Another one-day holiday: Jon had rehearsal on Sunday, so we had only Saturday for touring. Jon’s request: once around the lake, any lake.
Lake Neuchatel—did it, Bodensee—did it. Lake Geneva—too big. Lake Zurich or Lake Lucerne or Lake Zug—all possible. Further research turned up Rapperswil on Lake Zurich is the “City of Roses”, which bloom into October. Decision: Get there before they’re all gone. And we did.
On the train to Zurich we met a wonderful couple: Pieter and Anna. Both are teachers: he of German, she of music. Great conversation, very open. They told me from their time in America (lived there for 9 months) that Americans generally are helpful: when asking directions or just looking a little lost, people often went out of their way to help. I have always felt “helpful”, it seems natural to me to offer to help people and I enjoy it when I can, but I hadn’t thought of it as an American trait. They consider it a good thing. While in general I agree, I couldn’t help thinking Americans go a little far, sticking ourselves in before we understand what’s going on.
Our bike route quickly left the city and headed into countryside, taking us up high onto a ridge. We had hoped for views of the lake, but fog covered the water, so we looked out on a field of white puffs.
Pause at the top. Benches are common at view points in Switzerland. Here the fog is clearing and we begin to see Lake Zurich.
After conquering miles of uphill, we were nearly flew back down to the lake on steep roads. Then we crossed the land bridge into Rapperswil.
Land Bridge into Rapperswil
As usual Jon and the bike get attention from the ladies.
Best way to access a playground: hillside slide.
One of the rose gardens in Rapperswil is specially planted for the blind, with varieties that are strongly scented. Although it’s getting cold here, many of the roses were still blooming and we went sniffing from rose to rose .
There are 15,000 rose bushes in Rapperswil. Here the garden for the blind, specially fragrant and identified in Braille.
By the time we had seen the castle (exterior only) and the church (also exterior only, as a wedding was in progress) and smelled all the roses, we were 5 hours into our day and worried that we might not make it back to Zurich before dark so we headed out.
Rapperswil Castle
Castle courtyard
Missing a turn at one point brought us onto a two-lane highway instead of the signed route. But there was a bike lane, it was wonderfully flat, and there were few stoplights, so we took it all the way back to Zurich. Such a change from the morning! We zoomed along at 25+ kph. Made it back with time to dawdle in Zurich, which meant apple strudel with vanilla sauce eaten lakeside. Train home, fell asleep on the couch. AAAHHH!
Another view bench, here beside Lake Zurich.
Apple streudel by Lake Zurich