Travel and Personal

Zurich’s Day Off

By Dweep Chanana ⋅ April 25, 2006 ⋅  Email this post ⋅ Post a comment

Yesterday was Zurich’s big day. I arrived from Geneva on the morning train, to find not a single grey suit. Now usually I would think I got off at the wrong place, for the city of bankers is one grey carpet on weekdays. Today, however, was a cantonal holiday. All of Zurich was headed not to the bank, but to the streets. To enjoy a day of festivity, sun, food, and chaos. Yes, chaos!

I don’t really know the purpose, but the day is marked by parades by, what used to be medevial guilds. The grand finale, however, is the burning of a dummy stuffed with fireworks. The time it takes for the dummy’s head to blow off determines the length of summer. Yesterday it took 11 minutes. It will be a good summer.

By evening the streets were littered and dirty, packed with locals going nowhere in particular. It was chaos! For the first time I did not feel guilty throwing a plastic plate to the ground (though the same cannot be said of the ticket I dropped inside the tram).

Chaos, but not quite. Those coming from southern countries will know what I mean. Sure the streets were packed, but I could still make it from Paradeplatz to Bellevue in the predicted time - trams were still on time. Yes, the streets were dirty, but even as the parade ended, a massive crew was picking up tables, sweeping the streets, and washing the horseshit. Today morning, not a trace of anything! Chaos, but organized chaos. This is still Switzerland.