Arrivederci Venice

It's blue skies as we part ways with laurrie & jim, affectionately known as the Sostmani's. They are off to Zurich while we head to Summago.

Both Sick Sostmani's are recovering but oh so ready for home & bed. Laurrie's still trying to imagine how I could ever think of living here. Not that it will ever happen but I've always felt drawn to Venice.

Yesterday they explored St Mark's square, visited the Rialto Bridge area & then took in the modern art at the Peggy Guggenheim museum. We met up with them about 5:00 and ambled through the Ghetto area, near our Dump.

I should pause briefly and explain ambling - I consider it an interesting slow walk with no particular destination in mind. Philip considers "ambling" a cross country hike into the wilderness without a map, food or water. Still somehow we've "ambled" thru many countries & foreign cities together - always ready to see the next one.

We ate at a restaurant near a canal where the vaparetto's, taxi's, deliveries past by continuously; people strolled by with children, travelers arriving & departing crossing the bridge, church bells ringing at odd times - a typical Veneto scene.

And in our typical fashion - not necessarily american, perhaps Sosfre fashion - we asked for separate checks, then proceeded to order almost identical meals & splitting a bottle of white wine among the 3 of us but not with the 4th, who was drinking red wine. In the end, we told our puzzled waiter to give us one bill.

It's been fun, lots of laughs, creating memories together. Laurrie & Jim got a glimpse of what I've explored for 20+ years - philip for 10 and why we keep coming back...the wonderful public transportation, the ever changing scenery, and most of all the people - who take pride in their country & want visitors to have a good time.

Ciao!
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Venice Sparkles

It is a beautiful day; the sun is sparkling. Philip has the day planned – more walking, but at a leisurely pace and no getting lost. We'll go get our train tickets to Portuguaro & let Mikki know which train to meet. Then we're heading to Murano for some shopping, coffees and good food. Returning, we'll stop to get train reservations from Portuguaro to Zurich; return to the room, rest and then decide what to do with the rest of the late afternoon/evening. Sounds like a plan to me.

Meeting Laurrie & jim for breakfast, such as it is, they're heading to St Marks.

Murano is lovely & uncrowded, pefect. We make a couple of stops for coffee & spritzs before settling on lunch at a place where I remembered locals frequented. I had cod and polenta – which may not sound so good – but it was.

I'm looking forward to the time when Laurrie and Jim have full access to this blog as they are the writers & wordsmiths of this group. Not me. After all the months of planning our journey is at an end. Tomorrow, they head back to Zurich & home. We go to Summago/Portuguaro to visit my cousin for a few days before returning to Zurich and home.

Venice, Here We Are

After having our coffee & roll; Jim's still Down For the Count; Phil, Laurrie and I head to St Marks. We have a few lingering clouds from yesterday's storm but the day looks like it will be lovely. The predictable crowds of tourist are soon encountered but hey, we're part of that group. After a quick look around we head into the Doge's Palace - my 5^th visit and still I find it interesting. It's remarkable a city could develop the government Venice did without a charter to follow.

Wherever we walk we notice platforms staging piled in the middle of walks and squares. Philip said it's for Aqua Alta – high water. And we could understand as the standing water at St Mark's increased significantly from the time we arrived and left the Doge's Palace. High tide would be at 2:00PM and it was obvious, we'd need to walk on the platforms to avoid getting wet.

Our next stop was the campanile – magnificent views of Venice and the out islands. Strangely enough, not one of the hundreds of canals were visible. They're hidden between the canyons of buildings.

My friend, Georgene from Phoenix, is also visiting Venice. Laurrie and I meet her at 2:00 to take a taxi to Murano and a tour of the glass factory. Philip headed back to the train station to meet Mikki, Morgan and Kilian.

Riding in the Taxi was fun but the tour – not so much. Not much history and most everything overpriced. Laurrie headed back to the mainland to check on Jim while George and I settled down with a nice glass of red wine and waited for Philip and Mikki. Once everyone was gathered we strolled along the canal, gawking at the glass shops before stopping to have a pizza before heading back to the rail station to bid farewell to Mikki and family (Phil & I will see them again in a few days).

