Showing posts with label Switzerland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Switzerland. Show all posts

Poschiavo, a Borgo with Its Lake and Its Valley

Tucked away in a south-eastern corner of Switzerland, a valley offers a rest to travelers going from the Engadin to the Valtellina Valley. The Valley is dominated by Poschiavo and its lake of the same name. If you want a holiday away from all hustle and bustle this is the place to go to. 



Traveling in The Alps: Septimer Pass

If you want to get the feeling for how the ancient Roman traveled, the Septimer Pass is the road to travel. The Septimer Pass lies in the Canton of Grisons in Switzerland and connects the Julier Road to the Bregaglia Valley south of the Alps. You’ll have to travel it as the Romans did, though, on foot. 



Thun: A Gem Amongst Cities in Switzerland

Thun is a small town near Bern situated on Lake Thun. It has been inhabited continuously since Celtic and through Roman times. Having been of minor importance all the time, it has remained a small town which makes it perfect to explore on foot. 



Fribourg: City on The Language Divide of Switzerland

The city of Fribourg is located only 20 miles from Bern, but is today mainly French speaking though it started out as a German speaking city. It boasts the only Catholic University in Switzerland and has retained its medieval character throughout the city to this day. If you want to get a feeling for the lifestyle 600 years back, this is the place to visit. 



The Dos and Don’ts When Visiting The Basler Fasnacht

Always on Monday after Ash Wednesday, Basel celebrates its three day Fasnacht (carnival) which is unlike any other in the world. Should plan to immerse yourself into that fantasy world, you’ll have to be aware of certain rules that apply to all comers. There are also certain things you should be aware of to avoid practical jokes being played on you.



The New Monte Rosa Hut

Mountain climbing has arrived in the 21st century. The building of the new Monte Rosa hut has been finalized at 2883 m (9460 ft.) altitude. If you’re expecting a romantic alpine chalet, look again. This building is a state of the art computerized building built on the principles of sustainable energy. 



From Russia with Love: A Bear Hug

Bern, seat of the Swiss federal government, lists as one of its main attractions the ‘Bärengraben’, the compound of bears. After the death of the last bear in April 2009, the new bears have arrived these days, a gift from Dimitri Medvedev, the President of Russia due in Bern end of September 2009. 



Britannic's Lost Organ

The ocean liner Britannic was the later built sister ship to the Olympic and the Titanic. Being unfinished at the start of the Great War, the ship entered service as a hospital ship and sunk in 1916 in the Mediterranean Sea. An Organ was obviously not needed on a hospital ship and it disappeared from history to surface in 2006 in Switzerland. 



Lucerne: Switzerland’s First City

Lucerne and its lake is one of the prime tourist locations in Switzerland. It was the first city to join the Swiss Confederation and started to attract tourists as early as 1840 when the term tourist had not even been invented. 



The Basel Tattoo

Every year in August, the Basel Military Tattoo is the magnet for over 80,000 people. It sounds like an old event, but it started out as late as 2006. But Basel has a long and living tradition of Pipes and Drums, so the event took to the city like a fish to water. 



Traveling in The Alps: Bernina Pass

When looking for breathtaking views, travel the Bernina Pass. It connects the Engadin Valley with the Pushlav Valley in the canton of Grisons in Switzerland. 



Lausanne: World Capital of the Olympic Movement

Lausanne is best known as the world’s Olympic capital; sometimes it is called the World Sports Capital as well. But it is also a charming town on Lake Geneva with a friendly population that makes you feel very much at home anytime you visit. 



Pritzker Prize for Architecture Awarded to Peter Zumthor

Architect Peter Zumthor from Basel, Switzerland, received the Pritzker Prize, the highest accolade an architect can get. Zumthor’s modern buildings built with traditional materials and using ancient crafts have made him a household name for outstanding architecture on building sites in difficult surroundings. Buildings designed by him may be found in the Alps as well as further afield in interesting locations.



Goetheanum: Concrete Dream or Nightmare


The Goetheanum is one of the earliest concrete only buildings in Europe. It is the seat and center for the Anthroposophical Society and acts as a university at the same time. Looking at its architecture, you’ll have to agree on one thing: It definitely looks different from any other building you might find anywhere in the world. Situated in Dornach near Basel in Switzerland, it is worth a visit anytime you're near.


The Devil’s Bridge

The Devil and the Russians both have a place in the heart of Switzerland. The bridge was the start of the St. Gotthard pass as we know it today. And just beside it is a plot of Russian territory, perpetually flying the Russian flag. 



The Yearly Onion Market in Bern

Always on the fourth Monday in November, the city center of Bern is awash with onions. The yearly onion market has a long tradition, going back to the feast of St. Martin, when the cities of Southern Germany all had large markets, pageants, and communal dinners to mark summer passing into autumn. 



Neuchatel: The Anachronistic City in Switzerland

Neuchatel is a beautiful little town in Switzerland situated on Lake Neuchatel. It managed to become an anachronistic holdover from the middle ages into the 19th century and thereby almost brought Switzerland and Prussia to declare war on each other. Today, it has a university and is a center for tourists visiting the beautiful countryside and the Jura Mountains. 



Lugano, The Largest Italian Speaking Town in Switzerland

Lugano is the warm spot of Switzerland, situated in the southern Republic and Canton of Ticino on Lake Lugano. The local climate is warm enough that palms and other southern plants thrive, and nestled in between in the lake and the mountains, it offers breathtaking views wherever you go. 



The New Year is on January 13th

In parts of Eastern Switzerland, the New Year is still celebrated on the 13th of January. New Year’s Eve, i.e. the 12th, is a festival day for everybody and schools and shops are closed. On this day, the Claus is on the loose going from house to house. 


Why Santa Muerte is an Austrian (too)

R J Evans published an article on the not quite standard saint Santa Muerte in Central America The Strange Cult of Santa Muerte: Saint Death. In it, he claimed quite correctly an Austrian influence on this strange phenomenon. As this might seem a strange connotation to many, I am following it up with information on the strange burial rites of the Austrian Imperial family.