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Controversial suicide capsule applications suspended amid investigation

<p>Advocacy groups behind the suicide capsule have suspended the process of taking applications amid a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland. </p> <p>In a statement on Sunday, they said that 371 people were “in the process of applying” to use the device, known as the Sarco, as of September 23 and applications were suspended after its first use. </p> <p>The Sarco capsule is designed to allow the person inside to push a button that injects nitrogen gas from a tank underneath into the sealed chamber, allowing the person to fall asleep and then die of suffocation in a few minutes. </p> <p>On September 23, an unidentified 64-year-old woman from the US Midwest, became the first person to use the device in a forest in the northern Schaffhausen region. </p> <p>The president of Switzerland-based The Last Resort, Florian Willet, said at the time that the woman's death was "peaceful, fast, and dignified", although those claims could not be independently verified. </p> <p>On the same day as the woman's death, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told parliament that use of the Sarco would not be legal.</p> <p>Willet and several others were taken into custody following her death and prosecutors opened an investigation on suspicion of incitement and accessory to suicide.</p> <p>Willet is currently being held in pretrial detention, according to The Last Resort and Exit International, an affiliate founded in Australia over a quarter-century ago. The others who were detained were released from custody. </p> <p>Exit International also clarified that their lawyers in Switzerland believed the use of the device is legal.</p> <p>“Only after the Sarco was used was it learned that Ms Baume-Schneider had addressed the issue,” the advocacy groups said in the statement Sunday.</p> <p>“The timing was a pure coincidence and not our intention.”</p> <p>Switzerland has some of the most permissive laws when it comes to assisted suicide, but the first use of the Sarco has prompted debate among lawmakers. </p> <p>Laws in the country permit assisted suicide, as long as the person takes their own life with no “external assistance” and those who help the person die do not do so for “any self-serving motive”. </p> <p><em>Image: Exit International</em></p> <p> </p>

Legal

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Arrests made after woman ends her life in "suicide pod"

<p>Police in Switzerland have made several arrests in connection with a woman's death in the Australian-made "suicide pod". </p> <p>The 'Sarco' capsule was used for the first time by a 64-year-old American woman who was “immune compromised” and had been in “severe pain” for “at least two years”. </p> <p>The pod is designed for the user to push a button that injects nitrogen gas into the sealed chamber, with the person inside then supposed to fall asleep and die of suffocation in a few minutes.</p> <p>The Sarco machine (short for sarcophagus) was invented by Australian Dr Philip Nitschke, who has been nicknamed “Dr Death”, said the machine had performed exactly as it had been designed", with the woman's death occurring as "expected". </p> <p>“It looked exactly as we expected it to look. My guess is that she lost consciousness within two minutes and that she died after five minutes,” Dr Nitschke told Dutch media.</p> <p>“We saw sudden, small contractions and movements of the muscles in her arms, but she was probably already unconscious by then.”</p> <p>Dr Nitschke claimed the woman “almost immediately” pressed the button, adding, “She didn’t say anything. She really wanted to die.”</p> <p>However, despite the woman's wishes to take her own life, Swiss police announced that several people were taken into custody over the woman's death and are now facing criminal charges, suspected of “inducement and aiding and abetting suicide.”</p> <p>The arrests took place despite the fact that Dr Nitschke had previously told AP that his organisation received advice from lawyers in Switzerland that the use of the Sarco would be legal in the country, where active euthanasia is banned but assisted dying has been legal for decades.</p> <p><em><strong>Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. </strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>SANE: 1800 187 263; saneforums.org</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Exit International </em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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"Best country in the world" crowned for the third year in a row

<p>The best countries in the world have been ranked according to a new survey, with Switzerland taking out the top spot for the third year in a row. </p> <p>According to new data released by <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/rankings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US News &amp; World's report</a> in its annual Best Countries rankings, the small European nation has been dubbed the "best country in the world" for 2024. </p> <p>Among the top 25 list, 15 European countries nabbed spots, east and southeast Asia claimed four spots, and the Middle East took two spots, with North America and Oceania taking two spots each. </p> <p>The ranking was made based on the views of 17,000 people, who assessed how well each nation ranked on categories including power, openness for business and cultural influence. </p> <p>At the top of the ranking was Switzerland, which has been at the top of the table nearly every year since 2017, with the report saying the country was "bolstered by notable performances in three of the heaviest-weighted subrankings: quality of life, entrepreneurship and social purpose."</p> <p>Japan claimed second spot on the list for the first time, climbing four spots from last year's ranking, for its high rankings in the entrepreneurship and movers categories. </p> <p>Australia came in fifth place this year (down from fourth in 2023), ranking high in quality of life and social purpose, while New Zealand came in ninth place (down from eighth in 2023).</p> <p>Check out the top 25 best countries list below. </p> <p>1. Switzerland</p> <p>2. Japan </p> <p>3. United Stated of America</p> <p>4. Canada</p> <p>5. Australia</p> <p>6. Sweden</p> <p>7. Germany </p> <p>8. United Kingdom</p> <p>9. New Zealand </p> <p>10. Denmark </p> <p>11. Norway</p> <p>12. France </p> <p>13. The Netherlands</p> <p>14. Singapore</p> <p>15. Italy </p> <p>16. China</p> <p>17. United Arab Emirates </p> <p>18. South Korea</p> <p>19. Spain</p> <p>20. Finland</p> <p>21. Austria</p> <p>22. Iceland </p> <p>23. Belgium </p> <p>24. Ireland </p> <p>25. Qatar</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

International Travel

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The unusual reason behind Toblerone’s new look

<p dir="ltr">The makers of Toblerone chocolate bars will remove the Matterhorn mountain peak from its packaging after some of its production processes were moved outside of Switzerland.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2017, Switzerland introduced strict rules about the use of its national symbols in marketing.</p> <p dir="ltr">Companies looking to display Swiss iconography to promote milk-based products must be made exclusively in Switzerland. Other foods need to be at least 80 per cent made in Switzerland.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 4478-metre Matterhorn is shaped like a pyramid, with its form echoed along the lines of the infamous choccy bar.</p> <p dir="ltr">Inside the image of the Matterhorn on Toblerone bars is a bear, the symbol of the town Bern, which is the Swiss capital and where the bars have been produced since 1908.</p> <p dir="ltr">The US firm Mondelēz, which owns Toblerone, told the Aargauer Zeitung newspaper the imagery on its packaging would soon be changed.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The packaging redesign introduces a modernised and streamlined mountain logo that aligns with the geometric and triangular aesthetic," a Mondelēz spokesperson said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">The labelling for Toblerone will now say "established in Switzerland", rather than "of Switzerland”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mondelēz announced in 2022 that it would move some of the production to Slovakia at the end of 2023.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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5 most expensive cities in the world

