r/travel • u/flatus08 Solothurn • Jan 24 '14
Images So you want to come to Switzerland?
http://imgur.com/a/cXCYw14
u/bob_at_hotmail Jan 24 '14
having just come from switzerland, I think this album should just be 19 photos of that money as that's how much breakfast at a super markets gonna cost you. It is pretty though (the money).
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Jan 24 '14
Would love to have some great insight in your country and tips that are actually helpful instead of just general information.
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u/I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA Swiss citizen, Belgium-born Jan 24 '14 edited Jan 24 '14
Hi, /r/Schweiz moderator here feel free to drop by my sub, it's my pet project pictures-only subreddit so I'm happy to help and I'm kinda miffed OP beat me to it with a "So you want to go to Switzerland" because I was working on one with actual tips :(
Here's some protips. Any other Swiss want to chime in, go ahead.
Note my flair says resident of Ireland, but I'll be back in d'Schwiiz next week for the foreseeable future.
As with anything in Switzerland, food is expensive. Looking for a cheap, yet excellent bite? Every city has a local Doner-Kebap place (Turkish wraps) that will serve filling and cheap meals. Basel's Steiner Grill, for example, is a cornerstone of local youth culture and everyone knows where it is.
- Don't know where to find one? Ask anyone under 40, and in English. Young Swiss folks are generally pretty good at English, since they get English in school and many watch Hollywood movies and shows as much as native Anglophones do.
- Also, this cannot be stressed enough: if you see a Brezelkönig, buy at least one of their warm Pretzels. It is the greatest thing IN THE WORLD. And it's cheap!
Switzerland is very safe, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't use common sense in keeping your belongings safe. My father once fell asleep on the train between Zürich and Basel and his suitcase, which was behind him, disappeared. So keep an eye on your stuff in crowded areas! Muggings generally don't ever happen in Switzerland unless you've found yourself in the absolute worst neighborhoods of the nation.
- Sidetip: Swiss cops are the epitome of respectable. Honestly, I think you'll be hard-pressed to find people hating on them. Ever need help, don't hesitate to call 117 or talk to a policeman. They speak English, no worries.
Going there in Summer? Pack swimming clothes! Every city with a major body of water has a tradition of swimming in that water. Basel adores the Rhine during a warm summer; Zürich its Zürchersee; Lucerne its Lake Lucerne (known locally as the Vierwaldstättersee); Bern the Aare; etcetera. Down south, near Lugano, Ascona and the Italian tourist hotspots, the lakes will be superb to float around in or rent a boat, all summer long.
Winter? Be sure to check out the nation's premier ski resorts. There's quite a variety in terms of skill required (Beginner? Melchsee-Frutt! Advanced? Laax, Verbier, Engelberg, Gstaad, Davos, etc.). You can bring your own board and gear or rent one at a nearby Ski shop. As with anything Swiss, it ain't cheap.
- P.S. snowboarding is awesome. Got my new board at Karrer in Laufen, just outside Basel, this year, and I just can't stop shredding. Someone help me, I'm a shredaholic.
Hiking and mountain-biking in the Alps is the greatest thing to do, when it's warmer. I go for a light hike around the Engelberg area every year, for example, and sometimes bring my bike. It's usually great weather, but watch out for any sorts of large cloud formations because they WILL dump rain on you and a mountain rainstorm isn't a pretty sight.
Feel like seeing the most famous mountain spots? Here's a list of the top spots:
Moving around the country is best by train, and you're usually best served by picking up an SBB day pass instead of return tickets. Coming by car is also a great option, but there's a 40CHF (€30/$40) Autobahn Vignette that you'll need to have on your car (sticker that goes on the front window interior) to use the country' highways.
- Oh and the trains are NEVER late. If a train were to be just a few minutes late, I'm sure an old man would get an aneurysm so they try to avoid that. Trams, buses, trains - all running as smoothly as a Swiss clock ;)
My favorite city to visit in Switzerland? Lucerne. Drop dead gorgeous city, and with excellent food spots. If you're there in winter, be sure to get some Heissi Marroni (grilled chestnuts). Also recommended: a boat trip across the lake to Vitznau or Weggis and then a train ride to the top of Mt. Rigi.
- Basel, Bern, Zürich and Geneva are all gorgeous too, make no mistake. I just feel Luzern is the jewel to the Swiss crown.
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u/KidColi United States Jan 24 '14
Post it anyways. Or post it to your sub at least.
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u/I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA Swiss citizen, Belgium-born Jan 24 '14 edited Jan 24 '14
Nah, I'm rather neutral about it all, OP tried and at least put in some nice eyecandy. If I make one people will think Switzerland's trying to hog the tourism spotlight again ;)
And my sub isn't really about travel advice but rather the beautiful sights :)
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Jan 24 '14
Oh and the trains are NEVER late. If a train were to be just a few minutes late, I'm sure an old man would get an aneurysm so they try to avoid that. Trams, buses, trains - all running as smoothly as a Swiss clock ;)
Still remember the, "Bitte entschuldigen Sie die Verspätung" when they were 1 minute late.
