Update 2, photo gallery added GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Zermatt opened its new Matterhorn temporary base camp Saturday 19 July, to accommodate the stream of climbers during the summer 2014 climbing season while the Hörnlihütte hut is closed for a year for renovations. The base camp can handle up to 50 climbers and is being called “the […]
Gotthard traffic jam spells summer!
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – An extraordinary 15-kilometre traffic jam, meaning a three-hour wait, built up Saturday morning at the northern end of the Gotthard tunnel, marking the true start of summer holidays for Germans and Dutch tourists heading towards Italy and other points south. By noon it had dropped to 10 km, or a two-hour wait […]
Watering vines in Switzerland
Wine writer Yves Beck, who posts frequently on Facebook, set me straight there on what seems to be an urban myth about the Swiss countryside. I’ve been told by many people that Valais is the only canton that authorizes watering for vines. I mentioned it recently because Salgesch (called Salquenen in French), near Sierre, sits […]
Celebrating a book’s final word
Yesterday I returned from a week of daunting work in New York with book designer/illustrator and artist Mary Tiegreen; we finished my book on Swiss wines, due out mid-August. This afternoon I’m picking up the first proofs from the printer. I’m so pleased – it is absolutely beautiful! A small team of proofreaders worked with […]
Lake Geneva area news roundup
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Summertime news roundup: Storms sweep Lake Geneva region The air was heavy with promised thunderstorms by 15:00 Friday and shortly after the black clouds formed in the region, bringing high winds and heavy rain. Trees were uprooted in Morges and Préverenges and in Lausanne the Bellerive fan zone was evacuated, with stands […]