Near our hotel, we stop for a glass of wine and run into Laurrie and Jim – who's looking better and is at least up right. I have to say the Sostman's are terrific people to travel with – no matter how bad they felt & nothing worse than being sick when on vacation & a foreign country definitely complicates life – they soldier on; no complaints.

After giving Georgene a quick peek in the Ghetto area (home to large % of the remaining Venetians) we headed for the Rialto and some supper. Then we began the adventure of getting George back to our hotel and us back to the Valporetti, without getting lost. We got Georgene back to the hotel but not without getting lost – both going and coming back. Barely speaking, we staggered back to our dismal little hotel about 10:30, vowing not to leave again – ever!!!

Meandering Thoughts

Italian Style

There does appear to be an art of dressing Italian. During our 4 days in Firenze; I've paid close attention to the women around me. I keep trying to distinguish our differences. I have noticed lots of black and form-fitting styles…and heels. I don't think the women here could survive without their stilettos and I can't figure out how they walk across the cobblestones wearing them. Laurrie's in some sort of chic loafers and I'm wearing my Privo's & Born's – but stilettos, they're not! I see lots of scarves tied in all sorts of imaginative ways but after walking miles, I'm hot and sweaty and the scarf is usually weighing me down and I'm looking bedraggled. Italian women don't seem to look bedraggled. So , I have to say I'm baffled.

Granted if blending in with the locals instead of sticking out as a tourist is the goal, perhaps the map and guide book in hand; along with my camera is giving away my true identity.

Italian Drivers

The words "Italian Driving" conjures up images of chaotic narrow streets where caffeine-fueled locals negotiate the smallest of spaces at high speeds, flanked by armies of zig-zagging mopeds, and all serenaded by the hectic sounds of horns and cursing.

Hello Venice, Where’s the Hospital?

Our train arrived on time, we joined the crowds outside the station – just as it started raining. And not your basic gentle rain. Noooo, we're greeted with resounding claps of thunder & great flashes of lightening. Just what you want to see as you walk along a city full of canals of water!

Hotel Rossi – best description is a Dump. But a clean one – at least we have lights, private toilet and only a short walk from the train station. Plus an incredible collection of doors & keys between us and our rooms. Breakfast is coffee and a hard roll, served by a surly lady (she did smile today!) Hey it's a one *; you get what you pay for.

Jim's cold is worsening and he's going down for the count…sleep. Laurrie's eye infection isn't better and the druggist said she needed to see a doctor. He indicated all she had to do was cross the bridge and turn to the left. After an adamant "don't even think you're going to a hospital by yourself!", we set off. We learned that "turn to the left" meant – turn to the left; get on the vaporetti; make 6 or 7 stops; get off at Ospedale stop; wander thru a maze with signs that say First Aide and finally find the Emergency Room.

Once we finally arrive, I have to admit; the system seems efficient – after Laurrie gave her name, rank, passport number & zip code; we were on our way to the eye clinic – where not one but 2 doctors examine her – about 20 minutes later, prescriptions in hand, we were on our way back to the hotel. The staff at the hospital were friendly and helpful –we got lost more than once and each time someone willingly helped us.

By the time we get settled; it's about 7:00PM. Philip and I cross the bridge to the Ghetto area and find a wonderful deli where we bought fresh Mortedella, cheese, candies, chips & procescco – which we carried back to the room and had a picnic.

Leaving Firenze

Goodbye to clickity clack luggage rolling by the windows, mopeds skidding around the corners & car drivers who only nominally stop for a pedestrian.

Hotel Varasi was close to the train station & not horrendously expensive. It was clean, the staff cheerful. I have no complaints. What was amusing was our first night – a sweltering 1^st evening. We opened the window and a 1,000 angry Firenze mosquitoes flew into our room. We spent the night swatting & sleeping with the sheet over our head. It was only the 2^nd day – when Philip noticed the halls were air conditioned that I decided to closely examine the heater in our room. Aha, it too was an air conditioner! We immediately shared the information with Laurrie & Jim; ending the Battling Mosquitos.

