We are in Zurich!

Well, at least he first shift has arrived.  Olen and I arrived on Delta flight 66 about 8:40 this morning.  To say the least, our overnight accommodations on the cramped airplane were less than perfect, so we were not at our best today.  However, we were determined to make the most of the day in Switzerland.

First of all, we had our Swiss Pass validated so we could begin to use it.  This wonderful pass gives us unlimited train travel in the country, plus other benefits of free entrances and discounted tickets to other modes of transportation. We stuffed our large backpacks in a locker, and set out for a day of adventures.  

We had read about a tiny village not too far from the airport that dates back to the 1500's.  We decided to visit that village for one of our adventures of the day, so we hopped on the next train headed in that direction.  When we arrived in the area, we did not think the terrain matched the description we had read.  We were unable to get crisp information from the locals, who all seemed to speak only one language...German.  After walking around the town for a while and not finding what we expected to see, we finally found a young man at the train station who understood us and guided us in the correct direction...which involved taking another train to a different location.  Suffice it to say that Regensdorf and Regensburg are completely different villages...only a few miles apart.

When we finally arrived in the correct village, we were quickly able to find the quaint area of half-timbered houses and the ancient watchtower we had read about.  We climbed to the top of the watchtower for a wonderful view of the countryside, and walked down the street where there was an old fountain and a quaint old church.

We ate a few snacks from our daypacks for lunch while we sat on a bench on the hillside in Regensburg.  We discussed afternoon plans and decided to take the train into the main city of Zurich.  Both of us dozed on the 30-minute ride into the city, which was a statement on how exhausted we were.  Once there, we walked around the downtown area for a while, visiting places we would not have time to see when we bring the rest of the family tomorrow.  Olen's favorite was a brief visit to ETH, the university where Einstein attended as a student.  Later in his life he also taught classes there.  

We considered some other choices in addition to these sites, but finally decided to go to the hotel and retire early.

That was an excellent decision.  By this time exhaustion and sleep-deprivation have turned us into zombies.  So, it is early to bed.  Tomorrow is a very big day for us as we meet our children and their spouses at the Zurich airport early in the morning.  We need to be rested up for that!  So, tonight two very weary travelers say, "Good night".