<p>Grab your credit card – you’ll need the extra funds if you want to visit these pricey cities.</p> <p><strong>1. Geneva, Switzerland</strong></p> <p>Get ready to pay at least $250 per night for a hotel and an incredible $33 for a club sandwich. Switzerland has a well-deserved reputation for being super expensive. Economists put the hefty price tags down to the fact that Switzerland pays some of the highest salaries in the world, meaning its citizens have heightened buying power.</p> <p>You’ll pay a premium for everything including transport, food, alcohol, shopping and even tasty Swiss chocolates.</p> <p><strong>2. Oslo, Norway</strong></p> <p>All of Scandinavia is known to be highly expensive, but the Norwegian capital takes the cake. In fact it’s held the top spot in the global UBS Prices and Earnings report on the world’s most expensive cities for the past decade.</p> <p>One night in Oslo will cost you an average of $561 for accommodation, cocktails, dinner for two with wine and a taxi. Even a bottle of water can cost up to $8, so it would be sensible to bring a refillable bottle of your own.</p> <p><strong>3. Singapore</strong></p> <p>The 2016 Worldwide Cost of Living Index ranked Singapore as the most expensive city in the world to live in and it’s not cheap for travellers either. You can still find some reasonably priced hotels and cheap street stalls for food, but overall prices are skyrocketing.</p> <p>Part of what makes Singapore so expensive is that its economy is booming while many others (like Australia, the US and Europe) are on the decline. It’s a trend that’s expected to continue, so Singapore won’t be appearing on the list of great value destinations anytime soon.</p> <p><strong>4. Dubai, UAE</strong></p> <p>A five-night holiday for two in Dubai will set you back almost $4,700, making it the world’s most expensive destination for tourists according to Hoppa, an airport transfer booking service. It also has the most expensive hotel rooms in the world, with an average price per night of more than $360.</p> <p>The city is known for its flashy hotels, huge shopping malls and high-end restaurants, built largely on the back of the country’s huge oil wealth.</p> <p><strong>5. New York, US</strong></p> <p>The Big Apple is easily the most expensive tourist destination in the USA and has been made even more so in recent months by a weak Australian dollar. A night out in the city that never sleeps will cost around $430 for accommodation, a meal, taxi fares and wine for two.</p> <p>Surveys have found that the average cost of a meal in New York is the most expensive of any major city in the US. The city is also known for its ‘tourist traps’, attractions that suck in naïve visitors but don’t offer value for money.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

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An Italian lodge jumps the Swiss border

<p dir="ltr">The borders in the European Alps have been the source of some strange happenings recently, including a border-jumping ski lodge.</p> <p dir="ltr">Refugio Cervino, a two-storey lodge built on the Italian side of Theodul Glacier, has been slowly moving towards Switzerland - and its international movement has called its ownership and national boundaries into dispute.</p> <p dir="ltr">The border between Italy and Switzerland has previously been defined at the boundary of the Theodul drainage divide, the point where melted water either flows south to Italy or north towards Switzerland.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, rising temperatures have changed the flow of water.</p> <p dir="ltr">As a result, two-thirds of the Refugio sits in Switzerland while the remaining third is in Italy, and has become a subject of diplomatic negotiations.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to Agence France Presse, a compromise to redraw the boundaries was reached last year - but that doesn’t stop the ever-increasing glacier melt.</p> <p dir="ltr">Swisstopo, which stays on top of the official boundaries of the Confédération Helvétique, will be changing the boundaries in 2023.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We agreed to split the difference," chief border official Alain Wicht told AFP.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though international surveyors have previously been brought in to determine where the boundary should sit previously, Mr Wicht says the Refugio is a sensitive issue as the Theodul Glacier is “the only place where we suddenly had a building involved”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Swiss have taken a more neutral stance in the debate, but the Italians are unwilling to part with the building without compensation, </p> <p dir="ltr">"The refuge remains Italian because we have always been Italian," Refugio’s caretaker, 51-year-old Lucio Trucco, says.</p> <p dir="ltr">For now, the refuge will be an enclave of Italy within Switzerland until the borders are changed.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3d7b9463-7fff-3769-cf91-d68e9a97682f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

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Michael Schumacher’s family accused of lying about star’s condition

<p dir="ltr">Michael Schumacher's family have been accused of lying about the F1 star’s condition following a scary brain injury incident. </p> <p dir="ltr">The F1 champion’s health has been closely monitored following a terrifying skiing accident at a French resort of Meribel in December 2013. </p> <p dir="ltr">His wife and family have been keeping his condition under wraps as he recovers at their home in Switzerland. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, Schumacher's former manager Willi Weber, 80, has accused the family of preventing him from visiting and speaking to the star since the incident.</p> <p dir="ltr">Weber has spoken to Schumacher's wife Corinna and close friend Jean Todt who repeatedly told him that “it’s too early” and to just “wait”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I tried hundreds of times to contact Corinna and she didn't answer," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I called Jean Todt to ask him if I should go to the hospital and he told me to wait – it's too early.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I called the next day and no one answered. I didn't expect behaviour like that and I'm still angry about it. They kept me out, telling me it's too early, well now it's too late. It's been nine years. Maybe they should just say it the way it is.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I could understand the situation initially as I always did everything I could for Michael to protect his private life. But since then we have only heard lies from them."</p> <p dir="ltr">Corrina appeared in the Netflix documentary <em>SCHUMACHER</em>, and spoke about wanting to protect her family after her husband’s incident. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Michael is here. Different, but he's here, and that gives us strength, I find," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We're together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he's comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We're trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty </em></p>

Caring

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Federer’s ultimate Swiss bucket list

