Check out the latest news from Switzerland.

1. Ciao Traffic Jams! Car Rental Offer from Europcar
2. SWISS to name its aircraft after Swiss mountains
3. www.swissart.net – The Swiss Art Portal
4. Airport Information for Switzerland
5. The dark side of the Matterhorn
6. Rominger Classic 2002 in Engelberg
7. Interesting days out by train: 5
8. Food & Wine: Recipe: Luzerner Aprikosenwaehe

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

1. Ciao Traffic Jams! Car Rental Offer from Europcar

Discover the sunny side of Switzerland in a VW Polo: enjoy Ticino with a special package offer from Europcar and Lugano Tourism. Travel in comfort by plane or train to Lugano, where you will be able to collect your free rental vehicle – leaving you mobile and free to discover the sunny side of Switzerland at your own individual pace. Hotels in different classes are available for your stay in Lugano. For further info: http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=i&tid=tid&url=www.europcar.ch/engl/html/frames/special.html

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2. SWISS to name its aircraft after Swiss mountains

Alongside watches and chocolate, the Alps are perhaps Switzerland’s best-known trademark abroad. This, too, is a reason why Swiss has decided to name all its aircraft after the country’s principal peaks.
The aircraft of the long-haul fleet will receive the names of mountains whose summits are higher than 4000 metres – peaks like the Dufourspitze, the
Zugsteinspitze, the Signalkuppe, the Dom, the Lyskamm and the Weisshorn. The first of the new Airbus A340-300s currently on order will be given the name “Matterhorn” upon delivery in summer 2003.
The short-haul fleet will be named after Swiss mountains, too. The choice here will include the highest or best-known summit in each of Switzerland’s cantons – the Uetliberg for Canton Zurich, for example, or St. Chrischona for Basel-Stadt. The policy is a gesture of thanks to the cantons for their financial commitment to the new Swiss airline. The short-haul fleet namings will begin with the arrival of the Embraer 170. http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=i&tid=tid&url=www.swiss.com

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3. www.swissart.net – The Swiss Art Portal

In January 1996, from the town of Embrach, a suburb of Zurich, Switzerland, Arthur Woods launched the swissart network with the domain name “www.swissart.ch”. The original goal was to provide the Swiss contemporary art scene with a variety of high quality Internet services necessary for its success in this important new media. In addition to offering basic Internet services such as web design and hosting, www.swissart.ch was conceived to become the most comprehensive online guide to Switzerland’s contemporary art scene.
In 1998, the swissart Guide – an up-to-date agenda listing the exhibitions found in art galleries and museums throughout Switzerland – was initiated. Not only did this useful service create a following of regular visitors, but it enabled the swissart network to promote the activities and exhibitions of its clients.
In June 1998, swissart GmbH was established. At this time an international “link” section was installed so that the swissart network would become an integral part of a more global art network. Today more than 1500 art sites around the world are listed in this growing database, and swissart network is listed on many of these art sites as well. As more and more artists and galleries began to design and implement their own websites, in 1999 the swissart Membership program was commenced to enable any external art site to become integrated into the swissart network and to share its benefits.
In the spring of 2000, editorial reports were added to the swissart News . This new feature has gradually evolved into a more regular series of Swiss and international art reports in English, German and French. http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=i&tid=tid&url=www.swissart.net/e/news/

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4. Airport Information for Switzerland

For frequent flyers to and from Switzerland, below are the web links to Zurich, Geneva and Basle airports. On these sites, you will find up -dated information concerning arrivals and departures, news features and general information about the three major airports of Switzerland including maps of the airport and details about duty free facilities. For further info click on the links below.
Zurich http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=i&tid=tid&url=www.unique.ch/e_default.htm
Geneva http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=i&tid=tid&url=www.gva.ch/en/default.htm
Basle http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=i&tid=tid&url=www.euroairport.com/

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5. The dark side of the Matterhorn

The Matterhorn is one of the worlds most famous mountains and every year more than 1,200 people are plucked from peril as they try to conquer it. For the full and chilling story, read Sally Mules article on swissinfo.org
http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=i&tid=tid&url=www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=411&sid=1236756

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6. Rominger Classic 2002 in Engelberg

Now it’s official! The Rominger Classic is coming to Central Switzerland for the first time, and takes place in Engelberg on 22nd September. This well-known public cycle tour attracts a large number of entrants and prominent cyclists. Winners to date have been Tony Rominger, Miguel Indurain, Pascal Richard, Marco Pantani and Laurent Jalabert. The run-up to this big event is a fun training week that will take place from the 15th to 22nd September. This week of preparation for the Rominger Classic will be supervised by cycling professionals and ex-professionals (Tony Rominger among them).
Information and registration: [email protected]
http://cdb.stnet.ch/link.cfm?uuid=i&tid=tid&url=www.engelberg.ch

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7. Interesting days out by train: 5

If you are staying in Graubunden, or on the Zurich to Chur SBB line why not travel to Chur. Leave your train and walk out of the main station and in the street is the terminus for the Chur ¿ Arosa service of the Rhatische Bahn. This service runs out of Chur along the streets, winding its way between the cars and buses of this busy town for about five minutes until it leaves the town and begins to climb towards Arosa. The journey takes just under the hour. The line has its own brightly painted (blue) coaches with Edelweiss flowers on them, a bar/buffet car is in use on certain services. At Arosa you can walk around the old part of the town, the buildings are very nice with a selection of shops and restaurants, or, take a walk around the lake. If you have time why not take the Arosa Bergbahn cable car to the summit station (2639m) of the Weisshorn, there is a very nice restaurant at the mid way station (2013m) where you can look at the wonderful views and enjoy a very nice meal.

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8. Food & Wine: Recipe: Luzerner Aprikosenwaehe

This excellent tart combines tart apricots with a creamy custard flavored with Kirsch. The crumbly topping complements the other flavors perfectly.

Makes one 10-inch tart

Sweet Pastry Dough:
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg

Filling:
12 medium apricots, rinsed, halved and pitted
2/3 cup heavy whipping cram
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Kirsch

Crumb Topping
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sliced almonds
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

One 10-inch tart pan, buttered

1. For the dough, combine dry ingredients in food processor and pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse in. Add egg and continue to
pulse until dough forms a ball. Roll the dough into a 14-inch disk and line a 10-inch tart pan. Arrange the apricots on the crust, cut side up.

2. For the filling, in a mixing bowl, whisk the cream with the sugar, egg, yolks and kirsch. Pour over the fruit in the crust.

3. For the topping, combine the sugar, flour and almonds in a bowl and stir to mix. Stir in the melted butter and continue stirring until the mixture forms a crumbly mass. Sprinkle the crumbs on the filling in the tart pan.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until apricots, crust, and topping are baked through and filling is set.