Eurozine October 2010Focus on Switzerland!
Features:
|
|
Hi ,
 As fall starts coming to my corner of the world, my mind inevitably misses summer :
the warm nights, eating outside, cold ice cream. This past summer was
one of journey for me. I have traveled alone with my father many times,
but oddly enough never with my mother. This summer changed that. Mamma
and I went to Sweden (back to family and home), Paris, Copenhagen and
Switzerland. For the two of us, Switzerland was the one new
destination, or so we thought. We talked about it during the spring and
the anticipation built. After Hal's many stories about the fabled beauty
of the Alps I was so excited to go. We started our journey in Sweden
and took the train down through Berlin and on to Lungern. The arrival
into Lungern was stunning--lakes outside our train windows, snow capped
mountains in the distance. I'll admit that when my mother said
(first upon our arrival in Switzerland) that she had a fear of heights, I
was disappointed. I had looked forward to some of the more strenuous
hikes mentioned in the amazing Swiss Hiking Guide. And, though I'm sure
the views from the higher hikes would have been spectacular, both my
mother and I were incredibly moved by the simpler walks we took. There
was a peace in the calmer hikes, no less stunning views, air that is
just as clean, and some wonderful places to stop for a snack. It
was a good lesson for me. I have always been so concentrated on
destination--Switzerland, the Alps, the peaks. On my trip this summer, I
found a destination, a new one, that I hadn't expected at all: the
destination in the journey itself. I found joy in taking it
slowly. Something as simple as watching the shadow of the clouds over
the lake and the fog settle slowly around us...I hesitate to use the
word, but it was magical.
Wishing you magic of your own, Lotta Rao
Eurozine Editor
PS: Don't forget to visit our website: www.untours.com
to explore the 20+ European locations and two locations in the Americas
we offer. Or, as always, we're happy to talk with you: 888.868.6871 PPS: Untours is now on Facebook! Click here to become a fan. |
|
|
Want advice or someone to chat with about your passion for
a European destination? Join the Untours Café! |
|
|
 As
the new Marketing Director at Untours I am faced with a big task: to
find many more customers just like you who are interested in truly
experiencing a destination, rather than just traveling through it. I had
heard from everyone here at Untours, and from many of you who have
already traveled with us, how Untours allows you to really immerse
yourself in a culture. There was just one problem, I had never
experienced one myself.
Then came the opportunity! Off I was on my first Untour. The first destination: the Swiss Heartland.
Now, I had been to Switzerland a number of times before, but I would
usually visit friends in Zurich, or my family in Liebistorf, not far
from Bern. I was always pretty sheltered in these areas, so I was
excited to explore the mountainous Swiss center for a week. I arrived in
Zurich, and, armed with my Swiss Pass, made my way to my home away from
home in Lungern.
The Swiss rail system is world-renowned for being a well-oiled and
punctual machine, yet I was a bit leery of only having six minutes to
switch trains in Luzern. Impossible, I thought, especially with bags.
But, just as my Swiss staff colleagues here had assured me, everything
went off without a hitch. I made it onto the GoldenPass Line, one of
Switzerland panoramic train lines, with time to spare. And off I was to
Lungern.
It was a beautiful, cloudless day riding through the Swiss Alps, and I was glued to the window as each  unfolding
scene was more beautiful then the last. Snow-covered peaks, mountain
lakes, cows with cowbells, and Chalets surrounded by open fields, all of
the staples of Switzerland were there for me to take in. And then I got
to Lungern! A little village with 2,000 inhabitants, it is perched
right on Lake Lungern. The color of the lake is like no other I have
seen before, and to know that I could gaze out onto this lake all day
from my apartment at Gasser-Müggler brought a certain comfort over me, a comfort which I know meant that a great week lay ahead.
Boat
rides on Lake Brienz, Post Bus rides on the Hasliberg, train rides from
one corner of Switzerland to another, discounts on most gondolas, and
even free access to over 450 museums--I was able to do all of this with
just my Swiss Pass, which truly made travel within Switzerland a
no-hassle experience. But what did I do while in Switzerland? And where
did I go after? Come find me on the Untours Cafe
to find out more. I will be posting updates on my three week trip over
the next couple of weeks, and I would love to hear your comments and
stories about your own travels.
As for now, I can only look forward to my next trip: Andalusia and Greece in May.
Happy Travels,
Andreas Paminger
Marketing Director
|
|
|
| 
The Swiss Guides written by the Swiss Untour team!
|
|
| Help Wanted!
 The foundation likes to invest its funds where it can make the greatest impact on poverty. Efficiency is a beautiful thing. But sometimes individuals fall between the cracks, and if we can help
just one person, why not! Recently, we gave a bridge loan to Cheryl's
Southern Style Restaurant in Chester, PA, a very poor city not far from
our office. Cheryl Stevens
answered the request of Way to Work (formerly Welfare to Work) to help
Anthony Norwood, a young man looking for a hand up. Cheryl needed the
loan from us to hire Anthony since Way to Work has a delay in
reimbursing businesses. Anthony is doing great at Cheryl's restaurant,
and hopes to attend culinary school next fall. Here's an article about Anthony.
|
You
are receiving this mailing because you are subscribed to Eurozine. If
you wish not to receive these emails, click on the link below to
unsubscribe.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
