Merci, Merci vielmal, Dangge Switzerland

In usual fashion we are running well behind with our blogs and are about 2 countries behind. I am typing away at 11.20pm on the overnight train from Prague to Krakow. No doubt more to be added whilst in Krakow and heaven only knows when Prague will be done… bear with us! It’s all happening so quickly.

We were really running low on Schengen days so we had only 3 days in Switzerland and the only way in was to land in Geneva. We had wanted to do Lucerne, Jungfrau and Zermatt to see the images that one typically congers up when thinking about Switzerland, but time did not permit.

The title is a little strange because the Swiss use Swiss German, which apparently isn’t quite a formal language, they use this along with French, German and Italian. So honestly we are not sure what’s what, but after some googling we think these 3 thankyou’s should cut it.

Geneva

We flew from Morocco to Geneva with minimal fuss aside from getting a wallet shock in the Marrakech airport at the cost of regular things in the western world. Getting stuck into photos and Eastern Europe planning on the flight we made significant headway on both fronts. Our plane circled Geneva low before landing and with the sun out the lake below glistened the brightest turquoise shade I’ve ever seen. We could see the Jet d’Eau (think captain cook memorial) blasting into the sky as well. It all looked truly beautiful. Then we landed.

The whole landing, going through customs, getting our bags, getting outdoors meant we missed the sunshine and got cloud cover instead. And no snow. A large part of the deal we had with coming to Europe in winter was to see beautiful snow covered cities and mountains. The mountains had held up their end of the deal, but this winter has been mild, I mean it’s colder in Canberra most days. Seriously Europe… Well disappointed in the lack of snow anywhere. But I digress.

We cleared customs and the city of Geneva bequeathed us 80 minutes free public transport anywhere we needed to go. It’s the small things that make it. We got on the bus to the hotel, only to get off 2 stops too soon and walk the last kilometre. Well it can’t all be wheelbarrows and VIP treatment can it?! (see Essaouira, Morroco). Dumping our stuff at the hotel we are given 24 hours free public transport! Living the dream! We head into town to see as much as we can in the remaining daylight.

 

Geneva was always more of a stopover then a deliberate place to visit but nevertheless we gave it a good go. When one thinks of Geneva names such as the UN, Red Cross, the WHO are brought to mind. We tried to just get out and see a little of the town, we started at the Jardin Anglais, and saw the flower clock, crafted from 6500 flowers. We went out onto lake Geneva which was completely crystal clear, you could see the bottom from the shore, absolutely stunning. Walking through the English Park to Jet d’Eau which stopped at exactly 4pm when we were finally next to it to get photos. We also discovered that we were back to Norway prices for things after a visit to Starbucks for a single medium hot chocolate left us $11 lighter. Geneva has a rich Canberra vibe to it, there is something serious about this city, it reflects the fact that important things happen here daily. Perhaps it was the 40 something diplomats at the airport coming into the country that gave us this impression.

The Swiss are known for their time pieces, and Geneva is known as being the home of all the big names – Rolex, Patek Phillpe, Omega, Brieghtling, Tissot, TAG, Cartier and the list goes on. As you can imagine the windows are filled with magnificent watches, and the big names are plastered around the city, just in case you forgot for a second that the Swiss sell watches. In fact all the windows in Geneva are filled with divine items catering to all the rich people of the 140 organisations based there.

After googling ‘cheap places to eat in Geneva’ we found a tasty local place and had chicken, chips and salad for under $20 each.  This was truly a miraculous discovery and aside from New Years Eve our only proper sit down meal in Switzerland. Around the corner we saw the Cathedrale Saint Pierre, which sits on a hill and is visible from around the city.

As a side note Switzerland has the most incredible internet speeds we’ve ever seen. It regularly takes us anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes to upload the photos for our blogs. We uploaded all three Morocco blogs in under 15 minutes. NBN eat your heart out. I want what Switzerland has!

Geneva to Bern

The next day Amy was way under the weather with an awful cough. Simon made a solo trip out into the Swiss suburbs to get cough medicine and breakfast. The Geneva side of Switzerland speaks French with the Zurich side speaking Swiss-German and the south speaking Italian you never know what you’re going to get when you talk to a native. First stop at the pharmacy was a success after I communicated “my French is little, my wife is sick with itchy cough”. In French. Fortunately the pharmacist spoke far more English than I do French and cough medicine was obtained. The next stop was the Boulangerie (I love French bakeries!). Pastries in France are dirt cheap but in Switzerland nothing is cheap, a croissant is $3.50. I grab the special, croissant, coffee and small juice for 5 Francs or about $6.50 and think I’ve done well. I managed to collect a bag of yesterdays pastries for 50% off for train food.

