Perhaps I was a bit ******* Zürich.

After all, a city that has accumulated so much wealth and guarded it so effectively must have something going for it.

We began our day wandering toward Lake Zürich. Near the shoreline but in close proximity to the business district stood a bustling open-air market where bakers, farmers, flower vendors, and others hawked their wares to the locals. Even the farmers and vendors employed Swiss efficiency in the ways their booths were set up and how they later took them down. We later returned for lunch at a small open-air cafe, and the area had been made spotless, with no sign of the earlier market bedlam.

But our primary objective for the morning was to take a boat ride around the nearer part of Lake Zürich. The finer homes of Zürich graced the shoreline, and through the skyline haze we could glimpse snow-capped alpine peaks. Unfortunately, without special lens filters, our cameras failed to cut through the gauzy air, so you will simply have to take my word regarding the view.

After disembarking from the boat, we wandered through more of the medieval section. It is here that Zürich seems most inviting. The cobblestone streets wind a bit more haphazardly, and pedestrians can without any warning emerge onto a cafe-clad square. There are also an astounding number of stores selling watches and jewelry, or in German, "Uhren und Schmuck." (This has, for the moment, become my favorite German phrase.)

In the evening we threw caution to the wind and sought out dinner in Langstrasse. Actually, it seemed quite safe, if a bit rough-hewn. The district is Zürich's most diverse section. One way to cut culinary costs is to eat at ethnic restaurants, and so we eventually landed at an Italian eatery, which served a very good pesto dish.

So with this we bid adieu to Zürich, and begin the journey around Switzerland. Next stop, Bern.