It is the first time we have visited Switzerland and we must confess to not knowing a great deal about the place before we got here. The first things to spring to mind were watches, banks, chocolates and cuckoo clocks.
We have bought and eaten some fine chocolates - they put the M&S versions to shame! I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to purchase a cuckoo clock and given the prices here we have no money left to put in a bank or purchase a watch!!
We therefore decided to spend our first day lazing on the beach that leads to the pristine waters of lake Neuchatel. If you were to imagine a swiss lake in your head, this would be it. Crystal clear waters, surrounded by densely wooded mountains. We joined the fish, ducks and even a swan for a refreshing swim.
Next stop was Lake Geneva. We had every google image of the lake floating around in our mind so when we arrived to an overcast, grey drizzly day we were bitterly disappointed. With only a day to explore it was a case of brining out the brolly, putting on a rain mac and hopping aboard the ferry - well we couldn’t visit Geneva and not have a sail on the 72km long lake.
All in all Switzerland is a pretty place. It is very neat and tidy and has some amazing scenery. Nevertheless it seems to lack its own identity. Most people speak French, in some parts they speak German. The currency is the swiss Franc but everybody pays in Euros. The buildings all look and feel french so other than the 40 Euros you pay to cross the border there is nothing remarkable to say you are in Switzerland.
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