It was my first time in Switzerland, not counting those two hours in between planes when I went to Athens, and it was great! Of course the reason that moved me to Switzerland was responsible for 80% of the experience, visiting a friend (João Moreno)!

To describe the trip in detail, I should start from Lisbon, it stills part of the trip itself While at the airport, just before passing through the security and the X-Ray detector, I heard a familiar foreign language…, not German as you might expect, but GREEK! The are everywhere, it’s amazing! Was great to understand some words, I really should study more Greek before I forget the very few I still remember…

Then the flight itself, nothing new…, the same old stuff and the same gourmet menus (not because they are good, but because of its lack of quantity). After arriving…, COLD! I was breathing Central Europe and I like it! I went to the main station (Zürich Hauptbahnhof) and then I started my usually touristic route…, getting lost One of the main avenues, the Bahnhofstraße, is like the paradise for girls and hell for their boyfriends…, according to wikipedia, is one of the world’s most expensive and exclusive shopping avenues! And yes, I recon that! Amazing for a walk when you don’t have money neither to buy a chocolate…, NOT! You can smell the luxuriously of that avenue, I got inside into one of those shops and immediately the shop employee looked at me with that arrogance like he was “X-Raying” me and detecting that I was there just to watch…, god, I felt like being accused of homicide! It’s forbidden!!! That’s not my place, get out! Well.., he didn’t say anything and I didn’t got out Just enjoyed the pleasure of being inside a store where I couldn’t buy anything…

Well, almost 6pm, time to meet João! I went to the nearest Startbucks, ordered a coffee and relaxed a little bit until his arrival! It is great to visit a friend whenever he is

Next day…, I was on vacations, therefore I just let myself asleep. The city center is not that big, and I had plenty of time to visit the most touristic places and also time to get lost! That morning I tried to find out the path to João’s office, I went inside a music megastore and I spent a lot of time inside (duh), then I went for lunch with João and his co-workers! Amazing experience that I won’t describe here

After lunch I went to the Zürichsee, great walk though the riverside until the Chinese Garden (that was closed ), then started to rain and I returned to the city center. It’s funny that I wrote on my notebook “Nothing of rain, so far” and a few minutes later started to rain… The whole riverside was painted in Autumn, all brown on the green grass, not my favorite season but certainly the golden one

Returning to the city center, and close to 4pm, I went (again) to Startbucks…, one our later I decided to walkaround a little bit more until meeting with João. Our dinner was Bratwurst mit senf! According to João, the best in Switzerland, and it was really really good! Not because of the sausage itself, but because of the mustard! It was so good and so spicy, it was hard to eat it without crying! I cried, but I ate that and I could repeat it again and again! Was really the best Bratwurst I have ever ate! After that, we went home, I played on his flatmate’s piano. A chill out evening for a change, since I was on vacations nothing better than relaxing after a huge day walking around

Third day, once again…, I slept almost until lunch…, don’t blame me The two previous days I just walked around, therefore I went directly to the Swiss National Museum, some cultural activity for a change While inside the museum, I received an SMS from an American guy, a couchsurfer in town, well…, why not enjoying the city with another traveler? Before meeting with him I went searching for a cheap restaurant and, once again, I ended up eating sausage! While was eating, outside the café/bar, I saw a lot of music groups all dressed up with carnival costumes…, that was odd and interesting at the same time. Despite the lack of sound quality (some of them totally out of tune…), it was great to see street performances even better when I thought I would get bored. After 2 days walking around, I didn’t know what else I could see in Zürich.

When I met Dug, the american couchsurfer, we went to those streets where the band guys were performing and of course we had to ask what was happening over there…, apparently is something related with the Carnival, they have that day in November and then they come back in February…, I didn’t understand properly but I am glad they did it because that improved a lot my day!

If my day wasn’t strange enough, we went to the highway entrance, Dug is a hitch hiker and he is heading Thailand…, what an adventure! He had to find out the best place to get a ride, then we returned to the city center to walk around a little bit more and waiting to see the Christmas lights that didn’t turn on that week What a shame

Fourth day, and even more relaxed day! Quite rainy though, but we had some fun João took the day off (thanks Johnny ) and we walked a little bit through the city, we went to ETH to see it from inside (guided tour with João ) and rain, rain, rain…

After that, we decided to go home, cod fish for dinner to prepare (I bought it in Portugal ) and while we waited we saw a movie at home. As I said, quite relaxed vacations I was needing something like that At night, cod fish dinner with spinach and potato (João, I beg you for that recipe!!!) Finally I met with Rita, the other Portuguese girl in Zürich We ended that night playing games at João’s place, some of them quite silly

At least but not last, the fifth day in Zürich! We started with a brunch, a full brunch! And after it, we played Mahjong with those bambu tiles Not the computer game version, but the real Mahjong game with simplified rules It is almost like poker, but with a lot of tiles and quite complex (I think I’ll buy a Mahjong set!). After that, we went out again to ETH, but with good weather! From there we could see the whole city with a great view! There we met with a friend of João, Benny, and we went to ICE SKATING!!! I felt like if I was a kid again! It was LEGEN – wait for it, wait for it – DARY! We also drunk Glühwein Which is great, because after that we skated a little bit more Well, maybe the best night ever And more still to come

That night was also the Fondue night, my first fondue meal ever! I just love cheese, so I was expecting something delicious, and it was! At first the taste was quite strange for me, maybe because of the alcohol, but after a few pieces of bread with cheese I just ate like an animal Looking forward to do it again, maybe next time I’ll be the host Once again, after the meal was more games! Always learning new games, which is great! I hope I still remember how to play it…

And finally, now for last, my last hours in Zürich and my returning to Portugal… And yes, I am depressing now…, nothing much to write about it, the only thing worth to tell is that, after several days in Switzerland, I was forced to speak in German! At the train station that guy only speaks French and German! Asking for an one-way train ticket to the airport in German is easy, but well…, I am lazy It was fun, though.

