Spending in Switzerland: Quality time and lots of Francs

My cousin Donna has lived in Switzerland for over ten years. I've always wanted to visit her and MB and I were finally able to make this dream a reality. Arriving in Zurich last Tuesday night, we felt like absolutely royalty when Donna and her partner Toni were there to greet us at the airport and drive us to their lovely apartment, where they had recently moved. Not only were Donna and Toni gracious enough to host us, but they expedited their move to accommodate our arrival. Over wine and a traditional Swiss meal of Raclette, we discussed European history, geography and current affairs. MB and I and realized how very little we know about these subjects!

Donna and Toni live in the small city of Winterthur, just northeast of Zurich. We had a day to explore this charming swiss community and then headed to Zurich for a day trip. Switzerland is unique among European countries in that its cities' infrastructure have not been destroyed by wars - especially remarkable given proximity to Germany. This is not to say the Swiss were totally removed from war; Zurich's reputation as a financial powerhouse started during the Second World War as many wealthy Germans hid their financial treasures here.

Although we were explicitly warned about Switzerland's high cost of living, still we were not prepared for the inflated prices of literally everything, from groceries to coffee to transportation. For example, a cup of lukewarm tea at McDonald's set us back 3.80 CHF, or 5.12 CAD.  Here in Canada this would cost less than a twoonie. We also happened to see a regular, no frills umbrella with a price tag of 70 CHF, or approx. 95 CAD! With such prices, our travel cheapness kicked into extra high gear.  MB even rooted around in a Starbucks garbage to find the washroom code on a receipt so we wouldn't have to buy a coffee to use the toilet.  I have never been more happy to be married to her than at that moment :)

The Swiss are known for their watches and they love their town clocks too.  There's no excuse to be late in Zurich!  The clock in the distance is the largest clock face in Europe - even bigger than Big Ben.

MB and I couldn't escape the cold on this European trip - my face is the same colour as MB's hat!

Travelling United in the Kingdom

After leaving Ireland last Monday we flew with luxurious Ryanair to Edinburgh. But when you're only paying the equivalent of $15CAN, you can overlook things like printing your own boarding pass, rude hostesses, bumpy landings and (for Scott) not enough room to sit. Anyway, once we arrived in Edinburgh we found it was smooth as Scotch. Navigating the small city was easy; we loved seeing the city by foot and admiring Edinburgh Castle. We were not, however, prepared for the cold. As Atlantic Canadians we think we're tough and have the reputation for being able to handle cold temperatures. But when the cold is joined by extreme dampness, wind and rain, even us hardy Canucks couldn't wait to return to a warm hearth for a cuppa.

Perched high above the city stands Edinburgh Castle

From Edinburgh we bused to Glasgow and stayed with a lovely chap named Neil who we found through Airbnb. After weeks of wearing the same clothes and seeming eating the same food, we were glad to do some laundry and cook our own food. Funny how the things we once dreaded now we relish! The highlight of Glasgow was its west end and university, where Scott found a painting he loved in the art gallery.

Next we headed to London on the train. Barrelling through the Scottish countryside was everything we'd hope it would be and we spent lots of time thinking of Scott's maternal grandparents, who were both from Scotland, as we ate our snacks and stared at the farmers' fields. We arrived at London Euston station on Saturday night and immediately appreciated being back in a bustling city. It was time to see the sights!

Scott eagerly awaiting the train to London

We checked a lot of things off our list in London: Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and the Parliament Buildings, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. But our more meaningful memories of London are not on the typical sightseers' list. Scott's friend Lauren now lives in London and we're grateful to her for showing us Notting Hill in style. We hopped through the area's cafes and pubs like locals and had so much fun. Lauren also suggested we try Borough Market for lunch the next day. We did and had the most delicious lunch, yummy Ethiopian food. Thank you, Lauren!

At the archway to The Mall leading into Buckingham Palace

The Canadian Embassy in Trafalgar Square - the largest embassy in London

My mom also lived in London: she attended Memorial University's Harlow Campus in the 1970s. A visit to London wouldn't have been complete without taking the 30 minute train ride to Harlow to explore the campus and walk in my mom's footsteps. The campus was smaller than we expected, but we were met with warm hospitality as the receptionist gave us a private tour. Then we enjoyed a beautiful winter walk into the town centre. It was very healing to think of my mom's younger self coming to Europe and imagine how this continent may have changed her like it is changing me.

On the beautiful walk from campus to Harlow town centre