Adventure in the Alps!

The bakery across the street from our hotel finally opened. They had a very nice vacation, and we now have some very nice crescents! Seems like every time I say crescents, the baker has no idea what I want, but the pointing method always works.

We drove to Mt. Blanc, but of course had to stop in Annemasse for some shopping. Finally, I found a place I could afford to shop. Some good deals or at least affordable. Kirk was a dear and drank coffee at a nice cafe while I wandered up and down the shopping plaza. Beautiful fountains and one of the most urban toilets yet found.  It was all automated and mechanical and in French. Put in a coin, the door opens, walk inside, door closes, directions come over the speaker in french on what you are suppose to do, and how you are suppose to flush. I was worried I would push a button and the door would open and I would not be able to close it again. Once finished, it automatically cleaned the seat and the floor, you were suppose to leave before this happens...oops! The floor is covered with water to the drainage slots....strangest toilet yet.

We headed further up into the mountains and the sky was clear, so Mt. Blanc was awesome.  Arrived in Les Houches (close to Chamonix) and found a chairlift to the glacier, thank goodness we did not have to hike!  Got to the bottom of the glacier where there was a cafe and Kirk had a beer. While we were sitting there, a huge piece of the glacier fell away...the sound was incredible, the scree fell down the mountain in huge chunks, quite a awesome sight!

Returned to Geneva for dinner, the usual driving stress and parking panic, but we succeeded. Found a nice raclette restaurant and had delicious cheese and meat, flaming parfait for dessert and topped it off with cafe au lait. Including the parking, we spent the same as in Villigen, well worth it, what else could you expect for downtown Geneva, the Manhattan of Switzerland. Expensive, but manifique (...and another great shopping spot)!

At CERN, in the Alps, and fine dining in Geneva!

CERN. And Voltaire

CERN and Voltaire

Kirk and I spent the day at CERN, it is a incredible place. It feels like so much science and so many people. The bonding assurance lab was heaven on earth for Kirk.  So many toys, so little time.  Ian the bonding expert is brilliant, what a great resource to have.

We went to the CMS building and saw a life size picture of the detector, sent pic earlier.   The place goes on forever.  CERN is larger than most universities.

Came back to Ferney Voltaire and went looking for Voltaire's chateau, found it on the side of the mountain overlooking Mt Blanc and a field of grazing sheep.  This guy must of had money, even though he changed his name , because this house is huge and he pissed off a lot of people with his politics, fore runner of separation of church and state, and  religious freedom beliefs.  So I figured it out, I can voice my beliefs if I am rich and not get my head cut off.  But for now I better shut up. Voltaire was about religious freedom, people back then just could not handle it, probably the same as now; power, money and keeping people ignorant.
He was very prolific, wrote over 20,000 books consisting of prose, poetry, treatises...

Why people can not respect other people's beliefs and  end up taking up arms against one another is very sad, but then you have to follow the money and money is not behind respecting others beliefs. Maybe some day...

I do not think it was by accident that Voltaire and CERN are rather close to each other...tolerance and knowledge, they go hand in hand.

Voltaire said,
"I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write."  
"Ours [religion] is without a doubt the most ridiculous, the most absurd, and the most bloody to ever infect the world."

Nyon and Yviore

Talk about the medieval adventure this one takes the cake along with a price. We decided to drive to Nyon and take the ferry across Lake Geneve to Yviore, France and tour the village. So we get to Nyon which is in Switzerland, we pay 60 dollars to take a 20 minute ferry ride to Yviore to see a castle and village. Sounds reasonable, just wait....

Okay it is a beautiful day and Mount Blanc graces the skies for us to see, spectacular. We take the ferry ride with about 200 other willing and able tourist to Yviore. As we disembark you see a medieval castle that is privately owned and not available for tours, then imagine this, take fish town, put it on a steep hill, add a lot of old walls twisting and turning with every imaginable tourist shop stuffed in every nook and craney of the place and triple the price of anything you buy or eat and then make the roads 1/4 the width and cover them with uneven cobblestones. They have you pretty much trapped. The good news is no cars are allowed. I think the deal is you have to buy something and eat something and then they will let you board the ferry for Nyon, requirement I am sure.
If this is not the ultimate scheme for milking tourist I am not sure. Although we did have a lovely time. Flowers everywhere, very charming place.

