Life in Tirana: Eight expensive but gorgeous days in Switzerland

With our friends, Kaki and David, we spent a week, mostly in western Switzerland and the Alps, hiking, eating and absorbing the Swiss culture.....
The abbreviation for Switzerland is CH. When we inquired it stands for Confoederatio Helvetica or Confederation of Helvetica.
The are 4 languages spoken, German being the major one followed by French, Italian and Romansh. There is no Swiss language.
Switzerland is "armed neutrality" not having been in a war since 1815. They are involved in peace building with a large presence in Albania.
Clean as a whistle, organized to the second (i.e. train departures) and plenty of open spaces that invite you to walk or hike through them, would characterize this country.
Interesting to note that the last Canton (State) to approve the right of women to vote was in 1990!

Topic #1
Food and Wine
This is a cuisine of dairy, chocolate and pastries. Cheeses, fondu, raclette, clotted cream, fresh milk, yogurt.....Makes the heart work a little harder.


There are always chocolates on your pillow at every place we stayed

Meringues with berries and clotted cream, white chocolate and strawberry mousse and fruit tart for dessert!

The wines were light. Reds were Pinot Noir and whites dry and a bit fizzy. The waiters were very matter of fact in their duty and expected you to be so as well.

Topic #2
Geneva, French city on the western end of Lake Geneva

Old city of Geneva


Calvin and these other gentlemen established a strong religious fiber to the city. Little is open on Sunday.


The harbor and HUGE fountain shooting up 460 meters

Our first night in Geneva was the final night of a two week celebration with the most amazing 1 hour, 3 musical movement, display. Sorry, Burlington, this tops them all with fireworks on three levels at once!

Topic #3
Towns just north of Lake Geneva, quiet and gentle lakes and architecture that stands the test of time


Abby from the 14th century


Maybe the country should be called Switzerflowerland!

Topic #4
Hiking in the Alps


Our view from the hotel in Lauterbrunnen We watched two young guys "free fall" from the top of this ridge. This is where you jump off and see how far you can fall before opening your parachute. Several die a year from this thrill seeking sport.


Very well marked trails

Characteristic church tower and a clock on every public building...Swiss made!

These are not post cards. It was our vistas as we hiked in the mountains


There are 100 mountains over 13,000 feet in Switzerland

Lunch in Murren..Let's see, did we have more than wine and chocolate???


Hikers.....

"Rester"

Very kid friendly. Most restaurant had cool playgrounds or this item which is just a walking path with various size stones to feel under your feet


The art of wood stacking is amazing

Our dear neighbors with loud bells outside the hotel I am hear to announce that cows DO eat all night long!

The Swiss seem to love displaying their flag

Artsy photo looking down at a waterfall on striated rocks

The Swiss, (usually the German Swiss) have continued to vote down expanding the number of mandated vacation days and also voted to increase taxes over the last few years. The French Swiss are not so inclined but they are fewer in numbers.

We are talking seriously green pastures

Visit to Heidi's house. No grandfather but a cute 3 year old.

Milk 1 hour fresh from the cow, kept cold in this trough of cold mountain running water

Cutest waiter we saw on the entire trip delivering our milk shake


The Gruyere cheese house. She makes three a day in the spring as cows give more milk then. Now it is two a day.

No kidding, at least 80% of the houses have flower boxes like this

They must have some kind of wicked good fertilizer

Topic #5
The picturesque town of Gruyere, famous for its cheese, of course.

This was our 17th century restaurant building. The entire menu was cheese dishes.

Topic #6
The vineyards on the eastern side of Lake Geneva, just under the mountains.

Delightful 3 1/2 hour walk on the path you can see here

We kept seeing these wine tasting places on our hike and wanted to taste from the specific vineyards but none were open or the sign said to come back at 5 pm!

The walk takes you through small old hamlets with a few houses


The honor system is alive and well in Switzerland. We would buy our train tickets from the machine at the station and board our train. Never did anyone come by to collect the tickets.