Switzerland: interesting facts for the pub!

Celine Dion: the Canadian once represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest
14 April 2012

Ah, zee Swiss. What can we say? Smell their fresh fromage, taste their delicious chocolate, gasp at their scenery and ... run away from the sounds of Celine Dion!

Yes, there's not much to excite us about Switzerland. It's one of those 'nice' countries and not much else.

But - on the eve of England's crunch match with the Swiss in Euro 2004 - and after days of head scratching, nodding off, sniffing smelling salts, sleeping again and eating chocolate, This is London has dug up 10 'interezzzzesting' facts about Switzerland to impress your pub mates with ... honest!

1: There are 700,000 cows in Switzerland - the equivalent of the population of Edinburgh just all mooing around.

2. Switzerland has its own version of Pop Idol - this year's winner was Carmen Fenk.

3. Tina Turner, Phil Collins, David Bowie, Roger Moore and Michael Schumacher have all bought homes in Switzerland.

4. There are some very famous Swiss people out there, for example: Alberto Giacometti, painter and sculptor; Mario Botta, architect; and Hans Erni, painter. What do you mean you haven't heard of them? Heat magazine doesn't know what it's missing!

5.
Want to know the weight of the heaviest Toblerone chocolate bar, eh? It's 4.5kg - roughly as heavy as a cuckoo clock - and has 12 peaks.

6. O-Zone are at No.1 in the Swiss music charts with their catchy song called, 'Dragostea din tei'.

7. The Eurovision Song Contest Istanbul 2004 compilation CD dropped five places in the Swiss album charts this week.

8. What's the most popular film to see in the Alps this week - Harry Potter 3 of course.

9. A national vote was held in the 18th century to see if Switzerland should actually change its name to Cuckooland. Er, actually we made that one up.

10. And finally....Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

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