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North-West Travel Blogs

Background: The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovreignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.

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By AmandaL
December 8th 2009

Day 12, Lucerne Switzerland Europe » Switzerland » North-West » Lucerne

Me! Lucerne! 'Nuff said.

Day 12: Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 Lucerne, Switzerland Morning has broken, like the first morning. From our hotel room window, we're able to see some of the mountains and already I'm in love. While our hotel is in Lucerne, we are a ways away from the hub of it so we get back on the bus and it takes us into town. This is something we will soon get use to because Contiki saves us money by booking hotels that aren't close to the action (with a few exceptions). Lucerne is adorable/gorgeous/many other words I feel like I've used too many [View Full Entry]

Standing outside city wall looking in (or over in this case).

By AmandaL
December 7th 2009

Day 11, Paris to Lucerne, Switzerland Europe » Switzerland » North-West » Lucerne

Countryside during the drive from Paris to Lucerne.

Day 11: Monday, December 7th, 2009 Paris, France to Lucerne, Switzerland Editors note: This has been a whirlwind tour so I am now writing the blogs from December 7th -17th today, December 18th, as we drive from Munich to Vienna. Needles to say, I'm sure there are many things I've forgotten. Oh well. This was a loooong driving day. The country side was pretty so that helped, but the only thing to note is that I had my first encounter with a french toilet. It's the moment you all have been waiting for. What will Amanda say about [View Full Entry]

Kent was totally thrilled by the scenery.

No toilet seats. No friggin' toilet seats. See blog.

By Simbuggel
November 30th 2009

Thailand Vorbereitungen Europe » Switzerland » North-West » Brugg

Ich werde schon bald meine halbjährige Reise nach Thailand antreten. Dabei werde ich als Volunteer in einer Organisation namens "Baan Nok Kamin" tätig sein. Baan Nok Kamin ist eine Stiftung in Thailand für Strassenkinder und benachteiligte Menschen mit Heimen in verschiedenen Provinzen. Sie wurde 1993 von Erwin Gröbli, einem ÜMG-Missionar, gegründet. Baan Nok Kamin bedeutet Heimatloser Vogel. --> www.baannokkamin.ch Da das Baan Nok Kamin in meinen Augen eine sehr gute Arbeit macht und auf Spendengelder angewiesen ist, gebe ich e [View Full Entry]

By Jofre
November 12th 2009

TRAPOS SUIZOS: "LE GRAND RIDICULE" Europe » Switzerland » North-West » Neuchâtel

Suiza

A las seis de la tarde, ya no hay donde meterse. La jornada de hoy ha sido bastante productiva. Pese a que todo empieza a estar un poco nevado, apenas hace frío. Una vez pasada la tos y la remota posibilidad, paranoide, de haber contraído la gripe nueva en algún avión han desaparecido, mi única preocupación es la soledad que ataca una vez se pone el sol. Los primeros síntomas de gripe los curé gracias en parte al mejunje de químicos y homeopáticos que compré ayer en la Pharmacie. La soledad la ha curado hoy Marc, el compañero suizo que aparece [View Full Entry]

By ShiraGreenbaum
October 19th 2009

Luzern Europe » Switzerland » North-West » Lucerne

Lucerne First of all, the train ride to Lucerne was the most beautiful ride on which I have ever been. Switzerland is SO SO beautiful! Everything was so green and the small towns in the hills are adorable. There was a gorgeous waterfall around each turn and the whole time we were riding towards the incredible snow-covered Swiss Alps. I could not wait to get off the train and take some pics! Cheese Festival After shopping for some warmer clothes to keep me more comfortable the rest of the trip (unfortunately, I think I had my last beach day in Cinque [View Full Entry]

By Kathy and Andrew
October 11th 2009

King of the Alps Europe » Switzerland » North-West » Gimmelwald

Checking out the view

9/10/09 It was a cold, loud and restless night with little sleep. According to Andrew, we had to be out of the parking lot by 7am. Around 6:30am he headed to another parking lot for breakfast. I fell back asleep and woke an hour later in yet another parking lot. He just kept moving us around like fugitives on the run till the campgrounds opened at 9am. We finally got to the campground and got a little shut eye till 10am. We then headed down the river to catch the Gondola up to Gimmelwald and Murren. The view from Murren was [View Full Entry]

By diegocastro
October 9th 2009

De Passagem pela Suíça Europe » Switzerland » North-West » Berne

Berna

Dias 53 a 55 - Quando cheguei a Basel, no norte da Suíça, saí de um trem francês e entrei em um suíço. Ao entrar no vagão, conferi algumas vezes se eu não havia entrado por engano na primeira classe. A Suíça é, de fato, tudo aquilo que se imagina. Organização, limpeza, luxo e respeito pelo próximo. Diga-se de passagem, excesso de respeito pelo próximo. Já acomodado em meu confortável assento, ouvi alguém sussurrando no vagão. Imaginei ser alguém rezando. Quando localizei a pessoa, vi que ela não rezava, mas sim conversava com a pessoa ao seu lado de forma a [View Full Entry]

By RPR
October 8th 2009

Lucerne Europe » Switzerland » North-West » Lucerne

Wow, the drive from Austria to Switzerland was amazing, through the Alps and amazing scenery, it was a long driving day which included the stop in Liechtenstein but it was worth it for the scenery alone. Switzerland was beautiful to say the least. We took in a local show for dinner which included yours truly playing the alpine horn (check out Facebook) but thanks to my Aboboriginal heritage it was just like playing a digeridoo! (Apologies as most of you will not understand that joke). Steins were flowing (again) though a few people were still feeling the effects of Oktoberfest. Day [View Full Entry]

By helenamiri
October 6th 2009

Oneway-ticket to freedom Europe » Switzerland » North-West » Lucerne

Primitive

Sonntag, den 4.Oktober war es endlich so weit. Mein Gap-Year hat offiziell begonnen! Nach einer langen laaangen Partynacht mit Jasi, Mia, Rono, etc. saß ich völlig erledigt um 9h40 im Zug in Richtung Schweiz. Die Zugfahrt in meine neuerrungene Freiheit. Traurigerweise hab ich auch in diesem Zug erfahren, dass ein Mensch der mir sehr wichtig ist, leider bei einem Unfall tödlich verunglückt ist. So schmerzhaft diese Nachricht auch war/ist, sie hat mich wieder daran erinnert, dass im Leben nichts geschenkt ist und dass ich jede einzelne Sekunde meiner Reise und generell meine [View Full Entry]

By Whiskers
September 30th 2009

Incident on the Malojapass Europe » Switzerland » North-West

From our hotel room in Varese

It was difficult getting out of bed this morning to get the day under way.As the sun came up we opened the shutters of our room and lay back in bed enjoying the view of from our hotel room high up on the hill above Varese.Eventually though a shower and breakfast beckoned and we went downstairs to partake in what was on offer. Out short stay in Italy was to come to a temporary end today as we head back to St Moritz,Switzerland for a couple of nights.We started out on route #342 heading for Como looking out all the way [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Europe » Switzerland » North-West