Too Expensive to Eat

The clearest day in the past six weeks, described our tour guide on our Zürich and Surrounding excursions. The middle Swiss Alps received new snow just two days ago.


The air was crisp and cool. Straining to breath, my lungs burned in my chest with the sudden temperature change and increased blood flow as I hiked up the hillside. My legs pushed forward though up the steep incline from the gondola drop off point to the top of the outlook point on the left bank of mountain walls that surrounded Zürich Lake. Rounding the last bend, my heart seemed to pound a hundred miles a minute from what I look back on now and hope was only excitement and not from exhaustion before reaching the top. At the last minute the trees opened up like a curtain to an anxious crowd and their stood before us all of Zürich and the Swiss Alps!

Hey…Look, look…Snow! I shouted to my travel friends who followed shortly behind. Snow!

However all that shouted back was gggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuummmmmbbllle (stomach translation: FEED ME) and a friendly reminder that my stomach and pockets were empty.

Water clean enough to drink straight out of the lake, air so clear that the painted white mountain peaks glistened in the sun light, and rolling parks of trees vibrantly changing colors from fresh sage green to golden yellow, and burnt orange so refreshing that it made you never want to leave – yet too expensive to eat.

Zürich, Switzerland is everything and more that you are told about Switzerland. It has the rolling hills, steep alpine mountains, flourishing nature, even the chocolate, army knives and watches line the streets however it is also import to remember what Switzerland is more renowned for – its Swiss bank accounts.


On the average day the American dollar is about equal with the Swiss Franc. Yet also on the average day in America where a Big Mac combo meal at McDonald's can be purchased for about $5, it is scarce to find a hamburger and fries (not including a drink) for under 20 Swiss Franc.

After travel and accommodations, which additionally are not inexpensive in Zürich, a student’s budget does not stretch far. In the two and a half days I spent in Zürich, I had a total of three meals:

Dinner day 1: Donner Kanab…………………………………………12,00 S.Fr
(The cheapest meal I could find on the street for dinner)

Lunch day 2: Bratwurst with bread……………………………………8,50 S. Fr
(The cheapest meal I could find on the street for lunch.)

Dinner day 2: Chicken Sandwich with fries………………………23,40 S. Fr.
(The cheapest sit down meal I could find for dinner.)

As we departed Zürich, after seeing some of the most breath taking sites of all my travels so far, we quickly made our way to the back of the train to the food cabin and filled our pockets with snacks and drinks to settle our grumbling stomachs.