<p dir="ltr">Travelling internationally can come with its own unique challenges, so choosing a destination that is both enjoyable and drama-free is a must.</p> <p dir="ltr">One such destination is Switzerland, which Swiss native Roger Federer wants to promote as a place of beauty.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0fea1078-7fff-31c3-aa9d-cf5cdd4b8caa">His love of Switzerland saw him become an ambassador for <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Switzerland Tourism</a> last year and front a campaign inviting those looking for an idyllic getaway.</span></p> <p><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 315px;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RLCAGb-tuYs" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">“I was really excited to have a worldwide campaign where I can invite people to Switzerland to highlight its beauty because I am so very proud to be from such a beautiful country,” says the tennis legend.</p> <p dir="ltr">To help you plan the perfect Swiss trip, Federer has shared his own favourite spots – as well as a few places he still wants to discover for himself.</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1. <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/roger-federers-choice-the-best-of-switzerland/rogers-recommendation-the-best-known-ski-areas/?utm_source=latte&utm_campaign=rf_bra_21_au&utm_medium=display&utm_content=rf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pack your skis and head to Wengen</a></p> <p dir="ltr">As the original winter holiday destination, Switzerland has plenty of ideal locations to choose from.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/swiss-native1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Hit the slopes at Wengen, Lauberhorn. Image: Tourism Switzerland</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Wengen, a holiday resort at the foot of the Junfrau summit and overlooking the Lauberhorn valley, is a perfect example and could be considered the Federer of skiing destinations, featuring a family-friendly skiing and rambling area that lets you explore the Mannlichen mountain and the Kleine Scheidegg pass.</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">2. <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/roger-federers-choice-the-best-of-switzerland/rogers-recommendation-cool-winter-experiences/?utm_source=latte&utm_campaign=rf_bra_21_au&utm_medium=display&utm_content=rf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keep cool with winter experiences</a></p> <p dir="ltr">This applies not just to Roger Federer in a grand slam final, but also as a motto for icy winter experiences.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/swiss-native2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Embrace Switzerland’s wintery experiences at Albula Skateline. Image: Tourism Switzerland</em></p> <p dir="ltr">From ice skating through the forest and exploring ice palaces to winter kayaking and ice fishing, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Switzerland – especially during the chilly months.</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">3. <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/roger-federers-choice-the-best-of-switzerland/rogers-recommendation-optimal-recovery/?utm_source=latte&utm_campaign=rf_bra_21_au&utm_medium=display&utm_content=rf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soak up the views from a thermal bath</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Elite athletes like Federer aren’t the only ones who can benefit from taking time to recharge, and a rejuvenating dip in a thermal bath can be the perfect way to round out a day of skiing.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/swiss-native3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Relax and enjoy the whirlpool of the Tamina Therme. Image: Tourism Switzerland</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Bad Ragaz, nestled at the foot of the Pizol mountain in the St Gallon Rhine Valley, has a long tradition as a health spa. Today, its status as a wellness resort means you can still enjoy the warm, healing waters, as well as all the luxe benefits of its top-class hotels. </p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">4. <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/roger-federers-choice-the-best-of-switzerland/rogers-choice-best-of-swiss-nature/?utm_source=latte&utm_campaign=rf_bra_21_au&utm_medium=display&utm_content=rf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Embrace the natural beauty</a></p> <p dir="ltr">With recharging in mind, exploring Switzerland’s bountiful natural environments allows you to pause, take a deep breath, and take a break from fast-paced daily life. </p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/swiss-native4.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Explore Switzerland’s wild side and take in the stunning views. Image: Tourism Switzerland</em></p> <p dir="ltr">To retreat even further away from your day-to-day stresses, head to the village of Bettmeralp.</p> <p dir="ltr">Only accessible by cableway, this car-free village boasts a family friendly holiday resort with plenty to do in both summer and winter.</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">5. <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/roger-federers-choice-the-best-of-switzerland/rogers-choice-city-experiences/?utm_source=latte&utm_campaign=rf_bra_21_au&utm_medium=display&utm_content=rf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Take in some culture</a></p> <p dir="ltr">As a melting pot of cultures and four different languages, Switzerland’s cities have their own unique charms and histories.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/swiss-native5.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The mediaeval Chapel Bridge is just one of the unique landmarks you’ll find in Lucerne. Image: Tourism Switzerland</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Lucerne, the gateway to central Switzerland, is one such place that celebrates its culture and history. You’ll find Europe’s oldest covered bridge, complete with mediaeval paintings, and the futuristic Culture and Convention Centre – a hub for cultural events all year round.</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">6. <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/roger-federers-choice-the-best-of-switzerland/rogers-recommendation-a-trip-to-the-mountains/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Head to new heights</a></p> <p dir="ltr">With a career full of highs, it should be no surprise that Federer loves his home country’s mountain peaks and their world-class views. And – much like winning at Wimbledon – reaching the top of the Swiss peaks is an adventure in itself.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/swiss-native6.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Tourism Switzerland</em></p> <p dir="ltr">For instance, heading to the monastic village at the top of Engelberg-Titlis will see potential visitors travel by both gondola and the world’s first revolving cable car.</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">7. <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/roger-federers-choice-the-best-of-switzerland/rogers-choice-hiking-trails/?utm_source=latte&utm_campaign=rf_bra_21_au&utm_medium=display&utm_content=rf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Partake in Switzerland’s national pastime – and no, it’s not tennis!</a></p> <p dir="ltr">When Federer isn’t playing tennis, he enjoys the famous Swiss pastime of hiking. </p> <p dir="ltr">But potential visitors shouldn’t pin their hopes on running into him, as Switzerland is home to more than 65,000 kilometres of hiking trails.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/swiss-native7.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Explore Switzerland by foot and enjoy the view. Image: Tourism Switzerland</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The trails also let you soak up Switzerland’s picturesque views, with those around the village of Kandersteg boasting panoramas of the peaks of Blumlisalp Massif.</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">8. <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/roger-federers-choice-the-best-of-switzerland/rogers-choice-hidden-gems/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find some hidden gems</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Opting for the road less travelled rather than heading to tourist hotspots is the ultimate way to have a unique holiday experience – and Federer’s bucket list of diverse Swiss villages to visit is bound to offer an experience unlike any other.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/swiss-native8.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Morcote is one of the most frequently photographed places in Ticino, and it’s not hard to see why. Image: Tourism Switzerland</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Morcote, a former fishing village, is a perfect example, offering jaw-dropping views of Lake Lugano that saw it be named the most beautiful village in 2016. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Tourism Switzerland</em></p> <p dir="ltr">For all of these incredible experiences and more to help create the trip of a lifetime – and memories that will last a lifetime – check out ​​<a href="http://myswitzerland.com/roger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MySwitzerland.com/roger</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em><strong>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Switzerland Tourism</a>. </strong></em></p>

International Travel

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Priscilla Presley's son ties the knot

<p>Priscilla Presley's son, Navarone Garibaldi has married his girlfriend of four years.</p><p>The 34-year-old musician whose father is Brazilian screenwriter-turned-computer-programmer Marco Antonio Garcia (a.k.a. Marco Garibaldi) has married Elisa Achilli at Schloss Hunigen Hotel in Emmental Valley, Switzerland on Tuesday.</p><p>The couple who got engaged in December 2020, were surrounded by loved ones, including Navarone's mother Priscilla, as they exchanged vows in the stunning grounds of the 16th century castle.</p><p>Navarone gushed: 'I never thought I would find a counterpart that is so understanding and supportive. She makes everything we do effortless, and I can't imagine life without her.'</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVJjbdXpNLx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"> </div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0"> </div><div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px"><div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0"> </div><div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"> </div></div><p style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;line-height: 17px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-top: 8px;overflow: hidden;padding: 8px 0 7px;text-align: center"><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVJjbdXpNLx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 🎼Elisa Achilli (@skymoreblue)</a></p></div></blockquote><p>His new wife said: 'Navarone is truly the most genuine, sweet and sensitive man I have ever known and I'm so lucky that after four years of long-distance, we can start our life together as husband and wife.'</p><p>The pair said their 'I Do's' within the grounds of the luxurious Schloss Hünigen hotel in front of their loved ones, with Elisa wowing in an Anastasia Bull gown.</p><p>Navarone's mother Priscilla, 76, gushed that she 'couldn't be happier' for her son and his other half, telling the magazine: 'They've been together for four years and we all have been waiting patiently for this day.'</p><p>Alongside wedding snaps, she wrote to Instagram: 'Navarone and Elisa are MARRIED!!! The wedding was at the beautiful Schloss Hunigen Hotel in Switzerland. I couldn't be happier!'</p><p>Navarone, who is a musician, fronting the band Them Guns, and Elise announced their engagement in December 2020.</p><p>The wedding comes just over a year after Priscilla and her family were left 'devastated' by the death of her grandson Benjamin Keough, 27.</p>

Relationships

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Mystery shrouds Michael Schumacher as wife lists Geneva mansion

<p><span>Michael Schumacher's wife is selling their mansion on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, reports say.</span><br /><br /><span>Corinna Schumacher has listed the renowned 20,000 square-metre farmhouse on the market for £5 million ($AU9 million), according to German magazine <em>Bunte</em>.</span><br /><br /><span>The Schumachers bought the "Sur le Moulin" estate in 2002 for £3 million, and not long after Michael would go on to win his fifth F1 world title.</span><br /><br /><span>The Schumacher family have reportedly left the home mostly vacant, and are moving to another home in Gland where Michael can continue his rehabilitation.</span><br /><br /><span>The Lake Geneva house has been described as "an exceptional property in a quiet and protected location".</span><br /><br /><span>“After the Schumachers moved, the house was left without permanent residents," reported <em>Bunte</em>.</span><br /><br /><span>"At times, their housekeepers and bodyguards stayed there. Corinna Schumacher’s horses also grazed on a two-acre site some time ago.”</span><br /><br /><span>Schumacher faced horrifying head injuries in a skiing accident in the Swiss Alps in 2013, and his current condition remains a mystery to the public.</span><br /><br /><span>While most information is not available, Schumacher’s former boss at Ferrari revealed he’s had opportunities to visit the former driver.</span><br /><br /><span>Jean Todt says the Formula One legend has been able to follow son Mick's career as he follows in his dad’s footsteps.</span><br /><br /><span>“Of course he is following him,” Todt told <em>RTL France.</em></span><br /><br /><span>Todt has been visiting Schumacher monthly and shares information on his condition.</span><br /><br /><span>“This is a question on which I am going to be extremely reserved,” Todt told <em>RTL</em>.</span><br /><br /><span>“I see Michael very often – once or twice a month. My answer is the same all the time – he fights.</span><br /><br /><span>“We can only wish for him and his family that things get better.”</span><br /><br /><span>Schumacher won five consecutive World Drivers’ Championships with Todt by his side from 2000 to 2004.</span><br /><br /><span>In January 2020, a leading neurosurgeon told fans that Schumacher would be “very altered” and “deteriorated”.</span><br /><br /><span>“We must imagine a person very different from the one we remember on the track, with a very altered and deteriorated organic, muscular and skeletal structure,” Nicola Acciari told Contro Copertina.</span><br /><br /><span>“All as a result of the brain trauma he suffered.”</span><br /><br /><span>The comments came after Todt said Schumacher is “still fighting”.</span><br /><br /><span>“I’m always careful with such statements, but it’s true," Todt said.</span><br /><br /><span>“Michael is in the best hands and is well looked after in his house. He does not give up and keeps fighting.</span><br /><br /><span>“His family is fighting just as much and of course our friendship cannot be the same as it once was just because there’s no longer the same communication as before.”</span></p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Real Estate

