A Humorous Guide to Switzerland

Halloween is just around the corner and while I believe every culture should have it's share of interesting holidays and traditions I must admit don't really appreciate when a "foreign" holiday is imported to Switzerland - especially when it's mainly for money making reasons such as Halloween. Ten years ago nobody was celebrating this holiday but nowadays the stores are full of costumes, candy and other Halloween-y decoration articles. I'd much rather see people pick up on older traditions that slowly fade into history - but maybe I'm just a nostalgic.


Thus, as people are carving their pumpkins around the world children in Switzerland will get ready to carve their beetroots (and many crafty adults as well). True, the actual season for the Räbeliechtli(beetroot lanterns) starts in November and is basically one of many Christmas season traditions here in Switzerland but I believe creating a beautiful lantern is fun even already in October. As the days are q…

It's been two weeks since fall solstice and the days are getting shorter rapidly. September has been sunny and warm and so far October has been pleasant as well. It seems almost as if fall is trying to make up for a lousy summer.

Fall in Switzerland usually means that the end for all summer activities like swimming, boating, sun bathing, etc. has come. Especially water related activities are off limits to most people simply because the water has gotten too cold. However, there are plenty of activities to enjoy outdoors on a beautiful fall day - just make sure to bring a warm jacket in case the weather changes unexpectedly.

Here are my personal top 10 fun things to do during fall in Switzerland:
Hiking or walking: A good pair of shoes will get you almost anywhere in Switzerland. Enjoy the colors of the leaves changing and the sunshine. If you reach a high enough altitude you might be able to see the Nebelmeer, a sea of fog, lingering between the hills. Not sure where to go or how t…