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After finally getting off my plane I was hungry for Switzerland's cheese fondue. This dish is traditionally from the Swiss Alp region. A cheese fondue conists of two or three cheeses which are melted together in a pot with white wine, kirsch or cider. I obviously chose cider. To make this a dish small pieces of bread are dipped into the melted cheese.
After finishing my wonderful cheese fondue and bread I noticed a man parading through the streets so I wondered what was going on. In Switzerland Christmas festivities officially begins on December 6. Samichlaus (Santa Clause), often parades through streets with a sack of nuts, apples, and cookies slung over his shoulder. He rewards good children with his gifts and bad children with a switch. Switzerland's Samichlaus is both loved and feared.
The Swiss National Museum is said to be one of the most important art museums in Europe and the world. It is located in Zurich, Switzerland which is the largest city in Switzerland. The building was completed in 1898 Gustav Gull as the architect. This Museum has become one of the main tourist attractions in the old city of Zurich.
After walking around town for a little while I decided to visit the old villages of Graubunden. I can't speak for anyone else who has been there, but I was amazed. There were houses in this village that dated back to the 13th century. The incredible part was that people were still living in them. The language spoken there is called Romanch. What's really cool is that this language has died out everywhere else but here. These people who live here also try very hard to keep their old traditions as well.
For my souvenir choice for Switzerland I decided to bring home a Swiss cuckoo clock. The very first cuckoo clock was made in Germany in the 17th century. The Swiss took the idea of cuckoo clocks around the 19th century, and added a few little tweaks of their own. The Swiss Chalet Style Cuckoo Clock has more intricate figures, and sometimes they have little children swinging on them.
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