Alpine Town of the Year 2008 - Brig

It's amazing just how many awards there are in this world.

I never knew there was such a thing as an Alpine Town of the Year, but Brig seems to have won the big prize this year.

Probably the main attraction is the lavish Baroque palace known as Stockalper Castle, the largest private 17th Century building in Switzerland. Again, that seems like a very tightly defined title, but it, and its gardens, is certainly worth a look.

It also shows just how wealthy merchants could be, Kaspar von Stockalper must have made or bob or two in his time.

A relatively new addition to Brig's list of attractions is the Museum of the Papal Guards. This covers the history of the Swiss Guards, who to this day still patrol the Vatican in Rome.

Brig is one of those "crossroads of Europe" towns. Celts, Romans, Alemannic tribes all came through and settled.

The city itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and with the Matterhorn (and of course the ski resorts of Zermatt and Saas Fee) close by, perhaps it wasnt an unusual choice for the title.

Brig Tourismus
CH-3900 Brig
+41 (0)27 921 60 30

www.ferienland-wallis.ch

photo: the phantom skier

Abegg Foundation

Culture time again.

The Abegg foundation in Riggisberg, not far from Bern, is home to one of the most impressive collections of textiles in Europe.

Probably the most impressive exhibit is the 7 metre long (22 feet) Dionysius wall hanging, which was made in the 4th century. Considering it's 1700 years old, it is amazingly well preserved, and shows just how ambitious our ancestors were.

The museum covers the textiles of the European Middle Ages, with a focus on the region of the ancient Silk Route.

There's also an exhibition of medieval Chinese dress: Dragons of Silk, Flowers of Gold. This covers the Liao Dynasty, which ran from 907-1125 AD.

Unbelievably luxurious, there are the expected lions, dragons as well as a few phoenixes. And porcelain lovers are looked after too, with a selection of vases, urns etc. So, if you are in any way interested in Chines history, this place is worth a trip.

It's only open from April to October though, and only from 2pm to 5pm, so don't rush along just yet!

Abegg Stiftung
Werner-Abegg-Strasse 67
CH-3132 Riggisberg
+41(0)31 808 12 01

www.abegg-stiftung.ch

Avalanche Training Centre

No, not training how to start an avalanche, what to do if you, or someone you're with, gets caught by one.

Flumserberg has recently opened an Avalanche Training Centre. Andermatt and Diavolezza (St Moritz) already have one, and given that the Avalanche Research Institute is in Davos, I'd happily bet they have one there too.

If you ski or board off-piste, it's probably a good idea to know what to do.

The official text says" Skiers and snowboarders straying from marked and secured ski runs are now required to carry safety equipment consisting of a search device for avalanche victims, a sensor and a shovel." I didn't know that.

At the Avalanche Training Center, you they run a basic training course where you are taught to use the equipment. I'm guessing they mean the search device, not so much the shovel.

The center consists of a control unit and six avalanche sensors, which are buried in fixed locations and are activated randomly by a central generator. It is free of charge and open daily to anyone that's interested.

The center allows simulation of individuals or groups buried in the snow.

Schweizer Skischule & Snowboardschule
8898 Flumserberg
Tel. +41 (0)81 733 39 39

www.sssf.ch