So much to do and see – 4 days isn't enough & it's not worth becoming exhausted trying to See It All. Pick a few things that interest you and then enjoy the sights, smells and food. The food is good and reasonable and the wine is excellent. Like any other place, you get what you pay for. Philip declared that Laurrie is ready for the Chianti Wine Tasting Hall of Fame.

Dr. Manatowa began dispensing drugs - Sudafed & Musinex to Jim; Musinex to Phil. Unfortunately, I have nothing for Laurrie; who's got Pink Eye and not having much luck finding relief.

The train station was mobbed when we arrived and typically Italian, Let's Not Give The Passengers A Clue Which Track To Run To; Until The Very Last Minute. Then Philip and I forgot to tell Laurrie & Jim to ignore the numbers printed on the car – look at the doors instead; so the Sostmans did the Urostar Shuffle before finding their seats. But now we're on a high speed train racing to Bologna, Podova, Maestre & Venice Santa Lucia.

Farewell Firenze

Jim & Laurrie spent the last full day in Florence living like royalty at the Pitti Palace. We toured the royal apartments of the Grand Dukes of the Medicis. Impressive.

Saw the Carravaggio paintings and all the other art in the galleries before being overrun by thousands of walkers and runners in a citywide charity walk!

Escaped to San Spirito and saw the early crucifix that Michelangelo did when he was only 18.

Off to Venice on the train today. Bye and farewell, Firenze!

Finally! They're Happy

19 years ago; I came to Florence with my mother & aunt. Their goal, besides showing me some of the world's great art, was for me to buy a fabulous leather purse. Instead I went home with a chintzy flea market cloth backpack. In my defense, it DID have leather straps.

Until their final days with us, I was reminded of my extreme lapse of judgment.

Today, my lapse was corrected. With Philip's help, they made sure I found myself at the Scuola del Cuoio. Having made our way to San Croce, we were told 3 hours before we could get in. We decided to leave & head for Fiesole. As we were leaving, Philip spotted a gate & we walked thru - there was the school! We went in, no one seemed to mind. I now own a one-of-a-kind leather purse designed by Francesca Gori. Thank you to Mom, Aunt Marilyn & Philip.

Fiesole

After our walk to San Croce – which took most of the morning (Laurrie and Jim headed back to the Pitti to find out how the rich Florentines lived) we headed back to the hotel; in a vain attempt to avoid the 20,000+ runners in town for a 5 & 10K runs (Laurrie & Jim got caught in the tide of purple). Eventually, we made our way to the hotel; took a break and then decided to try the bus system and go to Fiesole.

A ticket cost €2 each for 90 minutes; so the whole trip cost us €4. We learned tickets are purchased at a Tobacchaci. Fiesole sit on top of the hills east of Firenze. The bus ride was lovely and the views from the top were spectacular. We had a decent wine and a couple of bad desserts.

Still, if I can persuade Elizabeth to come to Florence – and Summaga & Zurich – think I might try and book us into Fiesole. It's quiet and an easy bus ride to the city.

Evening – we meet downstairs. The hotel has a couple of sitting areas that are comfortable and a good alternative to staying in small rooms with no comfortable chairs. We pick a tratorria which was our 2^nd choice the 1^st night; breezed by the fish display, were seated and then realized the menu was only fish. Not a good choice for Jim and Philip. We immediately departed (the waiters are still probably wondering what happened!) and headed back to place we ate the 1^st night. We didn't want to walk anymore and no more surprises, pleasant or otherwise. The food and wine were good and Philip was introduced to Tiramasu – which he thought was heaven-sent!

So now we get ready for Venice!

Sunday Morning Walk to San Croce

David, the Real Thing

It was incredible. The pictures eveyone has seen of this famous statue by Michelangelo do not prepare you for the size, luminosity, grace and sheer physical presence of it. The anger in David's face combined with the relaxed pose make it an amazing study. David, about to go into battle against Goliath, sure and poised, angry and ready.

I'd post a picture, but it would be so pathetic compared to the real thing.