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u/I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA Swiss citizen, Belgium-born Jan 24 '14
I fondly remember a lady getting mad that the train rolled in too early and that her enjoying the fresh air from a bench on the platform was cut short :D
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Jan 24 '14 edited Aug 16 '21
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u/I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA Swiss citizen, Belgium-born Jan 24 '14
I was 20 minutes late getting into Zurich in December of 2012
Jesus, dude. At that point, Swiss people would be demanding refunds from SBB. I thought the DB was at least up to par with the SBB nowadays.
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u/DantesDame Switzerland Jan 24 '14
Like he said though, it originated in Munich. The poor guy didn't have a chance...
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u/shandelion 12 Countries, 17 States Jan 24 '14 edited Jan 24 '14
I think it's important to note that even though the Döner in Switzerland is cheap-ER, it's not as cheap as you'll find in other parts of Europe. Expect to be spending ~8 swiss francs for a Döner sandwich that would cost you about 4 euros in Berlin or something.
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u/I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA Swiss citizen, Belgium-born Jan 24 '14
Correct, and all in all I'll take the 9CHF Döner instead of the 10CHF McD's, the 13CHF Burger King or the 16CHF Ramenbar ;)
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u/DigbyBrouge Jan 24 '14
I... I love you. I'm trying so hard to make it over there someday.
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u/MsAnnThrope Seattle, USA Jan 24 '14
I've been to Verbier, it's amazing! Also, the Offshore Cafe has one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten in my life!
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u/Thunder-Road New York City Jan 24 '14
I was once on a train from Zürich Hbf to the airport that left 10 whole minutes late! What was that about? Being an American, it would have been completely unremarkable to me at home, but I thought Switzerland was supposed to be better about that stuff.
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u/I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA Swiss citizen, Belgium-born Jan 24 '14
Well that's not normal. Must have been a technical issue?
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u/Thunder-Road New York City Jan 24 '14
It was disappointing because I had been expecting and hoping to be able to come home with glowing stories of perfect Swiss trains.
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u/Prof_G Canada Jan 29 '14
First time I've seen someone post about my favourite places. Just saw this post. I lived in Engelberg and Weggis for a year and a half.
Awesome skiing, great people, almost no English known which was great for my Switzerdeutsch.
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u/fbass Jan 24 '14
Yes, the Brazil and Thailand ones were nice because a lot of information and also mentioned a lot of relevant and ongoing issues that most likely affect your travel on those countries.
I upvoted and liked these posts about countries, but let's go beyond tourism board leaflets and generic information.
For examples: the dos and don'ts, backpacking tips, off beaten tracks, etc.. and don't forget the dogs.
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Jan 24 '14
Well here's one of the main reasons why I want to stop off in Switzerland when I travel through the region this summer.
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u/I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA Swiss citizen, Belgium-born Jan 24 '14
And not the Giger Bar? ;)
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u/autowikibot Jan 24 '14
Here's a bit from linked Wikipedia article about Giger Bar :
A Giger Bar is a bar themed and modelled by the Swiss artist H. R. Giger. There are two Giger Bars: the first, the H.R. Giger Bar in Chur, Switzerland, which opened in 1992, and the second is The Museum HR Giger Bar, located in Château St. Germain, Gruyères, Switzerland, which opened on April 12, 2003. There was a third Giger Bar, located at The Limelight in New York City, but when the Limelight was closed, the Giger Bar was shut down.
A fourth Giger bar was located in Shirokanedai, Tokyo in the late 1980s. Giger dissolved his involvement with this location after facing frustrations with Japanese building codes and with the Japanese company behind the bar, which created the bar after only rough preliminary sketches. Giger had wanted private booths that functioned as individual elevators which traveled up and down the interior four stories of the design. This design was problematic given restrictions caused by earthquake resistant engineering. Giger disowned the Tokyo Giger Bar ...
(Truncated at 1000 characters)
Picture - Giger Bar in Gruyères, Switzerland
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u/autowikibot Jan 24 '14
Here's a bit from linked Wikipedia article about Goetheanum :
The Goetheanum, located in Dornach (near Basel), Switzerland, is the world center for the anthroposophical movement. Named after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the center includes two performance halls (1500 seats), gallery and lecture spaces, a library, a bookstore, and administrative spaces for the Anthroposophical Society; neighboring buildings house the Society's research and educational facilities. Conferences focusing on themes of general interest occur several times a year. Specialist conferences for teachers, farmers, doctors, therapists, and other professions are held regularly, as well.
Picture - Second Goetheanum, front (West) view
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u/DantesDame Switzerland Jan 24 '14
Interesting. I'd heard about it and even walked by it a couple of times, but I didn't realize that it has such a reputation.
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u/factory81 Jan 25 '14 edited Jan 25 '14
Here is information about food;
Cheapest McDonalds value meal for a drink/fry/burger is going to be like $9 USD.
