Altdorf translates as “old village” and it is the capital city of the canton of Uri, it is the canton with the shortest name and the meanest flag featuring a black bull with a nose ring. Along with Schwyz and Nidwalden, Uri is one of the founding cantons of the Read more…
The mighty Swiss bull is adornedWith a crown of thirteen cantonsInterwoven into its hornsUndo the crown or break off the hornsAnd soon will be lost the freedomIt battled so long to gain– Bundbuch 1602 Swiss history and the origins of Switzerland fascinates many historians as it is not the founding Read more…
If you really want to visit the “Plymouth Rock” of Switzerland then you have to visit Schwyz. Schwyz is the capital of the canton of Schwyz and as you can guess the name of the entire country comes from this one small canton. Nobody really knows the true etymology of Read more…
Way up in the highest inhabited place in Europe, the only railway in Avers transports neither passengers nor goods. The Gartenbahn Avers was built by Bruno Pedrini of Graubünden out of his love for railways. Being deaf from birth, communicating with him was not easy, thankfully, his roommates happily translated Read more…
At 2,126 meters above sea level, Juf is nown to be the highest inhabited place in Europe. In the Avers valley of Graubünden, Juf has just a handful of residents and fewer than a dozen houses, but the village has been continuously inhabited since the 13th century. Down the mountain, Read more…
The Pont do Gard is a majestic aqueduct that the Romans constructed to supply the city of Nîmes with water for its baths and fountains. It is one of the most well-preserved examples of Roman aqueducts there are outside of Italy. The arches are so large that you could fit Read more…
As a former papal city the town’s pride over its history can be seen in the three papal keys on its coat of arms. The old castle thing listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the broken bridge thing, and indoor markets stocked with colourful fruits are all icons of Read more…
I’ve wanted to come to Interlaken for three years before finally landing a chance when I moved to Switzerland. The German ICE runs a daily round trip between Interlaken Ost and Berlin Ostbahnhof and when I lived in the east of Berlin I always wondered where this eastern station of Read more…
The Brünigpass is known for its view of the Lungernsee nestled between grass peaks. The viewing point at the top is just over 1,000 meters above sea level but parking is very limited, so make sure to get up there early. Along the was, expect to see a 1970’s Corvette, Read more…
Those who know me well will know that I like to find very good deals on the Internet so I can get maximum enjoyment out of a meagre budget. In February 2020, when everything was still normal in Europe, I thought it was a good time to buy a car Read more…