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When you need more than a change of scenery

<p><em><span> Nurturing to the soul and satisfying to the eye, here’s why the beauty, sustainability, orderliness and safety of Switzerland are magnets for mature travellers.</span></em></p> <p><span>I’ve just discovered two new words that describe me perfectly. The first is orophile, a lover of mountains. But I’m a certain type of orophile. It’s not enough for me to gaze in wonder at the objects of my adoration from afar – I want to be able to commune with them on an eye-to-summit basis.</span></p> <p><span>That’s why I’ve fallen in love with Switzerland, where, a long time ago, the mountains got together and decided there was little point in being staggeringly-beautiful if no one could admire them close up.</span></p> <p><span>Once the decision was made, Switzerland didn’t pussyfoot around with mere pathway-type access. They blasted tunnels in behemoths like the Bernese trio of the Eiger (3,970m), Mönch (4,099m) and <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/destinations/jungfrau-region/">Jungfrau</a> (4,158m) to allow Europe’s highest railway station (3,454m) to be built – more than 100 years ago.</span></p> <p><span>And drilled the 15km Gotthard tunnel through the alps in 1882, making mountain resorts like St Moritz and <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/destinations/zermatt/">Zermatt</a> accessible by rail.</span></p> <p><span>And constructed Europe’s highest cablecar to the Klein Matterhorn (3,820m), where visitors can hobnob with the mighty Matterhorn (4,478m) and 20 peaks over 4,000 metres high.</span></p> <p><span>And built the world’s longest aerial cablecar system to the <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/schilthorn/">Schilthorn</a> summit where the iconic 007 movie, <em>On Her Majesty’s Secret Service</em>, was filmed in the 1960s.</span></p> <p><span>Then there’s walkways like the 107m-long Peak Walk at Les Diablerets, the only suspension bridge in the world to link two mountain summits.</span></p> <p><span>The end product is accessibility on a grand scale to scores of mountain peaks, glaciers, alpine lakes, high-altitude villages and splendid hiking tracks with panoramas stretching across Switzerland. </span></p> <p><span>I delight in the fact that I can arrive at <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/zurich-airport-1/">Zurich Airport</a>, jump on a train which, thanks to Switzerland’s superb transport system, connects seamlessly with buses, mountain trains, funiculars, gondolas and cablecars that whisk me to dizzy heights in minutes where I can hike, bike, ski and even wine, dine and sleep in fully-staffed lodges high in the alps.</span></p> <p><span>In compact Switzerland, a country with the densest rail network in the world, no city is further than two hours from the mountains, so daytrips to the alps are easy. Around 9,000 trains criss-cross the 3,000km-long SBB railway network every day.</span></p> <p><span>The timetables and station locations are synched in such a way that travel on multiple modes of transport is effortless. The first time I travelled in Switzerland, I was aghast when I looked at my itinerary, which involved four types of transport and four tight changes in four hours. But it was a breeze.</span></p> <p><span>This ease of travel has much to do with an unassuming slip of paper called the <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/swiss-travel-pass/">Swiss Travel Pass </a> (STP), which I came to regard as magic. The pass allows unlimited travel on all public transport – trains, boats and buses – with no queuing for tickets or arguing with vending machines. The pass also allows free entry to more than 500 museums.</span></p> <p><span>I always take full advantage of this, ducking into museums all over the country. A favourite is Zermatlantis, where I learned how the modest farming community of Zermatt became a world-famous resort. </span></p> <p style="position: relative; padding-top: 300px; overflow: hidden; width: 100%;" class="fb-container"><iframe onload="injectFBStyles()" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fover60travelclub%2Fvideos%2F1611072919059954%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=476" width="100%" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p><span>The historic paddle steamers on Lake Geneva are also covered by the STP. These graceful belle époche vessels have plied the lake for 100 years, cruising the coast of the Montreux Riviera with its <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/destinations/attractions/unseco-world-heritage-sites/">UNESCO</a> World Heritage terraced vineyards at Lavaux, the fairytale mediaeval castle of Chillon and snow-capped Vaudois Alps.</span></p> <p><span>STP holders qualify for a 50 percent discount off most mountain railways ,including the excursion to the summit of <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/titlis/">Titlis</a> (3,062m) on the world’s first revolving aerial cableway. </span>The panoramic views are jaw-dropping. There’s also the <span>Titlis Cliff Walk – Europe’s highest suspension footbridge – and the Ice Flyer chairlift over Titlis glacier to Glacier Park. Here you can descend ten metres below the surface of the glacier where the ice is up to 5,000 years old. It’s astonishing.</span></p> <p><span>In Switzerland, even the tiniest alpine communities are serviced by public transport. Bright yellow PostAuto buses are lined up beside train stations ready to take you to exquisite villages like Tschiertschen. And in Interlaken, you can ride on environmentally friendly e-buses powered by hydro-electricity. All covered by your STP.</span></p> <p><span>Which brings me to the second word that describes me: I’m <em>viridescent</em> – turning green. The older I get, the more environmentally-conscious I become, which means I feel comfortable travelling in Switzerland. The country is a global leader in sustainability – a fact confirmed by the international Environmental Performance Index (EPI), which ranks Switzerland first in the world.</span></p> <p><span>There are numerous examples of this. Rhaetian Railway, the operators of the world-famous <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/experiences/bernina-express">Bernina Express</a>, uses 100 percent hydro-power for their locomotives; the smooth, silent MobiCat on Lake Biel is solar-powered, transporting 40,000 people over 20,000km since 2001; and the Gornergrat Bahn in Zermatt ingeniously generates its own electricity. The energy for its ascents are generated by the descents. Built in 1898, it’s the world’s first fully electrified cog railway. </span></p> <p><span>Furthermore, the entire 5,000km-long national and regional rail network is almost entirely electrified… so in Switzerland, I can indulge in another passion – train travel – with a clear conscience. A veteran of many train journeys in Switzerland, I’ve completed the <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/grandtraintour">Grand Train Tour of Switzerland</a> in stages over the past six years. To undertake the entire 1,280km tour in one hit would be injurious to my health. </span></p> <p><span>Every time I travel by train in Switzerland, I end up with a severe case of sensory overload… and a deformed nose from squashing it against the window for hours, drooling at the scenery.</span></p> <p><span>However, after my all-time favourite trip – the </span>Bernina Express<span> from St Moritz to Tirano – my nose was fine. This was because I travelled in an open-air carriage for the entire four-hour journey from the alps and glaciers of Switzerland to the lakes and palm trees of Italy. One of many breath-taking sights is the spectacular, six-span, 142m-long, 65m-high curved Landwasser viaduct. Built in the early 1900s, the viaduct is a highlight of the <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/destinations/attractions/unseco-world-heritage-sites/">UNESCO</a> World Heritage 63km-long Albula sector of the trip. </span></p> <p><span>Every journey in Switzerland has left me with a sense of wonder: horizons bristling with peaks jostling for supremacy; pastures so green I’ve rubbed the grass between my fingers to make sure it’s real; cows so pretty the farmers must surely shine their coats; alpine chalets competing for the most red geraniums in their window boxes; wispy waterfalls free-falling in tendrils from gleaming blue-white glaciers; picturesque villages perched on little ledges hundreds of metres above verdant valleys; vivid aqua alpine tarns surrounded by wild flowers; cable-cars bobbing between mountain peaks or gliding vertiginously up sheer cliffs; vineyards perched on narrow terraces that step their way up steep hillsides . . . </span></p> <p><span>The countryside is deeply satisfying to the eye and profoundly nurturing to the soul. And in this chaotic world we live in, the beauty, sustainability, orderliness and safety of Switzerland are magnets for mature travellers… especially a viridescent orophile like me!</span></p> <p><em>* Justine Tyerman travelled courtesy of </em><span><a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/"><em>Switzerland Tourism.</em></a></span></p>