A package of raman noodles is like 1.90 USD
Ketchup is NOT free at most places, and a "kind of big" packet of ketchup is an additional like 75 cents American.
Do not expect free refills on your 300ml 5 dollar soda.
The sprite is not like sprite pop/soda in the USA
Pepsi products do not exist
Mineral water is a big deal here. So if you like the clean refreshing taste of plain water. Good luck. It kind of exists, but Europe is a constantly struggle of "wtf waters" for me.
2 ear of corn can be roughly $5 USD
Fried rices at chinese places will be like $13-14 dollar
Simple pizzas (margarita pizza for example) will be $17-19 dollar
If you eat proper meals. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner....and eat out every time. You can/will spend $10 on breakfast, $20 on lunch, and $40 on dinner. All very easy. Not even including alcohol. This is per person.
Coop is a brand of stores with fancy deli's and sometimes buffet style food sold by the ounce or by the meal. It is kind of like a Wal-Mart deli gone super fancy. Some of the cheapest meals you can find will be there. Like for $14-17 you can fill yourself up with enough carbs to really fill you up.
There is another place called like Maguires? or Mags? Something M....and they have the same setup - but usually on a smaller scale.
14-17 dollars for a BIG meal is a BIG DEAL. I spent $30 USD on 6 chicken wings, a order of fries, and a sprite pop at a Hooters.
Brothels are real, and the strip clubs you see may not be strip clubs at all. In other words, don't even bother walking in unless you want to spend $10-15 on a beer, have some eastern european chicks crawling over you, asking for $200-300 to go bang. My friend experienced this first hand. I laughed at him for wasting his time in Europe chasing tail while there was so much to see.
Train travel is fucking awesome. Second to motherfucking no one in the God damn world. You will be ashamed of America and our use of trains after Switzerland. They literally go anywhere, and everywhere. There would be so much outrage in America if we built so many train stations at so many small towns. But people literally can take trains from the middle of "no where" and get to a major airport in a reasonable manner. But this all comes at "Extreme" costs. Go look at the cost of rail tickets....one way tickets even. $15 for this stretch here, $28 for that stretch there....$74 for that stretch there. A few days in Switzerland of day-tripping around on trains can cost you a couple hundred dollars easily.
Switzerland is small, like the size of New Jersey or something. So you can definitely see a lot of it quickly. You can find a lot of cheap hostels, and some SUPER NICE hostels (hostel interlaken for example) that you would swear are like a holiday inn (if they had TV's in every room and free internet). Cheap hostels though that are really nice are going to be like $40-60 USD a day per person still though.
Swiss people are awesome though. Helpful, friendly. My friend was buying some just outrageously expensive pie slice. (if I remember 5-6 dollar a slice), and they saw me oggling the pies. And while I inquired, I did not buy. But they gave me a piece anyways. The whole country put their whole heart into everything they do. Their engineering feats are second to none. Their dedication to food is incredible. Their transportation system is first class. Their cities are the safest around. What a country....
Also just so you understand. College interns may earn 4-6k per month in internships. White collar adults have wages in the 80-120k range. This sound rich, but in reality this gives them just comfortable lifestyles. If a single cheeseburger, small fry and a small soda costs $9.50 USD + a ketchup packet, you can just imagine how much more everything is. Things are just 2x as expensive - and the swiss don't blink an eye. Most of the stuff they buy is quality stuff also. They just don't import as much from China. They buy stuff that lasts.
So as a result you are always in sticker shock mode unless you earn 100k yourself in the United States, or maybe $80k british pounds, or maybe 75k Euro.
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u/LeSpatula Switzerland Jan 25 '14
Do not expect free refills on your 300ml 5 dollar soda.
Free refills don't exist anywhere in Europe I think.
Pepsi products do not exist
Burgerking only has Pepsi products. Migros (which is similar to Coop but often cheaper) also has all the pepsi products.
Simple pizzas (margarita pizza for example) will be $17-19 dollar
In an Italien restaurant yes, but usually cheaper at a fastfood place.
Mineral water is a big deal here. So if you like the clean refreshing taste of plain water. Good luck. It kind of exists, but Europe is a constantly struggle of "wtf waters" for me.
Tap water has a really high quality here, so there's not really a need to buy it. However, everywhere you can buy mineral water you will also able to buy plain water.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner....and eat out every time. You can/will spend $10 on breakfast, $20 on lunch, and $40 on dinner.
Sounds about right, but breakfast is usually included when you sleep in a hotel.
Brothels are real, and the strip clubs you see may not be strip clubs at all.
I'm sure we have more brothels than strip clubs. Actually I don't know a single strip club but I know several brothel. The prostitutes usually don't work for the brothel or anybody else, they rent a room there and keep all the money (minus expenses, taxes, insurence, etc.)
Most of the stuff they buy is quality stuff also.
That's true, a lot of food is from local farmers. The animal welfare standarts are very high and many people rather pay more than buying imported meat from potentally abused animals.
