1. Stores post prices in window displays! Unlike America, where for some reason stores feel too much shame to put a price with any item in a window, in Switzerland, you can see how much anything displayed in the window costs simply by looking at the card with labels and prices next to the item! We're talking clothing, jewelery, cell phones, anything! Bravo, Switzerland!
2. Rosti (imagine two dots over the "o"). Rosti is this amazingly simple potato dish. Imagine hash browns that taste like they've come from heaven. Fabio had some pre-packaged Rosti in the cupboard when I got here and it was a pure delight! I've since gone back and bought 4 more packs! I also melt cheese on top...yum!
3. Precision. Everything is on time here! If a train says it leaves at 10:02, you'd better believe that it's wheels start moving at 10:02 sharp, and if a train is late because of some kind of hold up, it makes up time miraculously! Today my bus was two minutes late and I was freaking out thinking I had somehow missed it. I later realized that the traffic was really bad in Luzern, so I guess some things are out of the Swiss's control.
4. They have real gelato here! Halelujah!
5. Everyone speaks English!
6. Everything is clean. You could have a picnic lunch on any railway stop floor. I'm not kidding. I haven't seen any trash on the streets yet...except cigarette butts, but that's another story.
7. Everything is closed on Sunday. Stores close early on Saturday and generally don't open again until Monday. Even though this could prove to be frustrating if you had an emergency and really needed something on Sunday, overall, I think it's great that retail workers get Sundays off too! I think it makes for happier employees and a happier population in general!
8. Bakeries everywhere! Yay for bread, bread and more bread! Even though I have no idea what I'm ordering most of the time (it's all written in German), I can pretty much bet it's going to be amazing.
9. Cheese. Same as above.
10. Old buildings. I'm a sucker for old churches built during the Renassaince, or medieval villages. My school was built in like 1780. Hello! Can you imagine what kinds of stories my school building would tell if it could talk!
Afterword: Lest you think Switzerland is all peaches and ice cream...which it mostly is, my next post will be entitled, "Things I Don't Like About Switzerland (So Far)." It may be prove to be a shorter list than the one above, but it will be a list.
8 comments:
yay! I'm first. :) That list brought back some great memories. You ought to add 'raclette' which is the awesome combination of the aforementioned potatoes and cheese. Oh goodness... I'm jealous.
I have one for you to add to "Things I don't like about Switzerland (so far)... no movie matinee with my best buddy in Seattle, Melissa!" hehe
When I went on my VV to Luzern, I enjoyed the bread and cheese, too. :)
I want some of those potatoes!!! How do I get some? They sound so good- could I order them off the internet somehow? I am very hungry right now. :)
The fact your mother hasn't posted yet makes me wonder if she's still among the living....
Your description of the potatoes reminded me of how much you liked those 'funeral' potatoes left over from the missionary luncheon when you were here at Christmas. Some dishes are as good left over as they were originally.
Aunt Beth
First of all: to Beth's comment. Some people have jobs and other children to take care of. I've been BUSY
Second to Em: It all sounds good and I have to tell you, when we visited Switzerland before, there was alot that we wished we had in the states. Definately a efficient place.
I just may have to come visit. Don't tempt me!
I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Emalei,
I am loving your blog! Please say you will keep me on the list!
Paula
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