WHEN I WAS STILL SMALL, EXACTLY SHE, SWITZERLAND, BECAME MY DREAM. EVEN WHEN I AT A SCHOOL HAD TO LEARN THE GERMAN LANGUAGE, (AND HE HAVE GIVEN TO HOW SO LIGHT) I MOTIVATED MYSELF THAT I WOULD LIKE THIS KNOWLEDGE BEFORE. EVERYTHING, AS A CHILDHOOD, Surely, I was ATTRACTED BY CHOCOLATE MORE ... LATER - OPPORTUNITY TO GET A QUALITY EDUCATION. BUT I turned out to be completely NOT IN EUROPE, but IN THE EAST (NEAREST), WHICH I AM ALSO VERY GLAD, AND THANKS TO DESTINY.
And so, when Switzerland receded into the background a little and enlisted in the queue for the fulfillment of desires, my ex-colleague (who by chance happened to be there just 3 years ago) urgently and without fail invited me to visit! I am a rather peculiar tourist and prefer tours like "Gallop across Europe" trips that are more thorough, allowing you to live in a real environment, to feel the real "taste of life", to learn and experience for yourself (or contemplate firsthand) how the routine everyday life and holidays of the country's inhabitants proceed stay. My delight knew no bounds, and I immediately rushed to book tickets and collect documents for a visa.
Honestly, I had never dealt with issues of obtaining a visa myself, so I was a little worried, being also not in my homeland, but here, in the Emirates. With the help of colleagues who showered with tips and expert tips; and with the support of the leadership, and also thanks to the amazing friendliness and professionalism of the staff of the visa department of the Swiss consulate, I passed the documents on time, and within a week my visa was ready. Such a joyful screech (usually I behave rather modestly) at the consulate, probably, have not been heard since its foundation! Next was the expectation of the start date of the vacation, the purchase of gifts and excitement ... Yes, it was the excitement, as before the first romantic date ...
Finally, I'm on a plane, flying, still not believing that a miracle happened, and dreams come true! The smell of cheese, chocolate and alpine air was already felt on the plane. The only thing I was afraid of was the stereotypical opinion about the "dry and inhospitable" indigenous people that I was very embarrassed about, and it was this myth that I wanted to quickly destroy.
So get acquainted. Her name is Switzerland!
I stopped at the girlfriend who invited me, and she lives in the city of Lugano. In order to understand what kind of city this is, I’ll give a little help. So, the all-knowing Wikipedia and other tourist portals tell us: "Lugano (it. Lugano) is a city in the Swiss Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. It is located at an altitude of 273 meters above sea level, on the northern shore of Lake Lugano of the same name. An edge of fertile climate, located between two mountains Monte Bre and San Salvatore on the shores of Lake Lugano. "Rio de Janeiro of the Old World" - this is the name of this lakeside city in the Italian part of Switzerland for its temperament (and the corresponding climate).
The sight of palm trees on the background of alpine peaks will delight the eyes of even an experienced traveler. There is a well-developed leisure infrastructure - a wide selection of hotels of any level, many restaurants, bars, cafes. Good opportunities for water sports. Many excursions - from small boat cruises on the lake to cable car climbs to the mountain peaks. Numerous music festivals and exhibitions take place throughout the year. Nearby is the famous "Switzerland in Miniature" park, where the most famous historical sites and buildings of the country are reproduced on a scale of 1:25. Built for children, the park in Melida attracts adults more ... The water in Lake Lugansk warms up to +24 degrees in August. Several urban recreation areas on the coast offer vacationers swimming and water sports: windsurfing, paragliding, sailing boats, water skiing. Hiking trails, horse riding, mountain biking, golf are very popular. Beautiful parks replete with palm trees, flowers, subtropical plants with a rose garden and fountains, ancient palaces in the style of classicism, historical monuments. Friendly open people, lots of sun and lake surface - this is what Lugano is.
Typically Italian squares with a cozy open-air cafe invite you to enjoy local dishes to the fresh air to the melodious sounds of Italian speech. "... And our evening continued with a glass of wine, allowing you to relieve fatigue and prepare well for the start of the Swiss vacation. So, an action plan has been drawn up, the wine has been drunk to the bottom - hang up!
In the morning I woke up in a real fairy tale: the apartment was filled with incredibly fresh morning Alpine air, and when I went out onto the balcony I was simply stunned. In front of it stood the mountain of San Salvatore, rampant with greenery, to the left - an old castle and a lake, through which the bright sun scattered its rays. The first day was quite informative in culinary terms: breakfast - coffee and a croissant (without which not a single morning resides in this country). We had lunch at the marvelous pizzeria, which was located in the very center of the city, and even in the summer, during vacations and business trips, it was simply packed with gentlemen in expensive suits, whose indispensable attributes were such famous Swiss watches. We had supper, no matter how hard the rumor was, in Italy, just on the other side of the lake, where we sailed on a taxi boat. We were treated to oysters, grilled fish and, of course, limoncello liqueur!
The second day was in the style of “Go green!”: We conquered Mount San Salvatore! How can this not be decided, since it was impossible to reach its top from the balcony? And we did it, not even through the funicular (past which we proudly walked past!)
