Hi everyone!
This is the first time weve been able to get to an internet cafe.
We are in Lake Como, Italy. We left Interlaken and headed up toward the northeast corner of Switzerland to Appenzell area. This was probably the hardest spot to find a hotel as we were out in the middle of nowhere in dairy cow country and it was after 6 p.m. and we finally found a Bed and Breakfast up a hillside. karen and stan were on the first floor with a bathroom in their room. no walls for the bathroom, just a curtain around the toilet. We were on the 3rd floor and had to use the hall bathroom. but as no one was there besides us it wasnt so bad. Quiet, you cant believe how quiet. I love the cows all night with their bells clunking all night.
The next day we took off for Chur on the way to Lugano and we stopped to see a church that was huge and was reported to be the biggest in Switzerland. I cant spell the name but it was unbelievably gorgous. Beautiful paintings on the ceilings and ornate carvings and paintings everywhere. Then we stopped in Liechtenstein and stopped and saw the castle of the Royal Prince.
Then after that went to Chur and found a hotel. tired very tired. We have covered a lot of Switzerland in the car. It is one of the cleanest countries I have ever seen. no garbage anywhere, the roads are in great condition, and there is no pollution.
Yesterday we headed for Lugano. and drove down one of the longest canyons we have ever seen. it had to be at least 30 miles of all downhill. then we found a great bed and breakfast 20 minutes out of town and way above the city overlooking Lake Lagono. No phone, no TV, no credit cards but they had a restaurant that was obviously popular with the locals and for good reason, very good food. The view was spectacular.
We turned the car in this morning and caught the train to Lake Como. The trains are easy to navigate once you figure out the system. Our hotel overlooks the south tip looking north on the lake and tomorrow we are catching a water taxi that will take us around the lake and we can get off and check out small villages and gardens. We re thinking that we will catch the train on Saturday for Milan and go check it out, we didnt get reservations in time to see the Last Supper but Milan looks cool and its only an hour away.
We miss you all and hope you are all well. Take carek, love to you from all of us.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Hi from Interlaken, Switzerland
Hi everyone.
We have seen some unbelievable mountains and valleys in Switzerland. Yesterday when we got back into Interlaken, we decided to go up a cable tram car to a high spot called Harder Kulm. Its a restaurant up on the north side of the Interlaken valley and when you look south from up there you got an incredible view of the mountain peak Jungfrau. The weather was clear and the views of the mountain range with snow on top was incredible. Also from up there you could look down into the Interlaken valley and see the Brainzee lake to the east, the outlet where the glacial turqoise water flows exits the lake and runs west through Interlaken to the lower Thun lake to the west where it empties. This whole Interlaken area is one of the most beautiful locations I have seen in a long time. There are several train and tram rides you can take and go on mountain hikes and go up to see several mountain peaks in the Swiss Alps and could be situated here for weeks and never get bored.
Today though was incredible. We left at 8:30 this morning and took a 2 and 1/2 hour ride on 3 different trains and two different cog wheel trams to get up to the Jungfrau mountain peak. The place we were actually at was called Jungfraujoch. The train and tram rides went through some of the most picture perfect postcard type scenery imaginable with green valleys dotted with the traditional Swiss Chalet type houses and dairies everywhere. But then to top it off, mountains would just jut straight up from these valley communities right up behind them. It took your breath away. The last half hour of the last tram ride near the top was through a carved out tunnel of rock that was constructed in 1895. The train stop at Jungfraujoch was in carved out rock underground and you came out into the hugh visitor facility. There were several floors of this complex perched up on top of this mountain. More than half of the facility was under rock or carved in the rock and you would walk down several rock tunnels to get to the different parts of the visitor center. We first took an elevator to the "Crystal Ice Palace" This literally was tunnels carved in the snow and ice under a snow pack and there were several outpockets in the ice tunnels where they had done ice carvings of animals and structures. It was cool to walk through it. At the other end you come outside and walk along a perch between the Jungfrau peak and the Monch peak. (The Jungfraujoch is the visitor center located between these two peaks). As we came outside we were blinded by the bright sunshine on the snow but also the bitter cold as the wind was howling up there. It was blowing snow in gusts that were so strong it could blow you over. But looking to the north, you could see down into the Interlaken valley in all directions and looking south, you looked over a glacier flow flowing away to the south that was hugh. West you looked up at the mountain peak Jungfrau and east you looked up at the mountain peak Monch. Between the altitude of 11,500 feet and the bitter blowing wind, to say that it took your breath away was an understatement. But to say that we did it and made it up there was an achievement. We then went back in and had lunch with delicious hot soup and then went over to the east end and up an elevator to something called the Sphinx Observatory. This was very tall and had incredible views plus they do meteorlogical studies there. Then we went down below and Craig and I walked out onto the glacier ice flow where they had made a walkpath for visitors. That was cool. Then we finally decided to come down the mountain on two more cog trams and 3 trains through gorgous valleys and mountain ranges. We were tired and happy and ate dinner at a restaurant called Pizpaz and ate delicious Italian food.
