Switzerland
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Special train today, built for steep inclines.
The track includes a rack on the steep parts that engages a cog under the engine. Very cool.
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The scenery in these mountains is spectacular!
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Sunrise on the Matterhorn.
The phenomenon is called Alpenglow. The sunlight appears almost white as you watch it but cameras correct it to yellow/orange.
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Discovery of the day - pepper!
Tried it at an Italian restaurant and the flavor blew me away! So much more flavor than any pepper I’ve had before. Floral, almost sweet.
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It costs $5000 US in fees to climb it. Every year 2000 people attempt it and about 400 make it. You have to climb it and return in one day - if you’re not past a certain point by 11 AM you have to turn back. Not sure how they enforce this.
There are 4 paths to choose from, all of similar difficulty. Amazing that anyone even tries.
Then I looked through a book at a local shop and found that one guy did all 4 in one day!
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We traveled to the base of the mountain, some 9500’. Taxi, bus, two cable cars, stairs and an elevator. Air very thin, had to take precautions.
I can’t describe what I saw - it was overwhelming.
Standing in Switzerland, looking across Italy to Mont Blanc in France - the highest alpine peak.
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But all is not well in alpine paradise. The glaciers - and there are a lot of them - retreated some 30’ this year and they’ve had little rain. They’ve closed the mountain to public skiing for the first time ever - no snow. Time was you could ski all summer.
The Olympic ski team is still training and we met some of them on the cable cars. Charming young people, very athletic, very friendly.
They’re hoping for record snow this winter.
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A fellow traveler observed that the Swiss have developed more ways to change elevation than any other country, then proceeded to itemize them.
Stairs
Escalators
Cog wheel Trains
Funiculars
Elevators
Gondolas
Ski liftsWhat the Roman’s did for water the Swiss have done for vertical transportation.
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Discovery of the day - pepper!
Tried it at an Italian restaurant and the flavor blew me away! So much more flavor than any pepper I’ve had before. Floral, almost sweet.
@Steve-Miller There’s apparently a lot of variety in pepper. (That’s not counting things like Szechuan peppercorns, which aren’t in the pepper family.) I’d love to try the type you found.
In my Indian cooking explorations, I bought some Long Pepper (a true pepper, Piper longum). Tastes similar to what you describe. Not as sharp as regular pepper, and has spicy flavors that recall cloves and nutmeg. It’s different enough from regular pepper that it may not quite work the same way in Western dishes. Our standard pepper has more of a hot bite or sting without the overtones of sweet spice.
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Switzerland is one of the countries I have been to but not really. One of our river cruises ended in Basel and there was bad weather so our flight was cancelled. We ended up taking the train to Frankfurt to get a better flight out. So my entire Swiss experience was about four hours in and around the train station. I had caught a cold on the trip so popped into a pharmacy for something for a sore throat. The pharmacist gave me anti bacterial lozenges and they were the best lozenges I have ever had. They actually worked. They tasted decent. I hoarded them and only used them for the worst of sore throats until I finally ran out.
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Sunrise on the Matterhorn.
The phenomenon is called Alpenglow. The sunlight appears almost white as you watch it but cameras correct it to yellow/orange.
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View from the Stanserhorn. Lucerne area
Tiny little shingles used on traditionally styled homes. Each one is nailed on individually. Costs a fortune and takes
forever but they continue to use them.
Carved in to the side of a giant rock in Geneva. The detail on the lions face is striking.
Story here:
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@steve-miller A few days back, your photos weren’t laid g for me, but I came back to this thread today and now they are. What a great trip you’re having! The photos are stunning so I can imagine how glorious it must be to see it all in person!
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Best trip ever! Waiting for flight home.
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Travel by deluxe train is superior to travel by tour bus. Both are superior to travel by car. Uber makes the last mile parts easy.
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Sightseeing in the German kantons is superior to the French/Italian ones. Food is superior in the French kantons. Italian food is a safe workaround anywhere but it doesn’t change much.
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There are two main grocery chains - Coop and Migros. They are in every town, even small towns, usually next to each other. Both are superior in every way to any I’ve found in the US. The grab-and-go sections are the reason why American fast food hasn’t gained traction as the food is superior at a lower price.
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The produce here is amazing - sourced worldwide, bred for flavor rather than yield. My orange came from South Africa, my peach from Peru, and they were fantastic!
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Swiss efficiency/precision is definitely a thing in the German kantons. French/Italian kantons not so much.
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The current fad where they make hotel beds with only a bottom sheet and a duvet is an abomination. It’s an abomination in US hotels as well. I may start traveling with a top sheet.
Beautiful country, easy to navigate, friendly and interesting people. Definitely want to return in the near future.
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Best trip ever! Waiting for flight home.
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Travel by deluxe train is superior to travel by tour bus. Both are superior to travel by car. Uber makes the last mile parts easy.
-
Sightseeing in the German kantons is superior to the French/Italian ones. Food is superior in the French kantons. Italian food is a safe workaround anywhere but it doesn’t change much.
-
There are two main grocery chains - Coop and Migros. They are in every town, even small towns, usually next to each other. Both are superior in every way to any I’ve found in the US. The grab-and-go sections are the reason why American fast food hasn’t gained traction as the food is superior at a lower price.
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The produce here is amazing - sourced worldwide, bred for flavor rather than yield. My orange came from South Africa, my peach from Peru, and they were fantastic!
-
Swiss efficiency/precision is definitely a thing in the German kantons. French/Italian kantons not so much.
-
The current fad where they make hotel beds with only a bottom sheet and a duvet is an abomination. It’s an abomination in US hotels as well. I may start traveling with a top sheet.
Beautiful country, easy to navigate, friendly and interesting people. Definitely want to return in the near future.
@Steve-Miller I like the traveling with a top sheet idea.
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Is it a sanitary issue? thought duvets had sheet-like covers that enclose them as pillowcases do for pillows. Then the covers get washed along with your bottom sheet.
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