Pix from Amsterdam can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/14356799@N06/sets/72157624824219253/
Pix from Switzerland are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/14356799@N06/sets/72157624797248390/
Monday, September 13, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
'Dam Delays.....
Catching up on the blog…..
Sometimes even the best of plans do not work out. Sean's quick trip to Amsterdam was an ambitious schedule to begin with.....and it got even more ambitious with one less day available to him.
The plan was to fly to Chicago late Wednesdat afternoon so that he could go to school that morning. From there he would fly to London Heathrow, pick up a flight to Amsterdam & arrive Thursday afternoon. We went to bed Wednesday night so excited that he would be there the next day!
We woke up to an email on Thursday saying there had been a change. His flight cancelled and he would be staying in Chicago overnight. The new plan had him arriving Friday at 11:00 a.m. Stuff happens, just hated that it had happened when he was here for such a short time already.
Thursday morning, bright & early.......and I do mean EARLY, Frank, Jill & Whitney arrived. After coffee, we headed to Sara's for breakfast. The morning’s activities included a walk around the 'Dam Square, down Spui Straat & over to visit Rembrandt's house. Instead of a visit to the house, we found a street market calling to us. A few treasures later we continued on through the Red Light District, over to the Floating Flower Market & eventually back to the Jordaan & some down time.
Teena & Whitney adventurously climbed to the top of the Westerkerk in the afternoon.
We had dinner at home & I was ready for an early bedtime......while still keeping an eye on Sean's flight. I happily fell asleep knowing he was finally in transit.
A few years ago when Frank & Jill were here, a comedy of errors ensued when we tried to get to Aalsmeer & the flower auction. This time, we were determined to get there. It was the only item on Frank's 'to do' list.
Friday morning, Frank, Jill, Whitney & I headed out at 7:30 for Central Station. Bob & Teena stayed behind to go to the airport to get Sean.
The trip to Aalsmeer did go a lot better this time although the bus seemed to take forever. It was 9:30 by the time we arrived. Everything is finished for the day by noon so it is crucial to get there as early as possible. I love visiting Aalsmeer & I think it lived up to Frank, Jill & Whitney's expectations as well.
From Aalsmeer we took the bus over to Schipol, hoping to be part of the Sean Welcoming Committee. He had already arrived so we grabbed some coffee at Starbuck's, got on the train & headed for home. A stop at Stube's Herring for Frank & we walked back to the apartment to find Sean, Teena & Bob waiting for us. Yeah – we were all there……or so we thought! As ‘they’ say, ‘But wait….there’s more!’
Teena & Whitney decided the climb to the top of the Westerkerk was worth a second trip. This time with Sean along, they headed out. They stopped at the House Boat Museum for a quick look.
Dinner Friday night was at one of our favorite restaurants in the Jordaan - a Thai place down the street.
Our Saturday morning ritual in Amsterdam is to visit the local street market. It is a combination farmer's market & flea market and always fun. After the market we make brunch with whatever ingredients looked good.
Sean & Teena decided to forgo the market & head to Den Haag to visit Madurodam, the Palais de Justice & possibly the Escher museum. Madurodam is Holland in miniature & we took Sean & Brian there years ago.
Saturday morning Frank, Jill & Whitney came upstairs for coffee before we headed to the market. Jill said she had heard Sean & Teena leave earlier........and she had. But not for Den Haag.
A knock at the door revealed they had been on a mission to pick up BRIAN who had arrived for the week-end.
Bob 'had a feeling' he might show up. I had said all along I would love it but had no thoughts of him really coming. Too far, too much time off of work, etc. But there he was and we were thrilled to see him. And yes, I freely admit I looked over his shoulder to see if Jessie had joined us too. Sadly she could not take the time off from school.
Shopping bags in hand, the eight of us made our way down the street to the market. That morning is probably one of my favorite moments of the trip. Everyone found what looked good – cheeses, breads, meats & added them to the bags. A stop at the market for orange juice & beer (apparently you have to have choices) & home for brunch. The eight of us were joined by Allen. Teena & Whitney put everything together & on the table, arranged just beautifully.