After breakfast we decide to head straight to Bern, the cloud has come in low and made it foggy and dim making for poor photos. We get to the train station only to see the 10.45 pull out of the platform so we plonk ourselves down right there and wait the 30 minutes for the next train. We no longer experience concern about sitting on grubby train station floors.

The countryside we see from the train is amazing, beautiful green fields and cute houses. Across enormous lakes are soaring peaks of snow-capped mountains. There is snow on the sides of the tracks and in the fields. It is absolutely beautiful and everything we imagined rural Switzerland to look like. The snow in the fields gave us hope that there may be snow waiting for us in Bern but alas, still no snow.

Bern

As the crow flies its only 2.5 kilometres to the hotel from the train station, this is seemed totally acceptable when we got off the train, but about half way there and after going uphill we decided that all future trips will be done with public transport. The weight of the packs and the cold air made it all the less enjoyable. Finally making it to our hotel, the attendant sees our packs and after telling us our room is on the 11^th floor promptly says “and the lifts are broken”. We looked at each other as if to say ‘oh crap, here we go’. Luckily he was kidding, the lift waited for us.

In the centre we wandered the old town which has wide streets with covered paths, arcades and underground shops, presumably these are to keep people sheltered from the snow, which wasn’t there, I’m not bitter I swear! In the square old men played chess with giant pieces and another game we don’t know but will find out about sometime! We love towns that have a community vibe, where all people can just come together.

Around the corner we found the Zytglogge which is a large clockface with a mechanical show on the hour. It quite possibly could be the world’s most underwhelming clock display, this thought was shared by a fellow traveller in his visit just a day or so after ours. I’m sure it was super cool hundreds of years ago when it was built though. It was funny to watch the people filming the display keep going when it was finished as if to say ‘that cant be it? Surely?’ as the rabbit says, ‘that’s all folks!’

There are a number of strange statues in the city but the weirdest is Kindlefresserbrunnen, a troll eating babies. Truly bizzare. Not sure what the backstory is there but just look at this picture. Honestly. What the heck?

We bought lunch at the Co-op (supermarket) to get a cheap feed but still not really that cheap. Maybe we’re just spoiled after the cheap yet amazing eats of Morocco.

The Cathedral of Bern or the ‘Munster’ has a very impressive spire which in typical European fashion was under scaffolding. We arrived on closing time so did not get to go inside. There was a nice side courtyard with river views though. There were some men playing bocce in the open space and others playing table tennis on permanent tables built there. A really pretty and relaxed space to be in.

These cool looking trees are everywhere, and are really gorgeous

Wandering back into the old town we bought high end chocolate from Swiss chocolatier Laderach, just a small sampling bag which we worked our way through over the next two days. Delicious! Just let’s not talk about the price.

For dinner we decided to have Swiss food. Choc chip Movenpick ice cream. Also delicious. Don’t judge us! Food here is pricey and ice-cream is dairy and dairy is filling… just let it go.

Switzerland has their own unique power plugs that were initially confusing but we figured it out. It’s very Swiss in that its efficient taking 3 plugs in one.  Yes you can fit the Euro plug in but it’s just not quite right, but electricity does flow.

Bern is a beautiful medieval city, which we are sure would have been more beautiful with snow. Its historic buildings and stunning window displays make you happy to walk the streets. You would be happier if it snowed and you could buy all the beautiful things though. Did we mention there was no snow?

Zurich

We rise and get on the train to Zurich. It’s an uneventful and brief one hour train ride but the scenery is still fantastic.

Ahh Zurich, so gloriously situated at the bottom of some seriously big snow covered mountains, and again filled with marvellous shop windows that make you want everything that money can buy. If only we had have had time to get ourselves up those mountains…

For our one night in Zurich it somehow worked out all those months ago it was best/cheapest to book the Crown Plaza. They mustn’t get very many backpackers through, because the receptionist was a little thrown by us checking in. We’re flashpacking lady, get over it! It was almost funny trying to watch her put it all together, and whilst at all times polite she effectively tried to tell us that we didn’t belong there. The bill was prepaid so we think she was relieved.

Eventually with her shock overcome we check into the hotel which has a spa, including steam room, sauna and pool. We do not let this opportunity for some down time slip and spend 2 hours in all the available amenities whilst getting some European cultural exposure to change and steam room protocols… enough said.

We had arranged to meet our friends Mark and Vanessa for New Years celebrations. In the afternoon we get a bit peckish so I pop out for some snacks and some drinks for the night. A packet of chips was 5 franks ($6.50) whilst a bottle of vodka was 18 franks ($23). Not sure what is going on there but maybe we should drink instead of eat?