International Travel

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Switzerland offers message of hope to Aussies by projecting flag on mountain

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Australia’s national flag has been projected onto the Swiss Alps in a message of hope from Switzerland during the global coronavirus pandemic.</p> <p>It was projected early in the morning onto Mount Matterhorn on Thursday, local Swiss time.</p> <p>The mountain is 4,478 metres high and overlooks Zermatt, a town in southern Switzerland.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Australia is having a hard time with the bush fires and now the Coronavirus. Today we think of the Australian people and send hope and courage to get through the crisis well. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Australia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Australia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Zermatt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Zermatt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Matterhorn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Matterhorn</a><a href="https://t.co/qFjiKuZNsE">https://t.co/qFjiKuZNsE</a> <a href="https://t.co/qFKgakRlbp">pic.twitter.com/qFKgakRlbp</a></p> — Zermatt - Matterhorn (@zermatt_tourism) <a href="https://twitter.com/zermatt_tourism/status/1253312079852900355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>Daniel Luggen, spa director of Zermatt-Matterhorn, said the projections are a message to the rest of the world.</p> <p>"Since almost a month, we're illuminating every night the Matterhorn with different symbols, to give the people hope and show our solidarity to the world," Mr Luggen said in a video posted to Facebook on Wednesday evening, Australian time.</p> <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fzermatt.matterhorn%2Fposts%2F10157945339765605&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=552&amp;height=503&amp;appId" width="552" height="503" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> <p>The projections are a project by light artist Gerry Hostetter and are meant to say “thank you to all the people working hard during this crisis”.</p> <p>"It's empty and quiet in Zermatt and that makes us sad, but soon we look forward to (having) you back here," Mr Luggen said.</p> </div> </div> </div>

International Travel

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Fairy tale castle

<p><em>Justine Tyerman out-stays her welcome in a medieval Swiss castle.</em></p> <p>I sat in a window seat at Chillon Castle’s great banquet hall, visualising the scene 600 years ago – dukes, duchesses and guests in their finery, tables laden with food and huge logs blazing in massive open fireplaces.</p> <p>Feasts at the medieval castle on the shore of Switzerland’s sparkling Lake Geneva were legendary events held over several days. The quantity of food prepared was astonishing. According to an account written in 1420, for every day of the banquet, 10 or so cooks prepared 100 piglets, 60 fat pigs, 200 kid goats, 200 lambs, 2000 head of poultry and 6000 eggs. Added to this was game killed while hunting - deer, hares, partridges, pheasants, and other wild birds. For non-meat-eaters, there was a variety of fish including dolphins, salmon, trout and carp.</p> <p>Chillon, built on a rocky outcrop surrounded by water, is the absolute epitome of a fairy-tale castle with a moat, drawbridge, turrets, ramparts with arrow slits, vaults, courtyards, spiral stone staircases, chambers and great halls.</p> <p>I lost track of time as I explored the entire castle, starting in the basement which resembled a Gothic cathedral with its magnificent stone arches.</p> <p>The earliest official mention of Chillon was in 1150 when the Counts of Savoy controlled the region. The Bernese took over the castle in 1536 when they conquered the Vaud region, and for the next 260 years, Chillon served as a fortress, arsenal and prison.</p> <p>In 1803, the castle became the property of the Canton of Vaud. A major restoration campaign was launched at the end of the 19th century and is ongoing today.</p> <p>Lord Byron, during his visit to the castle in 1816, was inspired to write The Prisoner of Chillon, a poem about François Bonivard, who was arrested in 1530 by the Savoyard Army and imprisoned in the basement. Byron inscribed his name in stone near where Bonivard was chained to a pillar for six years.</p> <p>Upstairs, I delved into the private chambers of the nobles.</p> <p>The Camera Domini was reserved for the Duke of Savoy. Remnants of murals on the walls showed animals and lush vegetation while lilies and crosses decorated the ceiling.</p> <p>When the duke wanted a bath, a wooden tub was placed in his chamber lined with a sheet to protect his regal rear end from splinters. A huge fireplace kept the room warm in winter.</p> <p>A spiral staircase, built around 1336, allowed the duke access to the ramparts above and his private chapel below. The 14th century paintings there were among few religious artworks to escape the Reformation.</p> <p>Another bedroom used by the Bernese rulers had running water and a stone stove fed with wood from an antechamber.</p> <p>The castle had a number of communal latrines which seemed to be a popular spot for selfies!</p> <p>The keep, the inner stronghold of the castle, dates back to the 11th century. Near the centre of the fortress, it was symbol of power and the place of last refuge when defending the castle. The keep was also used as an observation post, residence, storehouse, prison and powder-house. For safety, the door of the keep was high up and could only be reached by a ladder or drawbridge.</p> <p>To further disadvantage and slow down invaders, the keep was accessed by a right-turning, clockwise spiral staircase making it easier for right-handed defenders of the castle to wield their swords while descending and difficult for attackers approaching from below. Clever!</p> <p>The castle’s impressive weapons’ collection of swords, crossbows, muskets and pikes was on display in the keep.</p> <p>During restoration of the keep in the 20th century, stairs were added to provide access to the top of the tower where the 360-degree panorama on this pristine autumn day was breath-taking. The paddle steamer that had dropped me off at the castle jetty earlier in the day was churning across the satin lake against a backdrop of snow-capped alps.</p> <p>I drifted back in time to an era when sentries were stationed in the tower to guard the castle. The view of the lake and the alps would have been as magnificent then as it is now.</p> <p>Eventually, a staff member tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to leave. The castle was about to close for the day. As the sun began to set, I crossed the drawbridge and set off to walk along the lake-edge pathway back to Montreux. Little did I know what lay in store for me on the waterfront...</p> <p>See also Justine’s earlier stories in her series about Switzerland: <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/the-slow-coach">Part 1</a> | <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/in-the-company-of-mountain-gods">Part 2</a> | <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/a-side-trip-on-the-bear-trek">Part 3</a> | <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/flying-by-train">Part 4</a></p> <p><em>Justine Tyerman was a guest of <span><a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-nz/">Switzerland Tourism</a></span> and travelled courtesy of <span><a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-nz/planning/transport-accommodation/tickets-public-transportation/">Swiss Travel Pass</a>.</span></em></p>

