Zurich Street Parade

My brother Clarke has been visiting for the past two weeks so I’ve been lax in blog postings and email returns between our myriad of adventures.  Sadly Clarke begins the trek back to NC tomorrow morning and is furiously packing so I can begin the updates on all that has transpired.

Dan, Clarke’s college roommate, encouraged us to meet him in Zurich for the 19^th annual Street Parade.  Zurich’s Street Parade is an amalgamation of techno and house music, about ten stages, underground rising star DJs, 700,000 revelers often in costume,  innumerable “love mobile” floats, and one giant parade all co-existing along the picturesque shore of Lake Zurich.   The street parade is meant to promote love, peace and tolerance and after the physical parade the partying continues at house and techno parties taking place in various pubs, clubs and warehouses around the city. 

Aerial view of parade from organizing website

We weren’t sure what to expect but I began getting a general sense of what awaited us on our way to the train station in Basel when I began seeing group after group of creatively dressed people all heading the same direction as us.  I’d describe the costume levels on par with Halloween in Salem.  Luckily for us Dan brought over a slew of hilarious Uncle Sam costumes from the US.   

Team America

Our rag-tag group of Uncle Sams was unexpectedly popular; we made friends from all walks of life and I got asked to pose in many a picture.

Embracing the stereotype!

As the sun set and the crowds grew wilder, Clarke and I bid farewell to both Dan and Zurich to head to our next adventure - Lichtenstein Independence Day.