Brian,

Excellent site!  Suggestion -add in railways section info and pictures of the cog at Mt Pilatus?

Haven't been to Switzerland since 1973; I'm sure a lot has changed since then.  It was very enjoyable in Bern & Zurich, much more so in Lucerne (Geneva was a disappointment). Lake Lucerne is breathtaking, even more so viewed from atop Mt. Pilatas.  

We took the boat from the city center around the lake to a cog railway which climbs to the top. Once there, we decided to spend the night at the 4 star (at the time) hotel there.  Dinner was excellent, room was elegant (ahh.. towel warmers...).  Around 2am I awoke and looked out the window and it was snowing.  There were floodlights so I bundled up and ventured out.  It was almost as quiet as an anechoic chamber - the snow fell softly almost like powdered sugar.  The opposite side of the mountain looks down to the city of Lucerne which was still visible, glowing in the distance.  There's a aerial gondola down that side back to the city which we took later that morning.  A most memorable experience (our honeymoon). A must see if you visit the country.

http://www.pilatus.ch/en/hotel-pilatus-kulm/

Since I'd worked at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center ( 2 mile long LINAC), we went to visit CERN. Turned out they had no tour to offer so a very kind gentleman in the administration office took us on a personal tour in his auto.  We were taken to the top of a water tower which gave us a 360 degree view of CERN.  Very impressive.  Now they have a visitor center. Of course CERN is well known for the invention of the world wide web and lately the discovery of the Higgs boson.

Incidentally, the first cog railway in the world was designed and built here in New Hampshire at Mt Washington (www.thecog.cog) in 1869 and it still runs today.  The weather at the top is the worst in the world, wind velocity tops 220mph. Windchill is a killer.

Question:  years ago friends brought back to the USA chocolate truffles that were scrumptious.  I cannot recall the maker - might you know who makes the best Swiss kind?  Lindt (those made at the factory here in NH) are dreadful.  Closest to the Swiss delectables are made in the USA by Sees (www.sees.com) IMHO.

Bob Landman

Sent from my iPad

On Apr 11, 2013, at 8:57 AM, Brian Ellis <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Your wish is my command at http://swissview.eu/railways.html
> 
> Brian
> 
> On 08.04.2013 19:15, Inge Hernefjord wrote:
>> Brian,
>> excellent as like everything you write. No, not butter, am serious.
>> However.......hm, do I dare tell that I miss something in your CHeese
>> causerie?  It's like criticize the Pope. I am fascinated by the Swiss
>> railways and trains, from the gear-wheel trains for the mountain heights to
>> the HiTech trains. And these breathtaking railway bridges and numerous
>> tunnels. Is it too late for an amendment?
>> Inge
>> 
>> 
>> On 8 April 2013 15:11, Torsten Hagge <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> 
>>> I miss clocks and rocks...
>>> 
>>> Regards,
>>> Torsten
>>> 
>>> -----Urspr�ngliche Nachricht-----
>>> Von: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Im Auftrag von Brian Ellis
>>> Gesendet: Montag, 8. April 2013 14:56
>>> An: [log in to unmask]
>>> Betreff: [TN] NTC Switzerland, viewed from Cyprus
>>> 
>>> I've built a website on how I look back at my 35 years in the land-locked
>>> isle of Switzerland from the sea-locked isle of Cyprus.
>>> Nearly all my pro work on TechNet matters happened in Switzerland, so I
>>> thought that some of you who know me might like to see what made me tick
>>> there.
>>> 
>>> It is paradoxically both serious and light-hearted, I hope even funny in
>>> places.
>>> 
>>> Please have a look at it and tell me what you think. If you like it, pass
>>> the link on to your friends.
>>> 
>>> http://swissview.eu/
>>> 
>>> Regards
>>> 
>>> Brian
>>> 
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