Julia and I have taken a road trip
We are in Zurich, visiting my nephew, his wife and family, and my sister in law.
It is freaking hot.
I know, Illinois peeps, you are experiencing a heat wave of your own.
But there is one big difference: air conditioning.
Most places here do not have it. Our hotel does not have it. Our rooms are hot.
Julia said to pack a fan, so at least we each have a fan to blow warm, damp air over us!
After we checked in, another man and his son came in with suitcases. They had obviously been to their room already.
The man looked at the clerk behind the desk and said, "Our room is very hot."
The clerk said, "Yes, it is."
I did not get all of the rest of the conversation, but I think the man may have been a tad upset.
Nice dinner with the family. Good wine. Good conversation.
And a nice room. Thank heavens work on the tracks is finished.
Maybe I'll try to sleep soon.
Good night, America.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Friday, June 29, 2018
Ohh la la!!
I went to France for lunch
Julia took the day off and we drove to Yvoire, the city of flowers, in France along Lake Geneva.
Jackie and I have gone there many times. It is a tourist stop....the old part of the city was once walled for defense.
Now it is filled with small shops selling a variety of objects.
I always have lunch here, mainly because they make the best perch in butter sauce. I really have to learn to do this. The perch is in small fillets and cooked in a buttery sauce that is then spooned over the pieces.
This place serves it in a pan placed on a warming bar. That way you take what you want to eat and the rest stay warm.
It is a beautiful city. Or at least the medieval part. I don't think I have ever seen the rest of the town.
A new attraction this year for me was a solar powered boat. If I read the information correctly, the boat takes you on a 45 minute circle along the lake and allows you to glide up to ducks and swans noiselessly I just thought it was cool to have a solar powered boat.
Hope all of you are keeping cool and staying hydrated. The weather sounds like it will be a scorching hot two days
Julia took the day off and we drove to Yvoire, the city of flowers, in France along Lake Geneva.
Jackie and I have gone there many times. It is a tourist stop....the old part of the city was once walled for defense.
Now it is filled with small shops selling a variety of objects.
I always have lunch here, mainly because they make the best perch in butter sauce. I really have to learn to do this. The perch is in small fillets and cooked in a buttery sauce that is then spooned over the pieces.
This place serves it in a pan placed on a warming bar. That way you take what you want to eat and the rest stay warm.
It is a beautiful city. Or at least the medieval part. I don't think I have ever seen the rest of the town.
A new attraction this year for me was a solar powered boat. If I read the information correctly, the boat takes you on a 45 minute circle along the lake and allows you to glide up to ducks and swans noiselessly I just thought it was cool to have a solar powered boat.
Hope all of you are keeping cool and staying hydrated. The weather sounds like it will be a scorching hot two days
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| Field trip! Love the hats!! |
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| Solar powered boat. |
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| She made a pass at me! |
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| People walked around him but he just slayed there |
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| That's me in the shade, guarding the entrance |
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| perch and frites....... great meal |
Thursday, June 28, 2018
ahoy, there
I went for a ride today
It has been a while since I rode one of the boats on Lake Geneva. They have some older paddle wheel type boats that run between the cities.
Today I rode Le Suisse, which went into service in 1903. I boarded in Vevey and cruised down to Lausanne, then to five other cities around the eastern end of the lake.
It was a 3 hour cruise. I think I saw a professor, a millionaire and a movie star, on board but I am not positive.
I did post 2 videos on Facebook....so don't look for anything here today.
What was amazing was the wind. At one point it was strong enough to blow the sun gasses off my eyeglasses! It was howling. The small harbors around here have a warning system for storms and winds. Yellow lights are activated to warn boaters that conditions could get serious. Two of the lights were flashing toward the end of the ride.
And at each port, when people came on they all moved to the front of the boat on the outside. But when we moved away from shore and the wind howled, almost everyone went inside. Even me at one point. It was cold in the wind, hot in the sun.
As I bought my ticket the lady asked me if I had any discounts: travel card, half fare card, day pass, rail pass...... told her no but I was a nice person. Nice people don't get discounts, as I found out.
We went to see George and Monica and their daughter Stanzi tonight. I tell you, she is one cue little 7 year old.! I played some games with her in her room and she always seemed to win.....but she also made up the rules as we went along. She has an amazing laugh.
Super was awesome and it was great catching up with George and Monica. We even got to meet her sister and brother in law, and their two daughters. He has some stories!
When we let Corseaux to go up to George's it was 28 (82F) so I put on shorts. At George's it was 21 (70) and I was chilly. I can't win in the shorts world.
Happy dreams to all, and to all a good nacht.
It has been a while since I rode one of the boats on Lake Geneva. They have some older paddle wheel type boats that run between the cities.
