Dan Will Travel

PERFECTION?

I have traveled all over the world, but I have never seen a place this close to perfection in the way it functions for it’s residents and it’s many tourists.

We in America are so stuck on lowering taxes, seemingly at all costs. It is refreshing to visit a country where the people obviously pay significant taxes, but they seem totally OK with it as they like what they get.

They have fabulous infrastructure, and are improving upon it constantly. They have issues with mountain conditions such as wash outs, but they are there fixing them in ALL cases I saw. Building tunnels everywhere including one that looks to be over 30 miles long.

Their train system is without equal and they use it. Zurich has supposedly the densest system of trolleys, buses, and such in the world, and they use it. None of it is cheap, but it is all used extensively.

Although I have never seen so many restaurants anywhere, the population is seemingly pretty fit and are hiking or biking everywhere.

The trail system is without equal, probably better than France which is well known for theirs. I posted some shots below of trail junctions. They are numbered, notated as to whether the trail is for bikes, horses, or just people, and in all cases, the estimated time to the next point is right on the sign. Color coded as to difficulty just like a ski run. And, the trails are occupied everywhere.

Yes, it is expensive for us to visit. But, I sure left thinking there was value in what I paid for. If you re thinking about a trip, you should assume about 10-15% higher than the rest of northern Europe.

The final shot below says it all to me.

See you in November when I will write from Australia. Thanks for reading these!

As noted before, all of these clock towers have the correct time

walking back to St. Moritz. If you can read, you cannot get lost.

Again, Swiss perfection. The Matterhorn, the train, and the working clock. And, trust me, the train was on schedule.

These guided me down from the Matterhorn station to the one below.

Further down the way, at a junction to some other trail.

A really nice flower box along the street with benches around it for sitting.

Now,being at a pass, this one is particularly complicated.

I had a picnic here, just along the side of the highway. This is not graffiti, it is marking the way to some resort up the trail somewhere. Loved the smiling face painted on the stump. There are benches everywhere.

This is at my final top of mountain place near Lucerne. While hiking above the clouds, snow capped peaks everywhere, they were serenading the tourists. Very pleasant sound, actually.

This says it all to me. A small village with a nice bench for viewing it from above. With a wisk broom provided to clean the seat if necessary. Perfection? Well, pretty close…….

Posted: September 30, 2015 by admin

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SWISS LANDSCAPING

You see lots of cattle all over Switzerland. From what I read and am told, it is not a very efficient industry and is heavily subsidized. Even then, all restaurants have to spell out the country of origin for all their meat and fish, and it is often NOT Switzerland for the beef served. Go figure.

So, what is their purpose? From an ex-resident, I learned the term: “Swiss Landscaping.”

All of the tourists expect to see them, so they are there to be seen, essentially.

And, if you remember those California commercials about how happy their cows were and how that made for better cheese, well, I sure hope that those CA cows never see how their Swiss brethren live. They would revolt!

Another shot of the cattle drive.

This is from a train. If I could have gotten the next shot, you would see the man on the right using his stick to scratch the cow’s back. Seriously.

Quiet pasture, close to home, and water in the tank to the right.

Do not show this to any California cows.

Nice shot of the cow bell. It really makes for a pleasant sound as you approach a field.

Posted: September 29, 2015 by admin

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SCHILTHORN Maybe the best overall Jungfrau mountain viewing spot?

For this trip, I went to another part of the Jungfrau valley to get to the top of Schilthorn. This is maybe the best setting to see the full range of the Jungfrau, as it is positioned to view a full 360 degrees.

Being Switzerland, the following series of connections were not daunting and of course, they all worked just on time as they should. Total time was less than an hour. And, being Switzerland, this precariously perched facility included a quite decent revolving restaurant, shops, and access to many trails, all totally snow covered when I was there.

· Train 3 stops from Grindelwald (3,412’) down to Zwellutschinen. (Try pronouncing that one!)
· New train 1 stop to Lauterbrunnen (2,627’)
· Immediate change to an aerial cable car to Grutschalp (4,913’)
· New train to Murren (5,429’)
· Cable car to Brig (8,834’)
· New cable car to Schilthorn (9,834’)

If you are my age, you would remember the famous 007 movie, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” This is where the winter ski scenes were filmed. Although I reluctantly passed on it, many tourists were getting selfies next to the life size cut out of James Bond.

And, if you know me and my vertigo, don’t miss the last two shots below. I really did it.

Village of Murren. This is Rick Steves favorite place in the Jungfrau. I have to agree. No cars and access is a part of what is outlined above, but probably worth it.

What can I add? Can you imagine living like this?

View from Murren.

Even the grave yards are full of flowers.

Nice waterfall with sheep grazing at thee base. Probably getting a nice constant misting.

I had to shoot this. My favorite colors for annuals.

Going up the final leg to Schilthorn. That is a full revolving restaurant up there.

At the top, looking out with Brig station far below

Rugged.

Yes, those are two people. What they are doing, I do not know. I would be quite scared.

View from Brig down to Murren.

My nice Korean friend that I met that day took this for me. He was more scared than I was. The floors were grated metal so you could see exactly what was below.