The Bridge Bilders, the Emme, the Alphorn and the Chüechlihus in the Emmental
9 October 2024
Available in German, French and Dutch
Gurtnellen, strahlnen, Crystal and the Gotthard Pass
26 September 2024
Many people (including Swiss) have probably never heard of Strahlnen (or Strahlen). Yet strahlnen has made the village of Gurtnellen in the canton of Uri and places in other cantons world-famous. Monarchs from all over Europe had chandeliers and other objects made from crystal from Uri and other cantons. Crystal from the Grimsel, Guttannen (canton … Read more » “Gurtnellen, strahlnen, Crystal and the Gotthard Pass”
Vals and its Walser, natural phenomena, the Reformation and mineral springs
22 September 2024
Avalanches, floods, and rockslides have been omnipresent in Vals in the Valser Valley (Valsertal, Canton Graubünden) for centuries. A Chronicle (die Lawinechronik) has been keeping accurate records of it since 1598. The floods of 1868 were so severe that the entire village considered emigrating to America. On 20 January 1951, a snow avalanche killed 19 … Read more » “Vals and its Walser, natural phenomena, the Reformation and mineral springs”
The Innauen near Strada and Scuol and the mayfly of the Inn
26 July 2024
Pebbles have been dredged out of the Inn near Strada (the Innauen, Islas da Strada in Romansh) in the Lower Engadin (canton Graubünden) for decades. Debris has been dumped into the river, and dams have been built. As a result, the course of the river has changed since 1950. Flora and fauna disappeared. These industrial activities … Read more » “The Innauen near Strada and Scuol and the mayfly of the Inn”
The Furka Pass, Rhone Glacier and Grand Hotels
1 July 2024
The film The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), directed by Wes Anderson, depicts the decline of a hotel from the Belle Époque era, spanning from 1900 to the outbreak of World War I (1914-1918). The Hotel Belvédère The story of Hotel Belvédère on the Furka Pass serves as a model for this film, in a sense. … Read more » “The Furka Pass, Rhone Glacier and Grand Hotels”
Two villages, two inns, a medieval bell and nature in Emmental
23 May 2024
The source of the Emme, at 2197m between the Hohgant and Augstmatthorn mountains, is the border area of the Bernese Oberland and the Canton of Lucerne. The river flows into the Aare at the border of Canton Solothurn near Luterbach. Between lies the Emmental, with Langenthal as the regional centre of the Obere Emmental and … Read more » “Two villages, two inns, a medieval bell and nature in Emmental”
Lake Schiffenen, its Nature, Castles, Magdalene Einsiedelei and History
27 April 2024
Lake Schiffenen (Lac de Schiffenen in French, Schiffenensee in German) is a reservoir near the city of Fribourg/Freiburg. It is located in the Sarine Valley (Vallée de la Sarine), named after the river Sarine (Saane in German). Kleinbösingen, St. Jakobskirche and ancient Roman columns The dam near the villages of Kleinbösingen and Gurmels was completed … Read more » “Lake Schiffenen, its Nature, Castles, Magdalene Einsiedelei and History”
Surselva and the Geology of the Alps
14 April 2024
Collisions and the drifting apart of continental plates have repeatedly reshaped the crust of the Earth. They created mountains that eroded and disappeared, including those on the Eurasian continent. Once, there were higher mountains than today’s Alps on the continent. Millions of years later, there were oceans. They all disappeared over time. When the African … Read more » “Surselva and the Geology of the Alps”
The tulip and slow tourism in Morges
10 April 2024
In 2016, the city of Morges (canton Vaud) started the process of becoming Switzerland’s first slow tourist destination. Slow Tourism is a movement that counters the stress of daily life and hectic tourism, offering a way to travel quietly and connect with local populations while enjoying nature and adopting eco-responsible behaviours. The city, the region, … Read more » “The tulip and slow tourism in Morges”
Philosophy and an arbitration case in the Eigenthal at the foot of Pilatus
20 March 2024
Nowadays, many doctors prescribe walking in nature instead of medication or recommend a hike. The beneficial effects may be even more significant if a hike begins unexpectedly in a philosophically designed environment. This is even more true if mythical mountains, waterfalls, streams, and wooded hills form the snowy landscape. The Eigenthal Even mythical mountains are … Read more » “Philosophy and an arbitration case in the Eigenthal at the foot of Pilatus”