June 7th - 10th Zug to Heirsau

     

On our way to Zug at about 50km we stopped at a small town called Eschenbach for lunch at a cafe we had checked would be open on a Sunday. We met up with Philipp and Esther Arnold who live nearby. They come out to NZ for our summer to escape their winter. Jeff met Philipp at the Nelsons Men's Shed last summer and said "we will meet for lunch" as we cycle past.

Was good fun and great for Jeff to talk to someone other than me !🤣.

Philipp even wore his NZ T shirt.

They will come to NZ again this summer and Jeff promised the a ride in the MGB as they have a MG Midget.

We carried on the remaining 25km to Zug. The town is beside a lake so lots of folks enjoying the sunny day. Zug is famous for having the lowest personal tax in Switzerland - 22%, no capital gains tax and corporate tax only 12%. Hence a hub for the wealthiest individuals in the world. Lots of Ferrari, Lambos etc driving around. Hotel great and staff spectacular as the next morning a tyre puncture could not be repaired due to the hire company providing the wrong sized tube!! A taxi wanted to charge CHF75 (NZD180) outrageous to take Jeff to the closest open bike shop. Hotel owner drove Jeff to a repair shop, the only one open. Switzerland is closed Sunday, Mondays. 

Every chaps dream car.
 

A long pull away from Zug on our way to Rapperswill after the delay of the dud cycle tube. First really warm and sunny day and we ran out of water for the planned 90km. Jeff called into a farmhouse and filled up. Passed through more cows, verdant pasture and even housed pig farms. They were happy for the shade.

You pass stacks of wood drying/ stored everywhere. An artform. This is one of the natural tracks we seem to be frequently on, Switzerlands version of a B road.

This is the Benedictine Einsiedeln 10th century Abbey we passed. Quite spectacular.

Rapperswil will be remembered by us for the Hotel Lo! which had a super room, good beer and a wonderful Asian restaurant. Staff were from Kosovo and Greece. 

    

Next day for the cycle to Lichtensteig was back to cold and wet. In fact rained all day on the 60km so not too many photos taken, just head down. Poor Jeff could barely see out of his glasses. We were pretty cold on arrival and not too much space in our room in Lichtensteig for wet muddy shoes, jackets and our small backpacks. Did find a garage overhang to have our lunch on the way though thankfully.

There are several ski jumps dotted about the countryside.

Our hotel in Lichtensteig. Has a bakery/ cafe. Cake presentation is beautiful, similar to the French bakeries.

Went for a short wander around the medieval town founded arounded 1200. Did not dilly dally as just far too cold. Am sure in summer (July & August we are told) it is lovely.

Yes it us true some residents wear funny hats and shorts in 11C.

Other than the huge stacks of timber to be burnt for heating at all the houses we have cycled past, Switzerland electricity is supplied by Nuclear power 40% as a baseload and Hydropower 55%, solar/wind 5%. They also trade any surplus generation with other European countries.  They are a 'zero waste" country; it is either recycled/ composted or incinerated to generate electricity supposedly 50/50.  But some non recycelables actually go into a hole in the ground.

The other thing we note cycling through the countryside; other than woodstacks, cows, etc. is the large wooden crosses with JC hanging off them. Just about every small enclave has one into and out of, plus other random JC crosses along the road. We seldom find an open cafe, or one at all in all these little places but there is usually a church and or crosses.

Catholics and Christians dominate and in fact the local cantons/ councils levy a church tax. This is in addition to Federal and Canton tax, pIus wealth tax and VAT so a steep "cost of living" is not unique to NZ.

Some of the photos from cycling to Herisau. A bit murcky but gives an idea of the small enclaves and homesteads dotted on the hillsides.

We got to Herisau by 12.30pm as heavy rain was forecast for 2pm. Lunch was a bowl of leek soup in our hotel restaurant. Gratefully they also agreed to do our wet, muddy laundry.  Such a simple thing that brings such relief.

 Classic old bridge we cycled over.

We are cycling Herzroute 99. We have seen quite a few viaducts like this.

June 4th - June 6th Thun to Wllisau

Left Thun and pretty soon hit a road detour that had us unsure of where we were actually going as the GPX files were not updated. Already tricky on unfamilar roads, being on the right hand side of the road and in a different language. Muddled along and got back on track but missed 30km somewhere due to detour? Kept our sense of humour.

No idea...

