One definition of culture that I have always liked is: Culture is groups of people solving problems over time. ) And no where is that more ably illustrated than the answer to a seemingly simple question: Why do the Swiss make cheese? Find more photos like this on UnTours Cafe There are many cultures that…
Although the Swiss Franc’s value against the dollar has risen dramatically over the past 3 years (up almost 27% since April 10, 2009), there are still many ways to enjoy the marvels of Switzerland at a, shall we say, more reasonable price. Check out our top 3 suggestions below! Eat at the Grocery Store In…
Attention, wine and hiking aficionados. John Meyn, our UnTourist of the Week, could be the poster child for the traveling wine and hiking enthusiast. We were delighted to hear of his adventures especially hiking in the under appreciated and truly spectacular Valais, a part of Switzerland treasured by the Swiss but lesser known internationally. John’s…
Norma Lee Black met a young Hal Taussig at the First Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas, when she was 22. They married and have taken decades of adventures together from ranching in Colorado to working at UnTours. In 1993, Norma and Hal founded the UnTours Foundation as a way to channel UnTours profits to those…
Although UnTours are about so much more than the great apartments you stay in, we want to give you an idea of the types of apartments we have to help you make more informed decisions when choosing your UnTour. So, each week, we’ll be featuring a property for you. Enjoy! BolliWhile you may already know…
Today’s Culture Clue comes from the “who knew” section of cultural lore. We’re sure you’ve had a “who knew?” experience. It’s when you’re in a new setting, and there’s a subtle rule difference from what you’re used to. As long as you don’t know about it, you can remain reasonably blissful in your cluelessness. But…
If you’re planning on taking a vacation in Switzerland anytime soon, make sure you take a moment to acquaint yourself with the fabulous Swiss train system. They are so convenient and far-reaching that you’ll hardly ever miss your Prius while you’re over there. In almost every instance, wherever you want to go in Switzerland, a…
Jerry and Sandy Nolan, having lunch with two former UnTour staff, Marianne Rosa and Madeline Thöni. With eighteen Swiss UnTours under their belt, Jerry and Sandy must be exceeding the “UnTourist of the Week” category. During our interview for this peice, they kidded us that they think “UnTourist of the Month, Year, Decade, Century” might…
Foundation board member and theater enthusiast, Tom Hibberd, took some of us out last night to see Bruce Graham’s most recent play, “The Outgoing Tide”. With unexpected humor, the play spotlights a family dealing with Alzheimer’s. The experience reminded me of the following beautiful and haunting poem by Harry LeFever, who wrote about the…
Photo by Linda Paplinski, UnTourist As our month-long Québec City coverage comes to a close (and we prepare for Switzerland in April!), I’m sure you’re tired of me blabbing on about Mad Men, poutine and funiculars (but, really, who could be tired of funiculars?!). And, since this is one of our newer UnTours, I thought…