Switzerland would be a mighty big place if it were ironed flat. Mark Twain
Switzerland is renowned for being neutral, despite neighbouring the occupied territories and their invaders in two World Wars – awkward!
A country whose army is famous, not for actually fighting, but for it’s super-handy camping knife.
A country that is landlocked by three of Europe’s most distinct cultures: the clean-cut, super-efficient, clock-making types in the German border region of the Northeast; the laconic, wine-drinking denizens of the French-Swiss border region to the southwest; south of the Alps, the coffee-drinking sun worshippers in the Italian border region; and in the centre, the classic Swiss mountain landscapes with their yodelling lonely goat herder types.
Switzerland is a small, steep country, much more up and down than sideways, and is all stuck over with large brown hotels built on the cuckoo clock style of architecture. Ernest Hemingway
Judging by Dad’s letter to his younger brother Ron, the main attractions were the cars, and the girls.
Geneva, 14/3/1960
Dear Ronald,
I hope you are getting over your operation. A knee operation is a bloody painful business, apart from the frustrating part of getting back to normal.
Being the only one at home at the moment, I suppose you have wishes of acquiring wings to fly to the land of your dreams, I don’t doubt for one moment that dreamland would be Switzerland.
Although it is not he season for tourists, many skiers may be seen making their way to the mountains, the beautiful snow-capped Alps, by way of car or train.
In addition in Geneva, they are holding The European Motor Show, which I attended today, and as well as the female chassis, there is many a four-wheeled one that would set your heart a flutter.
Apart from the latest model cars there is a magnificent display of boats and outboard engines (the Johnson dominating), camping equipment, caravans, farm machinery, and accessories. It fair took your breath away!
The only drawback was that many of the staff on the stands had a very poor knowledge of English and it was very difficult to get information. The folders were usually printed in French and German.
Of the sports cars the following made my hair curl: Alfa Romeo 2000 CVII ‘Spider’ (price in Australia £2490); Mercedes Benz 300L Sports; Fiat Abarth 850 (£2200); Maserati 5000; Bristol, Aston Martin; Ferrari Sports; Healey 3000 Deluxe Special (it had unusual back seats); Healey ‘Sprite’ Special; and the Valiant V200 14PS.
I hope these bits of information mean more to you than they do to me!
Of the sedans, the Rolls Royce dominated but the engine that can run on many types of fuel including peanut-butter was not yet available for inspection.
The others that pleased were: Panhard Citroen ‘Tigre’; Rambler, Vespa 400, Rover (it had its gearstick going under the dashboard to the engine, instead of in the flooring between the two front seats); Plymouth Fury; Studebaker Lark; Dodge Polara (it had a second back seat which was reversed to enable people to look out the back windscreen); Ghia Torina (looked like a space-ship and also had a second backseat reversed as an observation seat.)
The latest model Wolseley 6-99; Oldsmobile and Mercedes Benz were beautiful looking cars. Apart from the cars there were all kinds of aircraft, camping equipment – including portable transistor radios, TV sets and rotary grillers – they use to grill chicken these days – which all run off a battery. There was a fantastic caravan which consisted of 3 bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, and a lounge which included a 21-inch TV set!
Comparing Geneva with Zurich is rather difficult. They are so completely different.
I think for the atmosphere and friendliness I prefer Zurich. In Zurich amongst other things I saw a very interesting exhibition which was being held on the theme of the ‘History of the Cinema.’ And today (now 15th March) in Geneva I visited the United Nations Building and listened in on a debate on Human Rights.
I have had beautiful weather in Switzerland and the food has been very good, they certainly know how to eat, the Swiss.
I have posted today by surface mail some of those felt badges to you. Badges from Athens, Rome, Pisa, Capri, and Switzerland, of varying quality, but they were about 4/- each and the best I could get at the time, so I hope you like them.
Tell Mum and Dad when they return that I collected their letters at Zurich and they were most welcome.
They were the first contact since I left India on January 31st.
Tell Dad that my Olympic Games tickets include the swimming.
Best wishes to you and Mary, Chris.
Ah, brothers, no matter how old they are, they can always talk in the universal language of cars.
I felt like shouting, enough cars, but what about SWITZERLAND? Then I saw the images of the cars, pretty impressive.
I guess we are still waiting for the peanut-butter fuelled one.
When I read this letter to Dad, not yet typed up – which didn’t please him as apparently there are people WAITING on the next post. I had the original folder of letters with me, and I noticed there was a gap of about four months in 1960.
No letters and no recollection from Dad where he was.
There was Paris In April, and the beautiful model (of the two-legged variety) he romanced in Germany, whose mother refused to entertain him because he wasn’t German, wasn’t Catholic, and lived in Australia. More on that later.
But where in the world was Dad in May-August 1960? He was at the Rome Olympic Games on August 25, but between Paris in April and then? Somewhere in Europe.
Dad told me to check his vast collection of slides, so I may soon be lost in Europe too.
I love a good travel mystery as much as the next person – did someone say Carmen Sandiego?
Stay tuned, I’ll keep you posted.
Source:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Switzerland
Images:
Title: goat-in-the-swiss-alps
Goat herder DONALD MCLEISH/National Geographic Creative
Dad's travel diaries 