On learning that some Swiss commuters swim into work, IT professional Mischa Gurov recalls thinking it was “wonderfully Swiss – and slightly mad”.
Now, the Russian native is one of them.
After moving to Zürich in 2019, he decided to trade crowded trams and trains for a cool swim down the city’s old moat.
When the weather is on his side, he takes public transport into the city centre, changes into swimwear and, with his belongings in a waterproof bag, he jumps into the Schanzengraben (‘fortification moat’) for the last 1.35 kilometres of his journey.
“It’s the best way to start a working day,” Mischa tells Euronews Earth. “Sometimes I see the sunrise at the lake before my swim or I observe swans taking their morning bath. Other times, several fish swim with me for many metres – it is truly a special feeling of harmony.”