We get the tram to central and meet Mark. It’s really great to see another Aussie and to spend New Year’s Eve with friends. He takes us for a brief wander around Zurich, they have the best Christmas street lights we have seen so far decorating the main street. We walked the incredible Bahnhofstrasse a high end shopping strip with flagship stores from all the big names. Honestly the style and the amount of beautiful things here in Switzerland is wonderful.

Mark guides us to Vanessa’s friend Claudia’s place for an evening of drinks, cocktails and traditional Swiss fondue. We are warmly welcomed with bubbly and canapés waiting for us. We layer up and head to the balcony on the top floor, walking out there are tea light candles everywhere along with outdoor heaters over the table, and another table exclusively set up as our own bar. We sit on the table with a rug over our legs and the warmth of the heaters and tuck into some traditional cheese fondue and a myriad of accompaniments such as pineapple, peach, bread, champignons, grapes and baby tomatoes. The girls had also brought out cherry schnapps which traditionally you take a piece of bread then dip it in the schnapps and then into the fondue, we gave it a go but it wasn’t really our style. The girls don’t really like it either, I think it’s just one of those things you have to try, and laugh at yourself afterwards. We asked Vanessa about why the Swiss do fondue and she promptly replied “we have lots of cows, and lots of cheese, so we thought let’s melt this shit and eat it!”. Good enough reason for us! We had an amazing view of the fireworks from up high, although the fireworks don’t go off until 12:20. Vanessa tells me this is usual and it is very practical – just like the Swiss because it allows them time to say Happy New Years to people before then watching the fireworks. It was one of the most memorable New Years we’ve had in a long time, spent with very wonderful people.

After chatting the night away we got the early morning tram home – we were very grateful for 5am transport. Mark and Vanessa were heading to Prague the next day on the same train as us so we will see them again soon. Getting back into our hotel at 5am we remember being offered free membership to the Crown Plaza club which would entitle us to an extra 2 hours on check out time, increasing it to 2pm. We walk into the hotel and ask the guy on night duty if we sign up on the spot can we check out at 2pm. He said yes, we joined immediately.

The Next Day

We maximise that extra late checkout and sleep in late til 1.00pm, and then at 2pm the porter (yes that’s right) took our bags and we left. Absolutely marvellous. We walk around part of the city and look at some of the churches, specifically the Fraumunster for its gorgeous stained glass windows which are more like a piece of modern art, and the Grossmunster church and the lovely old town. Zurich is picturesque with the mountains in the background looming over the city, a beautiful river running through and standing on the bridges you look out onto wonderful architecture and feel as though you’re in a history book. A number of times in Switzerland we felt as though we were in Germany, but I guess that’s only natural, I’m sure some might say Germany reminds them of Switzerland – we don’t know the political correctness on this. Still recovering from the night before, the photos were few and far between and the ones we have are not the greatest reflection of a great city.

Getting into central we get on our overnight train to Prague and experience a sleeper car for first time. We shared our car with another well-travelled couple with one of them being to over 60 countries, he told us plenty of tales, including about his trip to North Korea. The experience was MUCH better than sitting in a chair and we were thankful we spent a little extra. We’ve booked sleepers for our next two trains from Prague to Krakow and even a private compartment from Krakow to Vienna (though this is due to nothing else being available not us being lavish).

Parting Thoughts

Our little sampler, whilst brief was lovely. The countryside here is stunning and we wish we had done our route a little differently through the mountains instead of the shorter lines, but time did not permit. Accordingly we will be back again for a dedicated scenic snow trip, and mountain and lake viewing.

• Switzerland is expensive. Bring money.
• We wanted snow and we didn’t get any, this was disappointing but there is still hope.
•  The cities are honestly nice but we would not visit again unless completely loaded and could buy lots of the very beautiful things on offer.
• The Swiss know how to do amazing internet!
• If you like cheese, come here.

Lessons Learnt

• If you do Switzerland do the lakes and the mountains
• Day tickets are only worthwhile if you use them more than twice
• Mark makes excellent cocktails
• Overnight trains are best done in the horizontal position
• Alcohol is actually probably the cheapest thing in Switzerland
• Fruit dipped in cheese fondue is pretty delicious
• Swiss ice cream and chocolate is a completely acceptable dinner option

We would very much like to come back to Switzerland and get outside its cities, because looking up to the mountains surrounding us we couldn’t help but want to get amongst it.

Simon and Amy xoxo

HAPPY NEW YEAR