Now, back to Portugal…, looking forward for my next trip and hopefully new city and country

Claro que dou detalhes, dou sempre E então esta, que foi a primeira viagem que fiz para o meu roteiro sobre os Castelos de Portugal pela CP (vou ter de arranjar um nome para isto e organizar numa página à parte), mais vontade tenho de detalhar!

Bem, a viagem não foi planeada por mim mas sim por um Couchsurfer, isto é, foi um evento Couchsurfing que para não variar muito eu fiz os possíveis para não perder…, and guess what? I didn’t Fomos de interregional a partir de Entrecampos Poente, a viagem demorou uma horita e meia e deu para algumas conversas mesmo ao jeito daquilo que eu gosto, a porcaria das infra-estruturas dos transportes públicos em Portugal! A linha do Oeste que tem um potencial brutalissimo para trazer comboios atestados de pessoas para Lisboa retirando imenso trânsito resume-se numa linha lenta, ainda não electrificada (provavelmente nem sequer estão a equacionar isso) e curiosamente a viagem Caldas da Rainha – Lisboa até sai mais cara de comboio do que de autocarro…, isto tem alguma vez sentido?

A viagem não podia ser planeada por uma pessoa mais conhecedora da zona, ele conhece de tal forma a Linha do Oeste que chegou ao ponto de fazer contagem decrescente para entrarmos em tuneis…, e acreditem ou não, era preciso! Fomos direito às Caldas por onde almoçámos e ficámos a saber que a quantidade de autocarros Caldas – Foz do Arelho é bem reduzida…, lá se foi parte do nosso plano…, ficámos umas duas horitas pelas Caldas onde os estrangeiros (Erasmus em Lisboa) que estavam connosco se divertiram a tirar fotos ao artesanato local… Demos também uma volta pelo jardim do hospital velho das Caldas, que eu recomendo! Se forem lá, percam uma horita pelo menos por lá, vale a pena

Durante o almoço passei por um episódio bastante caricado, ao qual até vou dedicar uma zona neste post e que eu vou designar por:

Alzira vs Alzira

Algo que por vezes se torna chato, é quando começamos a ter várias “Anas” no telemóvel, vários “Joões” e afins…, e tentamos colocar vários apelidos neles, para os tentarmos identificar…, mas e quando pensamos que colocámos uma “Alzira” na lista de contactos e afinal ainda não passou do papel? E quando já existe lá uma Alzira que não falamos há uns valentes anos mas por algum motivo continuou sempre na lista de contactos? Pode dar origem a situações chatas, não pode? Principalmente quando essa Alzira nos removeu dos contactos dela e não faz ideia de quem somos…

Ora bem, ontem à noite enviei uma sms à Alzira a convidá-la para um café, quando pensava estar a enviar uma SMS a outra Alzira…, hoje a Alzira “enganada” envia-me sms a perguntar se eu tinha enviado a sms para a pessoa certa ao que digo algo como “Não és a Alzira? Se sim, vai ver aos teus contactos de facebook que estou lá, até fui ao teu aniversário em Cascais…”, não fosse a parte do “Cascais”, a coisa até escapava, mas foi aqui que ela deu por isso que se tratava de algum mal entendido e foi também aqui que eu fiquei baralhadissimo…, como raio tenho o contacto de uma Alzira com esse nome nos meus contactos, ela confirma que se chama mesmo Alzira mas não é a pessoa que eu penso que seja? Peço-lhe desculpas pelo engano…, e no momento que carrego em “enviar” vem-me à cabeça quem ela é! Deu para rir bastante, mas podia ser algo para dar para o torto…, vá lá…, não foi

Agora continuando a história da viagem…, das Caldas fomos de Bus para Óbidos, tivemos de “saltar” do bus ainda antes de chegar à vila pois andar a pé acabou por ser mais rápido que o bus que estava totalmente encalhado no trânsito para visitar a vila… Entrámos na vila, várias fotos (que ainda vou meter online), e umas ginjinhas em copo de chocolate Isto vou definitivamente colocar umas fotos online para comprovar E meter nojo, claro

Depois a parte que começa a revelar-se chata…, uma fila interminável só para comprar bilhetes…, 7 euritos só para entrar…, depois mais uma fila para entrar…, e lá dentro filas para TUDO!!! Fiquei bem decepcionado, perder meia hora pelo menos em cada fila para ver esculturas de chocolate quando podia estar a comê-los depois de ter bebido ginjinha neles…, não era para mim. Claro que “caguei” nas filas e fui logo para a ginjinha Passámos parte da tarde dentro das muralhas, a perdermos constantemente as mesmas pessoas…, acho que o Wally iria sentir-se pressionado com a capacidade daqueles 2…, e por fim, volta para a estação de comboios! A volta foi em regional…, e quase sempre a dormir!

Um detalhe quanto a esta viagem que eu desconhecia, a possibilidade de comprar bilhetes de grupo na CP para 10 ou mais pessoas com um desconto bem porreiro! Organizar viagens de grupo passa a ser bem mais interessante e aqui o comboio passa de facto a ser uma alternativa bem viável! O bilhete de Lisboa – Caldas – Lisboa, em grupo, custou-nos cerca de 11 euros a cada um!