We traveled through Switzerland with a Swiss Pass in our pocket and felt truly European. What does “Swiss Pass” mean? Ticket – practically for all vehicles – trains, buses, metro, and even for the boats on the numerous Swiss lakes. It doesn’t cost much, you can buy one for a day, a week, a month or for as long as you need. Extremely convenient, because you don’t run to the next cash register /and queue/, but just get on the next vehicle. It remained a mystery to me how the funds spent are distributed among them, but apparently a way has been found.
I will tell you my impressions of the lesser-known Switzerland, of places not so well known to us, outside of its settled cities. My colleague Vicky Dalcheva and I were invited by a non-governmental organization and were amazed to find the same order in its countless reserves both in the Alps and in the plain – without a posture, with a deeply thoughtful care and admirable foresight. Because mistakes have been made here too, the pursuit of prosperity has been paid for with the loss of priceless animal and plant species. This has long been put to an end and we have touched an experience from which we can seriously learn. Until we have lost the riches we still have.
The first proof of this foresight was found at approximately 2200 meters above sea level near the small town of Murrell, where one of the centers of Pro Natura, the largest non-governmental organization in Switzerland, is located. Here, in an old villa, exhibitions with various types of exhibits from the flora, fauna and minerals of the Alps are organized, students are trained, seminars are held, hikes are organized with a single goal – to foster a sense of love for the majestic nature of Switzerland. Villa Kassel, as it is called, is a unique building in the heart of the mountain next to the glacier of one of the mountain leaders, the Jungfrau.
We were convinced that getting to know the environment in Switzerland is mostly the work of non-governmental organizations. They put the necessary pressure on the authorities to protect nature. Of course, there are also many opposing interests here, and the work of non-governmental organizations is precisely this – to prove that nature is above everything else.
We were told a funny story from the first steps of the fledgling tourism – in 1864, the owner of one of the first hotels offered two English tourists a free stay for the whole winter, if they were determined to withstand the harsh conditions. They not only endured, but also remained fascinated. The rest, as they say, is history, famous modern resorts such as Interlaken, Montreux and Zermatt, located at the foot of the picturesque Matterhorn, were born. With a population close to that of Bulgaria – about 300,000 Swiss are employed in the field of tourism, and in mountainous areas every third earns their bread from this field. The Swiss themselves are among the most avid tourists on the European continent. And for Swiss hoteliers, the word “hospitality” is sacred. We are convinced of this.
We had the opportunity to sail in the lake of the New Châtel with an eco-friendly boat powered by the help of the sun. The energy that is extracted from the solar panels on the roof is stored in batteries. The reserves available to the boat are enough to keep it moving for three hours in complete darkness at a speed of 8 to 10 km/h. This is equivalent to nearly 30 km. road. Another advantage of this boat is that it moves quite silently, does not disturb the wild fauna and the birds can be safely observed. This attractive boat, as well as another one, are owned by the Champ Pité Environmental Protection Center, visited by 25-30,000 tourists a year. In addition, exhibitions dedicated to nature are organized in it. Whole classes of students and many families come to see them at any time of the year.
Switzerland is a country located on 41,290 sq.km. with a population of just over 7 million. This means that it is relatively densely populated, but every square meter of it is used. Obviously, in a country like it, it is not enough to limit environmental protection actions to the creation of national parks and nature reserves. We were convinced that nature is thought about everywhere here – both in the city and in the village. Large-scale programs are being developed related to the development of agricultural areas, because they occupy about 50% of the territory of Switzerland, and another 30% are covered with forests. Here we realized that there are significant similarities between Switzerland and Bulgaria – a large part of the territory of both countries is occupied by the ecosystems characteristic of the mountains. Which are extremely rich and must be preserved. So the Swiss experience in environmental protection is particularly valuable to us as well.
You probably know and yet I will emphasize that Switzerland is a country with an extremely well-developed transport network – almost all roads connecting France and Italy pass through it. with Swiss precision. It is interesting to note that the long tunnel through the Alps – Gotthard, was built back in 1882. Hundreds of viaducts and bridges cross rivers, valleys and canyons and reveal incredibly beautiful views before the eyes of the enchanted traveler.
Of course, the most accurate clocks are those at the stations – the timetables of the Swiss railways are respected to the second. With its captivating beauty and location in the heart of Europe, Switzerland is among the countries with the most developed tourism in the world. It was thanks to him that the Swiss rediscovered their country and began to benefit from its spectacular nature. Today, entire areas make a living thanks to tourism, and the Swiss are still considered pioneers in the field of hospitality. Every year, foreign tourists bring more money into the country than its residents. Thus, Switzerland became the “center of the world”. Which is not far from the truth, because the continental watershed stretching from the northeastern parts of Russia to the Pyrenees runs through the country. It is not very well known, but it is true that at one time a unique project was conceived to connect the North Sea with the Mediterranean Sea through a waterway through Switzerland. Today there is no trace of it, but a small lake in the canton of Vaud is called the “Center of the World”. A meaningful name that explains the self-confidence of the Swiss that they really live in it.
