Ingo

hello s + Ursula,<BR><BR>this is exactly my opinion, too! That's why I did not reply. I am tired to recommend BO and Lucerne again and again, although I know there are places like Guarda, Soglio, St. Saph, Kiental, Ernen etc. which can enjoy your soul so much more.<BR><BR>I still remember a recent post when I recommended Scuol. She did not find it on her map and finally went to crowded and absolutely unreasonable places.<BR><BR>But let's go on sending the people to BO, Lucerne, Zermatt. It is 'Heidi' atmosphere (yes, s!) and that's what they want. So we can keep the secret spots quiet and not crowded for the people who appreciate it. Ursula, you are true, people have to do some self research to deserve to go to such places.<BR><BR>wish you all a great weekend. We have such a great weather in central Europe!<BR><BR>Ingo

Ursula

Good morning Ingo and everybody else!<BR>I am glad not to be left alone with my point of view. Vielen Dank.<BR><BR>Wooo Hooo. What a beautiful day again.<BR>Great sunshine and blue sky.<BR>Ingo, would you believe it, people sat outside of cafes yesterday and this weekend will even be better.<BR>Bad luck for the snow lovers. But it's announced for next week.

BTilke

I, too, did not know where Scuol was until I saw it on the morning web cam shows on tv (from 7:30 to 8:30 am). And you know how it is, once you learn something, it pops up all the time. Later that day I tried on a pair of handmade Swiss Kandahar brand boots--and the model name? Of course: Scuol!<BR>BTilke

BTilke

If I had to pick three places in Switzerland to go, each for a different character, I'd go:<BR><BR>Neuchatel, for its French/Euro atmosphere with a Swiss twist, and cafe lifestyle<BR>Appenzell--Heidi land and then some<BR>Caslano--the beauty and good things (food, wine, clean air, climate) about the Ticino and Lake Lugano, none of the crowds. Easy for doing day trip to Lugano, Bellinzona, etc.<BR>Fortunately, we have family in two of the above, makes them easy to visit!

Ursula

BTilke: How is life so far in Basel?<BR>Was there last weekend and visited the Fondation Beyeler's special exhibition in Riehen about German painter Anselm Kiefer. Quite impressive (and depressing) paintings.

s

Ingo & Ursula,<BR><BR>I'm thinking of, maybe, writing a concise first-trip-to-Switzerland answer. I'd include good website addresses. Then I'd save it on my computer and copy & paste it when someone asks an open question about where to go in Switzerland. <BR><BR>Maybe I can do it in tiers: for the first trip, go *here* to see typical Swiss villages and landscapes; for subsequent trips, go *here* for great hiking or good wines, etc. After that, I guess, people would know where they want to go next in Switzerland? <BR><BR>Any thoughts? I'd welcome your contributions (maybe I'll cut and paste from this thread!) if you e-mail me.<BR><BR>Ursula, I really don't think you have it in you to be rude! All of your posts are thoughtful and considerate, I think! And, of course, you are absolutely correct. We have a saying in the US: garbage in, garbage out. So the more general the question is, the more general the answer will have to be.<BR><BR>s

jw

Hello. You have been having an interesting conversation while I've been teaching! Sometimes when I'm at school, I think about you folks and wonder what you are doing.<BR><BR>Ursula and Ingo, you grow tired of answering the same questions about the same places. I don't have your vast experience, but I find that I hesitate to give a reply to some posts because I think my criteria may be so different from those of the poster. I think maybe that person is 30 years younger than I am, or that person is interested only in hiking or only in exciting nightlife. So I decide that my idea of the perfect trip to Switzerland would be much too 'boring' for that poster. Probably, however, I have misjudged a few posters and have indeed given an opinion that will be totally wrong for that traveler. Oh well.<BR><BR>Just when I thought I'd read about all the places my travel heart can hold, along comes BTike who mentions Caslano! Tell us more! I always thought that when I return to Ticino I'd like to visit not only more of the little towns on Lago Maggiore, but some of the very small inland places in Ceresio and Malcantone -- like the St. Stefano church in Miglieglia. Several years ago, Ticino's office of tourism sent me a packet of the most beautiful (hard copy) photographic brochures on those two areas. wow. Have any of you traveled into those areas? Are the bus connections pretty good? One day when I have a couple of hours, I'll visit the SBB site and plug in some village combinations to see what the possibilities are.<BR><BR>Speaking of beautiful, I enjoyed Ursula's comment about the weather. My contribution is that on January 31 our temperature was 84F! and on February 1, it was 45F! up and down and up and down. I think I've mentioned before that on my last two visits to Switzerland, I was surprised to find the days warmer in June than they had been five years before. I guess we really are damaging the ozone layer. I've used up my fair share of time and space. Continued fond good wishes to you all. J.