The Boboli Gardens and Pitti Palace were a wonder, and we climbed to the top and went through the porcelain museum. Views of the hills covered in olive groves were so serene and there were great views of central Florence too, with the iconic dome over everything.

Great day for us, but a lot of walking. Great day for Phil and Becky and Nancy too, see Becky's post from earlier today. Ciao for now.
(PS: the picture of the David statue in Becky's post is a copy, NOT THE REAL THING!!! Just so you know. The Real Thing is awesome)

We Go Our Own Way

It rained hard during the night, the air is clear & the streets are temporarily clear. Jim and Laurrie have tickets to see David (of David and Goliath) at 2:30 & my cousin Nancy is arriving at 9:00. So the Sostmans took off for the Pitti Palace and we headed to Oltrarno, my personal favorite area of Florence - away from the crowds and into the quiet of the neighborhoods. My 1st trip to Florence, Nancy introduced me to Santo Spirito. It's unadorned exterior and elaborate interior has always been my personal favorite. Since the last time I visited the church Michelangelo's wooden crucifix, sculpted when he was 18, was returned to the church.

Passing by the Piazza della Repubblica, we stopped for coffee at the Piazza della Signoria. This is the home of Florentine politics. Then we headed across the Ponte Vecchio to Santo Spirito.

For lunch we headed to 4 Lione for lunch, then back to Bar Vivoli Gelateria, which claims to have the best ice cream in the world. Not sure about the world but it's the best I've tasted.

Then it was back to the hotel. As we passed our friendly corner bar; who should we run into but Laurrie and Jim; enjoying the day and a glass of red wine. They just returned from viewing David - where they didn't have to queue and could linger as long as they liked.

My pathetic attempts to take pictures are all we have at the moment. Jim takes wonderful pictures and hopefully will add them to the blog once he's stateside.

Postcard from Italy

Hello from Florence. We are limited on the fancy schmancy new iPad when we try to post, so Becky has been handling pictures and most updates. But Jim has tons of photos, even shots of Laurrie swimming (up to the ankles) in Lake Como. And the most gorgeous shots of misty, mountainy Menaggio. Such a lovely town.

In the short space where we can post our travel thoughts, i'll put a few observations:

Bus ride from Menaggio to Como - molto scary!
Train to Milan - late (we're in Italy) but we made the Firenze connection. Enjoyable ride.
Duomo cathedral in Florence - jaw droppingly spectacular.
Art in Florence - it's everywhere, you breathe it.
The Medicis - what a family! The wealth! The education! The power & pomp!
Ponte Vecchio - touristy, but look past the mobs and you see the ancient stalls and cubbyholes lining the old bridge selling gold and silver just as it was in the 1400s.
Food - mmm, especially at Paolo's in Menaggio and in a little garden patio down the street from our hotel here in Firenze. Okay that's it for now. Ciao. Tomorrow Michelangelo.

Great Days in Florence

The city offers something for almost everyone, from viewing some of the world's greatest Renaissance art to wandering around boutiques & markets, wine tasting and wonderful food.

We had a sunny day and headed to the Duomo, where it could be admired in the morning sun. The Duomo is the heart of Florence with Brunelleschi's dome being the highest point in the city. It's hard to prepare a 1st time visitor for the brilliant colors and immensity of the Duomo. After a coffee stop we headed to San Lorenzo, the ancestoral home of Cosimo il Vecchio, founder of the great Medici dynasty. San Lorenzo was the Medici family church and was primarily redesigned by Brunelleschi & Michelangelo. It remains a parish church and mass was in session while we were there.

After yet another coffee stop (I can barely go a block without wanting a coffee - the best, to me, are in Italy) we were off to the convent of San Marco, dominated by an ancient cedar tree. The convent has a remarkable series of Fra Angelico frescoes as well as the 1st public library in Europe. The library is gone but there is an interesting display of print making.

By now hunger is uppermost in importance. So we made our way to Mercato Centrale - hoping to find some real Tuscan food. We did - but probably at rip off prices. Later that evening, we learned the better food was on either side of where we ate.

