Wednesday July 7
After leaving the Schloss Hegi hostel in Winterthur, Donna and I caught a bus and train to Zurich. We parked our backpacks in the station locker there, before treating ourselves to a guided tour of the city. It was on this bus tour that we met a very helpful English fellow named Bill.
Bill, who worked in Europe as a photographer, shared information with us about current events in the countries through which we planned to travel. And since he also had a working knowledge of German, Italian and French, he later helped me to find some quality sunglasses - an item I'd neglected to buy during my sisterly shopping spree in London.
by kind courtesy of http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/f3/f0/a1/city-tours-in-zurich.jpg
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in north-central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich.
The municipality has approximately 390,000 inhabitants, and the Zurich metropolitan area 1.83 million.
Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.
excerpt taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zurich
Meiringen
by kind courtesy of http://i1.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article1867997.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Travel-Switzerland.jpg
During our Zurich shopping trip, Bill suggested that Donna and I catch a fast train to Lucerne. And from there, take the small guage train up the mountain to Meiringen home of the world-famous Reichenbach Falls.
What a fabulous way to spend the afternoon!
Our smaller train would take almost an hour to climb the steep mountainside to Meiringen, which afforded the photographer in me stunning lake views and bucolic country scenes. These Swiss Alps reminded me of the mountains of British Columbia.
I was so excited to be seeing this part of Switzerland that it was only when Bill attached himself to Donna's side that I finally realized he had intended to join us on our day's excursion. At his suggestion,we collected our backpacks on our way out of Zurich station, since Bill doubted that we'd want to return there to that city that night.
It was all very mysterious. Yet neither Donna nor I sensed malice in Bill. He was very like a jovial, unkempt English sheepdog in both manner and appearance. He also seemed genuinely delighted by our company, as he enthusiastically shared pertinent information with us and escorted both of us through the beautiful Swiss Alps.
It was all very mysterious. Yet neither Donna nor I sensed malice in Bill. He was very like a jovial, unkempt English sheepdog in both manner and appearance. He also seemed genuinely delighted by our company, as he enthusiastically shared pertinent information with us and escorted both of us through the beautiful Swiss Alps.
Meiringen is a town and municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.
The town is famous for the nearby Reichenbach Falls, a spectacular waterfall that was the setting for the fictional presumed death of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's character Sherlock Holmes. The town is also known for its claim to have been the place where the meringue was first created.
taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiringen
by kind courtesy of http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/l/26/266888-off-to-the-reichenbach-falls-meiringen-switzerland.jpg
by kind courtesy of www.sherlock-holmes.com
The Reichenbach Falls (Reichenbachfall) are a series of waterfalls on the Reichenbach stream in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. They have a total drop of 250 metres (820 ft).
At 90 meters (300 ft), the Upper Reichenbach Falls is one of the highest cataracts in the Alps. Today, a hydro-electric power company harnesses the flow of the Reichenbach Falls during certain times of year, reducing its flow
In popular literature, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave the falls as the location of the final confrontation of his hero Sherlock Holmes with the criminal Professor Moriarty in "The Final Problem
taken fromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichenbach_Falls
Unbelievably, these famous falls had completely dried up the year we were there! Record low rainfall combined with record heat throughout Europe to restrict water flow to a mere trickle. No gushing falls for us in Switzerland!
Though disappointed, we comforted ourselves in the knowledge that British Columbia had many wonderful waterfalls that we had yet to discover, though none of them would likely be connected with Sherlock Holmes.
Lucerneby kind courtesy of http://inserbia.info/news/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/lucerne.jpg
At the end of a long day of travelling, by bus and various trains, all three of us boarded our final train back to Lucerne.
Bill had insisted that we stop for a couple nights at the city of Lucerne. He had a particular Pension in mind for Donna and me.
He also neglected to tell us that reaching meant hauling ourselves and our backpacks up 187 steep steps up the side of a mountain!
True to his word, Frau Von Euw's Pension had a view that was totally worth the exhausting climb. Donna and I hauled our backpacks up the stairs to the largest room in the her establishment. Our window overlooked the rooftops, towers and spires of Lucerne.
He also neglected to tell us that reaching meant hauling ourselves and our backpacks up 187 steep steps up the side of a mountain!
We were learning to expect the
unexpected where Bill was concerned.
True to his word, Frau Von Euw's Pension had a view that was totally worth the exhausting climb. Donna and I hauled our backpacks up the stairs to the largest room in the her establishment. Our window overlooked the rooftops, towers and spires of Lucerne.
God Bless Bill!!
Due to its location on the shore of Lake Lucerne (der Vierwaldstättersee), within sight of Mount Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps, Lucerne has long been a destination for tourists. One of the city's famous landmarks is the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), a wooden bridge first erected in the 14th century
Since the city straddles the Reuss River where it drains the lake, it has a number of bridges. The most famous is the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), a 204 m (669 ft) long wooden covered bridge originally built in 1333, the oldest covered bridge in Europe, although much of it had to be replaced after a fire on August 18, 1993, allegedly caused by a discarded cigarette.
