Some trips are a blur. This one was more like a highlight reel. From late October into early November, Dimple and I flew from Manila to Zurich, wandered through Switzerland, rode the train into Paris, met up with Tin and squeezed in as much of the city as our feet would allow.
This is the one-stop recap of the whole trip, with a link to the full story for every stop. Grab a coffee (or a croissant) and come along.
Getting there: Manila to Zurich
We flew Qatar Airways from NAIA in Manila, connecting in Doha and landing in Zurich, from October 27 into the 28th. A connection in Doha, and then hello, Switzerland.
The long way round had its perks. We checked in at NAIA Terminal 1, waited in the PAGSS lounge with a runway view, and then it was more than ten hours in the air to Doha (the full story: Manila to Zurich via Doha). Our late-night Hamad Airport layover came with a Whopper at Burger King, the giant yellow Lamp Bear and The Orchard, an indoor garden under the glass roof. One more flight, a big-smile selfie under the arrivals sign at Zurich Airport, and we were in.
Zurich: breakfast under the lights, Old Town and a lake cruise
Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived, so we went straight out for our first walk in Zurich: grey skies, a little rain, yellow and orange trees and wet streets covered in leaves, with Dimple walking ahead under the umbrella. When the rain picked up, an Uber took us to the Glatt shopping centre for a latte macchiato at Ristorante Spiga, Brezelkönig pretzels and a Nuii ice cream that Dimple picked out herself, eaten outside next to trees that had turned bright yellow.
Home base was the Radisson Hotel & Suites Zurich in Opfikon, with a green plant wall in the lobby, black-and-white photos of old Zurich and a yellow wingback chair by the big windows in our room. That first evening we walked through the Old Town up to Lindenhof and sat on the old stone wall over the river, then warmed up at Swiss Chuchi: chicken raclette grilled right at the table for me, and Zürcher Geschnetzeltes with rösti for Dimple.
One cold Zurich morning started with breakfast at Luigia, the Italian restaurant inside our Radisson hotel in Opfikon. We expected a plain hotel buffet. We got a dining room lit up like a show, with a neon “The best of Italy” sign on a green wall of plants.
Then we bundled up and took the tram into town for our Zurich Old Town walking tour and short Lake Zurich cruise. We walked along the Limmat river, climbed up to St. Peter’s Church and its giant clock face, and admired the Fraumünster’s green spire against a sky that finally turned blue.
The lake was low, so the cruise was only a short loop, but we made it count with hot punch, a slice of vacherin ice cream cake and the shoreline drifting past the windows.
Rapperswil: the Rose Town and the castle stairs
For a slower day, we took the train from Zurich HB to Rapperswil, the little lakeside town people call the Rose Town. We walked the promenade, wandered the old town square, and stopped at the bottom of the wide stone castle stairs, with 1894 carved into the stonework, for a photo.
Honest confession: the roses were mostly finished by the time we arrived. The castle, the old town and the lake more than made up for it.
The Swiss Alps: three cables and a big red heart
Our Swiss Alps day trip started on the Eiger Express, the tricable gondola from Grindelwald Terminal to Eigergletscher. For about 15 minutes, the Eiger’s north face filled the window. Three cables, for nervous passengers. We counted.
From Eigergletscher, the Jungfrau Railway took us to Kleine Scheidegg. We’re not CLOY fans, but we still joined the line at the big red heart, then had Älplermagronen with applesauce for lunch, with Eiger views and a sea of clouds.
Lucerne: Weinmarkt, the Spreuer Bridge and a very blue souvenir
In Lucerne, we walked from Schwanenplatz into Weinmarkt, the old market square with its tall carved fountain, then along the lake and across the old wooden Spreuer Bridge.
This is also where I bought my blue Victorinox pocket knife, the one with a starry night sky on the handle. I slipped it into my bag and forgot all about it. Keep that in mind for later.
Strasbourg: a foggy bus ride and a cathedral climb
After our days in Switzerland, we took the bus from Zurich to Strasbourg. The highway disappeared into fog, and then Strasbourg greeted us with sunshine, yellow trees, our first canal bridge and selfies at the cathedral.
Then came my highlight: climbing the Strasbourg Cathedral tower. Quotes from Hugo, Goethe and Erasmus on the stairwell walls earned Dimple’s best surprised face, she laughed most of the way up the narrow spiral stairs, and then came the rooftop views.
To leave, we tried to walk the 2 km to the station with our luggage, gave up and took an Uber. Gare de Strasbourg had its big glass shell and a stained-glass hall, and on the TGV INOUI from Strasbourg to Paris, Dimple was halfway to dreamland.
