Zurich

From the moment you enter Zurich, it is clear that this city does everything at a higher level!  The airport is impeccably clean and the baggage claim tells you exactly how many minutes until your bags arrive (and, by the way, the belt is so quiet that you can barely hear it moving).  Trains to the city come every few minutes and the vending machines to purchase tickets even accept euros. (Can you imagine?  It would be like the El in Chicago allowing payment with Canadian dollars). 

I was training someone in Zurich and he thought I was crazy for suggesting public transportation.  What he didn’t realize is that it saves our company a bit of money and is actually quicker than taking a taxi.  In case you’re wondering, trains in Switzerland are also impossibly quiet, as are the people who ride them.  It’s a wonderful thing. 

Zurich, itself, is such a beautiful place and the city center is so compact that you can walk almost anywhere.  My last time in Zurich was a couple years ago and it was so much fun because I got to see friends from both of my MBA programs.  We enjoyed some downtown bars and restaurants, hiked through the countryside, and even had a fun low-key night with good food and wine. 

2011 trip to Zurich with two friends from CEIBS

2011 trip with friends from ESADE

Enjoying the countryside (2011)

This trip was a lot quicker and busier with work, but I managed to get one night to see two of my good friends from ESADE.  We met for dinner and I got to see their new baby, who is so cute.  She allowed me to hold her for what felt like an hour and didn’t even cry once the entire night.  If I ever have a baby, I want it to be mute and cute just like this one!    

Is she cute or what??

I usually don’t care about food but the restaurants at my hotel are really something special.  I almost felt guilty eating gourmet meals every night of the week.  Also, I had to get a picture in the private dining room, which is filled with two floors of wine.  When can I move in?

Coolest private dining room ever!

After eating way more than I should for every meal of the trip, I decided to go for a sunset walk on my last night.  As I walked through the cobblestone streets, I was in awe of my surroundings.  Zurich may not be the most exciting city in the world, but it is absolutely one of the most refined. 

View of the Grossmünster from the river

Overlooking the city from Lindenhof Square

I returned to the hotel feeling very fortunate for my job.  Zurich is almost like a Disney version of the perfect European city and I got to experience at no cost.  If I ever have the chance to move back to Europe, I would go to Switzerland without hesitation.  I just need to double my salary because this place is expensive! 

Last night in Zurich 2013

Cologne and Dusseldorf

Here I am in Germany, officially starting the next stage of my life.  I won’t be going back to Chicago after six weeks for another transition period.  The small selection of clothes in my suitcase will be my wardrobe until the next time I go home – whenever that may be.  My routine will change every two weeks, as I adapt to new colleagues, new cultures, and new ways of working.    

The view from my room was of the famous Cologne Cathedral and my view from the office was of a bridge that doubles as a climbing wall.  Normally I don’t even get a window in my workspace, so it was like a gift when I discovered I would have even the smallest taste of the outside world while I work.  It’s the little things that make a difference these days!

Here's the view from my room...

...and the view from my office window

On Saturday, I decided to get lost in the city and just go wherever the streets took me.  There isn’t much to do in Cologne and I had been there before, so it’s nice to enjoy a day without feeling obligated to see all the major sites.  I scored a really cool souvenir at used book market that convenes by the riverfront on the weekends. No, it wasn’t a book in German.  It was a map of Chicago...in German...from 1902.  I figured it would make a good gift for my boss or even for me, when I actually settle down again.  While shopping, I also ran across an impromptu parade with various cheerleading troupes.  Who doesn’t love random parades on a Saturday afternoon?           

Here's the first group doing a little routine

Not your typical cheerleaders but still hilariously entertaining!

Sunday was another marathon – this time in Dusseldorf.  I know, it has been less than 2 weeks since the Boston Marathon.  I know, I’m not even IN Dusseldorf.  However, my original schedule had me in Dusseldorf and I can’t pass up a race that’s so convenient.  I arrived WAY too early and the weather felt extremely cold.  So, I actually sat around in a subway station for almost an hour like a homeless person.  Eventually, I decided that the subway thing was stupid so I relocated to a bakery that smelled of warm deliciousness, bought myself a pastry, and sat in there for a while!

Finally, it was time to start walking to the race start.  I was reluctant to leave my jacket at the gear check, but I knew I would regret it if I had to run 42 kilometers with a North Face shell (and I certainly wasn’t going to throw away my only good jacket somewhere along the course)!

I always think running is such a unique way to see a new city and the Dusseldorf Marathon was no exception.  The homes were beautiful and the city was amazingly clean and orderly.  It is Germany, after all.  I was struck by the high security presence, which I attributed to the horrible events in Boston that were still fresh in everyone’s minds. 

By around mile 20, I was ready to be finished running. The last six miles seem to be my breaking point in most marathons but I was particularly worn out this time.  I started walking and could barely motivate myself to jog once again.  Of course, this happened to be where the majority of the photographers were stationed, so I got lots of hilarious candid pictures that looked like I was just out for a leisurely stroll on the streets of Dusseldorf! 

I act like I'm not in the middle of a race!

