The city is already quite expensive, and shopping in the dollar makes it a little worse!
Fun fact: Switzerland is not a part of the European Union, which is part of why they use the franc instead of the euro. Another reason that the franc is used is due to Swiss neutrality, which is a pretty heavily debated sector of politics here, at the moment.
For the most part, water is free because everyone can, and is encouraged to, just use the public fountains located on most street corners. However, if you find yourself wanting a bottle, it's around CHF 1.30 (~ $1.57 USD).
I didn’t have the chance to eat out this week, so no swiss culinary experiences to report on at the moment. However, I packed a picnic for my hike that I really enjoyed. I fried a loaf of ciabatta bread in garlic butter, then layered on a generous helping of pesto, mayo, equal parts fresh burrata and mozzarella cheese, salt and vinegar crisps, schnitzel and a little hot sauce. I was quite proud of it. We ate the sandwiches at the top of the mountain with fruit and pretzels before hiking back down.
There was a pop-up concert in Geneva right outside of my street, which is pretty rare due to the city being generally quiet after 10:00 p.m.
Definitely my hike! This was my first hike ever since I don’t usually live anywhere near a mountain range. I’ve been planning and looking forward to Stoos Ridge since before I arrived in the country. So, I’m really happy that I was able to complete it before it gets too cold to hike here anymore.
