Made in Switzerland doesn't have the same ring as Made in France or Made in Italy. While French products carry the prestige of style and luxury, Italian products are known to be creative and sexy, but Swiss products are always sold with an unspoken cachet of quality.
Switzerland has become my second home, yet I still manage to forget the incredible quality of Swiss products when I am away. When I return to Geneva, the first cultural shock I experience is how every product of national provenance is of high standards. This begins with the airline I take, the airports I land in, the public transportation I use, the first coffee I inhale with satisfaction.
Reliability, predictability, promptness, curt and professional services, design that is functional, minimal and aesthetic. These are the main attributes I rediscover when I look at Swiss architecture, stand in line at the post office, or shop for a simple thing like a pen.
The lack of improvisation and the lack of anything superfluous or unpredictable are the things that make Switzerland appear gloomy and boring. Yet, I know that the Swiss have been trained to produce a high standard object or service and can also appreciate their neighbors' sense of style and creativity, in France and in Italy. Culture is celebrated but never at the expense of their industry.
Amongst many things that influenced me by an uncle who had many qualities,was his love for Switzerland.He spent 15 years in political exile in Geneva,and I believe they were his best time of his life,despite his great yearning for his homeland.Whenever I visited him,he used to tell me about his routine that worked as precise as a Rolex time piece.He rediculed my renting a car,and advised me to use the public transport system.He advised me to use SwissAir(now Swiss International),a habit that I have followed for the past 30 years.
ReplyDeleteNow I joke with my daughter,and tell her that I want to reside in Geneva once I reach the ripe age of 70,and experience living there for 15 years,following the steps of my uncle,whom I loved like my father.
That is brilliant
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