International Travel

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A side-trip on the Bear Trek

<p><em>Justine Tyerman ventures deep into 007 territory, embarks on a short but hair-raising hike and learns about the history of the ‘</em><em>Village on the Wall’</em><em>...  </em></p> <p>Our Swiss guides casually sauntered down the steep, narrow track as if it was a sidewalk in downtown Zurich. I, on the other hand, exercised extreme caution, placing each foot carefully on the slippery mountainside strewn with loose rocks, making sure I came to a complete halt in a safe place before gazing around at the jaw-dropping views.</p> <p>It was Day 3 of our Swiss ‘Bear Trek’ expedition, and radically different from the previous two which involved strenuous, all-day hikes up and over mountain passes. Instead we deviated from the usual itinerary, taking a side-trip to the top of the Schilthorn. This involved catching a series of impressive cable-cars which whisked us from the Lauterbrunnen Valley far above the clouds to a mountain peak almost 3000 metres above sea level. Grey and drizzly in the valley, it was another world up there, bathed in bright sunshine, hobnobbing with mountain peaks.</p> <p>The 360-degree panorama from the Schilthorn summit gave us an entirely different perspective on the Bernese trio – the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau – and more than 200 members of mountain royalty including Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc, 4,808m, in neighbouring France. Communing eye-to-peak with such alpine giants was breath-taking. Below us, the clouds were neatly tucked into the folds of the valley like a fluffy white duvet.</p> <p>But there’s more to the Schilthorn than spectacular alpine scenery. The mountain featured in the sixth Bond movie, <em>On Her Majesty’s Secret Service </em>(1969), and the revolving restaurant, Piz Gloria, served as the headquarters of the <span>evil genius and super-villain Ernst Stavro</span> Blofeld. At the top of the mountain, there’s a highly-entertaining, interactive Bond World, replays of 007 movies, a Walk of Fame featuring the actors, stuntmen, cameramen and directors, and even Bond-themed toilets that won an international tourism award for ‘best bathrooms’. The restaurant serves 007 burgers. I just had to have one for lunch while I watched the parade of peaks drift by the revolving restaurant.</p> <p>The Schilthorn is also renowned for its vertiginous Skyline Walk, a 200m-long glass and steel bridge that clings to the rock face below the cablecar station at Birg. Only in Switzerland would I agree to do such a thing. I trust the engineering here – 100 percent. I felt so confident, I even crawled through an eight-metre steel-mesh tunnel above a sheer drop and walked along a wire suspended high above the rocks... enclosed inside a sturdy safety net. Thrilling but safe. My colleagues decided the tunnel was a fine spot for some relaxed sight-seeing but I wasted no time in there.</p> <p>The Schilthorn has another claim to fame. It’s the starting gate of the 15km ‘Inferno’ ski race to Lauterbrunnen, the largest amateur ski race in the world. The race dates back to 1928 on one of the longest pistes in Switzerland. There’s a summer version of the event too, the Inferno Triathlon from Thun to the Schilthorn, which began in 1992. One of the toughest endurance races in the world with an ascent of 5500 metres, it must also be one of the most scenic.</p> <p>Having explored the Schilthorn’s many attractions and magnificent views, our local guides Jana and Nick led us down the top section of the triathlon route, the only hiking we ended up doing that day. It was a short stint compared to previous days but one that required intense concentration and focus. A carelessly-placed foot could have led to a rather rapid descent. I was astounded to think triathletes could run up such a track... and even more astonished to see a sign at the top which read: ‘High-heeled shoes prohibited!’</p> <p>Jana said: “Believe me, it does happen!”</p> <p>Late afternoon, we took a cablecar down to Mürren where we checked into the lovely Hotel Alpenruh.</p> <p>Nick conducted a walking tour of his delightful, car-free village which sits on a ledge high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. You wouldn’t want to be a somnambulant in Mürren – at the edge of the ledge, there’s a sheer drop of 800m to the valley floor.</p> <p>Mürren, the highest, continually-inhabited village settlement in the canton of Bern, has a fascinating history with records dating back to 1257 when the ‘Village on the Wall’ was first mentioned. Millions of years before that, 200 million to be precise, Mürren was submerged under the ocean, and 25,000 years ago, it was 1.2km under glacial ice which only began to recede 8000 years ago.</p> <p>Prior to the 1850s, the inhabitants of the high terrace survived by subsistence farming but as the region warmed and the snow and ice melted, Mürren became more accessible, and along came international tourism.</p> <p>It’s a place of many firsts, Nick explained as we walked around the pretty little village.</p> <p>With the opening of Mürren’s first hotel, the ‘Silberhorn’ in 1857, and the ‘Grand Hotel Des Alpes’ and the ‘Kurhaus’ in 1870, the village became the summer retreat of aristocrats, politicians, painters and scholars from all over Europe, especially Britain. In 1891, the Lauterbrunnen to Mürren railway was inaugurated and in 1910, Mürren enjoyed its first winter tourism season. We came across the original passenger car of a horse-drawn tramway opened in 1894 to transport guests and goods from the train stations to the Grand Hotel Kurhaus.</p> <p>Nick pointed out the Allmendhubel Funicular opened in 1912, and a memorial to British skier and mountaineer Sir Arnold Lunn who set the world’s first slalom course in Mürren in 1922, and organised the first world championship in downhill and slalom racing in 1931.</p> <p>In 1923, the British Ladies Ski Club was founded in Mürren and in1924, Lunn started the Kandahar Ski Club, the oldest, most distinguished British ski club whose 1400 members include royals and celebrities.</p> <p>The first Inferno Race (from Schilthorn to Lauterbrunnen) took place in 1928 organised by a bunch of British ski enthusiasts; in 1930, Switzerland’s first ski school was founded; and in 1937, Mürren celebrated the opening of the first ski lift in the Bernese Oberland.</p> <p>The mid-1960s saw the construction of cableways from Stechelberg to the Schilthorn and in 1969, the revolving restaurant ‘Piz Gloria’ opened, thanks to the makers of the Bond movie ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ who helped fund the completion of the project.</p> <p>I loved the tranquillity of the vehicle-free village, the deer grazing in the nearby meadows and sun-blackened walls of the traditional old chalets and barns with their window boxes and steep-pitched rooves. The oldest house in the village dates back to 1547.</p> <p>Nick joined us for dinner at the Hotel Alpenruh where we consumed a large cauldron of rich, creamy fondue made from local cheese. It was a fun evening, our last night together as a group - three Aussies, one Kiwi and our Swiss tour leader. I would miss the camaraderie of the Aussies and the immensely-capable Birgit, but I was excited to be heading to Montreux and then on to Zermatt.</p> <p>My travel itinerary for the next day looked terrifying with four tight changes in four hours involving cable cars, buses and trains.</p> <p>But I knew it would go smoothly, just like clockwork, with the various stations, timetables and modes of transport all perfectly synchronised and aligned. That’s Switzerland. Stress-free travel...</p> <p>See also the first two of Justine’s stories about the Bear Trek: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/the-slow-coach" target="_blank">Part 1</a> | <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/in-the-company-of-mountain-gods" target="_blank">Part 2</a></p> <p><em>The Bear Trek is part of the Via Alpina, a classic among long-distance hikes in Switzerland. The Via Alpina is a challenging mountain hike through the picture-perfect landscapes of Switzerland’s Northern Alps. A series of 20 daily stages takes hikers over 14 alpine passes and through a great variety of alpine terrain, villages, flora and fauna - a hiking enthusiast’s dream. Mountain restaurants and hotels provide meals and accommodation along the way. Eurotrek organised our accommodation and luggage transfers so we just carried a light day pack. They also provided excellent detailed maps of the route.</em></p> <p><em>Justine Tyerman was a guest of </em><span><a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-nz/"><em>Switzerland Tourism</em></a></span><em>, travelled courtesy of </em><span><a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-nz/planning/transport-accommodation/tickets-public-transportation/"><em>Swiss Travel Pass</em></a></span><em> and hiked in the </em><span><a href="http://www.schilthorn.ch"><em>Schilthorn Region</em></a></span><em> with </em><span><a href="https://www.eurotrek.ch/en"><em>Eurotrek.</em></a></span></p>