At the very top of the mountain (912 m above sea level) is the Museum of Lightning, where they conduct research on this amazing and so unbridled natural phenomenon. On the third day, we culturally relaxed, walked in the park and along the promenade, ate ice cream and swam in the lake, next to the swans, who turned out to be not at all cowardly, but very friendly creatures! And yes, it’s important, (especially to me, as a huge lover of dogs), according to my observations, every fifth person we met walked with a four-legged friend - a dog. Doctors even prescribe such a "hobby" to their patients as a "cure for depression and loneliness."
It does not matter whether it is a thoroughbred or not, but a well-groomed and affectionately wagging tail dog, proudly walked with the owner, who, despite his status, age and those around him; whether on the beach, in the park, without too much embarrassment, he made sure that his pet did not get dirty in the area, and cleaned him if necessary. The next day we spent wandering around the shops (don’t judge strictly, I know that we Dubai residents are spoiled by shopping anyway, but it was necessary for general development!) Louis Vuitton, Massimo Dutti, H & M and so on are all the same brands, are designed for tourists and local residents, with big needs and simpler - everything is available here, however, the prices were slightly different.
As for food products - it’s also not cheaper than in Dubai, and more often much more expensive, sometimes three to four times! But still in stock and affordability, for any consumer. Only now you need to have time to buy everything on time, because on weekday shops only work until five or six in the evening, and on Sundays everything is completely "CLOSED", and then who did not have time, he was really late ...
What surprised and pleased: it is not boring to wander the streets of Lugano - music lovers delight with folklore, modern motifs and classics, and sometimes you don’t even notice how stood in the middle of the street for a good quarter hour, fascinated by music and great weather. By the way, about the weather, I was incredibly lucky: at first, upon arrival there were several sultry days, and we even managed to sunbathe. Then it rained for several nights, lightning flashed and thunder thundered, but it was fresh during the day, and we were able to explore all such elegant streets lined with pavers. And before leaving, the weather improved again, as if preparing me for my return to Dubai.
I was also delighted with the many city fountains where you can drink water. Yes, fresh, cool, clean water from the Alps is not for money, but for nothing. What is this if not a gift of nature, indescribable, wonderful, magical and enchanting Swiss nature? By the way, even at home, local residents do not filter water, do not order in bottles, but simply drink from the tap! And yet, it is so tasty that the first days I still could not get enough to drink.
We spent the weekend in the gym (yes, the Swiss are very keen on themselves, like water and skiing, although they are not averse to soaking up on the beach or by the pool). We also rode on catamarans, defeated the second peak - Monte Bre (925 m above sea level), where we were even lucky to meet a wild moose! We also visited a small village called Gandria, where, by the way, the Russian elite settled. A small fishing village at the foot of the mountain has become a place where huge personal plots, summer houses and villas are now flaunted who are not a fan of the city bustle, but prefer the sound of water and forest to it.
Later I happened to visit the German part of the country - Zurich. The city is undoubtedly beautiful, majestic, culturally and historically rich, full of tourists. True, I limited myself to a boat trip and a small sightseeing tour, but even with a personal guide who tried to show all the beauties, in the evening I really wanted to go back to the southerners and the lake. The temperament is still not the same, the Italian character is closer to me in spirit. And the cuisine is significantly different - meat, burgers, sausages. While in Lugano, near the border with Italy, we took this opportunity to stop by our neighbors. Were in Como - a very cozy and welcoming town, and Milan, of course visited - the fashion capital after all! Yes, shopping centers there are different from Dubai, but more in appearance, window dressing and a little in price, but the collections and brands are the same. Trading floors are more like podiums, and sometimes - fashion museums. We walked around the city itself - an incredible feeling of freedom, huge areas, boulevards, squares. I like it.
Returning to Lugano, we got to the music festival, which is held here every year. In the evenings, all the squares and parks of the city were filled with concert performances of various styles and directions, and sometimes theater performances. Also, bikers from all over Europe visit the city for just a few days, and then Lugano just trembles and growls, forgetting about peace and tranquility. But the Swiss visit clubs and bars, mainly on Thursdays. And I tell you frankly, I was bored with this kind of party, after all, they walk quietly, comparing with the variety of parties and clubs that we have in Dubai. But what certainly we will never (hopefully) see in the UAE - these are brothels that are allowed by law there, and even advertising their “products” (in all its glory) can be seen on the city’s gigantic billboards ... I was a little shocked by this (I’d better refrain from comments).
Since we are talking about the “other side of the coin”, I’ll also say that to those who were not born and raised in that country, how difficult it is in material terms. If the husband is not an oligarch banker, then even making good money, you can give almost everything to insurance and taxes, and if something remains, try to somehow live on it. Therefore, Lugano is a city of contrasts with villas and small studios; Porsche and bicycles ...
In general, my trip was a success. God willing, I’ll definitely go to Switzerland, because the French part of this amazing country has remained a mystery to me. Most likely, we will have to go in the winter, because what we do not have in the UAE yet is real snow and frost, especially on New Year's and Christmas. But, I still prefer to live here, in the warm emirate regions, which, as our boss says: "They are becoming closer and more understandable for us." Good luck