After some shopping at the market, Philip and I headed back to the hotel to rest & we assumed the Sostman's would soon follow - Not! They hadn't had enough walking - they ended up at the Ponte Vecchio the oldest bridge in Florence & probably the most expensive. Gone are the butchers & tanners & in are the gold smiths.

About 7:00 we met for supper and began our search for the Trattoria Za Za. Fantastico! Not so good with bringing us our bill but the food was oh so good.

As we were dining, the rain started, just a shower but the 1st indication a cool front was moving thru.

Florence, City of the Lily

Ah, Firenze, the city that gave birth to the Renaissance and changed the way we view the world. Amazingly enough, the Scary Bus was on time, both Italian trains were on time & we found our hotel - all without a hint of a meltdown; major or otherwise.

As promised Hotel Varasi is a short walk from the train station - would be simple to reach if not for the scooters zooming from almost every direction. Between the scooters and the people; it takes a bit of getting used to.

Our hotel is comfortable - the bathrooms are cozy; practically standing in the bidet to take a shower. On our 1st walk - we stumbled onto the Duomo, in the lovely late afternoon light. It's breath-taking.

Later we walked a few blocks from the hotel and had a wonderful supper.

Today we had a so-so breakfast before heading out to the Duomo, San Lorenzo, San Marco and then stopped for lunch. Philip and I headed back to the hotel. Laurrie & Jim were off to Ponte Vecchio.

More later

Bella Lake Como

There's no place quite like Lake Como - the lake, the villages, the alps - it's all so sublime. And the food - well at least, at the Restaurant Paolo - is heavenly! Both nights we dined on the plaza, with the almost full moon rising over the alpine peaks as a backdrop and the sparkling water.

Our only full day was spent riding the ferries. First we stopped at the Villa Carlotta, re known for it's hillside/lakeside gardens. When I 1st saw them in 1991; I remember thinking "I can do this!" Not!!! But it's fun to try.

Our next stop was Bellagio - famous for it's many, many steep steps and extremely expensive products. We had a so-so lunch overlooking the lake. Then it was back on the auto ferry to Mennagio.

The Hotel Garni Cornado is located in Mennagio. We had rooms overlooking the lake - a little noisy at night but worth the spectacular view. Their breakfasts were among the best - any kind of coffee you wished, variety of breads, yogurts, fresh juices, meat & cheese.

Then we began packing for our next journey - to Florence.

We're Off to Lake Como

Left our hotel about 8:00 and headed to the train station.

To back up a minute - about the Hotel Continental - Our Zurich hotel was in an almost perfect location, about a 15 min walk from the train station or a short 5 min ride & walk from the tram station. The people at the hotel were friendly - there was usually a large vat of fresh apple juice (seasonal) for refreshment and then into tiny, tiny elevators for our trip up to the room. Good thing the 4 of us are so comfortable together as the trip in the elevator gave us a whole new meaning to "tight fit". The room electricity was operated by your key card - very efficient. The rooms were compact - if Philip or Jim were seated in one of the chairs, Laurrie and I had to crawl over the bed to get to the closet or bathroom (hmmm, we each had our own room). Each night, our beds were turned down, chocolate left as well as slippers.

So ... now back to the trip to Como. We're on a 9:?? train to Como, so we have plenty of time to purchase a coffee and pastry. As usual, I've lost my glasses (readers) and am searching for a druggeri to buy a new pair. This time they came with a chain so hopefully I won't loose them.

Our lovely weather continues as our speeding train carries us thru the alps where we marvel at the small towns & farm perched precariously high on the mountains. You have to wonder Why?

There is minimal fuss at border control; a few men get on with dogs - assume checking for drugs. No one seems particularly interested in us.

We arrive at the Como station where it remains true to course; no one speaks englesia - lots of smiles and hand gesturing. This time my internet research proves faultless - the C10 bus arrives to take us to Mennagio. There's a mad dash to get to the bus - where moments ago there was no one; suddenly there's a mob of people. Where did they come from?

Now we're on the scary bus, Yeowsa! We're s till trying to get down the aisle with our big suitcases (didn't seem so big stateside) when the bus takes off. We attempt to place suitcases in the holding area but they are rolling around like bowling balls. Then someone comes and put a walker on top of the cases, meanwhile we're trying to get into seats without falling into some one's lap.