International Travel

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In the company of mountain gods

<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Justine Tyerman practises her “one foot after the other” mantra on day two of the Bear Trek in the Swiss Alps. </span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kleine Scheidegg Pass looked formidable in the early morning light, shaded by the massive granite North Face of the Eiger. I was tempted to bury my head under my cosy down duvet, feign a pulled ligament or something and allow Guide Birgit and Team Super-Fit to hike on without me.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I had made the mistake of studying the profile of Day Two of the Bear Trek the night before and discovered that before we even started the climb, the track plunged all the way to the valley floor, appropriately called Grund, adding hours and vertical metres to an already challenging ascent.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The warning bells I had earlier ignored before I left New Zealand were clanging away again inside my head, but so too were my Kiwi tramping friend’s words that had kept me going the previous day: “One foot after the other and you’ll get there... eventually.” </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Besides, I was the only Kiwi in the group and I couldn’t let the Aussies get the better of me. I floundered my way out of duvets and pillows so deep, they must have placed the entire Swiss goose population in serious jeopardy, showered, pulled on my hiking gear and presented myself in the dining room with a brave smile on my face.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over a hearty breakfast at our lovely Hotel Kirchbühl high above the village of Grindelwald, Birgit studied the itinerary for Day Two.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The detailed route map proposed by Eurotrek, the company that organised our hike, went from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen via Kleine Scheidegg Pass, covering 19.5km, ascending 1230m and descending 1465m, a hiking time of seven hours, 25 minutes.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Birgit frowned... and then beamed.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think we’ll take the train to Alpiglen,” she said. “No point in walking all the way down just to climb back up again. And we’re staying in Wengen for the night which is much closer than Lauterbrunnen.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tall, lean Ms Super-Duper Fit was crestfallen but I was so relieved I hugged Birgit.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">What a wonderful, wise woman</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, I thought.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> How I love the Swiss Transport System. There’s always a train, bus, cablecar, gondola or funicular right where you need it. Catching the train to Alpiglen and staying at Wengen would lop off about three hours and hundreds of vertical metres. This would enable us to have a more relaxed, enjoyable experience with ample time to revel in the landscape, take photos and stop for a leisurely lunch on this most pristine of sunny autumn days.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first rays of sun kissed the tip of the snow-capped peaks as we set off, well-fuelled, after a substantial hikers’ breakfast. The train deposited us at Alpiglen where we began the climb to Kleine Scheidegg Pass, 2061m. The ascent was steep and steady but the unfolding of the landscape as the mighty Bernese triumvirate - the Eiger, Mönsch and Jungfrau - came into view, made every step rewarding. Bright sunshine, clear skies and mild temperatures added to the magic of the day.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">We crossed gurgling, gin-clear, ice-cold streams trickling down lush, green mountain pastures, and stopped to pat friendly cows with tinkling bells. They were so tame, they licked us with their long purple-black, sandpaper tongues.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Encounters with other hikers and bikers of different nationalities were more frequent than on the previous day but we had the well-formed trail largely to ourselves.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I was last to “summit” the pass but the heady exhilaration of having made it to the top obliterated the pain in my calf muscles and thumping of my heart. The Aussies were good sports. They didn’t seem to mind waiting for me. With breath-taking alpine panoramas, there was no down-time for them – cameras and iPhones were working overtime.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Above Kleine Scheidegg, in the shadow of the 3970m Eiger, there’s a tiny museum that documents the triumphs and tragedies of past climbing expeditions on the treacherous Nordwand (North Face). The stories are chilling especially the horrific tale of the climber in 1936 who, despite valiant rescue attempts, froze to death on the end of his rope after his three companions perished. He was just metres from safety.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sphinx Terrace and observatory at the “Top of Europe” was visible high above us - building such a structure on a narrow ridge 3571m above sea level is a marvel of engineering. So too the cogwheel Jungfrau Railway train from Kleine Scheidegg to Europe’s highest railway station (3454m). Opened in 1912, the top 7km of the 9.4km of railway climbs through a tunnel hewn in the rock of the Eiger and Mönch, an audacious project that took 16 years to complete.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">As we sat in the sun gazing at the mountain gods, I felt a deep sense of reverence to be in their company.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a quintessentially Swiss day – a sprinkling of fresh snow dusted the peaks, the edelweiss was in flower, and the alpine chalets were competing for the brightest window boxes and neatest firewood pile.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Swiss stack their firewood under the eaves against the chalet walls or in purpose-built sheds. The pieces are always perfectly cut to exactly the same size and arranged with the utmost symmetry – like an artwork.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s a Swiss thing,” Birgit said, “a point of national pride. A messy wood pile would be shameful in Switzerland.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Descending from Kleine Scheidegg Pass, the rumble of an avalanche echoed around the mountains as a slab of ice broke free from a blue-white glacier and thundered down the valley, an awesome sight and sound from a safe distance.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Late in the season, a few of the mountain restaurants were already closed but the Bergrestaurant Allmend was open and served an excellent lunch platter. With only a short downward hike to Wengen ahead of us, a little schnapps was in order, “a Swiss tradition,” Birgit said.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">An easy downhill hike from the Allmend took us straight to the Silberhorn, our hotel in the centre of the delightful, car-free resort of Wengen.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The exquisite picture-postcard village, with its traditional wooden chalets and belle époque hotels, is perched on a sunny terrace 400 metres above the Lauterbrunnen Valley with stunning vistas of the Jungfrau and Schilthorn.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Famous for its World Cup Lauberhorn ski piste, Wengen also has excellent year-round, family-friendly activities for everyone including skiing, toboggan runs and winter and summer hiking trails. Mountain trains and cableways provide access to spectacular vantage points throughout the Jungfrau region.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">After a relaxing soak in the Silberhorn’s outside Jacuzzi, I managed to do justice to a delectable five-course feast at the hotel’s excellent restaurant - melon and prosciutto, lentil soup, salads, beef ragout and apricot tart... among many other choices.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">High altitude can sometimes disrupt sleep patterns but the exertion of the day and the larger- than-usual-dinner... and a glass or two of wine...  acted as a powerful sedative for me.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I fell asleep looking at the map of the next day’s hike with the words “22km, 2000m ascent, 1400m descent, 9 hours” swirling around in my mind  – but by now, I was confident I would manage whatever trimmed-down version Birgit had in store up for us.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I knew I’d reach my destination, eventually, simply by placing “one foot after the other...”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Read more about </span><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/the-slow-coach"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Day One of the trek</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><strong>Factbox</strong>:</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">* The Bear Trek is part of the Via Alpina, a classic among long-distance hikes in Switzerland. The Via Alpina is a challenging mountain hike through the picture-perfect landscapes of Switzerland’s northern alps. A series of 20 daily stages takes hikers over 14 alpine passes and through a great variety of alpine terrain, villages, flora and fauna - a hiking enthusiast’s dream. Mountain restaurants and hotels provide meals and accommodation along the way. Eurotrek organised our accommodation and luggage transfers so we just carried a light day pack. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Justine Tyerman was a guest of </span><a href="http://www.myswitzerland.com/hiking"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Switzerland Tourism</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, travelled courtesy of </span><a href="https://www.swiss.com/au/en"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Swiss Travel Pass</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and hiked in the </span><a href="https://jungfrauregion.swiss/en/winter/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jungfrau Region</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with </span><a href="https://www.eurotrek.ch/en"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eurotrek.</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></em></p>