BTilke

Caslano is on Lake Lugano and is a small town just about 1 mile from the Ponte Tresa bridge into Italy. No real tourist sights/attractions (other than a lesser known chocolate factory), but a very pleasant, residential area. We stay at the Hotel Parco Lago, which is a hotel with its own small park and private beach right on the lake. Nice rooms (with very well equipped kitchenettes), big bathrooms and balconies, free parking, etc., for about $120 a night in high season. Most of Caslano is flat with little traffic (except for the main highway) so it's a great place to bike and walk. Some nice shopping, mostly for wine, food items, clothes, every day life things, not ultra fancy shops. If you walk up to the Ponte Tresa area or a few other stops in the area, you can catch a tram into Lugano itself. It's not a tourist tram, more for people who work in Lugano, and it's not expensive. I wouldn't go to Caslano without a car to get around, but the tram is an easy way to get to Lugano itself without driving. <BR>In Bellinzona, my two favorite things to do are attending an outdoor opera performance at the lowest of the three castles and taking a picnic lunch up to the very top of the hill where the highest castle (more a watchtower) is located--what a view!!

Ingo

Hi,<BR><BR>I second s, I also appreciate Ursulas replies, her style. Concerning garbage in, garbage out, it seems to me we have a saying which could be suitable, too: Wie man in den Wald hineinruft, schallt es heraus.<BR><BR>S, what a wonderful idea to write a standard answer! I already had the idea if we could create our own web site with all our knowledge? I will send you some thoughts per email and hope you can use it.<BR><BR>Jw, I missed your contributions for a while! Don’t hesitate to recommend what you think would be the best! I am sure your suggestions are very helpful for people who are 30 years younger, too. If not they will tell you.<BR><BR>The bus connections are pretty good in the Malcantone region. But the buses do not run until late in the evening. I think the latest is arriving about 6 pm in the Malcantone villages.<BR><BR>I visited Caslano once and was surprised by the beautiful location and the scenery around, although it is not a romantic, picturesque village like Morcote, Gandria or others. One of my favourites in Lugano region is Carona. Definitely a place to relax. And I know THE perfect B&B in Carona: Casa del 1577, only 4 rooms! Friends of mine stayed there. They are still enthusiastic today.<BR><BR>Anyone been to the market every Saturday in Bellinzona? This is a real authentic experience!<BR><BR>Ingo<BR>

BTilke

Ingo, I guess one of the reasons I like Caslano is it's a "locals" town, a residential place removed from the tourist scene, but still attractive. I like the 16th arrond. in Paris vs. the more popular Marais, 6th or 7th. <BR>Ursula, Basel has been very pleasant, but I'm not going to keep the job. They work REALLY long hours, which doesn't interest me, and a couple of my freelance clients have offered very attractive working arrangements, so it's back to Brussels and working at home! But I plan to stay in Basel long enough to see the Fasnacht celebrations on the 18th--and do some shopping for Schlossberg bed linens and nice Swiss towels.<BR>BTilke

jw

Hello. I'm glad to read that you like Carona, Ingo. My Phaidon guide describes many of its decorated houses and several churches. Can you give me an idea of how large a town it is? Is it included in any good website? Ingo, it does seem as if you are able to zip on over to your favorite places quite often. I'm quite envious. Do you mind telling us where you live in Germany?<BR>Reading your comments about Bellinzona and BTike's, I really could kick myself, because I passed through it by train probably 30 times during my last two trips, and I never stopped to explore. I must see the fresco in S. Maria delle Grazie! The market you mention sounds great.<BR><BR>-- Ursula, I've been looking at some examples of Kiefer's works. There was a retrospective in New York a couple of years ago, and a number of the pieces are available for looking on the web. I don't know if I ever mentioned why I first visited the Beyeler site: I was researching calligraphic art for a student of mine, and the Beyeler had a wonderful exhibit related to the topic. The pieces were paintings that incorporated characters from the alphabets of various cultures. The characters became icons of a sort. Magnificent! I wonder if you might have seen the exhibit in person?<BR><BR>Yesterday on public television, I happened to catch a travel/cooking show featuring Zurich! The photography was terrific, and the bits of restaurant cooking included my favorites like gschnetzelts and rosti. They included a little segment about the Zurich cows and benches and lions. I was there the year of those fabulous cows, but I didn't know that there were lions before that? I suppose you know that many U.S. cities have stolen Zurich's idea: cows and pigs and even 'Charlie Browns'. I confess, Louisiana's Acadiana has tried it on with pelicans (but it was a small and rather pitiful production compared with the glory of Zurich's display.) J.