The Scary Bus careens thru the town of Como, then follows what has to be a roman chariot road along the lake. Two buses can't pass (they use the time for a smoke break) and passing a large motor home was a breath-holding moment. Fortunately the bus is big and cars give way or back up. The views of the lake, the villages and the alps are spectacular.

After an hour on the Scary Bus, we arrive at Mennagio. There in the plaza, calm reigns. We head for a cafe and have a spritz, considering ourselves grateful to be alive. Then over to the Hotel Garni.

Bella Mennagio!

Goodbye to Zurich

We had another wonderful meal at Antje and Chris's last night. All the way out to the suburbs on the 7 tram, a short car ride and we were in their lovely new home up in the hills over the lake. Antje made us a traditional Swiss meal of boiled potatoes, lots and lots of cheeses, and a bottled drink that is very young wine before it matures ... bubbly and sweet like soda pop. Chestnut paste squiggled over meringues for dessert.

Jim and I can't thank Antje and Chris enough for their hospitality, for the delightful authentic Swiss meals, for the car taxi services and for welcoming us so thoroughly into their home... And all of this only days after they moved in to their new house!

Now we are off to Italy, to Lake Como. It should be a spectacular ride through the Alps.

See you in Menaggio!

Views from Uetliberg

The Sostmans were up and about before the French's. When I announced there would be no alarm this morning - I was serious. It was after 8:00 before I gave serious consideration to having coffee or opening my eyes (not to be considered - one without the other!)

After a heavenly cup of foamy cappuccino we made our daily trek to the Bahnhof where train reservations were made for the rest of our adventure. Hard to believe this is our last day in Zurich. Time flies. I try to concentrate on what is immediately around me, knowing I'll want to store it all in my memories. Regardless of how tired I am, I'm almost afraid to close my eyes - I might miss something.

Jim decided to loiter in the downtown area while Phil, Laurrie and I headed for the S? to take the train to the Uetliberg - a mountain overlooking Zurich. The day was clear enough, we could see the alps. (I forgot to mention, on the train returning from Geneva, the clouds lifted briefly & we had an outstanding view of Mont Blanc)

From the end station, it's a bit of an uphill climb to reach the top - forget those young women pushing buggies - I'm insisting it was a air-gasping climb. The views are well worth it and require a beer stop to appropriately appreciate the views.

Lakeside Geneva

It's hard to find adequate descriptive words to explain how magnificent the view of the lake, the vineyards & city is - as a speeding train transports you from a long tunnel into the brilliant light of Lake Geneva. It was breath-taking!

That being said - our initial introduction to Geneva was not quite so spectacular. It was a Sunday and this international city was shut tight. No tourist information available and Philip's 6th grade french failed him dramatically. Thought I heard Jim mumble something about taking French but I might have misunderstood as he was silent. Laurrie and I knew we didn't speak French and assumed sooner or later we'd Do Something. A very helpful tram driver and hotel clerk helped us & eventually (just as it occurred to me my mobile phone has a GPS & I was about to give directions to Cathedrale St-Pierre) Jim and Philip found it.

The day was lovely, sunny & warm. Compared to Zurich, Geneva seems to have much bigger buildings and I found it harder to distinguish landmarks. My main impression of Geneva is immense wealth, there were enormous, opulent buildings all the way to the water's edge and then one elegant villa after another for miles & miles.

It was lovely to walk the old streets & imagine life 100-200 years ago. There were small open squares with fountains & places to sit. We stopped for coffee's and then walked down to the lakeside where we took a boat tour.

I think I'll come back to Geneva and spend a few days.

This is a Vacation?

Not sure why and how I planned this - but I spent the morning cleaning an oven!!! Philip dusted ceilings for cob webs, cleaned doors & the mail box. Laurrie and Jim, on the other hand, took a leisurely train ride to Fribourg. Say What!

My Swiss family was in the thros of moving from one house to another - one town from another; we spent the day doing what we could. Tho I noticed, by afternoon, Philip and I were regulated to staying at the new home and entertaining Geronimo, their 6 month old puppy. Hmmm, guess that tells you all you need to know.

