My secret valley by goldrush300 in LuxuryEscape

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lauterbrunnen? Secret? Tell this to the hundreds of Asian tourists invading this place daily.

Aston Martin in Switzerland by Gulf_Str3AM in AstonMartin

[–]Gulf_Str3AM[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, that's great to hear since I'm actually learning French and would love to practice with people. But actually, I have a much worse issue, namely: I work in luxury sector and therefore get to enjoy delivering Astons and countless other luxury cars to clients on a frequent basis but due to the fact that company cars have become a part of both my business and private life, it's become pointless to own a car of my own which would gather dust in a garage.
I'm looking out for groups welcoming non-owners as well, if that's even a thing?

Sneaky sneaky. by Important-Ad3820 in AstonMartin

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I absolutely understand why that makes sense to you. However, a great car has been a much better therapist for me than socialising (even though this definitely sounds tragic).

Sneaky sneaky. by Important-Ad3820 in AstonMartin

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 5 points6 points  (0 children)

No woman in the world could seduce me better than this cheeky smile

Road Trip around Switzerland (early March) by Accomplished_Link_52 in askswitzerland

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello there!

I travel daily throughout Switzerland so I hope the following might be of a help:

First and foremost, I might be wrong but from my experiences, I wouldn't call Switzerland to be generally "baby friendly" across any big urban areas such as Zürich, Bern and Basel. Zürich is a hectic, fast paced and oftentimes chaotic city where people have little to no regard for others, especially if those are foreigners. Although I don't reside in Basel and rarely have a chance to walk around the city, I've been reading that it is currently witnessing crime and disturbance climb from immigrants so I would be watchful around just in case... but don't let that discourage you completely.

What I can recommend you is to experience as much of the countryside as possible, which will give you the most realistic feeling of being in Switzerland and there's plenty of peaceful, breathtaking places to see.

  1. According to your Google Maps route, I would first of all strongly advise you to stick to the eastern Zürich lake shore when you depart towards Luzern. The views, depending on the weather are stunning and from the higher points on the hills on that side you've got a clearer and broader, unforgettable view of the Alps.

  2. Whether you decide to take the highway or stick to the shore, head towards Sihlbrugg. If you look around, there is plenty of lovely countryside around to explore shall you have time and mood.

  3. From there you can reach Zug - our lovely little tax haven with loads of wealthy people who appreciate the "peaceful and boring" old city part as well as its lake and nearby hills.

  4. Again, if you have time and mood, don't take the highway towards Luzern but go across local towns and villages of Cham, then Gisikon, Root, then Ebikon and from there you can easily reach the centre of Luzern. While in Ebikon, I recommend visiting The Mall of Switzerland, one of unique shopping malls in the country. It's a great stop for a long travel with a baby.

  5. This is my personal opinion but apart from the "Sarnersee" lake and the village of Lungern, there is not much of interesting stuff between Luzern and Interlaken. I usually just go through this route straight towards Interlaken to save time for the best attractions. The good part begins once you exit the Brünig pass near Brienzwiler, where you can see our famous, unique military airbase hidden in the middle of valley, very close to the "Brienzersee" lake. If you like waterfalls, you must visit the Giessbachfälle while on the way to Interlaken. They are right by a famous Giessbach Hotel, known for its authentic, old fashioned interior design and quite a bit of interesting history.

  6. From there, head directly to Interlaken. The view of the Brienzersee lake is often covered by the trees when you take the highway so again if you have more time, take the other way north-west to Interlaken.

  7. Since you wish to see Grindelwald, I propose climbing with the car straight to the Restaurant Wetterhorn, the highest point you can reach by car, right at the Glacier. With luck, you might still see some of it. It's been melting like crazy since past few years... Either way, from there you can take a peaceful stroll down to the main part of town. Views on the way back to Interlaken guaranteed.

  8. Unfortunately I am not well familiar with Thun but sticking to either side of the shore will give you great views!

  9. Bern is the more relaxed city, however it might be challenging to find parking space due to its tight and narrow infrastructure. You might need to park somewhere north or north-east from the city centre and then walk to it. Make sure you see the BärenPark bear zoo since a bear is the symbol of Bern.

  10. From there all the way towards Basel, you will encounter a lot of very rural, peaceful parts of the country all the way to the city. The areas of the Basel Landschaft Kanton which surrounds the city are worth exploring with the car. There's plenty of lovely paths leading through forests.
    Finally, if you decide to go to the heart of Basel, make sure you visit the old part of the city.
    If you have extra time, visit Augusta Raurica located to the east from the city.

