GENERAL INFO (Jump to Diary) The official name is Swiss Confederation, and it covers 41,285 square kilometres. It is a Federal semi-direct democracy under multi-party parliamentary directorial republic with around 8.400.000 citizens. 71% are Christians, 22% do not have a religion, 5% Muslims and the rest dividend among minor religions. The currency is Swiss franc (CHF), worth 6,97 Danish Krone. The GDP is US$651.770 billion. The climate of Switzerland
is heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. It variants with the heights,
going from Mediterranean climate at Switzerland's southern tip to to alpine
in the mountains. DIARY It is snowing on the top, but the road is covered with a roof, and I get pass with my warn-down summer tiers. A bit later, I cross through the clouds, and despite I see a lot of beautiful views, I fail to capture them. The Alps are still in the early spring, and several roads are still closed. Snow are everywhere above 1000 metres or so, and the early plants are flowering.
I head back to the Rhone valley, and follow it for
some time. Here are so many tiny timber villages, huge green grass meadows
I reach the wider part of the valley, and here are a
huge production of vine and fruits like apples. Here are also a lot diary
farms, but only a few cows to see. But to judge from the amount of manure,
there are a lot inside the stables. It is a bit hard to judge how high the mountains are,
as the top is covered in clouds. And that make my next target a bit dodgy:
Mt Matterhorn with its 4478 metres. There should be a great view from
the village of Zermatt (as the name indicates?). Well, I kind of get a
glimpse of, what I believe to be Matterhorn, but then the clouds closes
again.
It is clearing up a bit, but I fail to see that many
peaks. The town is almost completely dead, and only a few shops are kind of
open. The town have quite some I head further in the giant valley, but before I reach Grimmelwald, the road is closed! That is a big problem, as the detour is at least 300 kilometres. I try another, minor road, but end up at a huge wall of snow. Nothing else to do, but take the long way around Aigle, way out west. I turn around in a town named Bitsch!
I start looking for a camp at five, and find several. One is closed, one only for the whole year, one only for full blood campers, one elutes me, way out in the gravel roads. I finally find one at half pass seven, and some young people staying here, show me how to crash the gate and internet. I'm sure someone will collect payment in the morning. The hardworking Lupo have had some real bad sounds the
last couple of days. In Italy, everything was spring holyday, and here, the
mechanics refers to VW. I find one on the internet, around 50 kilometres
further up the route. Well, they call them self VW partners.
Alps, Verbier, Zeematt, Saas Fee,
Rhone valley. 2/5. There is none to collect payment for the camping, but when I'm about to drop €15 in their mailbox, a local passes by, and make a call: €15 it is. Then I set the GPS for the VW garage, and head into the Alps in a rather depressing day. Greyish and sometime, the drizzle mans up to rain. Newer the less, here are so pretty! Before I reach the garage, another genuine VW dealer
is found along the road, and I give it a shot. Then will look at it right
away, but after three including the boss have had a
Well, I do need the front tires, but I have already
gotten two set of discs without is have changed anything. Further more,
their quote is around three times more than my Danish mechanic will ask. I
guess Switzerland is the wrong place to ask. Actually, many things seems to
be 3-4 times as expensive than in France, Spain and especially Portugal.
I pay CHF 50, but what I (thought I) found out was; it is not just a loose bolt, it will not loose a tire, and it is probably the gearbox. And that is the Achille's-heal on Lupos! Only a few experts understand how the Lupo clutch/gearbox actually work. Considering I'm not in danger, I keep on driving till I reach Germany or even better; Czech! I just turn up the music and pretend nothing is wrong. Next sight on my long list is the Alpine Botanical
Garden of Schynige Platten. It is yet another great drive,
I reach what I believe is the right road, but it is only single lane, and have some signs which probably mean I'm not welcome. Never the less, I head on for quite some of the twelve kilometres this little road leads in, and up through the meadows and steep mountains. It seems like I'm never going to see a botanical garden again!
Well, then it off to Meiringen to
see the 250 meter tall Reichenbachfall - a waterfall. That should not
fail:
I consider walking till I see the map, and the sorry photos a professional have made on a sunny day. I'm not going to walk for three hours, in the rain, for that! Actually, I saw three other falls, at least 150 metres tall on the way to here, and the photos I made need explanations!
Then I reach Lucerne, and it is a huge city,
and at first, I really find it hard to like it. I head towards the river,
hoping to find the old town. I park in a deep parking house, and head on by
foot. Then I hit the right spot, and it sure is pretty! A lake-like part of
the river is crossed by an ancient bridge; Kapellbrücke with roof over. The buildings
facing the water is ancient too,
A bit further inland, more glorious houses are found, and not only their shape, but also the full facade paintings are magnificent. Fountains are on every square, many bridges crosses the river. I wonderer round for quite some time, and the rain have stopped for now. When I probably have a photo of most of the houses, I find back to the car, and start a long drive south.
I had hoped to see one more town, but getting out of the
parking house take for ever. Apparently, there are a big fire nearby, and
parts of the town have been closed. I do some accounting and finally set the
GPS for a camp, 18 kilometres further on, planning to return in the morning.
It have I pass the large lake once again, and the greyish views are never the less great, until I reach the 17 kilometre long Gottardo tunnel. That is boring driving! When I reach a town close to the camp, the traffic grind to a hold once again. Hard to say why, but eventually, I reach the little camp, right on the lakeside in Fosano - or somewhere close. Here are none, but a sign say: Find a place, and pay tomorrow. Great, except I would have liked the code for the Wi-Fi. Alps, Grimmelwald, Lucerne and the lakes. 3/5. I have to
wait a hour and a half to pay for the night. And do I get to pay! 40 SHF,
around 300 DKK, for two
It is a relatively short drive
to Ascona, which should be a perfect lake town. The drive is nice
when I clear the towns, but Ascona is nothing special, I think. The lack of
sun and temperature might do it, but I've seen prettier towns. I do the
lakeside and some back streets, and head on. Another great drive through the Valle Maggia, and I'm in Fusio, which is special around here, because the houses are made in granite, not timber. I drive a bit around, and make a few photos of the old houses, the church and the waterfall. It is kind of interesting, but not as much as the drive to here. Next stop is in the larger town of Bellinzona, famous
for having three fortresses. I had hoped for a more spectacular town, but
only a few houses are truly outstanding. I make a long walk
Back to the car again and then a longer drive to Chur to find the road to Arosa. It causes me some problems due to closed and one-way streets, but finally, I'm on the narrow mountain road, heading up through a narrow valley. It is truly Märklin land! I had hoped to see a Marmot; Marmota marmota, and here are actually several along the road.
Arosa is really a disappointment, although the tour up
here was supposed to be the main advent. But the town consists of some
square concrete buildings with closed shops and little more. The
big lake is partly frozen and here are
Switzerland is a beautiful country, and should I win in lotto one day, I might return. I have driven only 1127 kilometres, taken 1184 photos but spend €319, around 2400 DKK. From here, I head into Liechtenstein. |