Unter dem See neben Zurich

Things you can find under the Zurichsee: bicycles, shopping carts, ski motorcycles, refrigerators, microwawes, vespas, boats, cellphones, office chairs, bar stools, glasses. The water is potable, though, and swimming in the lake is very popular.

In case you lose something, you can always ask the Seepolizei to find it for you. It will cost you, of course (about 150 CHF per hour). But, you will only pay if they find it. Wedding bands and engagement rings are at the top of their requests.

Europride 2009 - There is a little gay in everyone

Imagine a rainbow flag flying facing the world’s most expensive commercial square meter. Imagine it flying next to a Swiss and a Kanton Zurich flag, overseeing the Old Town and Lake Zurich. I didn’t have to image it – I was there and I have seen it with this two eyes earth will swallow one day.

 

Since May 2^nd, the City of Zurich is the official GLBT* capital of Europe, hosting the 2009 EuroPride. The event will offer a whole month of pride activities, that will end on June 6 and 7^th, with  massive street festival and parade. Over 100 000 visitors are expected.

 

The theme for this year edition is Celebrating 40 Years with Pride. It commemorates the GLBT* rights movement that formed in 1969 after police raids on New York’s Stonewall bar. I certainly prefer the advertisement slogan - There's A Little Gay In Everyone: 

Although Zurich has the reputation of being very open and GLBT* friendly, an homophobic ultra right wing lobby tried to stop it. But, at the end even the Police welcomed the visitors.

A spokesman has commented on the ad saying that it is etwas klischiert, aber es ist ja Werbung: a bit of a cliché, but such is advertising. 

*lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people 

Summer was last week.

This photo was taken on Good Friday, halfway down the Uetliberg. It was a such a clear day, we could see all the mountains around Zurich. There were still signs of Winter, but nevertheless it felt like Spring would just be right around the corner. Today, the central heating is on (again), and should we see the mountains, we would see snowed peaks (again). Spring must have been that afternoon and we probably missed Summer because we overslept.