“Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.”
~ Ernest Hemingway ~
Matterhorn - Zermatt
Over the last 25+ years, the Swiss have shifted their economic focus from fleecing sheep to fleecing tourists. They figured out it’s easier… and more profitable… selling tourism than any amount of cheese, chocolate, watches or Swiss army knives.
It’s an evolution of sorts and while I’m not sure how many cheese wheels and/or Rolex watches would equate to the $17 billion per year in annual fleecing… sorry… tourism... in the end, the decision is all about dollars & $en$e.
Cable Car - Murren, Switzerland
This isn’t to say Switzerland isn’t charming. Quite the opposite. It’s a stunning vista of alpine lakes, charming villages and incredibly clean cities. The population of 8.9 million is considered to be traditional by most measurements and has a conservative bias when it comes to political, social and cultural issues. Roger Federer best personifies the ‘Swiss Way’ as his personality & temperament are a perfect fit for his new role as the official/unofficial Swiss Tourism Ambassador.
Morning Moon - Zermatt
The punctuality of the Swiss is legendary and trains, planes and watches emphasize the dedication to precision & accuracy. Some of the world's finest watches come from Switzerland: Rolex, Patek Phillipe, Breitling, Tag Hauer, Tissot and Omega to name a few. For the price of a car or your child's first year of college, you too could own one of these classic timepieces.
My recent 14 day sojourn to Switzerland was a true blessing. It was humbling and inspirational on so many levels and continued to broaden my perspective on life. Traveling through Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt and Geneva checked all the boxes for Swiss adventures & experiences. Each region was unique to itself and yet all were wrapped in elegant Swiss hospitality.
American travel writer & novelist, Paul Theroux, was once quoted as saying, “Travel is glamorous only in retrospect.” I’ll go on record to say, he’s wrong. Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion. Perhaps he might want to stop riding the Iron Rooster in China and discover the joys of European travel (insert smile)! A few minutes admiring the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne or perhaps watching a morning moon dance with the Matterhorn may change his opinion. As for me… vacations are good for the soul and best enjoyed in the moment.
Sound of Swiss Music - Zermatt
Lauterbrunnen Valley - Interlaken