Stuff Swiss People Like - Part One

This past weekend marked the one-year anniversary of my move to Switzerland. In honor of the occasion, I've compiled a list of 20 things Swiss people like (sort of a rip off of "Stuff White People Like" but not as vague and annoying). I'll share 10 of them with you today, and the last 10 tomorrow.

Please note that the purpose of this list is to share some observations I have made over the past year. Unlike the "Stuff White People Like" lists that you may have heard of, my list is not meant to poke fun at Swiss people. In fact, with the exception of #18, these are all things I now like too! Let it be known that I respect the Swiss very much and am grateful to the people of my host country for introducing me to some wonderful things that I would never have learned about had I not moved to this country. Here they are in no particular order.

Swiss People Like ...
#20: Wanderungen
Far and wide, high and low, for an hour or a couple of days, Swiss people follow little yellow signs all over the country for pure outdoor enjoyment. Left is a photo of Isaiah at the Nature Trails we visited a couple of weeks ago in Schwägalp.

#19: Made in Switzerland
From Victorinox to fondue pots to hiking socks, stuff made in Switzerland is high in quality, durability, craftsmanship, and style. We now own a bread knife and pocketknives by Victorinox as well as SIGG reusable water bottles.

His and Hers

#18: MBT footwear (a.k.a. the anti-shoe)
Apparently the company has gained international recognition, but the only American I have ever seen (in a photo, not even in real life) wearing these is, oddly enough, Paris Hilton. In CH, however, you'll find young and old sporting this footwear.

(Photo retrieved from mbt.com)

#17: Fair Trade, Organic, and Locally produced goods
Swiss supermarkets make it convenient for shoppers to enjoy goods made by local farmers by selling their products alongside name-brand items. Shoppers can also find organic produce and dry goods marked "Bio" and Fair Trade items by Max Havelaar.

#16: Cheese
I am overwhelmed with more choices than I can possibly ever imagine - some infused with flowers, and some with wine and herbs (photo below). Entire meals revolve around cheese, like fondue and raclette.

Winzerkäse, or Wine Maker's cheese, a semi-hard cow's milk suggestion from Anneliese

#15: Badi (or public bathhouses/outdoor swimming pools and water parks)
When it's cold out, you go to the Badi. After skiing, you go relax your muscles in a mineral Badi. In the summer, you enjoy many of the outdoor Badi. Here we Badi all year long. (Surprisingly, the indoor bathhouses are amongst the very few places that stay open after 6pm!)

#14: Fireworks
Just how easily people have access to fireworks here is quite surprising, especially in a country with countless anti-noise ordinances. During the weeks leading up to the last August 1st holiday, tents and booths outside of Swiss supermarkets offered a wide variety of fireworks for purchase. Consequently, for weeks before and after the holiday, people were setting off fireworks - test runs and leftovers, I assume.

#13: Velotouren
Shipping over Isaiah's bike and finding one for me at the Brocki have been some of our wisest moves. Not only is my bike my day-to-day mode of transportation, it also provides endless hours of bike riding, or touring, for pleasure.

#12: Swimming in the rivers and lakes
Some bodies of water are off limits except for certain times of year, and others are just plain COLD (though refreshing when those summer temps get high enough).

#11: Alphörner
I have heard musicians playing these horns while on a hike, at a shopping center opening, and even as pop music.

MORE TO COME...