We returned to Nyon and drove the coast back to Ferney Voltaire, with a stop for beer and coffee on the way. All together beautiful day.

Medieval Adventure

The room we got this time is on the third floor so we wound our way up the stairs with the big suitcase. It has a Charley Chaplin look because of three odd art clockwork on the wall, antiques everywhere and three windows this time and none of them on the street so it was quite and very cool.

The next morning we went to the market in Ferney Voltaire it is simply amazing. Everything from vegetables to dresses. We loaded up on food for the room so we could avoid the pricey restaurants. The cheese is to die for, dresses were wonderful but too expensive. So we settled for nuts, grapes, cheese and bread. All the streets in town were closed down for cars and every street was full of tents with great stuff everywhere. Kirk and I wondered around until they closed it down around 2. The streets are all very small and cobblestones with edges of buildings coming right up against the street, so you have to be very careful when crossing if there are any cars around. I like the market because there are not cars on streets that look like sidewalks.

We headed out for Annecy on the other side of Geneve about a half hour drive. This is a real medieval town. You drive to the center and then most of the streets are just for walking, much safer for us. The town is surrounded by mountains, lake and is criss crossed by canals. This is the Venice of France. Flowers, parks, ancient buildings everywhere. Plus the buildings are surrounded by water. Tunnels and bridges everywhere going from one street to another, and shops galore.

We had. A nice stroll on the waterfront then went shopping. Dinner was fondue, had to get that in before we left France. Delicious!

We returned to Geneva and strolled the waterfront and saw the water spout at night, we walked out to get wet, spectacular. Stopped by a cafe and watched all the party boats and even a pirate ship. Lots of partying on the waterfront. Time for us to go home, so back to hotel France.

Jet d'Eau at night...magnifique!

Day of tunnels

On our return from Villigen we took the long way round and went through the Alps. What a spectacular drive. Many many tunnels, and every time you turned around there was another senic pull out, we stopped at most of them. We followed a river that turned into lakes as we headed up into the mountains. We went by Interlaken, a town between two lakes, and had a geat view of the mountains. Spiez a small town in the mountains on the lake we stopped and walked around, they had 30 to 40 foot sailboats in the harbor, not sure where they sail to. Beautiful day, the tops of the mountains were covered with clues and only came into view from time to time.

We tr eled back down the mountain and returned to Ferney Voltaire and had dinner at a buffalo bar, much more reasonable prices.

Back in our favorite hotel, ready for a good night sleep.

Jet d'Eau in Geneva

The length of Switzerland

We traveled the length of Switzerland in less than 4 hours, amazing. Highway 1 seems to be the main highway that runs the distance. We had a few jogs into the countrynside recommended by Olga, which is our European Charlotte. To avoid traffic areas , got to see lots of corn, cows and quaint villages, nice scenic views.

Arrived outside Zurich a little after lunch and went to PSI, similar place to Fermi Lab in Chicago . Meet with sylvan and kirk was in hog heaven, so many gadgets that I thought we would never get out of there. I was even impressed. Fun place, Kirk could stay forever but I was getting hungry and it was after 5 and everyone at ere was leaving.

We found our little village called Villigen with the bed and breakfast on the main road. Decided to have dinner there, oops, another mistake. Chicken and vienersnitzel for a meer $130 dinner, omg! We have to get serious about this food, need to find a grocery store and stock up when we get back to Ferney Voltair, food could really be more expensive than the hotels.

The room at Hirschen was nice and clean like all things in Switzerland. We had two windows , which one over looked the main road through town, we were on the second floor, and it was very hot, so when you opened window and curtain for a breeze the whole world coming into town could see you. So Kirk was flashing the town of Villigen every time he walked across the room. I stayed in bed. The other window you could climb out and be on someones patio, not sure if it was ours or the neighbors, of yes and one wall was lime green, seems to be a trend with our hotels.

We did not even need a alarm clock, the traffic got us up rather early the next morning.

Now we are on our way to the top of the world! No not Napal but Grendelwald spelling might not be right. We are taking the very scenic route through the Alps back to Geneve. If it is clear we will see the Matterhorn. We will send pictures when we get there, it may be of fogg, but we can make believe.

Hotel de France

Hotel de France
This hotel is a little eclectic, would be a good word. The historic significance is that it was the residence of Voltaire's secretary.  It is a three story edifice that resembles a cross between Ron Weasleys and Doctor Suess homes, it is not quite altogether. If you enter with your head a little kinked it almost looks okay.

