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Switzerland Travel GuideINFORMATION Wow, what a visually spectacular country! Located in the heart of Western Europe, bordering France, Germany, Italy, Austria, and Liechtenstein, it is not only a beautiful country to visit, but it is an interesting place with a lot of diversity. Influenced by its neighboring countries but maintaining its own traditional culture, the language, food, and culture change from one part of Switzerland to the next. Traveling through Switzerland is a remarkable experience, it gives you the feeling of traveling to several different countries as you cross through one nation. And with the train system in Europe being so fast and effective, cities such as Paris can be reached from Zurich in just six hours and Amsterdam and Rome can be reached from Zurich on an overnight train in 12 hours. Switzerland offers many activities and attractions for all seasons. It has some of the best skiing available in the world. Winters, by both the Swiss and visitors, are spent in the beautiful mountains, where skiers and snowboarders enjoy the amazing slopes. Non-skiers can indulge in traditional Swiss cuisine in rotating mountaintop restaurants or admire ice sculptures by artists. Summers attract many mountain trekkers and bikers, who enjoy some of the most spectacular trails out there. Families with children of any age can take a chair lift to Switzerland's first and most attractive giant slide, located on the mountain Atzmännig. Young adults get their pinch of adrenaline from bungee jumping; one of the most attractive jumps Switzerland has to offer is the glacier bungee jump in Interlaken. If you are into the great outdoors, this is a country you cannot afford to miss. Zurich is also home to numerous history and art museums, which are very popular on rainy days among the Swiss. And for a unique lodging experience, visit the igloo hotel village in the mountain resort of Davos. For the shutter bugs, the Glacier Express is an absolute must. The 180 mile ride on this delightful route takes a good 8 hours. This gives you enough time to take in the magical panorama that lies on its path, which links the two mountain resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. 291 bridges, 91 tunnels, and an altitude of 6,670 feet make this train ride similar to an expedition through fairyland. Major Cities Include: KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Capital: Berne Climate: The temperature ranges from 65°-82° F in the summer months of July-August. Autumn and spring temperatures lie between 46°-59° F. The winter is colder, with temperatures from 28°-45° F. Currency: Swiss Franc - Currently 1 CHF = 0.7780 USD Helpful Phrases: Good morning/day- Guten Tag Good evening- Guten Abend Please/you're welcome- Bitte Thank you- Danke Yes- Ja No- Nein Do you speak English?- Sprechen Sie Englisch? I don't understand- Ich verstehe nicht Please write it down- Konnten Sie mir das bitte aufschreiben How much?- Wieviel kostet das? Telephone- Telefon Toilet- Toilette Tea- Tee Coffee- Kaffee Bottled water- Mineralwasser Cheers!- Prost! Power: 230 V, 50 Hz Restaurant tips: A service charge is usually already included, but if you feel you received great service you may want to round up the check by a few dollars. Time Zone: DST +0200 UTC Transportation: The easiest and cheapest way to get around Switzerland is by trains and buses. The Swiss love their public transportation, and all public transportation is punctual to the minute. Languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansch. ATTRACTIONS Museum of Natural History in Basel LODGING PERSONAL STORIES Checkmate, Senor! Ahh, the sense of victory is great. Standing here in this valley, I feel like I have conquered the world. For I look around and I am in a dream. It's like living in a fairytale. I have become a character in Alice and Wonderland. I have finally found paradise here in this small village of Interlaken. Snapping out of my euphoria from my brilliant win, I walk through the courtyard at Balmer's and find a place to rest. I cannot believe I am here. A week before, I was at a mundane job in Richmond and now I am in Switzerland, living the high life. Who could ever believe it? I also see many others milling about that have found the same sense of calmness as I have. Swaying in the hammock, I really do believe this is the place of dreams. Straight up there are white, puffy clouds that could entrance you all day. For one second, you see a giraffe and you blink your eyes and the giraffe turns into a race car. Oh, what a feeling. I lean over to grab my cold beer and paradise again. The snow covered peaks of the Swiss Alps. Is my Heidi up there with her St. Bernard waiting for me? I hope so, but she will have to wait. For my beer has to be finished and my brain has to etch the postcards into my mind. The most vivid is of myself here in shorts enjoying the sun coming over the snow covered mountain range. I steady myself as I lean out of the white hammock and head to the lifesize chessboard once again. Everything around here is larger than life. When I leave this town, I will be in reality once again. No more playing Alice. As I set up the oversized rooks and pawns for another game, I just smile. 
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