Swizerland

Switzerland (Confederation de Helvetica) is snuggled in between France, Italy, Austria, and Germany in the center of Western Europe. The area that Switzerland encompasses is located atop rugged mountains (the Alps, among others) which were twisted, bent, and then forced up via plate tectonics over 500,000,000 years ago. The result of these earthly movements created some of the most breath taking mountain vistas anywhere on Earth.

The ancient Romans saw the Alps as an obstacle to be crossed. Thus, the Romans built roads through the Alps to make it easier to march their armies through. (The Romans also took this time as an opportunity to expel the resident Celtic Helvetica tribe). Ruins from the Romans can be seen in towns such at Martigny. Chateau Chillion, my favorite Chateau in both France and Switzerland, started as a simple fortification upon a Roman road. Other major towns in Switzerland enjoyed life for a time as Roman settlements. For instance, Zurich started out life as a customs post.

For the next few hundred years, the Alps were viewed more or less as an obstacle. Though I am sure the people in the land that would become Switzerland appreciated the magnificent beauty of the Alps, it was not until the romantic period until the masses realized started the magnitude and the tranquility of the region. Now hoards go to Switzerland to enjoy the scenic beauty of these mountains. Towns such as Interlaken became international resorts because people, including royalty, wanted to see the Alps.

Switzerland is a very organized and punctual country. A station agent apologized to me because I had to wait 5 minutes when transferring between trains. (For most transfers, I found myself running between tracks because the connecting train was already there.) Their crafts (watches and knifes) are well made. Their engineers are geniuses for designing some of the tunnels and trestles that connect the different regions of the country.