At last, I'm going to Switzerland! (well, maybe)

Reinier · **on:** May 05, 2015, 01:42:14 PM

I just noticed I have one or two days off next week, so I decided to take a quasi-spontaneous trip to Switzerland. I've always wanted to go there, even when I just got my first SAK as a kid I wanted to go to that magical place where they were made.
This is the plan:

Thursday, May 14 (ascension day):

Get in the car at around 8 in the morning;
See if my small diesel Volvo can still do 200km/h/125mph on the German Autobahn;
Hope to arrive in Zürich at 5 or 6PM;
Rest a bit, have a cheese fondue, a raclette of some rösti, maybe open a bottle of Feldschlösschen with my trusty Cybertool's bottle opener;
Get some sleep in a hopefully-not-too-expensive hotel.

Friday, May 15

Wake up to the sound of a Swiss clock, eat some Birchermüesli for breakfast;
Ejoy the Swiss scenery and Swiss Milka cows while driving to Ibach;
Visit the factory store in Ibach and maybe take some pics of the building itself (I think I had a postcard of it when I was a kid);
Explore the town of Ibach on foot, see if there are more stores selling SAKs (I'm guessing there will be);
Drive to Brunnen which is nearby while having some Swiss Chocolate as a snack;
Visit the Swiss Knife Valley Visitor Center, Victorinox Brand Store and Museum;
Eat some Älplermagronen with stewed apple;
Return to the hotel in Zürich;
Try to access the hotel's WiFi, ask the desk clerk for help, fail to succeed and decide to use my own ridiculously expensive mobile internet connection to upload some pics to my blog and visit MTo

Saturday, May 16

Visit the city of Zürich, look for SAK stores again;
Visit the Victorinox Flagship Store;
a bit at some mechanical watches, there should be plenty of those
Get back in the car, drive home again, arrive there later than expected, give my wife and daughter a hug and fall asleep for two consecutive days.

I'm hoping to get the Swiss Knife Valley, Zürich, Ibach and Brunnen souvenir knives as well as some unusual SAKs that I once saw on some photos of the factory store. Let's hope they still have those

In total it should be a 1,750 KM trip. Any thoughts about my itinerary? Any places I should visit or things I should do/see? Obviously, there's a limited amount of time I can spend.

zoidberg · **Reply #1 on:** May 05, 2015, 01:54:17 PM

Sounds freaking awesome!!

kosmo · **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2015, 01:56:33 PM

Take lots of photos!

It's a beautiful country.

twiliter · **Reply #3 on:** May 05, 2015, 01:58:33 PM

Sounds perfect R, wishing a safe, fun trip for you. Thanks for letting us tag along a little!

SAK Guy · **Reply #4 on:** May 05, 2015, 02:58:33 PM

Great news!!!

Etherealicer · **Reply #5 on:** May 05, 2015, 03:03:11 PM

Hey, come by for a visit

My fiancee is out of the country (Crete or Rhodes I think

, something Greek but not Latin) so I will be bored.

Things you should pencil into your schedule

Vistit the two museums in SCHWYZ
Forum of Swiss History", A short overview of the Swiss History
"Bundesbriefmuseum", lots of historical documents / contracts. Maybe not so interesting but the whole Museum is a fricking walk in vault (Besides, you can get a ticket for both museums anyway)...
These are both small museums, you can spend as much or little time as you want there, but I highly recommend it

ZURICH
Watch museum Beyer, straight off the Zurich Bahnhof Street (pretty close to the Victorinox Flagship Store) there is a Jeweler that has a tiny museum in the cellar, with some fantastic watches (its been a while, but when I was they had the thinnest mechanical watch, a mechanical POCKET watch entirely made of wood and more). Make sure to drop in if you pass by.
Sadly, the medical historical museum is closed at the present. I mean who doesn't want to see a hand-winched-chain-saw (osteotome)

Other fun things:
You can take the ship from Brunnen and make a nice cruise (that is fairly cheap, as it has the same kilometer price as trains). This way you can see the Rütli, where Switzerland was founded.
Visit the queen of mountains, the Rigi

Oh, and this weekend is Switzerlands first ComiCon, the Fantasy Basel

Etherealicer · **Reply #6 on:** May 05, 2015, 03:13:56 PM

Oh, and about the beer...

Feldschlösschen is owned by Carlsberg, so stay away from that

Here is a List of Swiss Beers:
- Turbine Bräu (Zurich)
- Chopfab Bier (Decapitation-beer)
- Quöllfrisch
- Ueli-Bier
- Unser Bier
- Luzerner Bier
- Lozärner Bier
- Burgdorfer
AND my favorit: Müller Bräu

This list of course is incomplete, but you get my point

wmoco · **Reply #7 on:** May 05, 2015, 03:56:57 PM

Driving that much alone?
I would hunt for a low cost flight, but that's me...

Anyway, have fun!

Etherealicer · **Reply #8 on:** May 05, 2015, 04:35:28 PM

Quote from: wmoco on May 05, 2015, 03:56:57 PM

Driving that much alone?
I would hunt for a low cost flight, but that's me...

