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SWITZERLAND: BEING ON TOP OF EUROPE... WITH A BONUS!

After all the hoo-has and nearly missing the train, we managed to arrive at Zurich HB station in one piece :D. From the station, we made our way to Anne's house located at a quiet and peaceful area in Stüdliweg - our first ever AirBnB experience! I was kinda skeptical about the idea of staying with a complete stranger, but at the same time, I thought it would be interesting to feel and experience the city like a local. Anne sounded like quite a nice person when we corresponded via emails, so I felt more comfortable to go ahead and book her place. Her little 2-room apartment was on the ground floor. My first impression of her was she's pretty! And she even bought us a day pass; train, bus or tram - one ticket covers all of them,  as a welcome gift. Aww, so sweet! 

First word that came to my mind when we reached the city? ASTONISHINGLY BEAUTIFUL! Ok, that's 2 words :P Oh well. The buildings, the streets, the trees, and of course the shimmering Lake Zurich - every corner was easy on the eyes. We strolled around the narrow streets of Zurich for hours, visited the impressive churches from the outside and enjoyed a nice walk along Lake Zurich. 
Strolling along the lakeside promenade was pure enjoyment.
The lake is bordered by the cantons of Zurich, St.Gallen and Schwyz.
The lake's water is purified and fed into Zürich's water system. It is potable.
Second word was CLEAN. No dirt or rubbish sighted on the streets! We don't get to see this sight often back home I'm afraid (for those who are staying in, or have visited KL will know..hahaha!). In Zurich, there is no need to look for a supermarket if you get thirsty, since you can simply quench your thirst at the nearest fountain. Just drink from any of the nearby small fountains without worrying about getting a tummy ache after that (another impossible thing to do back home). 
1 of the approx. 1200 drinking water fountains in Zurich!

The city.
One of the many narrow lanes

The St. Peter church - the oldest parish church in Zurich which has Europe's largest clockface. 

Predigerkirche (German for 'Preacher's Church') - one of the four main churches of the old town of Zürich, besides Fraumünster, Grossmünster and St. Peter. 
The Lindenhof hill is an oasis at the heart of the city. This spot provides a glorious view of the Old Town, Grossmünster Church, City Hall, the Limmat river, the university and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
View from Lindenhof hill.
We then took a walk down Bahnhofstrasse - one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world. Its lower half is filled with the usual high street brands, while most of the luxury shops are situated at the upper end.

 Hermès Zurich at Bahnhofstrasse.
It was so cold that even the chairs needed woolen jackets! Just kidding :P
Interesting glass ornaments ^^
Macarons, anyone?
Läderach Chocolaterie Suisse - presumably the best chocolate in the world!
Chocolate truffles recommended by Anne. A lil pricey but definitely worth every penny.  Don't ever die without eating Läderach Chocolates. Period.
What was clearly evident in Zurich was that for first timer, you can hardly miss your direction with a map. There were clear and explicit sign posts everywhere.

The next morning, we made our to Jungfraujoch - the highlight of any Swiss holiday. Definitely not a cheap excursion, but very unique and worth the money. Why? There's not much better view than the one from the Top of Europe, that's why! All trains to the Jungfraujoch depart from Kleine Scheidegg - the cogwheel train is the only way to get Jungfraujoch. Kleine Scheidegg can be reached via Interlaken and there are two routes to get there; via Interlaken - Zweilütschinen - Lauterbrunnen - Wengen, or via Interlaken - Zweilütschinen - Grindelwald. We chose the latter.

*Tip:  Sit on the right for the best view.*

Some of the stunning views on the way.
Some of the stunning views on the way.
Some of the stunning views on the way.
From Grindelwald, we changed to the train to Kleine Scheidegg. The majority of this journey from Kleine Scheidegg to Junfraujoch was in a tunnel, but still, it was impressive if you just think about it: a tunnel at an altitude of 3,000 m across the rocks of the Eiger. The train made two short stops along the way, at Eigerwand and Eismeer. These stations allow you to get off the train for a few minutes and enjoy the wonderful view through the panoramic windows, so just the trip up there already is an attraction in itself! 

Otw from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch.
Amost reaching...
Ahh... I wouldn't mind having a vacation home here. Hahaha!
Finally, we reached the highest train station in Europe - located 3,454 m above sea level. What an impressive journey by cogwheel train, all the way from the valley floor in Interlaken to the eternal snow of the Bernese Alps :D 

Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe.

We made it! Whee!!
The views simply took our breaths away...
The Aletsch glacier, seen from the Jungfraujoch, is Europe’s largest glacier.
While we were absorbed in the to-die-for views, here comes the bonus!!! 

Drum rolls please....

Ta-dah!! 
An eye candy! Looks familiar?? Mannn, it's Huang Xiaoming, the Chinese actor, singer, model.... And.... the Tissot watch global ambassador! He is pretty huge in Asia. His face is everywhere in watch shops in Malaysia!! He was there shooting an ad for Tissot with his crew. Of course, we wouldn't let such a rare opportunity pass by without taking photos with him. LOL! He was very friendly and nice in real life, unlike some celebrities who love to put on airs, and he was surprised when we told him we were from Malaysia. Guess he didn't think he was famous in Malaysia too, eh? Hehe.

HXM & his crew. What a luck!!
After enjoying the magnificent views, we visited the Ice Palace, where there were many ice sculptures to admire.

In the Ice Palace.
Some of the ice sculptures.
Some of the ice sculptures.
Some of the ice sculptures.
By the way, our train tickets came with a free cheese fondue at the Crystal Restaurant. Admiring the special mountain ambience, enjoying the authentic Swiss fondue while sipping white wine (this wasn't free though :P) - Ahhh....couldn't ask for more. *Grin of satisfaction*

Time flies when you're having fun and it was time to head back down. The views on the way down were incredible too!

Some of the views otw down.
Some of the views otw down.
Some of the views otw down.
Last but not least, rosti with bacon and cheese for dinner. I just had to try this Swiss dish, consisting mainly of potatoes, in the style of a fritter. It's one of the Top 10 Swiss foods.
Rosti with bacon and cheese.
Switzerland, no doubt, was our favorite destination during the entire Europe trip. Only regret was, we didn't get to spend a night on the Alps. But, I'm sure we'll be back again in the future and the next time we are there, we'll surely do that! :D












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