Zurich is not what you think

Say the city of Zurich during a word association game and you're likely to be bombarded with mentions of financial institutions, suits, soulless high-rise buildings and tax evasion.

So it is an entirely refreshing surprise to find that the so-assumed financial hub feels more like a village.

As for the intense city I expected, the tallest building numbers 36 floors. And it is considered a skyscraper, as it is the tallest high-rise by a significant measure.

The most significant emblem on the horizon is rather a historic tower. Grossmunster Church is the icon of the skyline, with its two distinctive dome towers. It is interchangeably described as a lemon presser or a salt and pepper shaker by locals.

An oasis of a city, it is as clean and green as the rest of the country. Many locals have dogs, but in this wealthy country you have to pay around 100 dollars each year in tax to own one. Not such a tax haven after all.

There are 1200 water fountains to be found in the city, and guess what, every spout produces drinkable water.

In the historic centre, the only traffic is pedestrian. Green vines dangle from pocked walls, tickling cobblestone streets. Angles from buildings and streets create multi-layered dimensions as you wander. The city is connected by tramways, and vehicle traffic is at a minimum. Along the river, unlike its sisters London and Paris, the parallel roads are not a congested thoroughfare but rather a peaceful passage lined with weeping willows.

Zurich in summer ratchets up a balmy 30 degrees. The Swiss are making the most of their summer, swinging off ropes looped to rail overpasses and leaping into the river. The pools are sectioned off from the river and locals lie on towels around the perimeter of the floating wooden decks.

I cannot resist the temptation to join them and wallow in the pure water, thinking of new word associations that read like a cliche roll call of serenity. This is one city whose reputation is refreshingly incorrect.

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For more information on Zurich visit www.zuerich.com

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