The Jura Mountain, whose name means “forest” in the Celtic language, is lower, but no less beautiful. We crossed it in the car of one of the prominent Swiss environmentalists and our host, Pierre Gallant, stopping from time to time to admire it. Interestingly, it was in these areas that the world-famous watchmaking industry was born. Here’s how- in winter, when agricultural work dies down, the inhabitants of the Jura make parts for watches and computers – and perhaps in this diligence lies the secret of Swiss well-being… A good place to remember is that in fact, only about 160 years ago, Switzerland was an underdeveloped agricultural country – every bad harvest caused famine, which affected thousands of people. Today, the state supports the peasants and the former farms have become modern farms. But there are actually fewer farmers in the land of farms and cows than in most other Western European countries. Our friend took us to a typical Swiss farm, which today is more of an attraction with the vessels hung on its façade, where the famous Swiss cheese was once produced.
The cultivated agricultural lands are located mostly along the Plateau and part of the Jura. They occupy only a quarter of the national territory. That is why the care for these lands dear to the Swiss was obvious. We were surprised by the not so slender rows of vineyards that we saw everywhere – they seemed to merge with the sky… Our amazement came from the nets with which the careful owners had covered the vines – they protect the grapes from the birds, but we are probably talking about thousands of kilometers…
And not to forget to mention that the main natural resource of Switzerland is water. It is abundant, as if to compensate for the poor stony soil… Between the Alps and the Jura, in the countless valleys, clear and clean rivers flow – the Rhone, the Ticino, the Inn – with picturesque waterfalls.
Of course, in this story of mine I will not pass by the other wealth of Switzerland – the many lakes, especially those in the alpine regions. First of all, the Geneva. But no less beautiful are those of New Châtel, Lucerne, Zurich, Lugano and Lago Maggiore. At Lago Maggiore, Switzerland reached its lowest point – only 193 meters.
You probably know that Switzerland is a federal state based on the principle of “Unity, yes – uniformity, no!” In schools, two of them are compulsorily studied, and sometimes all three together. Unlike other countries, Switzerland does not have a capital in the true sense of the word. It has its own “federal” city. It can be said that in linguistic and cultural terms there is a great diversity in it. Another of her strengths. This must have given rise in 1832 to the French writer Chateaubriand to write: “What can Switzerland want? Freedom? She has enjoyed it for four centuries. Draw? It exists. Republic? Its constitution is republican. Tax cuts? So she almost does not pay taxes. What does he want then? He wants change, because this is the basic law of life.” And we thought that the change for Switzerland consisted in opening up to the world – in understanding the concept – to think globally about nature. The diversity in unity gives her senses – wide open to other peoples, friendliness to the different…
My story about Switzerland will end with my impressions of the wonderful European city of Zurich, located at the northern end of the lake of the same name. From here, a ship with a different route departs every 15 minutes. People get on, drink coffee and beer, read a newspaper or talk to friends, and then get off – everyone at the chosen stop. A kind of water buses. Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland, growing up around a former Roman fortress from the 15th century BC.
Here we tried to take stock of what we saw and the efforts of the Swiss for nature conservation. Obviously, its resources are many – beautiful mountains and peaks, lakes, forests and pastures, highly efficient agriculture. We wondered why in our Bulgaria, which is not inferior to it in beauty, there are still huge areas of deserted fertile lands, where are the Bulgarian apples, cherries or peppers. So here in Switzerland do they pay farmers to maintain small corners with natural vegetation? Why are Swiss cows held in such high esteem, and here in the villages we meet here and there emaciated animals with so many unused pastures? Why are the Rhodopes, Pirin, Rila not filled with the melodious ringing of the clappers, why for years we have been talking mainly about tourism, and we still do not get enough of it? We have impressive mountains, sea, dense forests and centuries-old pines, not to mention the Danube and the lovely lowlands. Why do we burn and cut down forests when we are facing a difficult battle for water in the not too distant future? Why, why…? We found the answer to these questions here in Switzerland. On the threshold of a house in the small town of Murrell, we heard a hundred-year-old grandmother who stopped her gaze on the mountain peaks saying: “God, how beautiful Switzerland!!! is.”
Isn Bulgaria she any less beautiful??? Reverence for our nature, the sense of responsibility that we have borrowed it from our children, is the key to its preservation and the well-being of people, present and future. We should not forget this.
SIMEON IDAKIEV Unknown Switzerland – History of Simeon Idakiev – Tavex