We cycled through lush pastures after climbing up what they call the 'Kings stairs'. A good view of Lake Thun and alpine faces. We see the occassional fox in the fields and many large birds called kites, with their prominent forked tail and mewing call. Crows attack them regularly. We had our lunch on the side of the road, which seems to becoming the norm. The Herz 99 route stays off main roads and rolls up and down the sides of the valleys. Small towns often in the bottom which means a haul back out again.

Another exciting lunch spot

We arrived at Langnau early, again beating the rain. Very helpful staff and so grateful they would do a load of laundry for us. We booked dinner at their restaurant which was delicious; pea soup with coriander and coconut cream. Locals were playing cards, and the older lady wait staff had the Swiss German patter keeping everyone happy. Another family owned hotel, 18 rooms only, and the building is 200yrs old and very comfortable. Ice hockey is the main winter event in Langnau and hikers/bikers for the summer.

Amazing roofline on our Langnau hotel. Seems to be the style on all the farmhouses we pass also. Adapted for snow to not damage spouting or dump on anyone below.

It was really cold again next morning for our cycle to Burgdorf. We should have brought our icebreaker balaclavas with us. 10C rise to 13C midday and even though you keep warm plugging up the hills absolutely glacial along the  tops.

Many of the farm houses have names and dates prominent. We worked out this was the birth dates and names of children who live there.

Also every house needs a snow plough in the alpine area.

Over the last few days we wondered how all these small farms - 25ha and maybe 30 dairy cows are economic. Especially when they are fed indoors 7 months of the year. Granted someone probably may have an off farm income but?  Well in fact the agricultural sector is heavily subsided and protected by the Swiss government. 

Border protection by restricting imports, high tariffs, subsidising crops, cultural landscape protection ( so it stays pretty)  for Switzerland, animal welfare payments; you name it. From what we can work out something like CHF 87,000/ NZD$173,000 per each little farm is paid out. This is what NZ battles against when we export our low input non subsidised dairy products. Switzerlands cost of production is very high with all the grass harvesting to be then feed out all winter, mountains of fertiliser, fuel use etc. The Swiss govt subsidises billions of francs, 50% of the Agri sector. Everwhere you look it is Bio, Enviro, Natural...woke words - how can it be true?

Some Belted Galloway cattle in the distance although most cows are Holstein or Swiss Brown. Another small hillock to get over. Wearing merino long sleeve.

Many mixed stands of trees. Not too much wildlife - deer, small animals. We saw one squirrel. No possums on the road.

Town of Burgdorf is dominated by the 800yr castle. There is a youth hostel in it which we are staying in. Did have to cycle up a steep cobblestone access  of course!!

Burgdorf castle ....now youth hostel and wedding venue.

View from our bedroom window in the castle.

Castle entrance

Many of the buildings in the town are decorated

Standard transport in the small towns, car use frowned upon unless a 'silent assassin' otherwise known as an electric car. We detest how they creep up behind you.

A cool start again in the morning as we set out for Willisau. Rolling lanscape of the Emmental. There was a village dedicted to all things emmental cheese. Cabinets of different aged cheese, all sorts of dried meats and yogurts, ricottas, quark etc. - dairy heaven. Was worth a coffee stop.  Did not have to have our picnic lunch on the roadside today, a nice park bench at Madiswil train station. Sun came out and warmed up a bit so grateful for that.

This is a holstein cow with bell I am chatting to.  You hear the bells clanging away all the time in the lowlands and alps.  Must drive them mad. Goats and sheep also have them.

Holstein are big, heavy cows producing lots of milk which is what they are paid for in Switzerland. Too heavy to be outside in winter conditions whereas our Friesians are hardy, compact and produce milk with higher fat content.

These are two versions of slurry spreaders which causes the distinct smell everwhere and makes the grass so green.

We have not seen very many people when cycling, the occassional farmer crossing his yard as we cycle through, a dog walker but really just the two of us. Poor Jeff is really missing out, language a barrier of course. After we arrived in Willisau today did the usual grocery run to supplement our breakfast and lunch supplies. Called into a cafe up the historic main street. Chatted to a lovely couple in their seventies who come into the bigger town from their tiny village. Both met through flying small planes. He had been a GP but deaf as a post so conversation a bit onesided but seem to enjoy chatting with two kiwis.

Willisau main street

Our hotel, we are on the top floor. Stairs are hard work after cycling.

Many decorative buldings in the town.

Clock towers at each end of the main street plus Catholic church bells reminding folks of their Sunday obligations. Ear plugs will be working hard tonight.

Window display, classic.