April: Latest news from Switzerland

Check out the latest news from Switzerland.

1. Mountains.©: Only Switzerland has the original article
2. Zurich Sechselaeuten
3. Ticino Hike & Bike Tours
4. Food and Wine ‘A Taste of Switzerland’
5. Lugano Estival Jazz
6. Interesting days out by rail with a Swiss Pass

If you like to know more about these subjects, please scroll down.

1. Mountains.©: Only Switzerland has the original article

(st) The year 2002 was declared as the International Year of Mountains
by the UN. To coincide with this, Switzerland Tourism is launching a
three-year summer mountain campaign in its most important markets.
The “Mountains.©” promotion will specifically focus on experiences and
emotions associated with the mountains. Holidays in Switzerland
guarantee a mountain experience that is unique throughout the world.
Indeed, as far as mountains are concerned, Switzerland is, so to speak,
the home of the “original article”. Switzerland Tourism Director Juerg
Schmid claims self-assuredly that “Switzerland would take the gold medal
if there were an Olympic discipline called ëMountainsí.” With investment
totalling three million francs, “Mountains.©” is Switzerland Tourismís
largest campaign this year. More details can be found at:
http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=36&tid=47&url=www.MySwitzerland.com

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2. Zurich Sechselaeuten

Every year, usually on the third Monday in April, the guilds and
citizens of Zurich celebrate their traditional spring festival, the
Sechselaeuten, with great enthusiasm. The festivities begin on the
Sunday with a delightfully colourful parade of over 2000 children. On
the Monday comes the guilds parade, during which the “Boeoeg, a white
scarecrow who symbolises winter, is burnt. The procession is made up of
over 7000 participants in historical dress, 500 horses, and 28 musical
groups, as well as 50 floats and carriages, making it one of the largest
and most colourful of its kind in Europe.

The destination of the parade is the Sechselaeuten ñPlatz, is a square
on the shores of Lake Zurich. The “Boeoeg” is placed on top of a great
pyre in the middle of the square. At precisely 6 oíclock in the evening
the wood is set alight and the mounted guildsmen gallop around the
blazing fire to the sound of the Sechselaeuten March. The Boeoeg, which
is stuffed full of firecrackers, crackles and pops with loud bangs and
thus conclusively marks the end of winter. In 2002 Tessin will be the
Canton of honour. Further info: *http//www.sechselaeuten.ch

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3. Ticino Hike & Bike Tours

A fantastic opportunity for the individual traveller to discover the
Mediterranean flair of the beautiful Ticino region of Switzerland, with
its glittering lakes, palm trees, romantic plazas, picture perfect
piazzas, tranquil valleys with quintessential towns and villages. All
this is waiting to be discovered on either cycle or by foot. Your
luggage is transferred for you each day leaving you free to explore.
Your accommodation is in selected charming 2 or 3 star hotels that offer
a high standard of quality. For further info:
http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=36&tid=47&url=uk.myswitzerland.com/en/
special.cfm?id=771

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4. Food and Wine ‘A Taste of Switzerland’

New from this month, is our ëFood and Wineí section. In this monthly
feature you will find articles on popular recipes for parties,
traditional Swiss specialities, information and offers on Swiss wines,
favourite restaurants in Switzerland and much, much more. Londonís
favourite Swiss chef, Mr Armin Loetscher from the St Moritz restaurant,
London, compiles this section. Armin Loetscher was born in the Canton of
Lucerne and came to London in the 1950ís as a pastry chef for Madam
Fleuri. In 1974 Armin eventually achieved his dream of opening his own
restaurant in the heart of Soho specialising in traditional authentic
recipes from his home country. The St Moritz Restaurant was established.
Nearly thirty years later and Armin has seen fashions and fads come an
go, played host to some of Rock and Popís big stars in the St Moritz
club. He has catered for many, many guests at some of the most exclusive
venues in the UK. He has starred in various television programmes giving
lessons on how to make the perfect cheese fondue on the BBCís “Food and
Drinkí programme. This month we start with a popular recipe ideal as a
starter to give an authentic feel to any ëSwiss’ dinner party. Swiss
Cheese Tartlets (Chaeschuechli)
Ingredients:
1 Packet of puff pastry 430g
2 Eggs
200 ml of double or whipping cream
300g of Emmenthal and Gruyere cheese (grated)
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 pinch of pepper
Roll pastry out and using an 8cm – pastry cutter, cut out tartlet cases.
Place pastry cases in medium Yorkshire-pudding trays. Mix eggs, cream,
grated cheese together with pepper and nutmeg Put a large spoonful of
the mixture into each case Bake in the middle of a pre-heated oven at
230? – 250? for approximately 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve
immediately and enjoy the traditional taste of Switzerland
©: Armin Loetscher
St Moritz Restaurant, 161 Wardour Street, London, W1V 3TA Tel: 020 7734
3324 for reservations. Londonís original Swiss Restaurant
http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=36&tid=47&url=www.stmoritz-restaurant.
co.uk
(some pages currently under construction)

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5. Lugano Estival Jazz

Estival Jazz has now been providing enternainment on Summer evenings in
the medieval old town of Lugano for 24 years; each year, it has gained
in prestige, has grown and has made a name for itself which is now one
of the biggest in Europe (from July 11 to July 13 2002). What other jazz
festival can offer the attraction of 17 free concerts over a period of
five evenings? Yet it is not so much the number of concerts that is
amazing, but the standard of music on offer. In fact, as usual, the
bill includes some of the best known names in the worldwide jazz scene,
artists who will liven up the town’s squares and fully meet the
expectations of an ever more numerous and enthusiastic public. For
further information:
http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=36&tid=47&url=www.estivaljazz.ch

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6. Interesting days out by rail with a Swiss Pass

If you fancy a day trip through a part of Italy why not travel from
wherever you are staying, to Brig in Canton Wallis/Valais. On arrival at
Brig connect with a train to Domodossola in Italy, walk along the
platform and go down to the low level platform of the Centovalli railway
(FART). The train journey goes through some magnificent mountain scenery
on its way to Locarno, back in the Swiss Canton of Ticino you can
reverse your journey to Domodossola and Brig or carry on in a circular
direction back to your starting point. If you are staying closer to
Locarno make the journey in the opposite direction. Your Swiss Pass
covers the whole journey. You will be rewarded with fantastic scenery
and a different culture. Les Heath – Editor, Swiss Transport News For
subscriptions: 01277 626 628 [email protected]