Part way across, the bridge runs by the octagonal Water Tower (Wasserturm), a fortification from the 13th century. Inside the brdige are a series of paintings from the 17th century depicting events from Lucerne's history. The Bridge with its Tower is the city's most famous landmark.
Donna hogged the bathroom again! I hoped that she was feeling well. Being ill is difficult enough at home, but on vacation, it can be downright miserable for all concerned.
Descending those 187 steps was a lot less troublesome than climbing them, even whilst carrying our backpacks. Bill had a photo shoot in Liechtenstein that day, so suggested we visit it too. We thus all caught the bus to Vaduz the capital of Switzerland's tiny neighbouring country, the
PRINCIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN
Liechtenstein is the smallest yet richest (by measure of GDP per capita) German-speaking country and the only country to lie entirely within the Alps. It is known as a principality as it is a constitutional monarchy headed by a prince.
excerpt taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liechtenstein
Schlossvaduz is the castle that overlooks the capital of Vaduz. It is home to the current Prince of Leichtenstein, Hans-Adam II.
TRIESENBERG
From Vaduz we changed buses and ventured into the mountains to our destination of Triesenberg.
Triesenberg is a municipality in Liechtenstein,with a population of 2,564.Its 30 square kilometer area makes it the largest municipality in Liechtenstein.
The centre of the municipality rests at an elevation of 884-1000 meters (around 3000 ft). The village is noted for its distinct dialect, dating from the influence of Walser migrants in the Middle Ages.
This dialect is actively promoted by the municipality. The existence of this dialectis one eveidence of remarkable linguistic diversity within the small Principality, as it is spoken alongside Standard German and the Alemannic dialect common to the country. excerpt taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triesenberg
In Vaduz, we asked about accommodation and thus found the Hotel Schadler - a private residence that rented holiday rooms by the night. It was central and, like most of the houses in 1976, located close to the main street. But the entire area was so quiet, it felt we'd landed in a luxurious country retreat.
We were shown to a spacious, comfortable room at the back of the house, that sported a small wooden balcony. From here Donna and I could enjoy a panoramic view of the Swiss Alps and the rolling valley below.
At 3000 ft elevation, the air was clear and cool, beckoning me to take a stroll outside. But I had to hand-wash some clothes before going walkabout.
Donna left without a word before I'd finished. So, expecting that I would return in a couple of hours, I pocketed our one and only room key.
It was lunchtime on a beautiful, warm, sunshiny summer's day in paradise. I strolled up the street (since there are no flat areas in Triesenberg!) lured by the aroma wafting from a nearby pub. There I ordered a lemonade and listened to the music and German commentary on the bar radio.
Once my eyes adjusted to the darkness within, I noticed there were only a few others dining there. The luncheon special was German sausage, for which I was not in the mood. So I ordered an omelette and then studied the others.
I noticed a small Canadian Maple Leaf lapel pin on a lone traveller at another table, and moved to it, smiling and introducing myself. Her name was Joan, and she hailed from Toronto. Small world, eh?!
Joan was ending her time in Europe, and had many tales to share - as I did with her.
She had trekked up the mountains in Liechtenstein before, but was more than happy to join me on my first trek that day. The weather was perfect for walking and talking and for enjoying Liechtenstein's beautiful gardens whose colours seemed to glow in the rarefied mountain air.
And before we knew it we'd reached the 5000 ft level, where only sturdy cows seemed to roam.
Apart from an embarrassing incident briefly involving an electrified fence that I hadn't realized was electrified, the walk was idyllic. When we were tired, Joan and I would simply settle in a field till we recovered. That is, if one can 'settle' on a field that
slopes up 45 degrees from horizontal?!
The views further up the mountain were breathtakingly beautiful, it felt like we were standing on top of the Alps! And we were! Only in British Columbia's Rocky Mountains had I ever before seen such amazing views.
Time stood still that day! Joan and I truly did not realize how late it was getting till we heard the church bells chiming in the valley.
From our lofty vantage point, we could hear all the church bells in the valley ringing simultaneously, and the result was mesmerizing. There's something about mountain air that clarifies and beautifies the sound of bells.
Joan broke the spell first, when she realized that the church bells rang every evening at 7pm - the exact time that she'd promised to meet someone in Triesen, a further hour's walk from the pub at which we'd met that noon.
By the time I bid Joan farewell and returned to my room, it was 8 pm. Donna was annoyed for two reasons: because I had taken the only room key, effectively locking her out for many hours! And secondly, Bill had NOT taken her dancing, as he had, apparently, promised. She was a very unhappy camper!
