a land less free

The Heritage Foundation recently updated its Index of Economic Freedom. You can find the full country ranking here.

With respect to the United States, however, the authors do not provide good news:

Why Does Economic Freedom Matter?

If America’s commitment to economic freedom – not only by its policies but by its leadership in the world – continues to flag, it neglects its national interests and betrays its core principles. In doing so, it also jeopardizes the security, prosperity and liberty not only of the United States but much of the world as well.

While Switzerland has kept the first spot in Europe, Hong Kong is the overall number one. And the United States now barely makes it into the top ten (it was fifth in 2008). No doubt one can debate whether Chile and Mauritius are a better place to be than America. But one cannot deny the decline in freedom that takes place.

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barcelona

All too rarely I use this blog to share some photos. But my recent trip to Barcelona provided me with a bunch of pictures that may be worth presenting.

The Alps seen from the airplane

Street in Barcelona

Typical house front

Sant Felip Neri

 

 

 

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berlin to zurich

Certainly a good decision to choose Swiss International for the trip to Berlin. The airline’s service is outstanding, its punctuality notorious, and its prices (sometimes) not much higher than what its rivals charge. Besides, you get a piece of Swiss chocolate on each flight.

Here is a bunch of pictures I took on my way back to Zurich:

SWISS Airbus A319

Inside the airplane

Superb combination: beer above the clouds

Aerial perspective while approaching Switzerland

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sunset in four steps

As seen from my office…

Sunset 1

Sunset 2

Sunset 3

Sunset 4

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the world in one figure

For sure money is not everything. But every now and then it helps.

Per capita income and life expectancy, The World Bank data

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east switzerland

Some impressions from our hiking tour through autumnal East Switzerland:

The charming countryside of East Switzerland

 

Great hiking panorama view

 

Some cows who can enjoy the view every day

 

Picturesque foliage

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beauty of fall

Fall has finally arrived, casting Switzerland in a beautiful light.

Autumnal treetops

 

Swiss farmhouse right next to the university

 

Grassroot-view of the university's soccer pitch

 

Sunset as seen from the office

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foggy saint gallen

Having had quite some misty days in East Switzerland – clear evidence of the nascent fall:

Treetops in an enigmatic forest

Some foggy trees

Road to nowhere

Young deer that couldn't care less about passing hikers

Some shelter in a mysterious surrounding

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lucerne

In addition to visiting Zug, we also went to Lucerne – another city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of the country. Last year, Lucerne was voted the fifth most popular tourism destination in the world by Tripadvisor. And it is not really hard to understand why.

View from a wooden bridge that was first erected in the 14th century

Ruess river and Jesuit Church

Fountain and Jusuit Church again

The famous carving of a dying lion

View over the whole city with its picturesque lake

Panorama view

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home of the rich

Last week, the Wall Street Journal published an article about the city of Zug in Switzerland:

Tax Haven’s Tax Haven Pays a Price for Success

Developed nations from Japan to America are desperate for growth, but this tiny lake-filled Swiss canton is wrestling with a different problem: too much of it.

To see what it is like to be in a world as wealthy as Zug, I drove there this weekend. Have to say, it is a pretty nice place indeed. The combination of urban shops, the historic old city, the lake, and the mountainous surrounding definitely makes up a fantastic area to live.

However, it is also true that “if you (only) make 300,000 or 400,000 francs, you struggle”. Everything is quite pricey, even by Swiss standards.

View over the historic old city

Panorama view

Promenade along the picturesque lake

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