24.5.95 (Wed)

I am now in my hotel room in Zurich. It is 6:40 in the morning. I have planned to take the 7:07 train to Luzern but it is impossible now. The reception downstairs is still closed so I cannot check out. This seems ridiculous. I now must take the 8:07 train instead.

I arrived here at about 10:30 am yesterday and spent about an hour locating the Tourist Office, exchanging money, getting information and making hotel reservation. I could not settle down in this hotel until around noon. The service of the Tourist Office was good, though I had to pay for it.

This hotel is not really close to the city centre but is convenient enough with the tram. It is located near the University of Zurich. I have a cosy room fitted with matching green wooden furniture. There are pictures on the wall, TV, radio, and most of all, a terrace on which I can take a good breath.

I started a walk in Zurich city centre at about 1 pm and finished it in no more than three hours. Then I thought of visiting Liechtenstein but found that it would take quite some time to get there, i.e. 1.5 hours by train plus some 1 hour by bus. As it appeared to be too late to start this trip, I turned to the Zurich Zoo. I had a nice time there. I saw many animals which I had not actually seen before, rhinos, zebras, ostrich, emus, asian tigers, india lions, goats, deers, etc. The list is long. I know it sounds stupid to visit a zoo during an overseas trip. I mean people would think that I was not spending my time properly, i.e. to see the historical monuments, churches or go shopping etc. But then I always like zoos. The one in Hong Kong is one of my favourite place. Plus I am having a vacation. I should have some leisure time. It is too tiring to keep visiting tourist attractions.

Now that I must take a later train, I might as well go downstairs to have breakfast.

* * *

I am now having breakfast. Zurich is in a way more friendly than Paris because people here are willing to communicate in English, even those who don't speak it well. It was different in Paris. There, even those who could understand me refuse to speak in English. They insisted on speaking in French. So they understood me, but not I them. They would repeat and repeat their words, in French of course, and I would seem so stupid not to understand a word they said.

* * *

I am now on a boat in the lake of Luzern. I have joined a sort of packaged tour for just 38 SF, which includes the boat trip, the cogwheel train up to Mt Pilatus and the cable car down the mountain. I will have to pay an extra 2 SF for the bus back to Luzern. I think this is a good deal, which is only for Eurail Pass holders. Otherwise it will cost more.

The boat trip will last for 1.5 hours, which I think is a bit too long. But the view is unbeatable, like that in pictures/postcards sold in souvenir shops. And the weather is fine. Warm (it is now very warm in late May) with breezes. I only hope that I will not be sunburnt.I will have a walk around the city when I return to Luzern. It is also certainly a beautiful place. The Chapel Bridge is magnificent. It is a shame that it was mostly burnt down in August 1993.

I called the British Airways this morning to reconfirm my flight booking. The phone kept ringing because the lines were busy and about 4 SF were gone to putting me through the lines. It was too expensive, I think.