Anyway, have fun!

Public transportation in Switzerland is excellent, but its pricey... And you won't be that much faster flying.

rmagralha · **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2015, 05:07:23 PM

Funny description on your schedule Reinier

enjoy your trip!

basilio · **Reply #10 on:** May 05, 2015, 05:16:24 PM

Have fun and post pictures!

stressmaster5000 · **Reply #11 on:** May 05, 2015, 05:22:09 PM

Have a good time!

kosmo · **Reply #12 on:** May 05, 2015, 05:26:45 PM

Maybe hit Victorinox up for making more 84mm with scissors while your there! (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

SAK Guy · **Reply #13 on:** May 05, 2015, 05:32:38 PM

tjfarrington2000 · **Reply #14 on:** May 05, 2015, 06:09:02 PM

Get a custom knife made

Sent from my iPhone using A box of monkeys on a treadmill and a quantum leap

sawman · **Reply #15 on:** May 05, 2015, 06:15:53 PM

Sounds like a super trip you have planned out just be careful on that autobahn.

anditsgone · **Reply #16 on:** May 05, 2015, 07:44:06 PM

Leatherman factory is too far for me, but i would like to see the Victorinox factory.
I think Switzerland also is a nice country. Although i have never been there.

(film fantasy)

Grathr · **Reply #17 on:** May 05, 2015, 07:59:22 PM

Have a great trip!
And we do ofcourse expect a lot of pics

Sent from a device made from star dust using tapatalk

stressmaster5000 · **Reply #18 on:** May 05, 2015, 08:09:36 PM

Need lots of photos!

nsa-x-file · **Reply #19 on:** May 05, 2015, 08:27:31 PM

Have a great trip!

Looking forward to seeing the photos!

comis · **Reply #20 on:** May 05, 2015, 08:35:12 PM

Wow! That's SAKrimage is a trip of a lifetime for SAK collectors! Have a wonderful trip and take loads of pictures!

I have visited a few 'flagship' Victorinox stores in the past, and they usually do have a machine that will assemble a Spartan. I remembered they did advise me to book in advance if I want to make my own SAK. Maybe you could do something similar in the flagship store or even the factory there? That'd be a great experience.

enki_ck · **Reply #21 on:** May 05, 2015, 08:36:46 PM

Green with envy here.

Have a great time.

Top-Gear-24 · **Reply #22 on:** May 05, 2015, 08:59:48 PM

So, you're going to beat me buy 2 months ...

I'm going on a 7 day trip to Switzerland in July, and I'll be staying at about 2,5 km away from the Victorinox Visitor Center

.

So, have a great time my friend, take lots of pics, and make sure to point out the places I should visit when I'm over there in two months

.

P.S. Be careful during the long car ride, that's quite a trip to make on your own

.

Etherealicer · **Reply #23 on:** May 05, 2015, 10:18:51 PM

I know you can assemble your own Spartan in Brunnen (book in advance), I don't know about Zurich though.

Also, I'd like to remind you, that Swiss Highways (Autobahn) have a mount (Autobahnvignette). Its valid for a year and costs 40 CHF! You can get it at the border and at tank-stops.

jaydar · **Reply #24 on:** May 05, 2015, 10:38:49 PM

Good Choice

The Saturday morning Flea market started again last weekend .... if it is sunny spend Sat morning there

http://www.flohmarktbuerkliplatz.ch/English.html

I am not there that weekend so get there early and find all the bargains

after that take a tram round to

http://www.flohmarktkanzlei.ch/

Lot rougher (well rough for Zurich

) but some times you can grab a bargain

If I have a car there is often a bloke selling the old officer army chests .... Great for storing stuff

Then go to the SAK shop

I would try to be at the first Flea market by 7am .

Get a day pass for Zurich for around 10chfs ...... oh and pray for sun

kkokkolis · **Reply #25 on:** May 05, 2015, 10:42:23 PM

Quote

a bit at some mechanical watches, there should be plenty of those

They also have excellent music boxes. Some of them are really BIG! The best of them are terribly expensive. Some of them are parts of Cucko watches.

ColoSwiss · **Reply #26 on:** May 05, 2015, 10:43:49 PM

Sounds like fun. Have a great trip and good hunting!

Etherealicer · **Reply #27 on:** May 05, 2015, 10:46:54 PM

Quote from: kkokkolis on May 05, 2015, 10:42:23 PM

Quote
a bit at some mechanical watches, there should be plenty of those

They also have excellent music boxes. Some of them are really BIG! The best of them are terribly expensive. Some of them are parts of Cucko watches.

FYI Cucko watches are not Swiss, they are German (Schwarzwald)...

kkokkolis · **Reply #28 on:** May 05, 2015, 10:50:50 PM

It happens. I wouldn't be surprised if these things are made in China nowadays.

Aloha · **Reply #29 on:** May 05, 2015, 11:48:16 PM

Have a wonderful time and as others have said be safe.

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At last, I'm going to Switzerland! (well, maybe)

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