Voters in Switzerland Ban Nude Hiking

Sunday, April 26, 2009

APPENZELL, Switzerland — Voters in the heart of the Swiss Alps on Sunday passed legislation banning nude hiking after dozens of mostly German nudists started rambling through their picturesque region.

By a show of hands citizens of the tiny state of Appenzell Inner Rhodes voted overwhelmingly at their traditional open-air annual assembly to impose a $176 fine on violators.

Only a scattering of people on Sunday opposed the ban on the back-to-nature activity that took off last autumn when naked hikers — primarily Germans — started showing up in eastern Switzerland.

The cantonal government recommended the ban after citizens objected to encountering walkers wearing nothing but hiking boots and socks.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517989,00.html

Damn, I was set to reserve my trip to Appenzell!!! They just lost my business.

:evilgrin:

i can understand why they had to pass this emergency legislation.

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locations of all of it's hot springs out of the New Mexico Travel Guide a few years ago.

:o

:evilgrin:

I'm Swiss, about a quarter Swiss and one half-German, heritage -- my family name goes back to 1490's in the Baden, Switzerland -- so I admit some concern about this nude hiker ban...