Today I rode Le Suisse, which went into service in 1903. I boarded in Vevey and cruised down to Lausanne, then to five other cities around the eastern end of the lake.
It was a 3 hour cruise. I think I saw a professor, a millionaire and a movie star, on board but I am not positive.
I did post 2 videos on Facebook....so don't look for anything here today.
What was amazing was the wind. At one point it was strong enough to blow the sun gasses off my eyeglasses! It was howling. The small harbors around here have a warning system for storms and winds. Yellow lights are activated to warn boaters that conditions could get serious. Two of the lights were flashing toward the end of the ride.
And at each port, when people came on they all moved to the front of the boat on the outside. But when we moved away from shore and the wind howled, almost everyone went inside. Even me at one point. It was cold in the wind, hot in the sun.
As I bought my ticket the lady asked me if I had any discounts: travel card, half fare card, day pass, rail pass...... told her no but I was a nice person. Nice people don't get discounts, as I found out.
We went to see George and Monica and their daughter Stanzi tonight. I tell you, she is one cue little 7 year old.! I played some games with her in her room and she always seemed to win.....but she also made up the rules as we went along. She has an amazing laugh.
Super was awesome and it was great catching up with George and Monica. We even got to meet her sister and brother in law, and their two daughters. He has some stories!
When we let Corseaux to go up to George's it was 28 (82F) so I put on shorts. At George's it was 21 (70) and I was chilly. I can't win in the shorts world.
Happy dreams to all, and to all a good nacht.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
It's a strike
Today wa a strange travel day
Some people question the sanity of my traveling 6 hours by train one way and spending two nights in a hotel room just to have wine with a person who may be considered a stranger.
But you gotta do what you gotta do.
My too short stay in the Arles region is over. But it was interesting.
It was hot. I did not take shorts, despite being warned that it was going to be hot. I don't ever recall having sweat drip off my knees while wearing pants, but maybe it has. I know it did the other day.
The French rail system workers are striking. They do a couple of days here, a couple of days there. Today was a strike day.
So when I went to buy a ticket from Arles to Geneva, I was told I could not get out of Arles by train to the TGV station in Avignon.
I asked the clerk what I should do.
"Do you have a bicycle?" she asked. Even if I did, I would not venture riding 40 miles in the heat on unknown French roads. So I told her no.
"Then I guess you will have to take the bus." That would have been my first response, but I don't work for the French rails.
I went by bus from Arles to Avignon, then boarded the TGV to Geneva.
Here's the strange part.
The bus left at 11:30, so I had time to kill. I had coffee and a croissant, then wandered to the station. I noticed Arles was having a market, so I browsed the market.
Any thing you wanted was there. But the produce and the fish were amazing! Mounds of melons and tomatoes and fish and cheese and........I could not buy a thing.
I eventually completed my wander and went to the train station.
I took off my back and and saw that it was open! Unzipped!! I t has never done that in all the years I have had it......so I suspect someone in the market opened my pack and stuck their eyes in to ogle my dirty underwear and socks.
Nothing is missing. Unnerving, to say the least.
I am posting some random photos from the past couple of days. Some you may have seen before, I am not the sharpest tack on the strip right now.
The moon here looks almost full....and it is beautiful over the lake.
Some people question the sanity of my traveling 6 hours by train one way and spending two nights in a hotel room just to have wine with a person who may be considered a stranger.
But you gotta do what you gotta do.
My too short stay in the Arles region is over. But it was interesting.
It was hot. I did not take shorts, despite being warned that it was going to be hot. I don't ever recall having sweat drip off my knees while wearing pants, but maybe it has. I know it did the other day.
The French rail system workers are striking. They do a couple of days here, a couple of days there. Today was a strike day.
So when I went to buy a ticket from Arles to Geneva, I was told I could not get out of Arles by train to the TGV station in Avignon.
I asked the clerk what I should do.
"Do you have a bicycle?" she asked. Even if I did, I would not venture riding 40 miles in the heat on unknown French roads. So I told her no.
"Then I guess you will have to take the bus." That would have been my first response, but I don't work for the French rails.
I went by bus from Arles to Avignon, then boarded the TGV to Geneva.
Here's the strange part.
The bus left at 11:30, so I had time to kill. I had coffee and a croissant, then wandered to the station. I noticed Arles was having a market, so I browsed the market.
Any thing you wanted was there. But the produce and the fish were amazing! Mounds of melons and tomatoes and fish and cheese and........I could not buy a thing.
I eventually completed my wander and went to the train station.
I took off my back and and saw that it was open! Unzipped!! I t has never done that in all the years I have had it......so I suspect someone in the market opened my pack and stuck their eyes in to ogle my dirty underwear and socks.
