Posts about Life in Switzerland
Blog posts
The non-holiday holiday
Published in
After some rushing around, I find myself on my own in Zurich for a couple of days. After dealing with the day job, I have the evening to myself, with no pressure and no responsibilities. Leaving work behind, I head for the old town and the anonymity of a familiar, traditional and noisy restaurant. The…
Using a church to tell the time
Published in
After so many years in Switzerland, we rely on the quarter-hourly chiming of the nearest church bell to know what the time is. Or, if we’re enjoying a summer evening, quickly looking across to the other side of the village.
The bottomless pit of Swiss health insurance
Published in
I’ve been living in Switzerland since early 2001: coming up on sixteen years. Since arriving, I’ve been forced to contribute to the health system by paying monthly premiums to the tune of around Fr. 300 per month. This reflects the bare minimum–the obligatorische Krankenpflegeversicherung–which is a legal requirement. Just like car insurance, a person with health…
The fishing villages on Lake Neuchâtel
Published in
Visiting lake shore villages in the French-speaking Romandie region of Switzerland feels like a little foreign holiday.
Jesus is…
Published in
A current poster campaign by the Swiss Christian Action Committee is hanging across the country. Much of the poster is left empty, with the intention that it should be graffitied, in answer to the prompt “Jesus is…”. The accompanying website offers people the same opportunity to give their opinion on what they see Jesus to be.…
A fresh eye
Published in
This year’s aim: see new places and try new things. Close to home, this means going out from home and documenting the village where I live as much as possible. Despite living here for nearly five years, the only parts of Faulensee I’ve really photographed have been the views from above the village or from home.
The early bird and all that
Published in
I was half an hour early for an appointment at the Spiez council offices this morning, so I went for a brief stroll through the woods to the top of the vineyards while I was waiting. It was so peaceful, with fresh powdered snow slipping silently from the trees and only two or three other people there…
In action at Männlichen
Published in
Yours truly, in action whilst photographing part of a multi-image panorama at Männlichen in Switzerland last weekend.
Schiltgrat to Mürren
Published in
A hair-raising sledge run – our first of this season – in the awe-inspiring Schilttal valley above Mürren.
Below the water line
Published in
Low water levels in Lake Thun in winter reveal large expanses of foreshore.
Finnenkerze
Published in
The staple of an outdoor drinks party in Switzerland – mainly in winter, but also occasionally during other seasons – is the Finnenkerze (“Finnish Candle”).
The luck and beauty of life
Published in
We are ever grateful for the opportunity to live in such a beautiful country. For the luck which means that we are of sufficient means to decide, based on a weather forecast, to drive for fifteen minutes and ascend in a rattling funicular cabin to a place which feels like the top of the world. All to…
The necessary evil
Published in
The Swiss need foreigners to keep their tourism industry afloat, but many resent the fact enough to complain about it, publicly and loudly.
Bloggen in einer fremden Sprache
Published in
Ich schreibe seit den späteren Neunzigern Blogposts und lerne seit 2001 Deutsch. Nach drei, vier Jahren hierzulande, am Anfang fast nur von Schweizern umgeben, hatte ich die neue Sprache einigermassen in Griff. Viele Stunden im Büro, viele Stunden vor Stefan Raab im deutschsprachigen Fernsehen, haben mich weiter gebracht. (Von Raab habe ich gelernt, dass es in der Tat eine…
Ladies bike for sale
Published in
Jo bought a new bike in 2012 but hasn’t used it as much as she’d expected, so it’s up for sale at Fr. 450 (or near offer). It’s a 21-speed Kalkhoff bike, made of aluminium, and in near-new condition. If you’re interested, there are photos and details at http://velo.mhm.li/: please do get in touch via email, Twitter…
Blow-up boating on Lake Thun
Published in
Jo found that because we’d saved so many points on our supermarket card, that we could “afford” a kayak using points alone. A few days later, and a large and heavy cardboard box arrived on the post woman’s scooter trailer and we had our dinghy: an Intex Challenger K2.
Faulensee to Meielisalp
Published in
In which we start the hiking season as early as we possibly can, with the longest route we’ve done to date.
Provocational advertising by Mediamarkt
Published in
There was a lot of fuss when Mediamarkt took over the much-loved Markthalle in Bern, meaning the closure of several specialist restaurants. Their latest advert in the city, announcing the new opening? “Does love enter through the stomach, or by way of a huge selection and great deals?” I don’t expect these posters to remain…
Taking to the water
Published in
A group of canoeists, kayakers and stand up paddle-boarders in a range of coloured boats on Lake Thun this morning.
The First of August
Published in
1st August is Swiss National Day, chosen as the date on which Switzerland celebrates the anniversary of the first alliance between cantons in 1291.
Emmental fire festival
Published in
The Fire Festival in Signau, a small area in the Emmental valley, is a Swiss folk and artistic festival; a smaller equivalent of Burning Man in the U.S. My friend and independent filmmaker Yannick de Zordo – who plays bass guitar for Choo Choo and who produced the great video for their song “We Go”…
