Slow train to Switzerland : one tour, two trips, 150 years - and a world of change apart

One country, four languages, 26 cantons, and 7.5 million people (but only 80% of them Swiss): there's nowhere else in Europe like it. Switzerland may be almost 400 km from the nearest drop of seawater, but it is an island at the centre of Europe. Welcome to the landlocked island. Swiss Watching is a fascinating journey around Europe's most individual and misunderstood country. From seeking Heidi and finding the best chocolate to reliving a bloody past and exploring an uncertain future, Diccon Bewes proves that there's more to Switzerland than banks and skis, francs and cheese. This book dispels the myths and unravels the true meaning of Swissness. In a land of cultural contradictions, this is a picture of the real and normally unseen Switzerland, a place where the breathtaking scenery shaped a nation not just a tour itinerary, and where tradition is as important as innovation. It's also the story of its people, who have more power than their politicians, but can't speak to one another in the same language and who own more guns per head than the people of Iraq. As for those national clichés, well, not all the cheese has holes, cuckoo clocks aren't Swiss and the trains don't always run exactly on time. A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR

THE NO.1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

One country, four languages, 26 cantons, and 7.5 million people (but only 80% of them Swiss): there's nowhere else in Europe like it. Switzerland may be almost 400 km from the nearest drop of seawater, but it is an island at the center of Europe. Welcome to the landlocked island.

Swiss Watching is a fascinating journey around Europe s most individual and misunderstood country. From seeking Heidi and finding the best chocolate to reliving a bloody past and exploring an uncertain future, Diccon Bewes proves that there s more to Switzerland than banks and skis, francs and cheese. This book dispels the myths and unravels the true meaning of Swissness .

In a land of cultural contradictions, this is a picture of the real and normally unseen Switzerland, a place where the breathtaking scenery shaped a nation not just a tour itinerary, and where tradition is as important as innovation.

It s also the story of its people, who have more power than their politicians, but can t speak to one another in the same language and who own more guns per head than the people of Iraq. As for those national clichés, well, not all the cheese has holes, cuckoo clocks aren’t Swiss and the trains don’t always run exactly on time.

A Bestseller In Europe And The United Kingdom, Slow Train To Switzerland Is Now In A New Paperback Edition! Diccon Bewes, Author Of The Immensely Popular Swiss Watching, Follows Thomas Cook's Groundbreaking Tour From England To The Swiss Alps. Bewes Uses Traveler Jemima Morell's Diary From 1863 To Retrace The Trip And Explore The Revolutionary Affect The Journey Had On Both Britain And Switzerland. In June 1863 An English Lady Set Off By Train On The Trip Of A Lifetime: Thomas Cook's First Conducted Tour Of Switzerland. A Century And A Half Later, Travel Writer Diccon Bewes, Author Of The Bestselling Swiss Watching, Decided To Go Where She Went And See What She Saw. Guided By Her Diary, He Followed The Same Route To Discover How Much Had Changed And How Much Hadn't. She Went In Search Of Adventure, He Went In Search Of Her, And Found Far More Than He Expected. Slow Train To Switzerland Is The Captivating Account Of Two Trips Through The Alps: Hers Glimpsing The Future Of Travel, His Revisiting Its Past. Together They Make A Journey To Remember. This Is A Tale Of Trains And Tourists, Of The British And The Swiss, Of A Victorian Traveller And A Modern-day Englishman Abroad. It Is The Story Of A Tour That Changed Both Switzerland And The World Of Travel Forever. New updated edition, new statistics and Epilogue One country, four languages, 26 cantons, and 7.5 million people (but only 80% of them Swiss): there's nowhere else in Europe like it. Switzerland may be almost 400 km from the nearest drop of seawater, but it is an island at the centre of Europe. Welcome to the landlocked island. Swiss Watching is a fascinating journey around Europe s most individual and misunderstood country. From seeking Heidi and finding the best chocolate to reliving a bloody past and exploring an uncertain future, Diccon Bewes proves that there's more to Switzerland than banks and skis, francs and cheese. This book dispels the myths and unravels the true meaning of Swissness. In a land of cultural contradictions, this is a picture of the real and normally unseen Switzerland, a place where the breathtaking scenery shaped a nation not just a tour itinerary, and where tradition is as important as innovation. It's also the story of its people, who have more power than their politicians, but can't speak to one another in the same language and who own more guns per head than the people of Iraq. As for those national clich?s, well, not all the cheese has holes, cuckoo clocks aren't Swiss and the trains don't always run exactly on time. "Bewes' breezy prose makes him a pleasant traveling companion ... he clearly knows Switzerland inside and out." - The Spectator In June 1863 an English lady set off by train on the trip of a lifetime: Thomas Cook's first Conducted Tour of Switzerland. A century and a half later, travel writer Diccon Bewes, author of the bestselling Swiss Watching, decided to go where she went and see what she saw. Guided by her diary, he followed the same route to discover how much had changed and how much hadn't. She went in search of adventure, he went in search of her, and found far more than he expected. Slow Train to Switzerland is the captivating account of two trips through the Alps: hers glimpsing the future of travel, his revisiting its past. Together they make a journey to remember. This is a tale of trains and tourists, of the British and the Swiss, of a Victorian traveller and a modern-day Englishman abroad. It is the story of a tour that changed both Switzerland and the world of travel forever. "It was the tour that changed the way we travel. In the summer of 1863 seven people left London on a train that would take them on a thrilling adventure across the Alps. They were the Junior United Alpine Club and members of Thomas Cook's first Conducted Tour of Switzerland. For them it was an exciting novelty; for us it was the birth of mass tourism, and it started with the Swiss. A century and a half later, travel writer Diccon Bewes set off on the same three-week trip. His quest: follow their itinerary, stay in the same places, and discover how much has changed - and how much hasn't. His guide was Miss Jemima, a member of the Club who kept a diary as she travelled. That diary was lost for decades but survived as a unique record of a historic tour. ..."--Book jacket. The country that gave us triangular chocolate and holey cheese. The country famous for its punctual trains and strict neutrality. The country that has yodelling festivals on national television. A revealing journey around Switzerland, showing how the breathtaking scenery shaped the nation and introducing a people with more power than their politicians, who can't speak to each other in one language and own more guns per head than the people of Iraq. Swiss Watching is a light-hearted yet revealing journey around Europe's most individual country. From seeking Heidi and finding the best chocolate to reliving a bloody past and exploring an uncertain future, Swiss Watching proves that there's more to Switzerland than banks, skis, francs and cheese Four languages, 26 cantons, and 7.5 million people (but only 80% of them Swiss): there's nowhere else in Europe like it. Switzerland is almost 400 km from the nearest drop of seawater, but it is an island at the center of Europe. This is a picture of the normally unseen Switzerland, a place where the breathtaking scenery shaped a nation not just a tour itinerary, and where tradition is as important as innovation The story of two trips, one glimpsing the future of travel, one revisiting its past. The tale of a tour that changed both Switzerland and the world of travel forever. A Travel Diary From 1863 Inspires Author Diccon Bewes To Retrace Thomas Cook's Historic Train Trip That Revolutionized Tourism Forever. Slow Train to Switzerland( One Tour Two Trips 150 Years - And a World of Change Apart) Hardcover DicconBewes NicholasBrealeyPublishing Travel writer Diccon Bewes embarks on a historical train ride following the route taken by Thomas Cook in the nineteenth century.