be holding their own celebration. It was exciting to try to catch a glimpse of each and every o...

Were the raspberries just that perfect and fresh, the little bit of cake just that light and the coffee so . . . right? Or was I simply just that happy to be back at Confiserie Sprünli after many years? All of the above, of course. Everything about the Himbeer-pâtisserie was just that perfect. Returning to Sprüngli on the Paradeplatz at the Bahnhofstrasse in downtown Zürich was high on my list of things to do while visiting Switzerland again after 14 years. ...