I had missed supper, but didn't care. Exhausted from my day's exertions, I enjoyed a hot shower and was sound asleep by 9 pm.
At 11pm exactly, I awoke to find Donna asleep beneath the bedclothes as a spectacular thunderstorm rained fire across the valley. Despite the lashing rain, I stood on our balcony and embraced the elements. One could taste the electricity sparking through the air.
This was the first thunderstorm, with fierce rain, that I'd experienced since leaving UK on June 18. I hoped its waters would wend their way west and help to restore the dwindling Reichenbach Falls.
Friday July 9
Though we rose early and breakfasted lightly, we still needed to rush to catch the 10:20 am bus from Triesenberg to Vaduz, transferring to a train bound for Zurich. Donna became ill during this leg of our journey from Vaduz to Zurich.
Upon arrival, I took her straight to the station rest room, where she lay down on the sofa. I fetched water and a Red Cross nurse for her, and sadly noted that she was way too ill to sight-see that day.
After an hour or so, when Donna felt better, we agreed to return to Lucerne and Frau Von Euw's establishment so that she could get proper rest.
I'd forgotten we'd have to ascend those 187 steps.
I soon remembered when I had to carry two backpacks up them! Not that I envied Donna at all. She looked very green around the gills by the time we arrived back in our rooms.
It seems that Donna had succumbed to some kind of stomach bug that had her running to the bathroom every half hour. No wonder she'd been so miffed with me for locking her our of our room the previous day. She'd probably needed to rest.
I made sure that Donna was comfortable, then went downstairs to chat with Frau Van Euw who told me of a shopping area in Lucerne that I might like to visit while Donna slept.
With Frau Van Euw's directions in hand, I strolled there and spent some of the time window shopping until I was drawn to enter "Trend Decor".
It was a Danish store that sold small items of furniture and other Danish home wares. This business was owned and run, in Switzerland, by a Swedish woman, married to a American man, whose son attends the French school! She spoke 8 different languages, fluently, including English.
I was in awe!
Again I spent an idyllic afternoon chatting with a charming, new-found but short-lived friend. We shared tea (bless her!) and I purchased Danish teak-ware gifts for Mom and self. The shipping costs, to my Mother's home in UK, almost exceeded the total of my purchases.
I returned to our hotel around 5pm to find Donna still slumbering. When she woke I would encourage her to drink some water, or perhaps some clear soup - as suggested by Frau Van Euw.
Bill visited our hotel room for a chat between 9 pm and 2 am. His shoot had lasted longer than anticipated, which caused him to miss his 'dancing date' with Donna. He had already booked his room at Frau van Euw's pension, and visited us immediately he'd heard about Donna's illness. But Donna was too drowsy to chat, so I engaged Bill in a conversation about travel.
We discussed my wish to travel through the Balkans to surprise Erik in Greece. It would mean travelling through Balkan regimes that, even in 1976, were far from stable. Given Donna's weakened condition, I decided such a plan would be foolhardy. What if she should require medical - or surgical - intervention?
In his turn, Bill informed me of the dangerous political situation in southern Italy. Then, just as I was about to ask him to go back to his own room for the rest of the night, Copenhagen Erik phoned me from Yugoslavia! It was 1.20 am, and he'd been trying to phone me for four hours.
Apparently, Erik was on his way overland to Greece and wondered if I'd like to join him there for a few days! He must have read my mind!!! Could I get myself to Yugoslavia? Is so, we could also travel together from there to Greece. He didn't mention what he thought I should do with Donna!
Timing is CRUCIAL!
photo of Dubrovnic by kind courtesy of www.marri-rc.org
Had Donna been fit and healthy, I probably would have attempted to join Erik in Dubrovnik. And Donna would most likely have tagged along.
Had we chosen this option, we would then both have become embroiled in the aftermath of 6.5 Fruili earthquake that had assailed north-eastern Italy in May.
When 15,000 residents are living in tents, having lost their homes to a natural disaster, one should probably not plan to travel through their area, unless one is willing and able to offer assistance.
So, with great reluctance, I declined Erik's very tempting offer to travel into Greece with him, via Dubrovnic. It seemed that a relationship with this handsome Dane was simply not destined to be!
Donna had been woken when Frau van Euw knocked on our door. On seeing Bill sitting in our room, she rallied enough to chat with him when I had left to speak to Erik. After my call, Donna told me that though she was more rested, she still felt very weak and really needed time to recuperate.
It was apparent that someone had to watch out for and feed my companion till she felt more physically able to care for herself. And since neither of us could depend on newcomer Bill, that person had to be me. Despite missing an opportunity to reunite with Erik, I felt confident I had made the right decision!
Next Week
July 10-12
July 10-12
SWITZERLAND
10th Montreux Jazz Festival
The Castle of Chillon
Brig
Spiez
Interlaken
Picnic in Grindelwald
Meiringen revisited
No comments:
Post a Comment