Just in case you don’t get a White Christmas of your own, have one from Switzerland.

A very Merry Christmas, or whatever festival you choose to celebrate (or not) to all of TST’s readers.

Photo Flickr ashley stewart noble

Post from: The Switzerland Traveler

I hope that carnivores amongst the readership won’t object too much, but I feel a few vegetable-related posts coming on. It’s just that time of year.

The time of year when the Swiss love to have festivals celebrating a particular vegetable – be it pumpkin, turnip or carrot.

So a warm welcome to today’s vegetable; the onion.  Starring at an onion market in Bern next Monday, 24th November. If you want to sound local, it’s called the Zibelemärit.

Most onions are of the genus Allium cepa (which I guess explains the Italian word: cipolla) but I wouldn’t betting you’ll find a good few variants on the stalls next Monday.

Some are intended to be eaten, others to be gazed at in wonderment. Currently I’m struggling to visualize 50 tons of onions. It sounds like a lot…

Certainly onions feature in so many recipes throughout the world it must be impossible to count them. Other than salt or pepper, is there a more common ingredient?

As usual in Switzerland there will be some form of fairground, and a craft fair, but the hardiest of visitors, arriving at 5am for the kick-off will be more impressed by the braided plaits of onions (and interloping garlic).

Cheese, and cheese flans, onion tarts and other delicacies await the hungry, with Glühwein to warm the cockles of your heart should you so desire.

Photo: Flickr clare and ben

Post from: The Switzerland Traveler

I’m not one to blow my own trumpet; probably because I don’t have a trumpet.

But I do think it’s fair to tell you that Zurich has just been listed as the city with the highest quality of living.

Not just in Switzerland, or even Europe. The best in the world. And for the seventh year running…

 The Mercer group ranks 215 cities worldwide (Baghdad comes last so they have clearly got something right) against New York as a basis.

London (38) Paris (32) New York (49)  and Tokyo (35) are all rated fairly similarly, while the holders of the Euro 2008 (Austria and Switzerland) take all top three places.

Cities are ranked according to the quality of the following categories:

To be honest, it’s probably a better city to live in than it is to visit, as we don’t have amazing tourist attractions in the city itself, and most people will want to visit the lakes and mountains.

 But it’s still good to know.

Photo: Flickr – sacred destinations

Post from: The Switzerland Traveler

Well, nothing like coming back with a bang!

If you plan to be in Switzerland on December 3rd, how about a guided tour round an atomic power station?

I’ve done the tour and it’s fascinating. You get the whole deal, dressing up in white suits like the baddies in Dr No, and they wave Geiger counters at you all the time.

It’s really interesting and the best bit is the cooling water for the fuel rods. The water has to be totally pure and de-ionised and is the most amazing blue I’ve ever seen.

Looking round the control rooms is fascinating if you’re into switches and dials, and you really come away with an impression of just how much heat is given off by those little bits of Uranium.

The tour is done when the station is closed for maintenance, so there’s no danger. And because it’s Switzerland, the station is maintained thoroughly every year.

The tour is at the Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt near the border with Germany, just down the road from Zurzach.  

You’ll need to show a passport to get in, you can book on +41 56 269 00 60

Photo: Flickr mbeo

Post from: The Switzerland Traveler

After a period of inactivity, during which contractual stuff between the nice people at b5media and Switzerland have been sorted out, The Switzerland Traveler is back in business.

Rather than opt for a picture of snow falling last week, here’s a poster celebrating the graphic prowess of Switzerland’s designers. 

I dare say most of you will be pre-occupied by the elections over the next few days, but don’t forget to come back soon for a small dose of calm and natural beauty.

And if you have any requests for information, please let me know.

Picture: Flickr Network Osaka

Post from: The Switzerland Traveler

Part of my daily ritual is to check the headlines on the Daily Telegraph, surely one of the finest online newspapers there is.

On a more infrequent basis, I also read Private Eye, the satirical current affairs magazine.