Even though my body was staging a revolt, I’ll admit that the finish line was very cool.  People were lined up along a higher street, looking down onto the runners as they approached the final turn.  My time was surprisingly respectable for having walked most of the last few miles.  I retrieved my bags, grabbed a few berliners (aka jelly donuts), and walked slowly back to the finish line to cheer on the other finishers. 

Overlooking the finish line from the street above

Corporate partners had their own tents with food.  I was jealous!

After enjoying the race atmosphere for a while, I decided it was time to venture back to Cologne.  During the train ride, I felt really satisfied with my choice to run.  The experience proved to me that people would still come out to cheer for runners, despite the recent bombings in Boston.  Even though security was higher, nothing else about the race felt all that much different to me. 

I returned to Cologne, took a long shower, and walked (very slowly) back to the Cathedral for an evensong.  Even though I couldn’t understand a single word of the service, it was amazing just to be part of the experience.  I thought back to the time my family visited me in London and I went to an evensong at Westminster with my Mom.  If I had unlimited funds, I would fly her out to Germany just to experience this with me because I know she would love it too.  

I started here but ended up in the choir loft...amazing acoustics!

The architectural detail is amazing

Helsinki, Finland

For some reason, I keep convincing myself that I’m too good for jetlag.  I’m also in a competition with nobody to visit as many countries as possible.  These two factors inspired my decision to book my flight via Helsinki and to spend my 10-hour layover exploring a new city. 

I arrived in Finland without any sleep on the flight (what else is new…) and my first stop was to the FinnAir executive lounge for a quick breakfast and some city research.  

I can't plan a day of sightseeing without first consulting Wikipedia

Once my planning was complete, I went through passport control and was shocked to see the border control agent writing down the dates of all my previous stamps to ensure that I never spend more than 90 days in the Eurozone region.  He also started questioning me about why I had traveled to so many random countries.  Even though I knew I was perfectly fine, I actually started getting a little nervous.  After discussing my past travels for about 5 minutes, he reluctantly let me through.

As I traveled into the city center, I started wondering why I was the subject of so much questioning at passport control.  Of all potential cities to “sneak” into Europe, would Helsinki really be a popular target?  Sure, the people are beautiful and the welfare state is generous, but I prefer a climate that is actually habitable for more than 3 months a year!

Once I arrived in the city center, orienting myself took longer than normal because I couldn’t find the street signs!  Eventually, I noticed these tiny white panels affixed to the side of buildings, which weren’t much bigger than a business card…Could you imagine trying to drive around and read a sign for Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu (yes, that’s actually a street name), which is set 2 meters back from the road?? 

That white thing next to the window is a street sign

Not surprising for Europe, the majority of sites to see happened to be churches, so I started with the most unusual-sounding one, Temple Church, which was carved into a rock formation.  Prior to entering, I witnessed a surprising conversation between a beggar and a security guard.  He approached her and stated that begging is not allowed so she would have to leave.  For me, Europe is synonymous with beggars, but the high Nordic taxes must have some benefit.

Here's the outside of Temple Church...the beggar is sitting right next to the rubbish can

When I entered, I was surprised to hear a children’s choir singing a hymn in English.  Obviously, it was for me :) …But really, I was shocked at how adept these people are at languages.  Score one for Finland. 

Here's the inside of the church.  Obviously not very well attended :-(

From Temple Church, I ventured to the Greek Orthodox church, which may be the most recognizable landmark in Helsinki (if there is such a thing as a ‘recognizable landmark’ in Helsinki).  Perched up on a hill, it is really a site to behold.  Since it was a Sunday, I was fortunate to experience yet another service.  This one was completely different than the last one – more social and free-flowing.  The building interior was small, but lofty.  No photos were allowed, so I will just remember the experience. 

This is what the outside of the Orthodox church looks like

Here's a view of the church from a nearby pier

On the way back to the city center, I stopped at the Helsinki Cathedral because it seemed like an important building.  Or, perhaps, people just like to get extra exercise on the way to their weekly services:

If I wasn't so tired, I would have sprinted up these stairs

The inside was very understated and it reminded me a little of the old protestant churches in New England.  One big difference is that each row of seats has its own door.  I wonder if they keep the hinges squeaky to prevent people from leaving early?

Do they lock people inside if they are bad? 

As I continued walking through the city, I also stumbled upon this unusual piece of architecture downtown: 

Mini Ikea store? 

It turned out to be another chapel (Fins must be very religious!).  Here's what the inside looks like: 

I'll just call this the Ikea chapel since I don't know the real name

By the time 4pm hit, I felt like I could easily fall asleep on a park bench somewhere.  I would imagine that this action in Finland may send me straight to prison, so instead, I decided to head back to the airport a little early so I could relax in the lounge until it was time for my flight. 

Although my visit to Helsinki was short, I saw more churches than I normally do in an entire month.  If I go back again, I’d probably use the city as an embarkation point for boat trips to Tallinn or St Petersburg.  Still, I'm glad I went and the best part of the stopover is that I can finally cross another country off my list!