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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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……. |