Hi there - just back from Zurich where I gave a talk. The city always wins these best "quality of life" awards and I can see why - seamless and seriously mass (ie everywhere) public transport, lovely buildings, great setting by the lakes and mountains, and a very lively ambiance (despite the reputation Zurich has as being staid). The attention to detail - a cliche of course - is true, at least when it comes to the landscape and infrastructure and design of buildings.
Speaking of transit, the French TGV line was extended in the last year from Gare de l'Est, (which is pictured just above) to Zurich and it screams across the landscape at up to 300 km/h...quite the shudder when two trains pass by each other going the opposite ways. I overheard someone saying trains end up getting about the equivalent of 445 miles to the gallon when they are full if you broke it down to a person by person figure...and they are so lovely to travel in, the stations are great public spaces (see the pics above), and on and on it goes. But they do need to be subsidized like roads are...a little too far sighted of an approach for some, perhaps.
Anyways enough complaining...Happy holidays!
