A Humorous Guide to Switzerland

In a few weeks it's happening again. On Monday April 14th 2023 , the inner city of Zurich will be closed off for any traffic for the annual Sechseläuten . What annoys car drivers and people doing business in the city center is the joy of anyone working or going to school in Zurich or a neighboring town simply because they get an additional free day (or free half-a-day) to enjoy the festivities. But what on earth is this mysterious Sechseläuten and why do only the people of Zurich celebrate it? A why is there a big large snowman and a huge bonfire involved in all this? the Böögg What is Sechseläuten? Sechseläuten is a spring holiday unique to the city of Zurich . The rest of Switzerland and even most towns and places in the canton of Zurich do not celebrate this holiday and no one gets time off to go and participate. It is really a holiday that belongs to the city in a sense that it has its roots in the medieval city structure with guilds and other communities even though i...

Imagine a weather forecast for Switzerland that predicts it's gonna be cold. Very cold. Real freezing. So cold that eventually not only the small ponds and waters but even the big lakes in Switzerland will freeze over. I know, that would be hard to believe when all you get are mild winters? But remember, it hasn't always been this way. Switzerland has seen it's share of very cold winters not so long ago.  The 1962/1963 Seegfrörni in Zurich During the winter of 1962/1963 it was so cold in Switzerland that Lake Zurich froze over! In Swiss German this phenomenon is called ' Seegfrörni ' which simply means 'freezing over of a lake'. For a lake as big as Lake Zurich (about 88  km 2  large and 136m deep) that's pretty impressive. My mom was actually living in the Zurich area in those years and the frozen lake is one of the most vivid and fondest memories of her childhood.  Frozen Lake Zurich - Archive of Stadt Zürich Just imagine, instead of taking ...

Fotomuseum Winterthur - michael berger  / pixelio.de  With slightly more than 100'000 inhabitants, Winterthur is Switzerland's sixth largest city. It is located about half an hour from Zurich by car or train . It used to be one of Switzerland's industrial centers but now has become a college town. It is home to several technical universities and many museums. Fun Things to Do in Winterthur Winterthur is a great destination for a day trip , especially on a bad weather day because of the many indoor activities!  I've collected the best 10 fun things to do in Winterthur! Technorama (Swiss Science Center) :  This very interactive museums invites it's visitors to experience and experiment with different scientific areas. Highly recommended! Irchelturm : This tower is about 45 minutes from the actual city in Buch am Irchel. After a short hike you can climb this 63m high tower and will be rewarded with great views. Marktgasse: Winterthur is a shoppers paradis...

Pocket Böögg - www.pocket-böögg.ch This coming weekend Zurich will celebrate Sechseläuten , the annual spring festival.  The highlight of the festivities comes at the very end: a giant snowman called "Böögg" is burnt on a stake in the very center of the city. The longer it takes for the Bööggs head to explode (it's got large firecrackers in there), the colder and wetter the summer will be. For those who would like some Sechseläuten atmosphere at home as well, there is now the Pocket Böögg . It is a small version of the real Böögg or better: a do-it-yourself Böögg since it arrives unassembled in a box. There are two available sizes: original (34cm) and mini (21cm). Both Pocket Böögg sets include firecrackers for the Bööggs head (so it'll actually explode with a bang) and a small stake. The idea of a miniature Böögg is interesting. What makes this project even better is the fact that all Pocket Böögg are produced by mentally handicapped people in the workshops ...

After several months abroad I'm finally heading back to Zurich for a visit. And what would a visit home be without stopping at your favorite café? Even more so if you're part of the blogging community who is known for drinking lots of good coffee, especially the Swiss ones! There's plenty of great coffee and delicious food to be had in Zurich, especially in Babu's , one of my favorite cafés not only in Switzerland but overall. Whether you're looking for a classy old school café that serves Kafi Schale or a modern coffee shop where you can get your Latte - we have it all in Zurich! The Five Best Cafés in Zurich Although I'm sure it's a work in progress and ever changing, I'll share my personal selection of the 5 best cafés in Zurich. Babu's : Cozy atmosphere thanks to random vintage selection of chairs and tables. Nothing matches but everything still fits somehow. Not to mention great coffee and homemade pastries. If you're wanting to eat...