Nothing is missing. Unnerving, to say the least.
I am posting some random photos from the past couple of days. Some you may have seen before, I am not the sharpest tack on the strip right now.
The moon here looks almost full....and it is beautiful over the lake.
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| In Vevey they are replacing two buildings....but they are keeping the fronts to make sure the new buildings blend in. |
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| Julia's party palace |
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| I am glad they did not use Roman numerals to number the seats....but what happened to the 600s? |
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| Roman ruins are just darn impressive |
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| practice for something |
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| More practice for something |
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| Maybe this is the something? Notice, the matador is tapping the bull on the back because the animal survives these battles. |
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| The sun eventually ste on the Roman empire. |
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| This was just odd |
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| Misters for the flowers |
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| Field trip!! |
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| From the top of the clock tower bridge in St Chamas |
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| Before the roans, people were living in cliff houses in St Chamas |
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| Stairs up to the clock tower |
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| The house Dan and I stayed in in 2011...might even be my stuff still on the balcony! |
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| This is in Arles as a remembrance |
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| Bull sausage...... |
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| A bag of lavender |
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| Need a mattress? |
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
you can't go home again
Well, I found that to not exactly be true
Seven years ago, my friend Dan and I spent a good deal of time in a French town called St Chamas.
The population is about 8,000, according to our personal translator Nayma.
We had a great time here. We fell into a group at a local cafe and enjoyed the passing scene in front of the cafe.
Since Dan and wife Linda were in France, and I was close, we decided to meet at the cafe. I contacted Nayma, and she said she would also be there.
So, Nayma, Marcel, who used to own the place but sold it in January and is now retired, Dan, Linda, Chris and Sharon (friends of Dan and Linda from Rochelle, and me all sat down for a glass or two of wine. Missing was Yves, a likeable local who gave us some grief until we started talking with him 7 years ago.
I had a chance to walk around a little bit before we met, which was nice. St Chamas is a pretty little town not yet hit big by the tourist bug. There are some Roman ruins here, and housing that predates Roman times dug into the side of the mountain. There is a large salt water lake and a huge natural area.
I knew we were being treated like old friends when the new owner of the bar gave me a glass of red "from me to you." And like Marcel, he does not speak a lot of English.
Short history. St Chamas was built on two sides of a mountain. I tunnel was dug and linked the two sides together. But somewhere in the 1890s the mountain collapsed, separating the two parts. The mountain was excavated and a bridge built for the aqueduct that carries water to who knows where.
The old part of the village is around this area. Farther up the hill, toward the train station, houses are newer and more spacious. But in the old town, everyone is crammed together. It's actually very neat.
Enough of me.
Pictures from the last two days.
I hit a button and accidently deleted some...so count your blessings!!
Seven years ago, my friend Dan and I spent a good deal of time in a French town called St Chamas.
The population is about 8,000, according to our personal translator Nayma.
We had a great time here. We fell into a group at a local cafe and enjoyed the passing scene in front of the cafe.
Since Dan and wife Linda were in France, and I was close, we decided to meet at the cafe. I contacted Nayma, and she said she would also be there.
So, Nayma, Marcel, who used to own the place but sold it in January and is now retired, Dan, Linda, Chris and Sharon (friends of Dan and Linda from Rochelle, and me all sat down for a glass or two of wine. Missing was Yves, a likeable local who gave us some grief until we started talking with him 7 years ago.
I had a chance to walk around a little bit before we met, which was nice. St Chamas is a pretty little town not yet hit big by the tourist bug. There are some Roman ruins here, and housing that predates Roman times dug into the side of the mountain. There is a large salt water lake and a huge natural area.
I knew we were being treated like old friends when the new owner of the bar gave me a glass of red "from me to you." And like Marcel, he does not speak a lot of English.
Short history. St Chamas was built on two sides of a mountain. I tunnel was dug and linked the two sides together. But somewhere in the 1890s the mountain collapsed, separating the two parts. The mountain was excavated and a bridge built for the aqueduct that carries water to who knows where.
The old part of the village is around this area. Farther up the hill, toward the train station, houses are newer and more spacious. But in the old town, everyone is crammed together. It's actually very neat.
Enough of me.
Pictures from the last two days.
I hit a button and accidently deleted some...so count your blessings!!
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| ARles coliseum |
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| Yellow Cafe, or the Night Cafe....Van Gogh subject |
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| He was watching me! |
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| The yellow house.....house is gone, but the building behind it remains. |
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| She asked me for a date! |
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| The clock bridge in St Chmas |
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| Kathy and John.....I had to use this wall in St Chamas |
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| Our favorite pizza place was not open |
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| Pastis at the Nuit Cafe |
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| Bull burger and frites |
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| Feeling at home? |
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