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Below the open window, couples stroll arm in arm through the narrow cobblestone streets of the old town. It’s a national holiday and life on the streets of Zurich, synonymous with international banking, moves at a decidedly slower pace. Locals have relegated the suit and tie to the closet and instead window shop and sip espresso at one of the outdoor cafes in the heart of the picturesque Augustiner Quarter. A rowdy game of Petanque is being played out in Lindenhof square, an old Roman customs post; participants with mandatory glasses of Pastis in hand. Meanwhile, opponents engrossed in a giant game of chess have attracted curious onlookers. Looking across the rooftops, the spires of the Augustiner and St Peters churches are visible and beyond, the masts of slick yachts can be seen racing across Lake Zurich. The bold red and white of the Swiss flag and the crisp blue and white of the Canton of Zurich flag, flap in the breeze, while soothing sounds emanate from the Bang & Olufsen CD player in my room at the Hotel Widder.
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