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u/gonltruck New Zealand Jan 25 '14
There is another place called like Maguires? or Mags? Something M....and they have the same setup - but usually on a smaller scale.
Migros, and they are usually bigger, you probably just ran into a small express/city one.
Source: Living in CH for the past 3 months
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u/FrasierandNiles Solo traveler (not by choice) Jan 24 '14
Yea, they should talk about con-artists stealing stuff from travelers at the airports. We all know what Switzerland looks like and can find information about prices in travel books.
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u/laryrose Former expat, back in USA Jan 24 '14
Agreed. Most of this felt like general helpful tips that you might be able to read on a Visit Switzerland! site. I wanna know the nitty gritty and the spots outside of Basel and Bern. It is a damned shame OP did not mention Interlaken and the beautiful Jungfrau region, to be honest.
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u/Thelonious_Cube Jan 24 '14 edited Jan 24 '14
Interlaken and the beautiful Jungfrau region
Yes, absolutely beautiful - and a train up through a mountain - spectacular!
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u/leftysarepeople2 Jan 24 '14
The train system is astounding, the run times perfectly compliment (e/i?) each other it seems. Get off your train, leisurely stroll to the next and it departs 10 minutes after you sit down, no hurry.
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u/Bronesby Jan 24 '14
/u/flatus08 you forgot to mention the quirky (and inordinately influential) SVP!
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u/I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA Swiss citizen, Belgium-born Jan 24 '14
They're a barrel of laughs, alright. But somehow they keep getting the votes from all the conservative old folks (and there's lots of 'em).
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u/Bronesby Jan 24 '14
I see your main post above about /r/Schweiz. I was lucky enough to live in your favorite Luzern for almost 3 years... for a summer I lived right in front of the Kapellbrücke(!) - what a dream. Making a blatant generalization, I found Swiss society to be fussy, spoiled, a bit petty, and they could do to open their collective asshole a bit ..to the unknown and the unplanned especially. This could certainly be said for any complacent society, but Switzerland is an extreme case given that even grocery baggers pull in 25CHF(~$)/hr.
btw, you guys should write your language down some time, it'd be nice to be able to learn it for the pure scribes among us.
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u/ErichUberSonic Jan 24 '14
I used to be a travel writer, and while I can't be 100 percent sure, I think these are all photos from shutter stock.
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u/AsianSteleotype AT (live) + FL (work) + CA (home) Jan 24 '14
Google images of the main attractions.
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Jan 24 '14
Glad it wasn't just me.
That's the sort of thing I'd put together at the last minute for a middle school report on Switzerland. Nothing a google search wouldn't return. I'd expect that from /r/pics
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u/UtterCreep Finland Jan 24 '14
I did last summer! And it was as wonderful as I had expected.
Zürich airport is indeed great, it's spacious and comforting. The public transportation was good, even through small towns and the scenery from a train was nice.
I went on a hiking trip in Pontresina area in august and the weather was super nice almost throughout the trip. Lakes, mountains, mountain pastures and forests were beautiful.
Here is an album. Great country :)
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u/I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA Swiss citizen, Belgium-born Jan 24 '14
You should really, really submit some of these to /r/Schweiz. Gorgeous stuff.
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Jan 24 '14
Morocco and Brazil were actually helpful - this just seems like a circlejerk of Swiss happiness and wonder.
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Jan 24 '14
Yeah, but I will admit to laughing at "There are no real problems in Switzerland. Because of our neutrality! So no wars or anything like that."
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u/mojowo11 United States Jan 25 '14
My friend just returned from Switzerland and she complained that their skiing seems to center less around the actual sport of skiing and more around sitting around, drinking spiked coffee, and listening to bad German pop music.
Also she said the clubs in Zurich are kinda lame because Swiss people seem to be much more reserved about dancing around like idiots and having a good time.
YMMV, but if you're looking for complaints about Switzerland, that's the best I can do.
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u/unassuming_squirrel USA, 11 countries Jan 24 '14
I am working abroad in Zurich presently. Switzerland is a wonderful place!
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u/AsianSteleotype AT (live) + FL (work) + CA (home) Jan 24 '14
Hello expat redditor, Bern is where it's at!
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u/gonltruck New Zealand Jan 25 '14
Any chance you were on a train from Lausanne to Bern on thursday? Creepy question I know, but I saw an asian dude on the train (somewhat rare here) who spoke like an American on the phone but had a work laptop with him.
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u/AsianSteleotype AT (live) + FL (work) + CA (home) Jan 25 '14
Could be possible! Was it the stretch from Fribourg to Bern around 18:30? I do the Bern/Fribourg commute everyday.
Was he wearing a tie?!
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Jan 24 '14
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u/LeMAD Canada Jan 25 '14
I would live in Geneva, but as a tourist, it's boring as hell (lioke every other Swiss cities).
Switzerland is still the most beautiful country I've ever seen, by a wide margin. Probably the most beautiful conntry on the planet.
