Lake Zurich

One of the major attractions of the city of Zurich is the vast lake that lies at the south eastern part of the city and the best time to visit the lake would be when the sun is out and the weather is warmer. In the last one month or so I’ve visited the lake thrice… Once when it was cold and drizzling and next time when though it was not cold, the wind made it so. The third day was sunny and people were seen picnicking near the lake.

A ten minutes walk in the opposite side of the Haupt Bahnhoff [Main Railway station] along the Limmat would lead us to Bellevue [The Lake] or for that matter Tram 11 from Bahnhoffplatz also. The walk would take you through one of the most expensive shopping stores of the city along with lots of criss cross of tram-rails as you come to BellevuePlatz, the final destination. The route offers a lot the common eye; the main post office, the church and the high end shops. A lot of festivals of this place are held near the Lake and during those times, this place becomes THE place to be in.

The water of Lake Zurich is from the river Linth which rises from the glaciers of the Todi Range in Glarns. The river Linth issues from the lake at its northwest end, passing through the town of Zurich, but is called Limmat then. As expected, the water is crystal clear and damn cold. A view that I had seen standing on the edge of the Lake, which I don’t think I had ever seen till now… the sight of the snowy tops of the Alps. The vision was just splendid… I stood there, speechless.

Along the shores of the lake there are a lot of beautiful ducks and swans. A lot of tourists were seen feeding these birds while I used this opportunity to click a few snaps.

The boat ride in the Lake offers excellent view of the cities along the coast of Lake Zurich. The frequency from the BellevuePlatz is every 30 minutes. The boat ride starts from this end of the Lake to the other end which is Rapperswille; a two hour trip on a sunny day, along with a good novel is something I would do someday.

I had taken a shorter trip which took a U turn from Thalwil; it was a one hour trip for me. The gloomy day had wooed away a lot of potential tourists, and I had to share the boat with less than 10% of its capacity. Inspite of the cold wind and the drizzle, I did venture out of the boat to click a few snaps of the view of the city from the Lake.

Just next to the BellevuePlatz, there are a lot of fast food joints and a few benches. Those who would want to see how the evening dwells on the city, this place offers excellent view. The lakeside benches were almost occupied when I reached there. Finding a bench for myself, as I settled with my sandwich, I saw a wide range of people there. Some with books, some with their lovers but what brought a smile on my face was a silent old pair, walking slowly, hand in hand with something more than love in their eyes. The reason for my smile was not only the view, but a memory. Walking slowly, hand in hand with more than love in our eyes… Memories.

Sitting inside the boat, I had observed that as we were moving away from the Bellevue, the landscape was becoming sparse, the houses bigger and loads of green pastures. At one point, I was almost convinced that living here would mean heaven on earth, when a sheath of cold air escaped through the open shaft and I was brought back to reality and I realized that I belong somewhere else. The houses along the shores of the Lake were beautiful and I have heard that they are mighty expensive as well.

Once while on a stroll along the shores of the lake, I saw many many people coming out of their houses and enjoying being out in the sun. They were seen preparing barbecue, playing badminton, disc and some of them lazily while away with a book in hand. The kids were the main attraction…running after each other splashing water everywhere, it was as if there were no worries… well actually for them there aren’t any. If nothing, then a walk along the shoreline is a must; it's beautiful.

That was about my short and sweet trips in the Lake Zurich. The Lakeside benches are an ideal place to relax in the evening on a weekend. My next plan is to circle the Lake on my bi-cycle, and someday I will blog about that too.