yodel ley hee hoo

New Pictures on my online photos

Wow !!! What a day. Talk about seeing so many things in one day and so many climates. We started the day in Lausanne, the Swiss equivalent of what I would consider the French Rivera.. Having never been there of course, I cant really validate that.. But you can picture it. I even had chocolate croissants for breakfast (Pain au chocolat we call it in this house sweetie!) and staying in such magnificent opulence. The drive to Montreaux was so picturesque. (Marius got so sick of this word by the end of the day because around every bend was a totally spectacular vista that was really.. So picturesque!)

We spent a couple of hours wandering around a 13th century castle.. Wow.. I took so many photos there! You could really imagine what it was like back in those days.. although why all the door handles were shaped like penises im not really sure… did they not think this too back in the day ?

Then from Montreax, we drove through glorious valleys, surrounded by high and majestic mountains.. Passing through Heidi like villages with little wooden chalets set on verdant hillsides.

Its pretty lucky that we were in a car, otherwise I would have swallowed that many bugs, with my jaw literally dropping and my mouth gapping every 5 minutes at the wondrous beauty I was faced with and surrounded by. I must say that so far Switzerland has been the most breath taking country I have seen yet.

Then slowly climbing up huge mountain via a zig zag road, as the temperature slowly drops…. The verdant green gives way to glistening white. Oh my god!!! Its snow !! Finally my life dream to see snow is made real… I make Marius stop a dozen or so times.. And run to play in the snow.. Then run back to the car frozen solid, hands prickling from the cold. I wanted to go walking across it but it’s a little too soft and im worried about sinking lord knows how deep. I did manage to eat some snow!! (no it wasn’t yellow) and you know, it is just like eating a snow cone without the flavour!.

At the summit it was 2400 odd metres above sea level and the view was …well I don’t have the words for it.
Then the rapid zig-zag back down the other side and on towards Ascona… the Italian quarter of Switzerland… similar to an Italian riviera where I was speaking 4 languages.. Most of the time, all at once.

We stayed at a very expensive Italian style resort… thank god for marius’ staff rates.
We went to town for dinner but it was about a 30 minute walk.. So we rode bicycles through the park and along the lake to the town! My god what an experience !!!! Im actually riding a bike.. Which I havent done for years. Was a little nervous about driving on the other side of the road.. Especially since its on the wrong side of the road.. Anther first for me … to drive something on this side of the road.
We had dinner on the lake front, Italian.. And then took a ride back to the hotel for a half bottle of wine..

All I can say is Switzerland is sooooooooooo expensive… but where else can you, in one day, go from speaking French, in a French riviera style town, with 20 degree heat, to a few hours later be 2400 metres and surrounded by snow… and then a few hours later be on an Italian style riveria speaking Italian, in 25 degree heat, all in the one country!

Anyway.. We woke early and spent an hour in the hydro therapy pool.. My god, my back felt soooooo good after that! Then a quick ten minute lay on one of the sunbeds lying out on the lawn…. Ok.. Picture it.. Dan in a fluffy white bathrobe.. And white slippers… sunglasses on and ciggarette in hand, in the middle of a resort lawn…. Thank GOD no one I know could see me.. But hey… it was the thing to do.

We are now driving from Ascona back up north. We want to stay at St Moritz but the hotels are closed so depending on how we go for time.. We may go some where else or we may just return to Zurich. Im actually typing this on the laptop as we drive..

Oh just stopped at a nice quiet county bridge to look at a river.. Time to have a pee.. No one for miles.. But then , naturally,, half way through, a car comes from one direction and 2 huge trucks from the other, and since we are on a corner.. The 2 trucks must stop to give way to the little car. Of COURSE the trucks have to top right behind me as im peeing!! Typical ! The one time I pee, on a deserted country road, it turns into peak hour !

We then travelled through a beautiful canyon. Its buried deep in shadow, and you can look up and see the bright sunlight framed by imposing canyon walls. The air is cool and comforting, after the long drive in the bright sun. but its too late in the day to go trekking to the bottom as its already 7.30 pm (it doesn’t get dark here until about 9.30) and we still have 2 hours to drive back to Zurich. We stop for a bite to eat in Heidiland. Yes this is where heidi and peter came from.

We arrived back into Zurich at about 9.15 s we made good time. And rested after a long long day of driving by watching a dvd. Im getting used to watching german dvds with English subtitles. Actually I can understand some of the german dialog but takes too much concentration and I cant sit back and watch the movie.