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u/Doubleyoupee Jan 24 '14
So you want to come to Switzerland? Pay €10 for a sandwich.
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Jan 25 '14
Or go to the grocery store and get bread, cheese, and meat for half the price.
Eating at restaurants is expensive, but grocery stores like Coop are actually pretty reasonably priced. Plus, there are a lot of places in the US where you pay $10 for a sandwich (and since the Swiss use Francs, which are very close to the dollar in value, it's more like paying 10 bucks, not 10 euros).
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Jan 24 '14
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u/joonix Jan 24 '14
Yeah I came here to say that I don't wan to visit Switzerland because I'd just get depressed that I can't live there.
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u/mrd49 Jan 24 '14
Come do a semester abroad at EPFL or ETHZ! Plenty of engineering going on here too.
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u/AsianSteleotype AT (live) + FL (work) + CA (home) Jan 24 '14
They are always looking for talented engineers! It took me a while to here but it's possible. Best of luck to you!
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u/Specken_zee_Doitch Los Angeles Jan 24 '14
Switzerland is one of the most difficult places to immigrate or naturalize. I've heard the best way is to open a business there and agree to employ no less than ten employees.
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u/nattfodd France Jan 24 '14
I love Switzerland and go there very often, especially since I live 10km away from the border. But if you say that most Swiss people are nice and helpful, you obviously haven't been to Zermatt...
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u/DantesDame Switzerland Jan 24 '14
I've found that the Swiss are very helpful, but they'll rarely offer to help. But if you ask them a question they'll do what they can.
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u/FranzJosefI Switzerland Jan 24 '14
Well, you have to make a difference between those in the really touristy parts who are fed up with having to deal with tourists 24/7 and those from the rest of Switzerland.
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u/freakzeke Jan 24 '14
It would be great if we could make an in-depth version for many different popular tourist countries.. But this seems like a little bit of a slap in the face to the previous Brazil one, a la "Look at Brazil, lolol we have no problems "
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u/nomadicfeet Jan 24 '14
I lived in the French speaking part of Switzerland for 2 years growing up. It's such a beautiful country! My fondest memory is going down the longest sled run in the world, at least it was at the time. It was in Grindewald and it took a couple hours to get all the way down.
Also, no recommendations on rosti dishes?! Are you even Swiss OP?
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u/FranzJosefI Switzerland Jan 24 '14
To be honest, Rösti isn't that special, compared to raclette or fondue.
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u/nomadicfeet Jan 24 '14
As a proud owner of both a raclette machine and a fondue pot I agree but I think it deserves an honorable mention at least!
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u/FranzJosefI Switzerland Jan 24 '14
One of the best buys of my life was a tea light powered raclette-oven for one person. I'm using it almost daily.
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u/AsianSteleotype AT (live) + FL (work) + CA (home) Jan 24 '14
Ah, from First to Busalp to Weidli. That run is sooooo much fun!
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u/deaft Jan 24 '14
It's like cheating at photography.
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u/Venturello Jan 25 '14
Nice pics! Do you remember where that scultures inside the glacier are?
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u/DJJazzyGriff Jan 24 '14
Having visited Switzerland a couple of months ago I thought it was appropriate that the currency features a guy on it that looks like he's stunned at the cost of everything.
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u/EmperorYogi2Point0 Canada Jan 24 '14
"it's a bit expensive here" Yeah just a bit hey. Switzerland is the only place I've paid 15 dollars to get a big mac. Love the country but I'd be homeless in a month if I lived there.
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u/LeSpatula Switzerland Jan 24 '14
You mean you got a big mac meal with a large coke and fries. A big mac is only 6,50.
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u/DownsPanda Jan 24 '14
my wife and I spent 2013 in Europe caravaning 13 countries http://encourged2change.blogspot.com/2013/11/pristine-dream.html and Switzerland was our #1 pick for places to return, it took our breath away.
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u/PEPE_22 Jan 24 '14
I'm going to Milan in April. Would love to see Switzerland for 2 days. The Matterhorn doesn't seem to be too far of a journey, is heading in that area the best way to spend my 2 days?
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u/AsianSteleotype AT (live) + FL (work) + CA (home) Jan 24 '14
3 hour direct train and you can be in Bern!
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u/pixelperfect3 Jan 24 '14
Looks astonishing....if one were to spend a week in Switzerland traveling around, how much do you think one would have to spend (in US $)? Excluding airfare
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u/tdunbar United States Jan 24 '14
Way to make Brazil look like even more of a shit hole than yesterday's OP did...
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u/factory81 Jan 24 '14
Glad I "got it over with". Switzerland is very beautiful. Awesome trains. No ghettos. Almost utopian society. But it is very very expensive by US standards. You have to realize that even a swiss college student in an internship will earn 4-6k per month, and the average white collar job is 80-120k.
Things I did;
-Interlaken
-Piz Gloria (jungfrau was too cloudy)
-Harder Kulm
-Lauterbrunnen
-Some gorge/river walk in Aareschultz or something?