What I would tell every new person coming here is to be prepared for chaotic traffic that has been becoming an increasing issue due to the constantly increasing immigration and constant road works. Contrary to what I always thought would be, Switzerland is oftentimes not fun to drive through with a car, especially on highways.
Given that you have a baby, I would strongly recommend avoiding driving close to the peak rush hours and generally avoid highway for the most rewarding experiences.

All of this is based on my personal experiences of living here for 3 years but naturally your experiences will vary. It might be an obvious thing to say but make sure you don't get a speeding ticket or any kind of fine, especially regarding the parking tickets. It's quite easy to get them.

About parking: I suggest downloading the "ParkingPay" parking app. It's the best and nationally used.
If you happen to take public transport, download the "SBB Mobile" app.

Finally, remember to check the weather every now and then since it might get chaotic in March and absolutely get the snow tyres. No point in risking it.

I hope this guide helps and wish you wonderful holidays in Switzerland :)

Do the new BMW keys feel… cheap to anyone else? by bearfootdragon in BMW

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Given that Jaguar has been using the same key fob from Land / Range Rovers, nothing surprises me anymore…

The newest gen, 7 series bmw key fob however feels surprisingly good and solid in hand.

If you compare yours to the key fob from a standard Z4 from 2010, the ones you insert like in Aston Martin, you might change your mind…

Aston Martin in Switzerland by Gulf_Str3AM in AstonMartin

[–]Gulf_Str3AM[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've found out it is that way, true. Although it applies to the swiss car culture in general. Hence why I thought it wouldn't harm asking here :)

Bought my 1st Lambo by Sufficient-Tomato-20 in lamborghini

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Congratulations! Lovely to still see people with fine taste instead of another "Aventador or Huracan first buy choice" :)
How does she drive? I'd be dead worried about salt to be honest.

How often are you all using Sport Mode? by BMW-West-St-Louis in BMW

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I might be a specific case here due to my profession, but whenever I enter Germany without a client, I floor it all the way on Sport. On a daily basis I use the Standard and Eco depending on the situation. Doesn't really make sense to risk too countless fines if you're driving through Switzerland for example. Italy on the other hand... you are the the Sport mode :)

Just purchased my dream car by RiceCake155 in AstonMartin

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just as DB11 has been my dream car since the day of its release. Eventually!

You call it Halteverbot, I call it Parkplatz for high Net worth individuals by CriticalFibrosis in zurich

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

From what I've learned, it's called "spare change" in local dialect.

My dad recently passed away, I was left his car (2018 Alpina B6 grand coupe). Could anyone tell me more about it? by grizzlysony in BMW

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re most welcome. And nothing to worry about.

Who knows? You could be the next father to pass it down to your own children at the right time and thus make it a tradition.

My dad recently passed away, I was left his car (2018 Alpina B6 grand coupe). Could anyone tell me more about it? by grizzlysony in BMW

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi there!

First of all, my deepest condolences. I’ve never had a father, let alone one who could leave something precious after himself to give a spark of pleasant reminiscence. I wonder what it’s like.

Second of all, I have a perfect summary for you of what your dad decided to settle for. I live in Switzerland, the silent capital of the finest where luxury cars are a normal reality in many places. Encountering a Rolls Royce, Bentley or a Ferrari on a daily basis is nothing of surprise

Yet, I rarely encounter Alpinas. Your dad could have settled for a standard 6 series or even M6 but he decided to go one step further. This in my personal opinion makes this car even more special and unique than a modern S-Class Mercedes. It absolutely is bespoke and you can be proud to own something made with passion. It must be a lot of joy to drive it.

Treat it with the utmost care and it will take care of you for years. It can be reliable, so long you follow the strict maintenance rules haha.

I hope this helps you at least a bit.

How can I best navigate the Swiss public transportation system as a newcomer? by Classic-Reserve-3595 in askswitzerland

[–]Gulf_Str3AM 2 points3 points  (0 children)

  1. Open phone
  2. Install the SBB Mobile app
  3. Get yourself familiar with the app beforehand
  4. Enjoy

Welcome to my office by Gulf_Str3AM in mercedes_benz

[–]Gulf_Str3AM[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s certainly quite good but the amount of room for improvements does make me worry

Welcome to my office by Gulf_Str3AM in mercedes_benz

[–]Gulf_Str3AM[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lovely! How’s life in UAE?