Blog posts about Switzerland at Permanent Tourist

When the temperature of snow is above -10°C, it melts slightly when you crush it by walking on it. At temperatures below -10°C, the ice crystals are crushed, which makes a squeaking sound.

Going somewhere new and exploring the lake shore at Seengen, near Hallwil.

If you find a natural feature, enjoy it while it lasts.

Strolling in a winter wonderland on an unusual Christmas Day.

Photos from a wander in the winter sunshine in 2019.

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My first little video put together using Adobe Premier Pro, using some old video clips from 2011.

Hiking in the snow between Le Noirmont and Le Creux-des-Biches in the Swiss Jura mountains.

Ever on the lookout for new views – and new variations on old views – I spent a fair amount of time on days out hunting for picturesque meadows this spring and summer.

The first part of my personal retrospective of a year which – to my eternal relief – wasn’t as bad on a personal level as it could easily have been.

Note to self. When the cloud is low, the snow is falling gently and the village paths are empty, get out and enjoy it.

When the full (-ish) moon rises above Interlaken at this time of year, it always reminds me of a photo my Dad took in south Wales many years ago, where the reflection wasn’t on a lake but on the smooth surface of the sea off the coast of Freshwater East.

Hiking along the milky Oberaarsee to the ice cave at the terminus of the Oberaar glacier.

I met with a client yesterday at their modern office in a part of central Bern which is a former hipster area and which is plagued by graffiti artists and substance abusers. Although the building is new and freshly-finished with some attractive brickwork, it’s only a matter of time before it, too, will be sprayed […]

Photographing the crocuses and the view from Rämisgummen in Emmental.

I bought a bike because it’s fun, it will improve my fitness rapidly – thereby helping me to get ready for hiking season – and because it means that I don’t have to rely on public transport or on my car for my daily trip to work and back. It also allows me to enjoy the local scenery more; getting me further more quickly than on foot.

Taking ourselves on a walk in the blissful isolation of the forests of Jura.

By applying the right colour profile to your photo, you can get a much more nuanced version than through simple editing.

Jo reminded me earlier of the Ranz des Vaches (or Lyôba), a classical Swiss alpine song which has stirred the hearts of many Swiss for years. It’s said that the song made those Swiss living abroad so homesick, that singing and playing it was banned amongst Swiss mercenaries in the eighteenth century, so as not to cause desertion.

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After many years, I’m back in the saddle with my own e-bike. And I’m loving it.

Posts about Switzerland

Squeaky snow

Lake Hallwil

Enjoy nature while it lasts

Christmas Day in Narnia

Aeschiried in the snow

Bern by night, 2011

Hiking in the snow at Le Noirmont

2020 Retrospective – Meadows

2020 Retrospective – Winter into Spring

A stomp in the snow

The memory moon

Hiking to the Oberaar glacier

Those damned Reds

Crocuses at Rämisgummen

Late afternoon stroll at La Tour-de-Peilz

Biking along the lake

The forests of Jura

Using colour profiles in Lightroom

Ranz des vaches/lyôba

On two wheels