-Bern day trip
-Lucerne overnight
-Zurich overnight
By the end of Switzerland I was getting beat down by walking so much. So I wish I explored more of Zurich. We walked quite a bit of Bern and saw the old town/bear park (only like 3 bears though). There are a ton of suspension bridges and other cool things worth checking out. The only problem is that it is really so awfully expensive as a US tourist that you just need to save a lot and spend a ton, or selectively pick things to do.
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Jan 25 '14
It all depends on your experience. I went to Switzerland about a year and a half ago and only spent about $800 during the week I was there. That includes food, travel to other nearby countries (Austria, Italy, Germany), souvenirs, and some touristy stuff like Bern and Appenzell. I stayed with a friend, though, and we literally only ate food that we bought at the grocery store; I didn't eat at a single restaurant. The food at Coop is actually pretty cheap, so we'd stock up on bread, fruit, cheese, etc. and just put it in our backpacks before we left every morning. We also made dinner at her place every night. Bakeries are generally really cheap, too, as long as you venture away from the train stations and tourist-y areas. I remember getting a baguette sandwich for 2 francs (roughly $2) at one bakery.
But, if you go and stay at hotels the whole time, and eat at restaurants every night, you'll easily spend a ton of money. I definitely couldn't have afforded it if I didn't have a friend to stay with.
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Jan 25 '14
Most Americans don't realize just how big the Alps are. USA has mountains that are high in elevation, but the Alps have huge vertical relief from the valley floors to the top of peaks. If you like mountains or train travel you will love Switzerland. But the supermarket hours are terrible. When I was there 10 years ago it seemed like the grocery stores closed at 4 in the afternoon. So if you have a long day in the mountains, you might be out of luck if you want to buy some food for dinner from somewhere other than a restaurant.
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u/LeSpatula Switzerland Jan 25 '14
Usually they are open until 7 or the bigger ones at 8. On Saturday they close at 5. But there are often smaller stores e.g. at railway stations which have extendet opening time.
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u/Der_Dingel Jan 24 '14
In my experience English (or even German) doesn't get you very far in the French or Italian speaking areas. That's probably why many German speaking Swiss also speak French and Italian.
Oh and if you go to Switzerland: behave like a Swiss and follow the rules. They will hate you otherwise.
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Jan 24 '14
behave like a Swiss and follow the rules. They will hate you otherwise
What do you mean? Can you elaborate on that?
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u/Der_Dingel Jan 24 '14
For example: People on the street will scold you if you walk through a red light at a pedestrian crossing. Haven't seen this anywhere else in the world.
Another example that happened to a friend of mine was when he bought the wrong train ticket. It was an honest mistake caused by not being familiar with the train system. The correct ticket would've been the same price. When they checked our tickets the conductor gave him a fine, which was pretty hefty for us students. My friend was trying to argue himself out of the fine (rather playfully, not aggressively) but other people on the train got angry and were saying stuff like: "You're in Switzerland and you have to follow our rules!"
Anyway, these are just a few of the examples that I came across. Of course its a generalization but it's definitely something that stands out compared to other countries.
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u/menchon Jan 24 '14
While I would say this is a definitely more Swiss-german behaviour, I agree that trying to be a smartass and cutting lines/haggling prices/challenging any form law is more than frowned upon. Because of their political system I would say that the Swiss identify very strongly with the rules (they have, after all, the very democratic right to change them themselves through one of the many referendums that are scheduled every 3-4 months).
This being said, my ex-girlfriend once got chastised in a Bern bookstore by the lady at the counter because the magazine she'd picked to have a look at was not properly put back in place :-)
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u/C43dus Jan 24 '14
For example: People on the street will scold you if you walk through a red light at a pedestrian crossing. Haven't seen this anywhere else in the world.
No they won't. Perhaps it was some old person who did that ONCE, but you can just ignore those. They do that to every person, independently of gender, race, ethnicity etc, because they are old and sad.
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Jan 24 '14
Interesting. Is it pretty common that European's take statements a lot more literally? So when your friend may have been playfully ribbing the conductor, he took it very literally and was offended? Just wondering.
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Jan 24 '14
Switzerland is one of the most gorgeous places on earth. I've been there twice and both times had remarkable experiences.
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u/TroysRedditAccount Jan 24 '14 edited Jan 24 '14
I was once in Zurich for 2 days and everything was the most expensive everything I had ever seen.
I don't remember any specifics but I could've sworn that a small cafe sandwich was like $25 USD.
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Jan 24 '14
I was in Zurich a few weeks ago. Paid 10 Francs for a Döner Dürüm. Yeah...I never knew Munich could feel cheap until I went to Zurich.
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Jan 24 '14
And here I was just thinking that 10.- is still a reasonable price for a Döner...