Laurrie and Jim arrived later on the tram - I notice no one ask them to clean anything or babysit a puppy. Instead they were given spritz's & chips. We had a wonderful evening, getting caught up and getting to know one another. I was glad our friends and family got to meet and had a good time.

Swiss fondue

Chris took us to an authentic and awesome Swiss restaurant tonight where we had sausages, ham, an incredible wine, and two giant pots of chese fondue. (Tom & Greg please disregard any memories of the disastrous Christmas Eve fondue from a mix last year). This was the real thjng and so delicious right down to the crusty burnt cheese at the bottom. Danke Chris, danke!!!

The day was spent in the old town, hobbling over cobblestones, hiking to the top of the narrow stone tower at the church that Charlemaigne founded in the 800s. Zurich is an old Roman town, and succesive centires through the Middle Ages and on built over the ruins and kept going. Our view from the tower heights was of the entire town and lake and river laid out below us, so neat and tidy and Swiss and beautiful. We visited the Landes museum, the cloisters at the Fraumuenster church, marvelled at the Chagall stained glass windows in the church, and ate a lunch of brats wrapped in pastry. Mmmmm.

You may have noticed there are NO pictures on this blog. Major iPad - blogger - google disjoint. Technology eludes and frustrates us for now. Trust us, the pix are great, they're just not postable. In your mind's eye picture church spires, ancient rows of houses lining narrow streets, flowerboxes in the windows, blue and white shutters, and all of it neat and picturesques.

1st Serious Tourist Day

The day was a little drizzly & overcast. We did our usual "who's on 1st" routine, typical of people on severe jet lag but eventually we had enough coffee to be semi-coherent and headed to the Zurich's historic Niederdorf and it's dominent landmark, the Grossmunster. The Niederdorf is a hillside of cobblestones about a mile long and less than a mile wide. It's full of small shops, eateries, and apartments & hotels. It's sometimes hard to walk the cobblestones & at the same time be looking up at the marvelous buildings. There are times when the only choice is to pause, lean against the building and take a look around.

The tall twin towers of the Grossmunster dominate the Zurich skyline. According to legend, Charlemagne founded a church in the late 8th century, on the graves of Felix & Regula. From the tower is a fantastic view of Zurich - Philip had no intention of climbing the tower, my reaction was "been there; done that" but Laurrie and Jim were game. They did it! Only later we heard a story of how a man fell on the stairs, a stretcher couldn't get to him & a helicopter had to lift him out of the tower in a basket.

With the calfs of their legs still protesting, we climbed down more stairs to the banks of the River Limmat, crossed the bridge and went to visit the Fraumunster - my personal favorite. Not only do I love the Chagall windows but even more the fresco's on the foundation which tell the story of the convent's creation & illustrate the lives of Felix & Regula, the patron saints of Zurich.

A stop for coffees before strolling in the Old Town (Alstadt), now the city's commercial center. We stopped at the Lindenhof, It has giant chessboards for open-air games. Then it was off to the famous Bahnhofstrasse, where the only person who shopped was Philip - who bought a new wrist watch band for his Swatch.

The afternoon was spent at Schweizerisches Landesmusem - giving a quick overview of the How, When and Why. Then more coffees before heading back to the hotel and off to meet cousin Chris.

i was once here...

it didn't seem like it was all that long ago, until one strains the memory. Was it 1993 or 1994. I know it was just after Christmas, but just before New Year's day.

Regardless, it was along time ago and much has changed since my last sojourn through this lovely city. The airport now has this massive shopping mall attached to it, my passport was stamped in this time, and the train ride took an eternity whilst the last time it happened in a flash of a moment.

Is this just old age memory, thinking of things the way you want to remember them, not how they actually occured or was it really true that Hannibal crossed the Alps on elephants. If you answered yes to both of these questions then you really should find another more productive way of spending your time.

One thing that hasn't changed is the inordinate number of huge construction cranes dotting this rich landscape. Zurich a city of constant change and rehab.