International Travel

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First day of school for Crown Princess Mary’s four children

<p><span>Princess Mary’s four children have begun to undergo an exciting, new journey away from home at a school in Switzerland.</span></p> <p><span>The Danish clan belonging to Australian-born Princess Mary and her husband Prince Frederik have started a new chapter.</span></p> <p><span>Prince Christian, 14, Princess Isabella, 12 and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, eight, have been enrolled at the Lemania-Verbier International School.</span></p> <p><span>The four kids are stationed at the ski resort town of Verbier.</span></p> <p><span>Crown Princess Mary, 47, and her husband Crown Prince Frederik, 51, both posed for pictures with their four kids before the young royals started the first </span><span>day of school on Monday January 6. </span></p> <p><span>The Danish royal court said the media was invited to photograph the children in the hopes they will be left alone for the duration of their schooling in Switzerland.</span></p> <p><span>It is assumed the royal children will expand their broad knowledge of foreign language while in Switzerland over a 12-week period. So far, it is believed they all currently speak Danish and English but will go on to learn French, Italian and perhaps Romanian.</span></p> <p><span>The palace said Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik "want to give their children the opportunity for a shared experience in an international environment".</span></p> <p><span>Once three months have passed for the royals, Christian, Isabella, Vincent and Josephine will return to their usual classes at Tranegårdsskolen in Gentofte, in eastern Denmark.</span></p> <p><span>Crown Princess Mary is reportedly remaining near her children in Verbier, meaning she will be cutting down her royal duties while away.</span><br /><span>She is expected to remain in Switzerland for three months.</span></p> <p><span>Prince Frederik revealed his family would be staying at a chalet they had bought in Verbier 10 years ago.</span></p> <p><span>“We view it as a gift to our children, one where they can be together about it, and a gift they can have with them for the rest of their lives,” he explained while speaking to reporters in Paris late last year.</span></p> <p><span>Prince Frederik’s schedule may prove difficult to visit his children, but the palace has maintained the royal will join his family when it is permitted.</span></p> <p><span>On Monday, Australia’s very own royal sent a letter of support to the victims of the bushfire crisis many Australians have been forced to come to grips with.</span></p> <p><span>"Our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and our deepest sympathy to the many families who have lost their homes - their livelihoods," Crown Princess Mary wrote in the letter, released by the Danish royal family.</span></p> <p><span>"The courage and unyielding efforts of the volunteer firefighters have our deepest respect and admiration.</span></p> <p><span>"Following from afar, it makes me proud of my Australian heritage to witness the strong sense of community and the Australian spirit of 'never giving up' in the face of such devastation and adversity."</span></p> <p><span>Scroll through the gallery to see the Danish royal family’s first day of school.</span></p>

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Go tell it to the mountain: A Switzerland adventure

<p>There aren’t many countries where you can sit in the spot where it all began. Relaxing in a small meadow on Lake Lucerne’s shores, however, I can make that claim for Switzerland. Here on this patch of grass on 1 August 1291, representatives of three small alpine valleys got together and signed a pact from which modern Switzerland emerged. August 1 is now a national holiday, and the meadow’s name, Field of Rütli, resonates through Swiss history.</p> <p>True, I don’t find much happening in Rütli these days, but it’s a fine place for a picnic and a good location to start an exploration of the Swiss heartland around Lake Lucerne, where history and scenery are equally dramatic. It’s also the spot to start my hunt for William Tell, the local lad who fought for freedom and became the world’s most famous Swiss.</p> <p>I arrive from Lucerne by steamer on an astonishingly scenic ride down its lake, embraced in mountains. My aim is to walk parts of the 36-kilometre Swiss Path, created for the 700th anniversary of Switzerland. With Swiss precision, the pathway is divided into segments representing its 26 cantons. As I walk, signs informs me when each canton joined the confederation, and gives a background to their history. It’s a lovely walk, the path sometimes talking to footbridges across streams and tunnels through cliffs. The landscape is surprisingly wild and rugged: quite the contrast to the bourgeois prettiness of downtown Lucerne.</p> <p>The following morning, a yellow postal bus deposits me back on the Swiss Path at Altdorf, a pleasant town of cobbled squares, painted houses and elaborate shop signs. A twist of bread marking a bakery directs me to a scrumptious almond croissant. Altdorf is the birthplace of William Tell, whose statue I find at the base of a medieval tower. The hero stands with his crossbow over his shoulder, his arm around his son. The monument marks the place where Tell was forced to shoot an apple off his son’s head by Gessler, an arrogant Hapsburg overlord.</p> <p>As I walk onwards, the valley narrows and the cliffs close in. Steep ups and downs challenge my lungs and knees. There’s only enough flat land to support a few villages under towering snow-capped peaks. It’s a rewarding hike to the Tell Chapel along the lake’s shore, which is painted with scenes from Tell’s life. It was from this spot that the hero supposedly leapt from a boat taking him to captivity. Tell fled into the forest and later shot Gessler dead with his crossbow, sparking Swiss independence.</p> <p>Nearby Schwyz sits high above Lake Lucerne in a wide valley of cherry orchards surrounded by snowcapped mountains. This now-quiet backwater canton gave its name and flag to Switzerland, and became famed for its mercenaries, who returned to build the impressive townhouses. The Town Hall is exuberant: cherubs hang over every window and frescoes depict historical battles.</p> <p>In contrast, the Federal Archives are kept in an ultra-modern, concrete building on the edge of town. I drop by to see the original Oath of Alliance signed at the Field of Rütli. Other proclamations mark the adherence of new cantons to Switzerland, each becoming increasingly ornate with ribbons and wax seals. Few countries in the world have such delightful birth certificates.</p> <p>Back by Lake Lucerne, I follow the road to Gersau. Improbably, this was once the world’s smallest republic, independent from 1390 to 1817. At Vitznau I enjoy modern evidence of Switzerland’s fighting spirit at Mühleflüh Artillery Fortress, decommissioned in 1998. I enjoy a scramble through underground bunkers to inspect barracks, kitchens and artillery batteries beneath fake rocks.</p> <p>From here, legs weary, I take to the rack railway up Mt Rigi, and the views become ever more expansive around each dizzying bend. Lake Lucerne shrinks to a puddle and a 200-kilometre range of jagged snow peaks emerges on the horizon. Though less glamorous than more famous viewpoints near Lucerne, such as the James Bond movie setting, Mt Pilatus, Rigi provides a landscape to make my soul sing. Even the cows seem to pause in their chewing and bell-clanking to contemplate the scenery that plunges below their flowery pastures.</p> <p>At the western end of the lake I’m back to base at Lucerne, whose old town straddles the Reuss River and looks onto the yacht-studded lake and panorama of alpine peaks. In 1332, Lucerne became the first big town to join the alliance of alpine cantons. It’s crammed with old guild houses, baroque churches and ornamental fountains. I study a cartoon-like account of its history on the painted panels that line its famous symbol – a covered wooden bridge. One shows William Tell with his crossbow at the ready. The timeline shows me something that I’ve already gathered: Switzerland has a birthplace, a proper birth certificate, and a mythical founding father, providing a story to delight me.</p> <p><em>Written by Brian Johnston. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/switzerland-adventure-go-tell-it-to-the-mountain/">MyDiscoveries.</a> </em></p>

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