And Z is for Zurich.
We caught the train from Milan to Zurich; a 3 hour 45 minute trip which is simply spectacular. In Switzerland I wore out my WOW! Around every corner the breathtakingly beautiful scenery left me speechless; except for my WOW!
The Milano, Lugano, Bellinona- Zurich rail route is one of the most scenic in Europe. Travelling northbound the route passes the Lake Como District of Northern Italy, enters the 9 mile Gotthard Tunnel, plus a number of smaller tunnels and travels alongside Lake Lucerne. A highlight is the little white church in the pristine green fields which the train passes three times as it travels through the circular tunnels built into the mountains.
Zurich, is an important international banking centre and the financial capital of Switzerland. There are no luxury palaces here but neither are there any slums.
Zurich also played a role in the Reformation when in 1519 Ulrich Zwingli became lay priest at Zurich’s Grossmünster church and began preaching reformation of the Catholic Church thus forming the Swiss Reformed Church.
Switzerland is not a member of the EU and the Swiss Franc is the currency. It is a neutral country, and does not take part in armed conflicts in other countries. The Swiss are protected by their own citizen soldiers with mandatory military service for all able-bodied male citizens when they reach adulthood. The military is also open to women who may volunteer to join.
You have got to love Switzerland, lying in the Heart of Europe it is a small country with a wealth of natural beauty and national pride; a country keen to protect its peace and uniqueness.
