Just a brief note to include a Swiss National Day entry.

My friends bought passage for the three of us on the Zürich Lake Ship Linth, built in 1951. It was a dinner cruise and the cuisine was as expected--superb. After the sun set below the hills, fireworks of every design began to erupt around the lake, booming and flashing along its edges. Every community seemed to be holding their own celebration. It was exciting to try to catch a glimpse of each and every one. It seemed that moving from port to starboard and bow to stern was the only way to take it all in.

I finally spotted one of the long traditional bonfires ashore, then another. They were distant, but I was grateful to see them. A reminder of how the Swiss came together as Confederation Helvetica. Seeing a 1st of August bonfire burning was on my list.

Consuming great food and wine, breathing the fresh night air over Lake Zürich, joining in the spirit of celebration with my friends made Swiss National Day another momentous experience for me.