So this is our last night here and we are up on the road for new adventures. Karen and Stan and Craig are making the plans and our next stop is up by Zurich somewhere.
We miss you all and hope all are all well. Lots of love from all of us to all of you.
P.S. I am in love with the brown Swiss cows and the wonderful bells that clunk while they eat. I want to bring one home with me. Craig is in love with the efficient trains systems and the cool working flushing toilets! Love ya
We have seen some unbelievable mountains and valleys in Switzerland. Yesterday when we got back into Interlaken, we decided to go up a cable tram car to a high spot called Harder Kulm. Its a restaurant up on the north side of the Interlaken valley and when you look south from up there you got an incredible view of the mountain peak Jungfrau. The weather was clear and the views of the mountain range with snow on top was incredible. Also from up there you could look down into the Interlaken valley and see the Brainzee lake to the east, the outlet where the glacial turqoise water flows exits the lake and runs west through Interlaken to the lower Thun lake to the west where it empties. This whole Interlaken area is one of the most beautiful locations I have seen in a long time. There are several train and tram rides you can take and go on mountain hikes and go up to see several mountain peaks in the Swiss Alps and could be situated here for weeks and never get bored.
Today though was incredible. We left at 8:30 this morning and took a 2 and 1/2 hour ride on 3 different trains and two different cog wheel trams to get up to the Jungfrau mountain peak. The place we were actually at was called Jungfraujoch. The train and tram rides went through some of the most picture perfect postcard type scenery imaginable with green valleys dotted with the traditional Swiss Chalet type houses and dairies everywhere. But then to top it off, mountains would just jut straight up from these valley communities right up behind them. It took your breath away. The last half hour of the last tram ride near the top was through a carved out tunnel of rock that was constructed in 1895. The train stop at Jungfraujoch was in carved out rock underground and you came out into the hugh visitor facility. There were several floors of this complex perched up on top of this mountain. More than half of the facility was under rock or carved in the rock and you would walk down several rock tunnels to get to the different parts of the visitor center. We first took an elevator to the "Crystal Ice Palace" This literally was tunnels carved in the snow and ice under a snow pack and there were several outpockets in the ice tunnels where they had done ice carvings of animals and structures. It was cool to walk through it. At the other end you come outside and walk along a perch between the Jungfrau peak and the Monch peak. (The Jungfraujoch is the visitor center located between these two peaks). As we came outside we were blinded by the bright sunshine on the snow but also the bitter cold as the wind was howling up there. It was blowing snow in gusts that were so strong it could blow you over. But looking to the north, you could see down into the Interlaken valley in all directions and looking south, you looked over a glacier flow flowing away to the south that was hugh. West you looked up at the mountain peak Jungfrau and east you looked up at the mountain peak Monch. Between the altitude of 11,500 feet and the bitter blowing wind, to say that it took your breath away was an understatement. But to say that we did it and made it up there was an achievement. We then went back in and had lunch with delicious hot soup and then went over to the east end and up an elevator to something called the Sphinx Observatory. This was very tall and had incredible views plus they do meteorlogical studies there. Then we went down below and Craig and I walked out onto the glacier ice flow where they had made a walkpath for visitors. That was cool. Then we finally decided to come down the mountain on two more cog trams and 3 trains through gorgous valleys and mountain ranges. We were tired and happy and ate dinner at a restaurant called Pizpaz and ate delicious Italian food.
So this is our last night here and we are up on the road for new adventures. Karen and Stan and Craig are making the plans and our next stop is up by Zurich somewhere.
We miss you all and hope all are all well. Lots of love from all of us to all of you.
P.S. I am in love with the brown Swiss cows and the wonderful bells that clunk while they eat. I want to bring one home with me. Craig is in love with the efficient trains systems and the cool working flushing toilets! Love ya
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