Guten Tag, meine lieben Wanderer!

As your ever-rambling gnome, Oliver, I have a tale to spin for you today about my 20.6km journey from the splendid city of Baden, Switzerland to the bustling hub of Zürich.

Now, as you all know, I’m not just about landscapes and cityscapes; it’s the people and culture that really stir my gnome heart. And this journey was no exception. As I trudged through the serene landscapes, my little gnome eyes witnessed a sight that warmed my heart, and it’s this observation I want to share with you today.

In a small hamlet midway between Baden and Zürich, I saw an elderly woman teaching her grandson how to make a traditional Swiss watch. The lad’s eyes shone with admiration for his grandmother, and the pride in the old lady’s eyes was a sight to behold. My friends, it was a touching reminder of the beautiful bond between generations and the importance of passing on traditions. As a famous Swiss saying goes, “Wer nicht von dreitausend Jahren sich weiß Rechenschaft zu geben, bleibt im Dunkeln unerfahren, mag von Tag zu Tage leben.” Translated, it means, “He who cannot account for the last three thousand years remains in the dark, unenlightened, and lives from day to day.”

Now, for those of you keeping track of my gnome-steps, this little adventure from Baden to Zürich brings my total distance traveled to a whopping 2823.5 kilometers. I’ve been on the road for 103 days now, and my recent stops have included the charming cities of Basel, Schopfheim, Baden, Zürich, and Zug.

Throughout my travels, I’ve crossed many borders and experienced the delightful shift in languages. From the German-speaking majority in Basel to the Italian-speaking minority in Zug, it’s been an exciting linguistic journey.

And since we’ve been talking about traditions, here’s a verse from a popular Swiss song, “Lueget, vo Bergen und Tal.” It goes, “Lueget, vo Bergen und Tal, Strahlet die Sonne im schönsten Glanz.” In English, “Look, from the mountains and valleys, the sun shines in the most beautiful splendor.”

So, let’s keep moving, my friends, and find more tales to tell, more traditions to learn, and more kilometers to cover. Until the next post, Auf Wiedersehen!

Ah, Zürich, the heart of Switzerland! This city is home to the magnificent Grossmünster, an iconic twin-towered church. Legend has it that it was built by none other than Charlemagne, whose horse bowed down on the spot where the saints Felix and Regula were buried. Now, that’s a horse with a good nose for sanctity, wouldn’t you agree?

As I wandered the narrow, winding streets of old town, my eyes were drawn to the vibrant works of Alberto Giacometti, a Swiss sculptor and painter whose statues elegantly dot the city. “Die Kunst hat das Handwerk nötiger als das Handwerk die Kunst,” as he once said. For the non-Swiss German speakers, that translates to: “Art needs craft more than craft needs art.”

Zürich never fails to surprise, unveiling its secrets as elegantly as a prima ballerina performing a pirouette at the Opernhaus Zürich.