Many people may not know this but in a addition to the titular lake, Zurich also has two rivers that run through the city. I didn’t realize this myself until I first explored the city by foot back in March. The Limmat river originates at Lake Zurich and converges with the Sihl (which comes from another lake south of the city) just north of the city center.

As a result, the city of Zurich is dotted with bridges and overpasses, each offering a unique view featuring forests, mountains, the lake and the city itself. During the recent heatwave locals could be found dining, drinking, swimming or simply dangling their feet from the many docks and riverside establishments found along these rivers. The rivers are pristine looking and the water color changes almost hourly depending on the weather. Here is a sampling of some of the river views I’ve come across in the past week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Needless to say, the natural and architectural beauty of Zurich make it a fantastic walking city. As is becoming our habit, Tyler and I looked at another 5 apartments on Saturday and followed up on Sunday by walking the neighborhoods of the ones we liked. This week we saw two we really liked. One was in a town called Kunstnacht whose famous residents include Jung (formerly) and Tina Turner (currently). Naturally I was interested in living there if only to better facilitate my stalking endeavors. I’m fairly certain that my plan to casually run into and befriend Ms. Turner is bulletproof. I only so far have lacked opportunity, not cunning. We had visited Kunstnacht back in March and were charmed by its quaint village feel. The apartment we viewed was a real surprise! It was actually 1/2 of a duplex and was huge. The owner’s father had been a glass smith and the house had handmade glass work throughout (stained glass dividing walls, different kinds of glass embedded in exterior walls, a creepy clown mosaic in the garage) giving it loads of unique charm. It also had a sauna and a  “Swedish stove” in the downstairs which sounded appealing for cold winter nights. There were some downsides though; Tyler’s commute would be over 45 minutes, the train ran right by the apartment and the gardener may or may not “pop-in” to use our shower periodically. Also, the village itself was quite a hike from the apartment making it not so convenient for shopping. Having been wowed by a couple city apartments with easy access to everything, the trade-offs for charm and whimsy were diminishing.

 

The last apartment of the day was back in Zurich proper in a neighborhood called Zurichberg, a wooded area up the hill towards the zoo and FIFA HQ (the other place we loved is in the same general area). This apartment had what I love most about Zurich; a fluid blend of old and new. It’s in an established neighborhood with grand houses and mature trees. The apartment itself was recently renovated and boasts a super modern kitchen and bath (including washer and dryer!), new windows and, being on the 4th floor, fantastic light and incredible views! Here are some pictures I took of our maybe future home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love the place and it’s moved to #1 on our list though we are still in the running for the other apartment we applied for. We’d be thrilled to get either one. Old converging with new, much like the Limmat meeting the Sihl, was the theme of the day as we revisited these apartments on Sunday. Here are a few shots from our wanderings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, to truly embrace the old/new dynamic of Zurich, I bought myself a new Freitag bag. Freitag is a Zurich company that makes bags and clothing out of recycled materials. The flagship store is housed in stacked shipping containers.

 

Each piece is one of a kind and made by hand. My new tote is made from tarps and tires. It’s funky, functional, fashionable, and fabulous.