So in Solothurn I got a little history of the legendary green highly alcoholic drink plagued with wormwood – Absinthe aka “The Green Fairy”.
Absinthe is a tradition in Switzerland. Ever since it was founded in the 13th century it was drank by farmers and common folk at occasion. However in 1910, the forces of the church and medicine were able to prohibit it from sale and consumption. And with good reason, as the drink is 50% upwards of 70-some %. But it is not known for that as much as the ingredient- wormwood- which if drunken in quantity can lead to hallucinations and encounters with the abnormal. Perhaps you’ll even meet a green fairy in your cups.
..... Get ittt??
The good news is March 1, 2005 prohibition ended. Absinthe is now legal in Switzerland and you can even get lighter versions in stores in the United States. Drinking absinthe need not be a big deal if you’re not an idiot and have some familiarity with your body’s reaction to alcohol and/or intoxication in general.
When my Swiss friends mentioned an Absinthe bar in town, I was all- “What!” “Where!” and they were happy to show me.
Funny story is the guy that opened this bar has been in trouble with the law several times since its opening for selling other sorts of still illegal substances. What can you expect though. The bar had 10 or so Absinthe’s to choose from. I picked the “Absinthe 69 Love” because I felt it was only on the menu for tourists and Americans anyways.. someone had to do it.
Proscht!!!
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