Dear Switzerland… what can I
say? This peaceful and tranquil country offered me so many conflicting
situations and emotions in such a short period of time! Between Zurich,
Lucerne, Interlaken, Bern, Zermatt (Matterhorn), Montreux, Vevey, Lausanne,
Geneva...there were no shortages of natural scenery and beauty of Alps and
lakes. Everything resonates of serenity and prosperity. It is a
well-known fact that Switzerland will put a hole in wallets. Best advice to
give anyone travelling to Switzerland: 1. Traveling by train is incredibly
simple and effective. Best bargain to make is to purchase your ticket online.
The price will be half of what you pay at the station (and they do not price
match) 2. If you plan on making multiple stops and visits in the country
itself, it will be cheaper to rent a car than use public transportation – even
if you are traveling solo. 3. Look for hostels for your accommodation. The
Switzerland hostels offer better quality then may hotels I’ve stayed in (in other
countries) and at a lesser cost.
History and character are
always attributes I seek in my travels and this I found lacking in the
Switzerland cities. They offer a lot of charm, many hidden gems behind mountains,
and I was very grateful for the opportunity to visit. Matterhorn, and Lausanne
were the highlights of my visit maybe because of their strong French
influences. I found this an interesting fact that today’s borders and
Switzerland’s Neutrality were defined at the Vienna Congress in 1815, ending
the wars of Napoleon.
My short day trips to Zermatt,
Bern, Interlaken, Geneva, Chamonix and Annecy were so enjoyable in the company
of friends like Charriz. What a thrill it was to experience a first snowfall
through their eyes! It brought me back to when I was a child seeing snowflakes
fall from the sky. Although, I am from Canada and realism sets in… the first
snowfall might be cute but then I know that shoveling, the cold and getting
stuck in snowbanks are also part of its charm. I would like to extend a special
thank you Charriz for letting me stay in your home. It gave me the opportunity
to enjoy long runs along Lake Geneva with a stunning view of the Alps and so
much more….couldn’t get better than that!! You made my visit to Switzerland
possible….xoxo
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