Best thing about living in Switzerland is that you can travel anywhere and it's always cheaper :)
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u/ifonly12 Jan 24 '14
Do they still actively use Swiss Mountain Dogs are rescue dogs? Back in the day, the barrels around their neck held rum. Do they still have rum around their neck or has it switched to a first aid kit, or something more practical for a rescue dog?
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u/HumanSieve Netherlands Jan 24 '14
Oh yes I remember raclette.
I was in the town of Saas Fee eating raclette, and it was like an all you can eat thing. I ate so much cheese that I got sick. We renamed it Kaas Fee. (Kaas is Dutch for cheese)
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u/Alberto-Balsalm Jan 24 '14
Your country looks amazing! I will be sure to make it there in due time!
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Jan 24 '14
Do you call it an army knife instead of a swiss army knife there?
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u/FranzJosefI Switzerland Jan 24 '14
No, we call it a pocket knife. They sadly changed the knife you get in the army some time ago so instead of a nice small swiss army knife you get a 12cm knife which is way less useful and more annoying to carry around.
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u/ThePineBlackHole Jan 24 '14
If you hadn't lost me at the first mention of "expensive," the recurring mentioning of said "expensive"ness did.
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Jan 24 '14
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u/autowikibot Jan 24 '14
Here's a bit from linked Wikipedia article about Goetheanum :
The Goetheanum, located in Dornach (near Basel), Switzerland, is the world center for the anthroposophical movement. Named after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the center includes two performance halls (1500 seats), gallery and lecture spaces, a library, a bookstore, and administrative spaces for the Anthroposophical Society; neighboring buildings house the Society's research and educational facilities. Conferences focusing on themes of general interest occur several times a year. Specialist conferences for teachers, farmers, doctors, therapists, and other professions are held regularly, as well.
Picture - Second Goetheanum, front (West) view
image source | about | /u/blacklambgreyfalcon can reply with 'delete'. Will also delete if comment's score is -1 or less. | Summon: wikibot, what is something? | flag for glitch
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u/sofiafenn Jan 24 '14
Your pictures were a pleasure to look at, thank you. Now I really want to see the cities in Switzerland. I particularly liked the picture of the train driving through the countryside.
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u/negativetension Jan 24 '14
I would definitely recommend Lauterbrunnen to anyone thinking of visiting Switzerland. Tall mountains, gorgeous valleys and waterfalls, it has them all.
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Jan 24 '14
That second to last pic is from Lucern I think, I stopped there on a trip through Switzerland and Germany. Holy cow, the water is azure and crystal clear. I caught a trolley up a mountain (this is during the winter), and it drops you in this alpine peak. Between that and the Rhine falls, Switzerland was my favorite part of the trip.
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u/danyaiel Jan 24 '14
Me and my father are traveling to Davos at the end of the year to watch the Spengler Cup, we are quite excited!
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u/iDemonix Jan 24 '14
I'm doing an EU road trip next year and am blown away by how many good roads there are to do! Furka Pass looks incredible. Do you recommend any specific routes?
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u/turncoat_ewok Jan 24 '14
I spent a few nights in Interlaken last year during a motorcycle trip and it was a very strange experience; incredibly packed with tourists/backpackers and stupidly expensive. The Old Town was really nice to see, but other than that I wouldn't go back (to that particular city).
Taking the cable cars up to the top of the Schilthorn was a fun day out and walking around Reichenbach Falls had it's moments, but the most scenic and unforgettable experiences were on the High Alpine Roads: Grimsel, Susten & Furka passes.
There must be a cheaper way to see Switzerland, given the number of backpackers I met there. I guess hostels and home cooking would be the way to go on a budget.
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Jan 24 '14
I have been to Switzerland and it really is one of the most beautiful places I have ever traveled.
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u/shandelion 12 Countries, 17 States Jan 24 '14
I second the Bern trip - that was one of my favorite stops during my Eurotrip. But I think the most important tip was how expensive it was - easily the most expensive place we visited, even including London and Paris. There are NO cheap options for food, but the food is AMAZING, so you don't really mind splurging.
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u/anotheranotherother Jan 24 '14
And now you've made me really depressed that I probably won't ever see any of this.
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u/Superdude22 Jan 24 '14
So, as an American, is it pretty easy to move over there and find a job? I've realized lately that all my hobbies are all pretty much next to each other there. Snowboarding, climbing, and skydiving. So, I've been thinking about a move.
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u/LeSpatula Switzerland Jan 25 '14
It's nor easy to find a job in Switzerland if you're not from the EU (and even then it's not so easy). Check out /r/Switzerland, this question is asked very often there.
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u/ImpedeNot Jan 24 '14
Is anyone else having an optical illusion happening on the first pic??? It seems to be zooming out...
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Jan 24 '14
Spent a few days in Luzern in the early fall. Uber expensive by comparison, but so lovely. Pilatus was fogged over when we went up, but it's just a beautiful city to explore that we didn't mind walking around the city the rest of the day. I completely agree with the train statement: the only way to travel around Switzerland is by Eurail! Relaxing, scenic, and unique.