Switzerland's national holiday the 1st of August is approaching soon and the weather forecast couldn't be better! This year I'll probably be celebrating on the beautiful shores of Lake Neuchatel and watching the fireworks from Estavayer-le-lac, enjoying the Estivale festival and some barbecued meat and cold beer. Where to go and what to do on 1st of August in Switzerland Almost every larger town or village in Switzerland organizes some event on 1st of August - usually a traditional 1st of August brunch , a concert (mostly with traditional Swiss music) and of course the obligatory firework . I investigated and found other (possibly more interesting and exciting ways) to spend 1st of August. Zurich region: spend 1st of August on a boat on Lake Zurich  either enjoying a good brunch or an evening meal enjoy a BBQ or a fine dinner at the Uto Kulm restaurant on Üetliberg swim in Lake Zurich and have a cool beer afterwards Basel region: visit the 1st of Augus...

Next weekend Zurich is once again gonna be the center of attention. The ZüriFäscht  (lit. 'Zurich Festival') will take place from 5-7 July 2019 . The ZüriFäscht takes place every third year in the center of Zurich and is the largest festival or event in Switzerland with over 2 million visitors . It's worth a visit and has something to offer to people of all ages! ZüriFäscht 2019 This year, the Züri Fäscht has the following attractions to offer: two musical fireworks (on Friday and Saturday night) 60 stages with concerts and performances 130 festival restaurants and cafes over 300 booths selling food and other things amusement park with over 70 rides spectacular shows in the air, water and on land Public transportation services will be extended during the Züri Fäscht so that everyone will get there without any troubles! All important information and schedules - and the official ZüriFäscht App - can be found on the ZüriFäscht website. © 2013 IRENE...

ZVV 9 o'Clock Pass I believe everyone would agree that the system of public transportation here in Switzerland is one of the best in the world. Busses and trains and even boats run regularly to almost any city, town and village - and mostly right on time. However, there is one major downside to the Swiss system of public transportation: the prices. Compared to most countries in the world it is ridiculously expensive to ride a bus, tram or a train. For example, the one hour train ride from Basel to Zurich costos more than 30 CHF. Prices do get more reasonable if you purchase a half price card (called Halbtax) or a yearly/monthly pass for a specific region or route. There are ways to save money on public transportation in Switzerland  but it still remains costly. Saving Money with the 9 o'Clock Pass In the Zurich area you have an additional option to travel cheaper: the 9 o'clock pass (called  9-Uhr-Pass  in German). This day pass allows you to travel freely on...

Zurich's famous spring festival ' Sechseläuten ' is a good example of popular culture and traditions trying to predict the weather. Much like ' Groundhog Day ' in the US and Canada where time is measured until the groundhog appears, the people of Zurich measure the time it takes for the head of an artificial snowman called 'Böögg' to explode. The faster it explodes the better the summer - at least according to tradition. Alternative Methods of Meteorology in Switzerland This way of "predicting" the weather is just one of many traditional (or alternative) methods of meteorology found in Switzerland. Another good example for this are the ' Innerschwyzer Meterologen' also called 'Muotothaler Wetterschmöcker ' , a group of weather prophets who try to predict the weather through nature. The term 'Wetterschmöcker' means ' weather taster ' and possibly refers to one of the (secret) methods they use to predict the seasons...

If you think about it, it is a bit strange that Switzerland is considered a nation of cyclists. Think about the topography of Switzerland: there aren't really any larger flat areas and what we Swiss call flat would be considered quite steep hills in other countries . Despite the obvious difficulties this causes for cyclists, almost every Swiss owns a bicycle and many people use it quite frequently, e.g. to go to work or to do their shopping. Personally, I am somewhat in between the frequent users and the 'sometimes users'. If it's sunny I'll ride my bike to work but if it rains I prefer to sit in a dry bus in the morning. Wouldn't you as well?! My bike  A Bike Ride Around Lake Zurich Today, I took my bicycle on a somewhat longer journey. Since it was warm and sunny outside I decided to use this chance and finally make a bicycle tour around Lake Zurich . Yes, I rode around all of the Untersee (the lower part of Lake Zurich between Rapperswil and Zurich...

It's time again for another of Zurich's very unique holidays this weekend. Next to the traditional Sechseleuten  (an annual festival that marks the beginning of spring) there is the Zürcher Knabenschiessen that always takes place on the second weekend of September. What is the Knabenschiessen? Literally, the name Knabenschiessen means ' young boys shooting competition'  and this is what it was originally all about. In 1889, the first Knabenschiessen took place in Zurich. About 500 boys aged 13 through 17 took part in the competition. The winner received a necklace of coins and after the competition all participants marched through the city with flags and drums. Some drinks were offered to them but I honestly do not know if they were alcoholic or not. The shooting competition of young boys and girls is still one of the central events of this holiday. However, the competition has lost some of its fame to the fun fairs, rides, booths with food, music events and more...