Why do I tell you this? Because one of Private Eye’s most common digs at the Torygraph (as the Telegraph is also known)  is that it tends to use pictures of scantily clad females in newsworthy situations, presumably to boost circulation. I think I’m talking about number of copies sold, rather than circulation of blood, but you can never be too sure.

So, today, I find myself doing precisely that, because there is a beach volleyball event taking place in Gstaad this week, and I, er, thought you ought to know about it.

It runs from Monday until Sunday 27th July, features parties and concerts (William White would appear to be the highlight on Thursday evening).

Fun for all the family.

www.beachworldtour.ch

Photo: Flickr – bernat

Post from: The Switzerland Traveler

If you’ve not experienced the low droning sound of an alphorn, then Nendaz, near Verbier, is the place to be this weekend.

It’s remarkable how the sound travels through the mountains, which is, I guess, the reason why they became popular.

They might not be as practical as mobile phones, but do at least have the benefit of requiring neither batteries nor antennae.

Up at an altitude of 2,200m, Tracouet is the setting for the International Alphorn Festival.

To quote the official blurb “Over the course of the weekend, this alpine instrument will be the motivation for the meeting of players of many different nationalities, all brought together by the same love of the mountain, tradition and folklore.”

If you do decide to go, make sure you make it all the way up to the top of Mont Fort, where the view is simply incredible.

And you’ll still be able to hear the alphorns, which is, after all, the point.

From Friday 25th – Sunday 27th July 2008.

www.nendaz.ch

Photo: Flickr – Jason Selby

Post from: The Switzerland Traveler

One of the great things about writing on the topic of Switzerland is that one gets to cover an entire range of Swiss traditional activities.

Whether it’s bringing cows down the mountains, pumpkin or chestnut festivals, or even the spectacle of two cows fighting each other, summer in Switzerland has the best entertainment there is.

Next weekend sees the annual wrestling, or Schwingen, championships on Mount Rigi, near Luzern. It’s basically a bunch of farmers with some extra trousers trying to throw each other on to their backs, but it’s taken very seriously by the competitors and the local public.

It warrants coverage on national TV, but then you’d miss out on the grilled sausages, and the smell of sweat mixed with mountain flowers. Not to mention the smell of the steam trains that I wouldn’t mind betting will be  pressed into service to take visitors to the event.

Schwingen has been around for over 100 years, coincidentally about the same amount of time as the railway that goes up Rigi. Personally, I prefer the railway, but each to their own.

You’ll also get the benefit of seeing the cows go up the mountain, so really it’s an event not to be missed…

www.rigi-schwingen.ch

Photo: Flickr – Jasper

Post from: The Switzerland Traveler

Mainly just a post for locals, although if you are planning a trip next year and are thinking of visiting friends or relatives in Winterthur, then maybe round about this time is an option.

A lot of places have annual celebrations, and the annual festival in Winterthur is allegedly the biggest.

Of course, I’m still sticking with my belief that the Badenfahrt is the best festival in the country but as it’s every 10 years, that doesn’t really help anyone. Unless you are reading this in June 2017, of course…

It’s one of those turn-up-and-have-a-look-round type of events, so no need to describe it. Expect food, drinks, music, happy people, some of whom will be dressed strangely.

I’m aiming to go along tomorrow, and maybe will post a report next week.

www.albanifest.ch/

Photo: Flickr – 404

Post from: The Switzerland Traveler

I know you like these ones.

On Sunday, Lichtensteig, a small town in the Toggenburg area, near Wildhaus, has a barrel organ event.

It’s for antique or home-made barrel organs, and around 20 are expected. I can’t imagine the noise if they all play at the same time.

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s a small antiques fair and an old fairground roundabout too, and where there’s any gathering of people, it will be accompanied by the smell of sizzling sausages

The ”Friends of vintage motor-bikes” are also planning to turn up – surely a good time guaranteed for all!

Verkehrsverein Lichtensteig,
Hauptgasse 29, 9620 Lichtensteig

www.verkehrsverein-lichtensteig.ch

Photo: Flickr MrUllmi

Post from: The Switzerland Traveler