It has been many years since I spent time in Geneva, walked the halls of the Peace Palace, ate Fondue Raclette in the lakeside restaurants and watched the fountains, cruised the massive lakes and walked the streets of sedate Basil.
Things change, apparently in staid, quiet Switzerland, the "high Bridge at Bern, home of super sleuth spy novels still spans the arcing Aare River snaking through the capital city underneath the windows of the palatial capital of the Bellevue Palace Hotel, but other, more significant things have moved into play.
Religion has sunken keep into the lives of the Swiss, four or five rooted faiths have gripped the people and grown into their identity, and although the you, stern Mormons there won't hint at it, "praying ONLY to Jesus Christ, and not to statues in Church" manages to creep into casual conversation 5 times in a half hour conversation as I meet them one Saturday afternoon while touring southern Arizona.
The major religions of the world have carved out a territory of Switzerland and began proselytizing each other. None that I meet mentions the other by name, but if human nature is any measure, say like the competitive nature of the Jews and Catholics of New York City, each keeping monthly score of conversions from and to each others camps (in televisions appearances), it is likely that consideration is popping up in staid, conservative Switzerland as well.
I ask of the current financial crisis in Europe? "Not a problem in Conservative Helvetian " I am told. Solid as the proverbial rock, he reassures. The industry in the Central European country =is, will be and forever will be banking: secret banking, confidential banking. Italy, apparently has been hounding Switzerland for names, addresses and amounts for "taxes" owed the Italian Government, he tells me.
"We are a separate country," he tells me. " How dare they." They will never get our records, no one will, he continued. This must give comfort to many on Wall Street it occurs to me. My new found friend is in banking in his homeland.
Spending time in America is a yearly adventure with him, four weeks off each year is a benefit of Swiss citizenship. Four weeks off, PAID, and it is the law there. The government revenue is fueled by other means he assures: banking. Of course - it makes sense.
All homes in Switzerland have guns, all have at least one member who has had compulsory service in the military, and by law, they take their weapons and ammo home - forever. So, their "neutrality" is more than a warm blanket. As John Lennon used to sing, "Happiness (really) is a Warm Gun."
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