by Peggy DePersia, guest blogger

Tick-tock. Hmmmm? Zurich?

In a world engulfed by ‘devices’ ready to give you the time of day with the swipe of a pad, it is somewhat wonderful to stroll through the commercial streets of a city so unabashedly about wrist watches and the wonder of hands moving about a face.

Regretfully, I did not capture on camera the many and varied styles and sizes of wrist watches in this lovely city. Suffice to to say, Zurich is a city that seems to be all about time: how it is read, how it is managed and how it is spent.

The city itself sort of runs like a fine, Swiss watch movement and make no mistake, it is about precision. For those with left-brain dominated tendencies, this is very reassuring. And really, for those right-brainers, one must admit that there is a certain beauty in exactitude, especially the kind that can be captured in a beautifully styled timepiece designed with precise functioning in mind. I found myself wanting to forget about my I-phone searches for the correct time.

Remember, in this city, if you are going somewhere or leaving someplace at a certain time, you need to be prompt because whatever is coming or going will be leaving at x’o’clock sharply including the trolley that you might hope will wait just long enough for you to get across the street. When the bell rings, the trolley is on the move and you’d better be out of the way.
I found myself coveting the beautiful wristwatches I seemed to see everywhere and, of course, there is something so timeless about the gesture of raising one’s arm to take a peek at one’s wrist for the time; classic isn’t it?

Once you understand how the city ‘runs’ you can totally immerse yourself in its lovely pace.
By late afternoon, in the unseasonal and beautiful weather we experienced, everyone seemed to be strolling from place to place or already seated at one of the outdoor cafes enjoying a beer or glass of wine in the company of family and/or friends chatting up the day. The pace was luxurious and invited casual wandering to take it all in. All this into the later hours of the evening.

Meals were luxuriously paced as well, who would bother being in a hurry over a beautifully
prepared and presented breakfast, lunch or dinner even in the most casual of eateries. A secret many may have already discovered….the food courts at the better department stores have fantastic food and, would you believe, beautiful, healthy choices.

Cultural opportunities abound in Zurich and the city is kept in tidy ship-shape to accommodate locals and visitors alike. We happened to arrive during the annual film festival so the city seemed to be in full swing with visitors from all over Europe in attendance.

In addition to the historic old city at the heart of Zurich with the river running through it, the ubiquitous ‘downtown market’ was in full flower one day and open for bargain hunters or those interested in antiques and novelties another.

The people of Zurich seem to lead a charmed life with an orderliness that appears to enhance its quality.There is a pristine aspect to Zurich that is calming and invites a relaxed approach but, allow enough time to experience it.

Peggy is a former high school art teacher. Her husband, Jerry, the photographer, is an architect. Both like sharing the fun of travel and its many related experiences. Jerry loves capturing those experiences from behind a lens and Peggy loves capturing them with words though ultimately, it’s about recording a shared vision and sharing time with people, places and things they love.