Page 23 - ZSG Bordmagazin 2020 - Zürichsee Schifffahrt

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Experiencing Zurich is an everyday affair for its inhabitants. But joining a tour group from the US can catapult even seasoned citizens into a new way of seeing their home town. It’s well worth it!
The city can’t quite decide what to wear this morning. The grey dress? Or perhaps the blue one after all? A slight drizzle persists as the passengers make for the
MS Uetliberg. But the members of the North American tour group don’t care. They’re excited, snapping away with their mobiles and cameras. “Marvellous” and “surprising” are the words most commonly heard as the boat casts off for a one- and-a-half hour round trip.
All those beautiful houses ... So what’s so surprising? For Sheryl and Sidney Harley from Atlanta, Georgia it’s the fact that many of the surrounding districts draw their drinking water from the lake. “We’ve even heard that you can quench your thirst at any of Zurich’s 236 fountains – incredible,” dentist Sheryl enthuses. And her husband, an estate agent, keeps muttering: “Jesus – all those beautiful houses along the lake. They’d be a dream to sell.” Don and Marilyn Sluyk from Tempe, Arizona are still thinking of Zurich’s historic centre. “What we saw there, we only really know from films – actual medieval buildings. Beautiful – simply beautiful.” The omnipresent evidence of history clearly fascinates the US visitors, as tour guide Daniela Beyeler from Zurich Tourism notes: “Everything that’s over 150 years old is unique to the Americans.” Marilyn confirms this: “The history of Arizona as a US state is around 100 years old. Before that we didn’t exist.” This isn’t quite the case of course, Arizona was simply a part of Mexico. But that seems to have got lost in the excitement over the comparatively ancient city of Zurich.
On his father’s trail. It’s his own family history that has brought Earl Gurtner from Liesburg in North Carolina over here. “My dad emigrated from Switzerland
to the US in 1902. So I fancied tracing my roots and having a look around. Two days isn’t enough for that of course, especially as my dad came from Geneva.” But Earl seems more than content with Zurich: “The beauty of the city, the fact that
you can travel everywhere by tram and bus and the friendliness of the people – it’s staggering.” As the MS Uetliberg sets a return course for home via Thalwil, Daniela Beyeler tells them where Tina Turner lives. The staccato clicking from the cameras reaches fever pitch. The same happens at the mention of Kilchberg, where the Lindt chocolate blend is created. “Our guests from the US go crazy for Swiss chocolate,” the tour guide later explains. But there’s something that fascinates the MS Uetliberg’s international passengers even more than Swiss chocolate – they simply can’t believe how clean everything is. “Nowhere, and I mean absolutely nowhere did I see rubbish on the street,” says estate agent Sidney, still shaking his head in disbelief.
The blue dress. Soon the boat docks at the Bürkliplatz, friendly farewells are exchanged and the guests head into the city. But then an elderly lady reappears – there’s something she’d like to say: “I come from a village called White Bear Lake in Minnesota. And you know, Minnesota is the land of the 1000 lakes. But none
of our lakes and lake shores is as wonderful as this one here. Lake Zurich is the most beautiful lake in the world.” After that much praise, the city has even decided which dress it will wear – blue with rays of sunshine. fb
ZÜRICH MIT ANDEREN AUGEN
Die Sauberkeit, die schönen Häuser am Seeufer oder die vielen Brunnen in der Stadt, aus denen man einfach Wasser trinken kann: Für eine US- amerikanische Reisegruppe ist das alles neu und fast nicht zu fassen. Und selbst der öffentliche Verkehr erregt Aufsehen. In der Altstadt kommen sich viele der Besucher wie in Filmkulissen vor. Auch für Einheimische lohnt es sich, Zürich für einmal durch die Augen von Touristen zu betrachten.
zsg.ch/seerundfahrten vikingcruises.com
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Bilder: Tom Egli