It’s not just Swiss army knives that show you an example of efficient Swiss design.

There are a few clever things I saw I think are worth sharing.

A street bicycle pump.   This one is large, heavy duty and fixed to the ground and free for public use.

Now the UK 13 amp type sockets are different from the rest of Europe, feel chunky and robust.

This is a Swiss electrical wall socket, these are close-ish to the rest of Europe also, but only slightly different.   The two pins for live and neutral are the same so a phone charger I bought in a hurry in Hungary will work as it doesn’t have a grounding pin. Devices with three pins will have the middle pin closer to the middle ones.

Also, there are three sockets on a wall plate normally where you would find only one.   Like a Swiss army knife, combine several things in a small package.  These sockets were also seen in Liechtenstein.

Meat slicer.  These are stylish and different as a probably intended for commercial catering.  They are painted with this high gloss paint, which I think means cleaning easy.

This Swiss horn is an interesting instrument, I am not sure of this is taken apart in pieces or if it collapses like a telescope.

All these things I saw on the streets of Zurich.

Its not hard to find more familiar Swiss craft like watches and chocolate in Zurich as well.

GERMANY 1. Dachau concentration camp – 2. BMW museum – 3. BMW World futuristic showroom – 4. Neuschwanstein Castle – 5. 1972 Munich Olympics village – 6. Tourism and going out in Munich – 7. Deutsches Museum – 8. Business in the UK, Germany and Israel – 9. Friedrichshafen, a pleasant German town on a lake

SWITZERLAND 1. Trying to do ‘cheap’ Switzerland – 2. The town of Grusch – 3. Clever Swiss made things – 4. Train from Grusch to Zurich – 5. Zurich, the more liberal Switzerland – 6. Swiss dinosaurs

LIECHTENSTEIN 1. Plans – 2. Getting into this tiny nation – 3. Motorbikes, cars and kebab shops in Vaduz, Liechtenstein – 4. Small country topography – 5. Road up to the castle – 6. The Prince’s castle and vineyard – 7. bars, shops, Olympics – 8. Tiny country, big output – 9. Vaduz church – 10. Government buildings and museums