Ursula

jw: I am not sure what you are referring to with that calligraphic art exhibition. I cannot remember such a thing right now. I suppose I would, if I had seen it.<BR>Funny, you saw that lions-cows-benches thing. As far as I know, Chicago has taken over the cows. I am not sure, they stole them though. So far, the benches (summer 2001) were most successful. Not only beautiful, but also useful. I am looking forward to the next ideas of Zurich Tourism.<BR><BR>I came across a webpage of a cute little real genuine restaurant/hotel in Schangnau near Langnau in the Emmental. We used to have familiy get-togethers there. It's a real Heidi-Land area with a lot of cows! I a most surprised they have a website. It's the "Kemmerboden-Bad". Just wanted to share their site (with an English version!) with you. <BR>www.kemmeriboden.com<BR><BR>BTilke: I hope you will enjoy the Fasnacht. You will see, people are crazy for three days (and nights!). It cannot be compared to the German Fasching or so. The Basler Fasnacht is quite unique. <BR>Depending on the weather, I might go myself for a day (parades are on Monday and Wednesday afternoon), however I won't go to the "Morgestraich" which starts at 04.00 am exactly.

Ingo

Hi,<BR><BR>I have no problem to tell you where I live: in Dresden/Eastern Germany. Unfortunately it is quite far away from Switzerland: 8:30 h to Scuol and 10 h to Montreux (by car); we have about 6 weeks every year for vacation in Germany (I have a little more), so I am able to spend 4 or 5 weeks in Switzerland every year.<BR><BR>Carona has about 600 inhabitants and is a little smaller than Morcote (but not so much crowded). Does your Phaidon guide describe the churches Madonna d’Ongero and San Giorgio? Both absolutely wonderful. Hermann Hesse wrote about Madonna d’Ongero: “There is not a more beautiful place in this world.”!!!<BR><BR>I did not find a real good web site for Carona. But you should have a look at www.ticino-tourism.ch and search for Carona. You will find a lot of articles about the churches, the Park San Grato and accommodations.<BR><BR>There are still more churches in Bellinzona to visit: Collegiata SS. Pietro e Stefano, San Biagio, Chiesa Rossa. And do not miss the Galleria d’Arte in Villa Cedri with pieces of Italian and Ticino’s sculptors and painters (19th and 20th century). There are some places in the surrounding of Bellinzona worth a visit: Giubiasco (beautiful small town, churches Maria Assunta and San Giobbe with frescos and stucco; Monte Carasso: a very good example of a renovation of an old convent in modern style for use as cultural centre. Above the village church San Bernardo with famous frescos.<BR><BR>So much Switzerland, so little time!<BR><BR>Ingo<BR>

s.fowler

FYI http://www.fly-swiss.com/ is the new site for the successor airline to swissair. A popup whould appear with some information.

r

No time for details today but.... some of the happiest memories of my life are from Switzerland. Ilove Switzerland. On my first trip to Europe my Mother and I went to visit a relative in Suisse in 1969 and traveled throughout for a month. After that I went back six times over an 8 yr.period, staying for long periods of time. Forever, I am comparing everything to Suisse. The beauty is truly awe inspiring.

jw

Hello. Welcome r !! The group grows!<BR><BR>Ursula, thanks for the site; I'll take a look. By the way, I didn't mean that Chicago literally stole the cows; rather they stole the idea. The travel/cuisine show did feature a number of the benches. They mentioned that it began as a way to use some of the wood of trees which fell during the big storm that did a lot of damage? Actually, I wish I could have seen the lion series. I bet they were spectacular. Ursula, yes the Phaidon recommends all of those churches. I'll have them to look forward to, as well as spending some quality time in Bellinzona and Guibiasco. (I think I changed trains there a couple of times). Yes, indeed, so much Switzerland, so little time. I am just astounded with the six weeks vacation you mention. Here, only teachers get that much time off, and since it is w/o pay, we cannot afford to do much with it. Alas. J.

jw

many pardons, the Phaidon/Carona/Guibiasco reply is for Ingo! J.

Ursula

jw: You are correct. They used the damaged trees from the Lothar storm (December 26, 2000) for the benches. For once, a good thing. I will miss them this summer. They were really very very nice. A lot of visitors took pictures of them. There was even a little guide book about it.<BR>I'll try to find a website with the cows. Not sure, if there is something in the web though.

Ursula

Sorry, the storm was already in 1999. Time runs so quickly.

ingo

jw, I am happy to have so much time to travel. Here it is with pay. But this does not mean our wages would be higher (for the whole year) than yours!<BR><BR>I never thought this thread could have 78 posts!<BR><BR>Ingo