The entrance is a very nice salon which leads into a beautiful full length mahogany finished bar with a huge mirror behind it. This also doubles as the reception desk.  I guess the idea is you take a shot, then sign in and everything looks a little more right.

The staircase is unique in itself, not quit circular and not quite square, the walls are of corrugated texture painted sunflower yellow with dark lime green trim.  The floors are a little uneven but that just ads your state of mind as you venture up the stairs.   When you reach the third floor you are a little more prepared for the room you are about to enter if you can make the key work, a little trouble with that but then you enter this room that seems bigger than your typical European room.   I think this is because it has a couple of mirrors. There is a nice sitting area with fireplace, double bed off to the side, desk and closet at other end. The best part was the full bath,  Two windows with shutters, not sure how they keep warm in the winter, but they create a nice cross breeze. Weather has been rather hot and there is no A/C in Europe.

There is an interesting round mirror that reflects the entire room and other mirrors, which gives you the infinity look, not sure if anyone is looking back but you are looking back at yourself, very strange.

View from the windows covers the beautiful village of Ferney Voltaire, lots of flower boxes of geraniums, cobble stones, and cafes abound. Hard to tell if you are on a street or side walk until a car races down it and you figure that this is a street better stay to the side. Lots of boutiques that I will explore next week.   

Sunset was pink and violet softening the rain showers as the night closed in.  Time to hit the best pizza in geneve area and it is right down out street. After our 56 euro lunch we decided to look for a cheaper alternative, pizza sounded good.

A short walk down the street and we found the pizzaiera  Azzura on the second floor. Very crowded, good sign.  Getting a table was a different problem, trying to figure out if we needed to get on a list, just take a table, or wait was questionable.  We finally got seated Kirk got his beer. Now let's try and not look so American okay eat with your left hand and always have your knife in your right,  Well like Gus discovered half your food ends up on your lap especially when it is salad. And eat pizza with utensils, you've got to be kidding.  We had a great salad and pizza for less that 26 euros, we were estatic and very American.  

By now we were both very tired so we headed back to the hotel and made  it up to the third floor and fell into bed.


Gale

Geneve Switzerland

Arrived early in the morning, beautiful day. Going to behard to stay awake.

We went and got our car and it is a convertible, manual, racey looking thing. Took us over an hour once we found it to figure out how to go into reverse, use the gps and get put of a very tight parking spot. And there were only minor marital dizputes.

Geneve streets like all European cities are tight and confusing. We wound our way around town and fund the waterfront. Beautiful gardens and fountains everywhere. They are so accommodating thT they are giving out free sunscreen on the quay, just our luck or Kirk would of been a red tomato before we checked in to our hotel.

We had lunch with a beautiful view, yes we paid for the view. The water spout is beautiful.

Hotel in ferny is really funky, best word to describe it and on the 3rd floor.neat antique furniture, And we have our own bath.

Life could not be better.

Lightly Shaken

Lightly Shaken

So we were boarding in Indy and then were asked to de plane, news was that there was an earthquake in Dulles, no planes were coming or going. This was going to make for a very short trip.

They seem to get things checked out and has us in the air within the hour. Arrived at Dulles and everyone was a little more than a little shaken. Looks like there was a 5.5 earthquake. And what were we doing, flying right into it.

Flight is just running a little behind, but all flights are here, can not wait to get out of here, not looking forward to the aftershocks.

Fashion update, found a great drapping swather top that you can wear two ways,, right side up and upside down, it was in the Indy airport so if I have any money left after the trip I will get it. It is a lovely teal blue. No shoes so far.

France and Switzerland

We are off again. Will spend 10 days working and seeing some of Switzerland. Our 20 anniversay September 1st.

We started it out with a going away bash at our house. Nic was the guest of honor. We slipped and slide, had a BBQ then took in the late movie Deathly hollows. Loads of fun. Made for a late night.

Nic had been wanting to do the slip and slide since last year and we never got around to it. This time we did it even though, 1 it was a school night, 2 we were leaving for Switzerland early the next morning, and Gus had classes at Purdue. All had a great time. But then of course we had to see the last Harry Potter show that Haley and Nic had been trying to see since it came out. 1st time they went it ended half way through, next it was not showing on the late show, so finally we all saw it last night. Great movie.

We are off and running and will send pics soon.