Tomorrow we walk the city and see the sites, but that will happen when it does. Right now, I listen to Wagner and Strauss contemplating all that occured over these past many hours of both air and water travel. I really look forward to doing the tourist thing as this trip has been planned for so long it would almost be a waste not to see all there is to see that I want to see, that I planned to see, that I anticipated on seeing when in fact I did see it because I knew that at some point I would see it so in my minds eye I was in fact there to see it when in fact I was somewhere else and not really seeing it unless of course one considers that in one's minds eye you really do see that which you are not looking at.

I return now to my sleep position, which I did, already today, find a couple of times. Naps are such a wonderful thing - the person who invented them should be given the Peace prize.

So this is Swiss-It wishing all who are confused by this missive not to be. it is just the ramblings of one who looks to doing some serious rambling on tomorrow. Good night!

We made it

Flights on time, long and tedious, but no problems. Arrived early in the a.m. and checked into the very nice Hotel Continental, just one short tram stop from the Hauptbahnhof -the main train station that connects to everywhere.

Met Becky's cousin Chris and had cappuccinos with him before we headed off on a boat tour of the lake that sits at the feet of Zurich.

More on that in the next post, where we'll share a little about the boat, the lake, the schwartzwaldertorte (ooh), the pomme frites, the alps around us ....

But for now, we are jet lagged and exhausted. Need sleep. Stay tuned.

The Adventure Begins

We 4 meet at the Atlanta airport - share greetings, exchange news & try to contain our excitement - 8 months of planning and we're finally on our way! The plane was packed - we were forward coach and Sostman's were hinterland coach - we never saw them again after they boarded!

Touchdown in Zurich was on time, 5 min wait at passport control, luggage arrived before us and we were on our way to the train station. The normal routine for French's is to approach the ticket machine with caution, try to act like we know what we're doing, survive several failures & then ask the nearest person "do you speak English, do you know how to get a ticket?" This year being the nominal tour guides for this adventure, we wanted to appear a little more sophisticated & knowledgeable. I found instructions on the Internet - with pictures! At home we studied the instructions & pictures intently and confidently headed to the ticket machine. Never occurred to me to check the date of my information. The pictures did NOT look like the real machines. Big Problem! Sophistication & Knowledge fled but Phil instead spotted an actual Ticket Machine Worker! How great is that!

Soon we were on the train, for our 15 min ride into Zurich. My cousin, Chris, met our train - we made quick introductions and headed for the hotel. Lack of sleep and jet lag, probably walking and hauling luggage wsn't the best plan but we were so glad to be off the plane, the air felt good. Our rooms weren't ready, we were in need of coffee; Chris suggested we head back to the train station. This time we took the tram.

To be honest, the rest of the day was spent trying to stay awake. We did a good job - took the tram to Lake Zurich, boarded a ferry & spent the afternoon eating Black Forest Cake - I leave that to Laurrie to describe as I understand it was a dream come true moment - and pomme frites. We took the train back to the city.

At this time, I'll let Laurrie and Jim take over as this is familiar for Philip and I and it's all new impressions for Laurrie and some for Jim - he was here a few years ago. Ciao!

Spotty Showers

We leave tomorrow and get there Thursday.

Zurich is six hours ahead of us.

Here is the weather for Thursday when we arrive:

9/16/2010

Cloudy in the morning with spotty showers, then times of sun and clouds in the afternoon.

High Temperature: 19° C.  That's 66° F.

After a whole summer with so little rain here in the US, it will be a delight to set foot in Switzerland in beautiful, beautiful rain showers, spotty or not.

What to Expect

Becky has told me that the Swiss trains are efficient, easy to board, on time, and we should have no problem with our luggage getting on and off trains.

She also tells me Italian trains are an adventure.  A luggage-toting, train-chasing, platform-morphing chaotic nightmare.  I'm ready.

It all reminded me of this little ditty:

Heaven:
It's where the police are British
The cooks are Italian
The lovers are French
The mechanics are German
And it's all organized by the Swiss.

Hell is where the cooks are British
The mechanics are French
The lovers Swiss
The police are German
And it's all organized by the Italians