A Humorous Guide to Switzerland

A personal blog like mine is probably one of the best ways to express yourself, your opinions and your experiences online. Personally, I've always tried to keep out of controversies but sometimes a little personal comment slipped in anyway. I usually don't like and don't do self-promotion either. Today, I'd like to make an exception and introduce you to " Destino Amazonas "! The blog " Destino Amazonas " (lit. 'Destination Amazonas) was started on a whim when my husband and I moved from Lima (Peru) to Cocachimba (also in Peru) where we're currently trying to manage the construction of our future home. Life in the small village of Cocachimba couldn't be more different from life in Lima. Instead of gray and foggy days we get rainy and sunshine. Instead of traffic noise and loud neighbors we hear birds singing and the majestic waterfall of Gocta is always rumbling somewhere in the background. Life here also has it's hick-...

Swiss Passport - Deborah Weber  / pixelio.de  While writing my posts about owning a passport that isn't worth much and one that is totally worth it , I discovered  a great online resource for comparing the power of different passports. A website called Passport Index  lets you explore passports from all around globe. On Passport Index you can see which to which countries you can travel freely if you own a certain passport. On the website you can check out an individual passport (e.g. Passport of Congo ) compare up to four different passports see an overall ranking of all passports  find out if you can travel to more countries if you acquire another passport read news about passports and immigrations laws from all around the world Obviously, I was interested in the Swiss passpor t and checked how it ranked in the overall ranking. I mean, we Swiss can travel to a lot of countries without needing a visa! This is what I found. Top 10 of Worlds Best...

Traveling - Petra Schmidt  / pixelio.de  Last week I wrote about what can happen when your passport isn't worth much   and how as owners of privileged passports - one that lets you travel to lots of countries visa free - we are often blissfully unaware of the troubles people with less travel privileges go through. Today, I want to share a personal story about the other side, about what can happen when your passport is truly worth it.  Traveling Without a Visa This happened when I was on my way back to Peru from a trip to Switzerland. In fact, it was the very same trip for which my boyfriend was denied a visa . I was 6 months pregnant and traveling was a bit more strenuous than usual. My AVIANCA flight route led me first from Zurich to London (Heathrow, not a good choice!), from London to Bogota and then onwards to Lima. This is a long journey and can be tough to deal with even when you're not pregnant. Everything seemed to go well. I checked in in Zurich, b...

Swiss and Peruvian Passport This last week the media and social media has been full of comments on Trumps #MuslimBan . The new immigration policies of the US has made me aware once again that our world is still a very unequal place. People are treated in a certain way simply because they were born in one place and not in another. Depending on the passport(s) you hold you are granted certain travel privileges - or not. I was born and raised in Switzerland and have enjoyed the benefits of free travel from an early age. It is normal for me to travel without needing a visa and strange for the few exceptions where I do need one. A short trip to Germany, a holiday in Canada or an extended trip in New Zealand - all is possible without much paperwork! Today, I can travel to 155 countries by just carrying a valid Swiss passport! I never personally experienced the disadvantages of owning a passport that isn't worth much - until I got married to a person who owns one. My husband is...

No Thieves in Switzerland - Dieter Schütz  / pixelio.de Switzerland recently has had the honors to be included in the top 10 of world's safest travel destinations by Travelers Digest (the site has gone inactive in 2015) . Although it is definitely nice living in a safe country where street crime is almost non-existent, I was a bit bummed that Switzerland didn't make any of the more attractive top 10 lists. I mean who wouldn't want his country to feature one of the Top 10 Adventures for Thrill Seekers Top 10 Best Airports of the world Top 10 Best Cities to Live In Top 10 Best City Skylines Top 10 Best Places to Watch Sunsets Top 10 Best Wildlife Viewing Top 10 Countries with the Most Beautiful Women The alps, great paragliding locations, bobsledding, snowboarding or river rafting in Switzerland are not considered thrilling enough I guess. I would claim though that Zurich Airport is one of the nicest and most organized airports in Europe. It's tough to...