Lush, lusher, the lushest

What a privilege these days thanks to modern technologies to be able to write this new story while sitting at the edge of a river breathing in air filled with summery warmth and being refreshed after a bath in it. I am out of reception, though. Yes, thankfully, this still exists!

Grey heron, different species of butterflies, dragonflies, and even a European kingfisher hang out here with us. Just a mere 20 minutes bicycle ride from home in the city.

While the river is flanked by forest and as such the scenery comes in varied green tones as well, I actually wanted to finally take you to the Canton of Jura. Remember the postcard I sent you?

Thus my title. I think I have never seen something as lush and freshly green as this area in late spring, even though I hiked in rainforests on different continents, did my Master thesis in the biggest coherent pine forests of the Alps, drove hundred of kilometres through spruce forest in Sweden, walked trough the Valley of the Giants in Western Australia and the Giants forest in California. Never before did I feel like bathing in the lushest and most freshest #fiftyshadesofgreen. Maybe I just also was really in the mood for that green colour. Such a stupendous experience and a miraculous balsam for the soul.

What is your favourite colour right now?

As with where I sit to write this post, there were also a lot of demoiselles (a species of dragonflies, Calopteryx virgo) along the Doubs. They beautifully dance around the river bank. Have a look:

The Canton of Jura comprises a hilly and forested area and is situated in the french-speaking part of Switzerland. Agriculture is a challenge in such topography, and nowadays when everything has to be profitable to the maximum and beyond, this seems to remain one of the last regions where the density of humans at just 87 per square kilometer in 2016 stays lower and with that the amount of concrete, roads, cars, shops, noise, rubbish… In contrast, almost 10 times more humans live on a square kilometer in Zurich – 860 people.

No need to say that I fell asleep while hearing birds sing, insects chirp, and cows’ bells ring. In any way, you will see more cows and horses in the Franches-Montagnes (Freiberge in German) – as the area is famously called – than humans. A beautiful way of exploring it is therefore on the back of a horse. Not any horse, but the last original Swiss breed of horses: the Freiberg Horses.

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Jura Tourism is your entry point, I guess, be it for horse riding, what to see, where to stay, what not to miss, and much more. Visit them here.

Horses and cows are FREE roaming in places with a herder (you will see him walking away at the end of the video in the very background) checking on them on a regular basis. See the animals roaming free here and also look at that inquisitive foal :0):

I leave you with one last green image of the amazing viaduct in St-Ursanne, that blends quite perfectly with nature around it.