How does Switzerland live? Facts about the world's most packed country

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Why democracy in Switzerland is just an illusion, why the Swiss need the Soviet car industry, what is wrong with Swiss cats - this and much more in this issue. About banks, salaries and taxes, of course, too, and, of course, the most seditious, as always, at the end of the issue. Go.

Railways So, our journey through Switzerland begins! Come, take seats according to the purchased tickets

(video of train boarding and departure in Switzerland).

Swiss Railways, the most comfortable in the world, don't just transport tourists from one attraction to another.

They themselves are a tourist attraction. If you think that a Swiss watch is synonymous with precision, then you are wrong. These are trains. The road network in Switzerland is very dense, so you can get to any city and almost any village by train.

Trains run with a high frequency: they run between major stations at intervals of half an hour, and you can change from one train to another in 10-15 minutes.

The Gotthard railway tunnel was opened in 2016. The opening ceremony itself surprised even those who always laugh at conspiracy theorists and do not believe in any conspiracy theories. But more on that later. This tunnel - the longest in the world - 57 kilometers, took 25 years to build. And now half an hour's drive, and you find yourself from winter to summer all year round. (Find photos before and after entry)

Citizens

Switzerland does not have a president and a capital, but there are already four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh (although not more than 1% speak it). And unofficial - English, which is spoken by almost everyone. At the same time, in neighboring villages they can hardly understand each other because of the accent - in winter, when all the passes were covered with snow, the villagers communicated only with their own. This also led to another serious problem - inbreeding. That is, between relative crossbreeding and degeneration. In the 70s, it was decided to "dilute the blood" and the rules for immigrants were a little easier, although it is still very difficult to obtain citizenship in Switzerland. And 10 years ago, Switzerland began tacitly to encourage marriages with women from Southeast Asia.

How do ordinary Swiss live?

More than 40% of the population live in rented apartments. Swiss mountain farmers are fans of the Russian car industry. They are simply obsessed with the Niva. They make a front bucket and remove the snow. Make gigs. Geneva has the highest number of suicides in Europe. Every day about 3 people settle scores here.

In front of any more or less high bridge, there is always a sign with a telephone, by which they will dissuade you. The safety nets are stretched along the entire perimeter, so you still need to tighten up and overcome a bunch of obstacles if you just can't stand to die. But they will help you to die if you are terminally ill and suffer.

Switzerland is the second country in Europe where terminally ill people travel from all over the world to leave peacefully. Of course, no one will give anyone an ukolchik just like that, but if there is 250 thousand rubles and a medical indication, it’s a great deal.

Military establishment

Switzerland is considered by many to be a country of pacifists, due to the fact that it remains neutral in any military conflicts. But this is not at all the case.

Military service for men is compulsory from the age of 18. Most of the male population is in the army reserve. The vast majority of men have weapons at home, and they are ready to use them at any time. The military budget of a country with seven and a half million people, brought to the absolute, is almost five billion dollars, which is a lot. A population of 8 million people has about 4 million trunks (that is, every second), but at the same time Switzerland has one of the lowest crime rates in the world: when you know that you can be bullied if you decide to be the boss in someone else's house I immediately want to be a law-abiding citizen.

Ecology

In Switzerland, there are settlements that are completely free of cars, petrol vehicles are prohibited from entering there. And there is also a whole garbage disposal system, with garbage police, heavy fines, constant sorting and special paid bags in which it is allowed to throw garbage.

Switzerland has been called the "ashtray of Europe". There are indeed many smokers here, despite the indoor smoking ban and ever-increasing cigarette prices. Now the pack costs in terms of our almost 500 rubles.

Kitchen

There is little tasty and healthy food in traditional Swiss cuisine: they eat mainly cheese dishes, various sausages, potatoes and pasta. Swiss cheeses are famous all over the world, but with a well-developed dairy industry, the Swiss practically do not know either kefir or sour cream.