Having spent time in Germany just before coming to Switzerland, I did notice the Swiss German dialect(?), but it was charming. Lovely people, the Swiss.
If I could afford to, I would live there in a heartbeat.
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u/icycitrusblast Rhode Island Jan 24 '14
just got back from a month trip to switzerland/italy.
what is the meaning behind the images on the swiss franc? seriously, its like an episode of ancient aliens
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u/biddyco Jan 24 '14
Two of the coolest/scariest things I've ever done were in Switzerland:
Canyoning: basically jumping off a series of waterfalls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7jDxUk1g7k
Canyon jump: bungee jump swing thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4Lp3R0WyaM
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u/Thelonious_Cube Jan 24 '14
Don't forget the Eiger and the train up through it to the Jungfrau
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u/fuzbat Jan 26 '14
As someone who lives in a country with virtually no decent mountains to speak of - don't underestimate how damm high Jungfrau is. I suffered horribly with the effect of altitude.
However getting up and back on the train was amazing!
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u/somedude456 Jan 24 '14
I'm going a euro-trip this fall and Lauterbrunnen is on my list of places to stop. It looks like something from a fairytale.
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u/Quick11 Jan 24 '14
I fell into lake lucern (spelling?) when I was young. I smelled so bad on the train ride home we eventually got our own train car. Silver linking I guess.
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Jan 24 '14
One of the only countries I've visited that I'd go back to in a heartbeat instead of travelling somewhere new. Beautiful is an absolute understatement. It is expensive though.
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u/Amylein17 Jan 24 '14
I'm visiting Lucerne and Basel in March. I plan on eating Fondue and not spending money if I can help it.
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u/TheFatBastard Jan 24 '14
I just realized I've been getting the Matterhorn and Kilimanjaro mixed up for years.
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Jan 25 '14
Wi nøt trei a høliday in Sweden this yër? See the løveli lakes. The wøndërful telephøne system. And mäni interesting furry animals.
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u/KungLa0 Jan 25 '14
Brazil's is all "Come to Brazil, enjoy our crowded airport, get robbed by your taxi driver on the way to your Favela where you will be robbed, and then spend your night being robbed before you finally leave in a casket"
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u/blackeagle613 United States Jan 25 '14
Awesome country but by far the most expensive place I've been.
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Jan 25 '14
I was over there this Summer, can confirm it's beautiful. I traveled to Wengen and Zermatt, both were amazing. The food there is awesome, and the mountains were unlike anything I had ever seen before.
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u/Haktuar Jan 25 '14
If you're thinking of going to Switzerland, do it, without a doubt. I was there this December and had an absolutely wonderful time. I spent the vast majority of my time in Epalinges and Lausanne with my family and never had a dull moment. I want to go back as soon as possible. DO IT!!!!
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u/SCAND1UM Jan 25 '14
Amazing pics.. Do you know what those watches are called specifically? And where I can buy one in the US?
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u/noobprodigy Jan 25 '14
I have wanted to go to Switzerland ever since I had a layover at the Zurich airport on my way to Spain for my honeymoon. I hope to go one day.
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Jan 25 '14
I went to Switzerland 2 years ago for a week in the summer. Best vacation I have ever had. Everything is beautiful, food is great and I got to visit the small village that my grandpas father moved to the United States from.
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u/SeekerInShadows Jan 25 '14
2 things I took away from this: how beautiful it is and how freakin expensive it is.
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Jan 25 '14
The Swiss are generally very proud people and not too accepting of foreigners. Pretty (expensive) country though.
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u/zeekip Jan 25 '14
I've been to Switzerland once, when I was traveling around the French border (I think the area/department was called Jura, very very beautiful nature and area. Excellent) and one thing I noticed was the amount of flags. Every corner has a swiss flag, every house had one hanging. Is there any reason for that or are Swiss people just proud?
Also, like in the picture the country is amazing. A bit expensive, but a amazing. Too bad I only stayed a day, would love to go back.
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u/phishin Jan 25 '14
Last time i was in switzerland i read in the paper that some town was blocking the building of some non christian church because it hurt the view of the sky line. This swiss may be neutral but only if it aint in their backyard.
All in all a cool place to visit.
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u/I_want_to_growup Jan 25 '14
Yay! and the obligatory Mürren shot! was there last year. Get on a scenic Train Ride to enjoy the countryside!
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u/hackdev Jan 26 '14
have been all over Switzerland! It's a beautiful country!
I highly recommend Montreux, a smaller town the the opposite end of lake Geneva (from Geneva) in the summer. From there you can do day trips to Gstaad and Gruyere, two amazing villages with rich swiss traditions.
Really, if you are in the Geneva area, you can visit a bunch of wonderful places. Aside from the places above, you can visit Evian and an incredible little village called Yvoire (both are in France) by ferry across lake Geneva!
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u/GetMerked33 Jan 24 '14
Yes we all want to come to Switzerland and who doesn't? It's just expensive to get there. Source - US