Paris, night one: Tin, the Moulin Rouge and the Kipling
A TGV brought us into Paris Gare de l’Est, and there was Tin, Dimple’s best friend, waiting to pick us up. That same night, October 31, we were at the Moulin Rouge for the 9 PM show, celebrating our anniversary with the friend who brought us together.
Red halls, a table near the stage, feathers, sparkle and the cancan. Since we do events ourselves, we watched with work eyes, and the production was amazing.
Tin had thought ahead and booked us a night at the R. Kipling Hotel, a short walk from the show. Bamboo wallpaper in the room, an orange toile library lounge downstairs, and Dimple and Tin in matching tan boots without even noticing.
Montmartre at sunrise, then Versailles
You’d think we’d sleep in after the Moulin Rouge. We didn’t. Dimple, Tin and I went out early for a sunrise walk through Montmartre: the I Love You wall, quiet cobblestones, and then the sun turning Sacré-Cœur gold. Dimple also did a happy dance on the stairs, and we left Pain Pain with pains au chocolat.
Next came the Palace of Versailles, at full speed with a tour group: golden gates, gardens that just keep going, and the Hall of Mirrors. See it, snap it, keep moving.
Eiffel Tower day: lunch, a glass floor and a knife that came back
Tin stayed behind at Versailles for some time to herself, so the afternoon was just Dimple and me. Lunch came first, at Il Angelo, a trattoria a short walk from the tower: truffle risotto and lasagna, good and fast.
Then the Eiffel Tower. Remember the Lucerne knife? Security does. They kept it at the entrance, and I went up quietly saying goodbye. When we came down, they handed it back. I held it a little tighter after that.
On the first floor’s glass floor, some people tiptoe. Dimple posed. Arms out, big smile, totally unbothered.
After a long day like that, we wanted something sweet. At Amorino, the crêpe machine broke, the lady at the counter kindly refunded us, and we spent it on a chocolate gelato rose with a macaron on top. No complaints.
Paris after dark
Dimple, Tin and I walked Place Vendôme at night with a guide, past the Ritz, Chanel and lit-up jewellery windows. Everything sparkled, nothing was for sale, and nobody’s wallet got hurt.
At Trocadéro, we caught the Eiffel Tower night lights: the golden tower burst into sparkles, the beacon swept the sky, and music nearby played what sounded like “Time to Say Goodbye”. Paris, slightly over the top, and somehow perfect.
Then the coach pulled up to the Arc de Triomphe at night, glowing at the end of the Champs-Élysées with traffic swirling around it. Dimple and I got our proof-we-were-here selfie.
Getting around, the Seine and a very long Louvre walk
We got around Paris by metro, tapping an iPhone with a Navigo pass in Apple Wallet. If you’re a first-timer, our Paris metro guide explains tickets, tapping in and which way your train is heading.
Our hotel for the Paris stay was the H4 Hotel Wyndham Paris Pleyel in Saint-Denis, just north of the city, where breakfast at Le Chopin came with neon signs at every station. Dimple’s pick: yogurt with granola, and a croissant, naturally.
On a grey day, we took a Bateaux-Mouches Seine cruise. On the quay, a dinosaur skeleton stood on a barge with the Eiffel Tower behind it, so obviously we took the selfie. Up on the open deck, Dimple appointed herself our tour guide.
Then came the Louvre, starting with a selfie at the glass pyramid. In the Denon wing we walked the Grande Galerie and saw Leonardo’s Virgin of the Rocks and the Mona Lisa. In the Sully wing we met the Venus de Milo, the Great Sphinx of Tanis and the walls of the medieval fortress. We still ran out of time before closing.
After a day of masterpieces, we were hungry, and somewhere between the croissants and the cheese we had started missing rice. So we walked to Sapporo for ramen, curry rice and gyoza. Rice: found.
Notre-Dame, reborn, on our last day
We saved a special one for the last day: Notre-Dame de Paris, open again after the fire. The last time we’d seen it, we were floating past on the Seine. This time we walked right in, past the great rose window, the new altar, painted chapels and the Crown of Thorns reliquary.
Heading home
Then it was time to fly home: Qatar Airways QR 038 from Paris CDG to Doha, then QR 928 to Manila, landing at NAIA Terminal 3.
Homecoming photos are coming soon. Until then, thanks for traveling with us. Zurich, Lucerne, Paris: merci, danke, and see you again.