Weisbaden (Germany) to Engelberg (Switzerland)
Thursday 24th we left Wiesbaden (Germany) and headed to Heidelberg for morning tea, then on to Strasbourg (France) for lunch before arriving in Switzerland for dinner and a two night stop. It was a long day in the bus, but the first two stops were for 1 ½ hours each which allowed us to get out and have a good walk around two very beautiful medieval cities with their beautiful cathedrals, castles and cobbled squares. Russ and I ate Vietnamese for lunch in France and managed to find a super market and buy a couple of very reasonably priced bottles of wine.
We thought the drive along the Black Forrest in Germany was pretty good, but were totally unprepared for the jaw dropping beauty of Switzerland and it’s beautiful farms, farm houses and of course the alps. I thought the Sth Island of NZ was good, but this place is amazing. It looks just like it came out of a story book. The Swiss chalets really do have beautiful geraniums in flower boxes and the cows are fat and beautiful and wear big noisy bells.
Today Friday we rode up Mt Titlis to 10,000 feet. We had to travel about 2 vertical ks up the mountain in 3 different sorts of cable cars to reach the summit. The last one was round, with a rotating floor to give you all over views. It was quite strange to travel in. It was minus 6 degrees on top; beautifully clear with amazing views of the Alps and farms and villages below.
We walked into an ice cave which was amazing, then went out and played in the snow. I have never seen anything so beautiful and we went up first before all the other tourists started to arrive and before the clouds started to surround the mountains.
I hate cable cars and chair lifts, but would not have missed this for anything. I was so busy admiring the view I didn’t feel in the least bit scared either.
After that we went for an hour cruise on Lake Lucerne into the city of Lucerne for lunch and a bit of shopping-Russ and I are probably the only ones not filling suit cases with steins and cuckoo clocks (no where to put a clock in the van!). After a visit to the Lion Monument,
we had a wander round town, then deserted the rest and came home on the train. The Chapel Bridge was very beautiful-it is covered in flower boxes on the outside and about 100 paintings on the inside.
It wasn’t easy figuring out how to buy a ticket, but we managed and had a very scenic and steep ride home through the country side. A Brisbane couple came along with us. I paid 2 Francs to use a toilet today (about $2.20) but I had no choice as I was desperate. Believe me, I made good use of my 2 Francs.
It’s nice to start getting to know people. It seemed to be a bit slow at first, but it’s getting better. We get on very well with a young couple from Cowra and a few others. Lots more people gathered in the tiny bar tonight for a couple of beers before dinner which was really good.
We thought the drive along the Black Forrest in Germany was pretty good, but were totally unprepared for the jaw dropping beauty of Switzerland and it’s beautiful farms, farm houses and of course the alps. I thought the Sth Island of NZ was good, but this place is amazing. It looks just like it came out of a story book. The Swiss chalets really do have beautiful geraniums in flower boxes and the cows are fat and beautiful and wear big noisy bells.
Today Friday we rode up Mt Titlis to 10,000 feet. We had to travel about 2 vertical ks up the mountain in 3 different sorts of cable cars to reach the summit. The last one was round, with a rotating floor to give you all over views. It was quite strange to travel in. It was minus 6 degrees on top; beautifully clear with amazing views of the Alps and farms and villages below.
We walked into an ice cave which was amazing, then went out and played in the snow. I have never seen anything so beautiful and we went up first before all the other tourists started to arrive and before the clouds started to surround the mountains.
I hate cable cars and chair lifts, but would not have missed this for anything. I was so busy admiring the view I didn’t feel in the least bit scared either.
After that we went for an hour cruise on Lake Lucerne into the city of Lucerne for lunch and a bit of shopping-Russ and I are probably the only ones not filling suit cases with steins and cuckoo clocks (no where to put a clock in the van!). After a visit to the Lion Monument,
we had a wander round town, then deserted the rest and came home on the train. The Chapel Bridge was very beautiful-it is covered in flower boxes on the outside and about 100 paintings on the inside.
It wasn’t easy figuring out how to buy a ticket, but we managed and had a very scenic and steep ride home through the country side. A Brisbane couple came along with us. I paid 2 Francs to use a toilet today (about $2.20) but I had no choice as I was desperate. Believe me, I made good use of my 2 Francs.
It’s nice to start getting to know people. It seemed to be a bit slow at first, but it’s getting better. We get on very well with a young couple from Cowra and a few others. Lots more people gathered in the tiny bar tonight for a couple of beers before dinner which was really good.
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1:58 a.m.
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