Schaffhausen

We took the 40 minute train ride to Schaffhausen.  We passed through a small part of Germany to get here.  Vicky is feeling like she is nearing her German roots.  We got a glimpse of Rhein Falls as we neared our destination.  It is the largest falls in Europe.  Flow is lower in September than in spring, but it was still exciting to see.

We are still struggling with menus.  They are presented in German.  We don't speak German.  Sometimes we must look like the Griswalds.   Now would be a great time for a cafeteria..  I had curry chicken with something, and  a tomato, zucchini and something side.  It has all been very good.  While at the Falls we ordered an Adam & Eva beer; we should have guessed it was an apple beer.  We didn't and that first sip was a shock, but it quickly grows on you.

We walked up to the local fort built in the mid 1500s.  It was indeed formidable in its day.  It provides great views of the city and the Rhein.  Surprisingly, there is no charge to visit the fort or surrounding park and gardens.

We took the boat to the Falls.  The water is so clear.  In addition to the many fish, you could see the river bottom.  Wow!  And there aren't any alligators.  Till tomorrow:

Zurich

In every life some rain must fall.  Today was our day.  Temps were in the 50's and it was rainy and damp.  Vic can sometimes be moody on days like today.  She also has mixed emotions when it comes to big cities.  She loves the shopping but misses the countryside.

We walked down to the lake and spent time sightseeing.  The river and lake are extremely clear.  The visibility is so good you could scuba dive in it.  I asked a young lady if they swim in the river.  She said only a couple days a year on special occasions.  Other times it is illegal, so they swim in the lake.

We also took a ride on the Polybahn. It only travels a couple of blocks, but it is all uphill.  At the top is a college.  The kids ride it up for class and then walk down.  We followed their lead.

The food is both tasty and expensive.  A Brit in Chamonix tried to tell us Chamonix was expensive, but we have been to Norway and Japan so we've seen high prices.  The one thing that seems very inexpensive here is pecans.  A win for us since we both enjoy them.  Vic has also found a few deals on clothes.  While she was shopping I saw the owner of a new Porche get a parking ticket.

The locals all seem very approachable and eager to help us with answers to our questions and providing directions.   Try that in  Detroit.

I've enclosed a picture of our mini fridge; you can figure it out! Till tomorrow:

Chamonix to Zurich

We had to walk to the bus stop by 8:45am.  The EasyBus to Geneva airport arrived early.  We were hoping for a full size bus that set up high.  Instead we were crammed into a 13 passenger shuttle van that sat 3 across.  The first 20 minutes were fun filled twists and turns followed by 20 minutes of straight highway.  We arrived at Geneva airport/train/bus station before ten.

Geneva station is a well designed intermodal facility.  Probably the most user friendly I've ever experienced.  It also has lots of shopping and restaurants; even a large supermarket.  My niece Lynn said prices were high in Switzerland.  She was not exaggerating.  A Big Mac was chf11.20.  That's $11.76 in usd.  We opted for Caesar salads and quiche with a $5 coke.  I was reminded of John Travolta's line in Pulp Fiction about the $5 shake.

We were scheduled to take the 1:36pm train..  The station manager said we could take any other train going to Zurich.  We caught the 11:36 intercity; only 5 stops to Zurich. It had observation cars so we sat up top.  Lausanne with Lake Geneva was by far the most scenic as you round the lake. The remainder was a bit disappointing, particularly after riding through southern Switzerland.  We arrived at Zurich, made our way to our hotel a short walk across the river, and were soon in our room.

Not one to sit, Vic was ready to walk.  We followed the river south.  There were water taxis and swans.  The swans are definitely used to being fed,  they come right up to you.  Seeing we had no food they quickly moved on to the next people.

We noticed balconies with horses and bulls.  Not sure what is up with that?

We turned down a pedestrian alley that Vic had been eyeballing.  It had sidewalk cafes and shopping. We stopped at a bistro full of locals.  Vic had a thick slice of pork roast with a Swiss sauce and a side of bow tie pasta.  I had shell pasta with peppers, beef, and a Diablo sauce.  Both plates were very good and not very pricey.  Till tomorrow:

More Chamonix

On a personal note, congratulations to my niece Rachel on her baptism; "may the peace of the lord be always with you."

Our last day in Chamonix this trip, hopefully not our last.  The temp today was 62f or 17c.  Perfect!  So how did I start my morning?  Laundry, argh!  At least I met a nice man from the UK, an interesting young man from Isreal, and a fun "Charo" type woman from Equador.  Meanwhile, Princess Vicky was back at the hotel.

 I saw no pastry shops in Italy that can hold a candle to France. Trust me, I am a hands-on expert when it comes to pastries.  

We saw many people gliding from the mountains again today.  There were also repellers coming down the mountains.

We saw French pizza that looked so good we had to try it. Yum!

We rode the Mt. Blanc express to Servoz and back.  The Chamonix valley is beautiful.   We also love the many flowers.  If given the chance, we will return again!  Enjoy the pics!