Summer - Peter Heinrich  / pixelio.de Summer is finally here. And it's high time! After some mediocre summer weather sunny days have arrived. The whole next week is gonna be sunny and warm - up to 30 C! Many people are away on their summer vacations but for those sticking around Zurich like myself, here are some ideas to make use of this excellent weather. 10 Fun Things to Do on a Summer Day in Zurich Go swimming in Lake Zurich or the Limmat river . There are plenty of public baths, public pools or places you can go swimming fro free in and around Zurich.  Take a stroll through the Niederdorf and buy some cold and sweet ice cream at Dieci Gelati . Visit the Zoo  and observe the animals with an ice cold drink in hand. Go up Üetliberg . Enjoy the great view and the relaxing atmosphere on this hill overlooking Zurich. This is a great starting point for short hikes as well. Take a boat ride on Lake Zurich and get some wind to chill you. Rent a pedal boat  a...

Alright. Fondue doesn't seem to be a warm weather dish. In winter it's nice and cozy to have the pot of cheese on your table heating up the room and filling everything with the smell of cheese. However, eating hot sticky cheese on bread may not seem very appealing if its hot outside. At least, that's what you probably think. Why Fondue also works in the Summer There is a small and friendly restaurant in Zurich that might be able to convince you otherwise. The Chäsalp is located on a hill outside of Zurich and its guests sit outside at large wooden tables with a great view of the surrounding hills (and the Mazoala hall of Zurich Zoo amongst other things). Pillows and woolen blankets assure comfort in this rustic Swiss atmosphere. With cowbells sounding in the background one generally has the impression of being near a cottage somewhere in the Alps rather than being 15 minutes outside of Zurich. Chäasalp outside tables 20 Types of Fondue in one Place In consi...

Zurich by Antje Warmbrunn  / pixelio.de We did it! Zurich was ranked #2 of world's most livable cities by a  Travelers Digest  article in 2012. The website has gone inactive in 2015 but a more recent survey, the 2018  Mercer Quality of Living Survey  confirms this good ranking. Not surprisingly, the high quality of life and safety of Zurich were responsible for this appraisal of Switzerland's largest city. What made me laugh was the short remark at the beginning of the entry about Zurich: " Especially great for bankers who are addicted to chocolate "! If you actually consider visiting or moving to Zurich, you should not forget that Zurich is also world's most expensive city  but Switzerland generally provides above-average salaries! © 2012 IRENE WYRSCH "A HUMOROUS GUIDE TO SWITZERLAND" ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Swiss Francs - Kurt Michel  / pixelio.de Switzerland is expensive. Life in Switzerland is expensive. If you've only thought it a rumor that living expenses in Switzerland are horrendous you are now officially proven wrong! After several years of absence Zurich has reclaimed the throne of world's most expensive city! Zurich #1 of Most Expensive Cities In 2012, The Economist  published a survey that placed Zurich number one on the list of the most expensive cities. Even in front of Paris, London, New York and Tokyo! In Zurich or Geneva you buy a cup of coffee for 5 Swiss Francs . This equals more or less 5 USD, depending on the exchange rate. In other cities of the world people don't spend more than a dollar or two for their daily caffein intake! We Swiss still like to drink a lot of coffee though! How Zurich makes up for high cost of living That is just one side of the medal. True, Switzerland is more expensive than many other countries but salaries are generall...

Zurich is Switzerland's biggest city. Yet, compared to New York or London, Zurich seems small with it's half a million inhabitants. Nevertheless, it features a great number of interesting places and fun activities for people of all ages. One of the more interesting places of Switzerland is located in Zurich: the Zurich Zoo. Although I'm personally a bit ambivalent towards the existence of zoos and the keeping of animals in compounds, a zoo can truly be a great place to visit. As a child, I was a frequent visitor to the Zurich Zoo and I remember loving the elephants and the peacocks. The polar bears were another favorite and the monkeys always good for a prank. Plus, there used to be a real long slide for kids which I totally loved. Ape - Dieter / Pixelio.de Founded in 1929, the Zurich Zoo is located on one of the hills around Zurich. According to its website, the zoo has been constantly enlarged and modernized over the last years and, today, is the home for hundred...