Dorahy The Explorer-he & The Swiss Affair: An evening in Zurich, a day in Geneva, and a weekend in Prague

I know I just updated, but that was my adventures two weeks ago, and a week is a long time for an exchange student. How on earth am I going to cope when I finally come back to Australia I will never know. I think I'm just going to cry. Ji Nin and I had decided we wanted to go to the opera and spend all day being fancy in Zurich. Unfortunately, Ji Nin was ill, and told me she would meet me in the evening at the opera. This meant however that I ended up spending all day in Zurich dressed like this by myself:

And yes, I did look extremely dashing and suave walking around the Swiss National Museum like this. Zurich is quite a beautiful city, situated on a beautiful lake, and as the day was quite clear, it was perfect 'velvet jacket and black tie' weather. It also made for some amazing photos.

So we asked an American couple to take our photo. In front of the Zurich Opera House. Dressed like this. They were perplexed when we told them we too were going to the opera.

I love this photo.

Ji Nin and I decided to go a fancy pants restaurant as we were dressed in fancy pants.

"Ji Nin! We must take photos of us in front of the opera house spinning around a lamp post!"

The Swiss National Museum

Zurich Lake

The Opera House

The beautiful people in the beautiful opera house

Photos from the walk home

We don't know what this is, but Ji Nin and I want one

I'm glad someone in Zurich hates swans as much as I do

Views from the Swiss National Museum

Various views of Zurich

Dinner

"You either look angry or you make that face"

Mushroom on a pastry-like base

Deer Ragu with Berries

Gingerbread ice cream on orange carpaccio

We will forever more love this lamp post

So after getting home at 11 pm, Ji Nin and I decided we would travel to Geneva the next day, departing at 7 in the morning. Suffice to say, a ticket inspector found me sprawled on a table passed out on that four hour train journey.

Well, it is.

I think 'Geneve' is French for 'urge to take a billion photos of flags'

Swiss Brunch!

Jet d'Eau!

Ji Nin and I were waiting for a scene reminiscent of 'The Birds' to occur

Don't look them in the eye

So you're probably thinking "Gee, Luke must have got wet when he went near the Jet d'Eau!" Well, you're wrong. Luke got wet when the van drove through the puddle.

Old Town

The oldest house in Geneva

The Clintons had fondue here!

And the guy to the right of this photo will go into infamy as the first foreign conversation Luke has ever had where someone tried to sell him drugs

We think this bike ended up in the river

Ice cream!

Ji Nin is highly impressed with this photo as a truckload of Asian tourists do not appear in it. You have no idea how amazing this shot really is.

Best Swiss company ever.

The following weekend, Eloise had managed to score us a ride with a Bulgarian in his Audi to Prague for the weekend. I want to write that sentence again. The following weekend, Eloise had managed to score us a ride with a Bulgarian in his Audi to Prague for the weekend. Nope, still want to write it again. Anyway, Prague at this point has to be one of the best places I've visited while abroad; it's much like a poor man's Paris, with historic architecture and a beautiful river. It also has funny tasting water and a fantastic exchange rate ~~seriously, $25 for a rabbit fur hat? Yes. Yes please.~~ The worst thing about Prague had nothing to do with Prague, but a Texan staying in our hostel room whose grandfather came from Prague. I imagine his family was run out of Prague due to his lack of personality and charm. Oh, and the time I nearly sprained my ankle while shopping in a mall. A small child laughed at me. Jerk.

Urgh. Swan boats.

Prague castle in the distance

Charles Bridge. Apparently there's a statue here you need to touch so all your dreams come true. Eloise and I didn't. Sucks to be us.

So Eloise and I had 45 min to wait until the clock figurine display that occurs on the hour occurs. We decided to go into a fine Bohemian Crystal store nearby to waste time. We spent an hour buying crystal...