It was a wonderful morning! I have an image in my mind from that morning that I will not soon forget. I remember just looking around at all these faces that I love so much, enjoying the city we love so much with us…..it was really something. Almost too difficult to put into words.
Den Haag was the destination for anyone under 30 on Saturday afternoon & they headed out.
Frank, Jill, Bob & I, remembering the fun we’d had at the Ice Bar in Stockholm decided to head to the Bols Museum. We did get some free drinks with our tour but it was not the Ice Bar. In fact it was kind of a waste of $40! But now we know!
We wandered back toward Spui Straat, stopping to make a dinner reservation at Caprese for Sunday evening. Brian, Jessie, Bob & I had been there last November. We remembered this Italian restaurant as being excellent, start to finish. We thought it was just the spot for an early birthday celebration for Sean.
Saturday evening for the ‘old folks’ was spent just sitting around. The ‘kids’ went out in the evening, convincing Brian to go along with them even though his initial thought was of sleep.
Sunday morning while Brian & Sean were asleep, Teena boldly headed out on her own. She has such a good sense of direction & after a day or two she knew how to get around.
Frank, Jill, Whitney, Bob & I headed back to Spui Straat to the Sunday art market. It isn’t very big but several tables are set up every Sunday. We bought a small painting last year. This year we listened to a harpist playing Celtic music & bought his CD. As of this writing, said CD remains missing. I know we brought it home, just have not found it yet.
From the art market, Frank & Jill headed out to enjoy a day together. Their day included a trip to Zaanse Schans a neighborhood of historic windmills, houses & businesses. It’s a little touristy but a fun place to visit once. We were there with Sean on his last visit. That was plenty! They also did the canal boat ride. Another one of those things we have promised to never do again.
With an 8:00 pm dinner reservation there was plenty of time for everyone to do their own thing.
Back at the apartment, Whitney called Teena & made arrangements for all of us to meet up with her at the Dam Square. Bob & I left the 4 of them & went for one last long walk, knowing we would not have much time left before we headed home. It was a gorgeous day & there were boats on the canals. So many that there were traffic jams. We stood for a long time watching them.
We had high hopes for Caprese for dinner. We had a great time – we would have had a great time just staying in though. It was a fun week-end. It was a fun group! Dinner was OK but certainly did not live up to the memories we had of our previous visit. I’m sure the missing factor was Jessie! Walking back, Brian found a pub to stop into for a beer. Then another pub in our neighborhood. It was karaoke night at this pub. Once they realized we were all from America, 30 year old American music seemed to be the theme. Not a bad way to spend some time – everyone in there was a lot of fun.
The week-end went by so fast & back at the apartment it was time to say good-bye to Frank, Jill & Whitney. Their morning would begin early on Monday with a walk to Central Station. From there, the train to Schipol, plane to Minnesota & then what turned out to be 3 separate flights for the 3 of them to get back to Atlanta.
Upstairs the night was apparently young…..at close to 1:00 a.m., Bob, Sean & Brian broke out the cards & turned on the music. Teena & I went to bed. The night ended for the others about 4:00 a.m. From the crumbs, beer bottles & leftovers on the table when I got up, it looked like a great time was had by all! Sadly, that left very few hours for Sean to sleep before he & Teena had to start their long way back.
A quick breakfast at Sara’s & they too were on their way to Central Station, Schipol, London Heathrow, Chicago & finally Tulsa.
Brian, Bob & I spent our last day just hanging out. Brian was able to get a few gifts he wanted to take home before assuring us that there was nothing more he needed to do. We had dinner in the apartment, plenty of time to visit & thoroughly enjoy his company.
Tuesday morning at 6:00 a.m. we walked Brian through the dark streets, in the ever increasing rain to the Central Station. His long trip began with the 3-1/2 hour train ride to Frankfurt. From Frankfurt he flew to Chicago & then home to DFW.
Back in the apartment, we had just a few hours to finish packing, reflect on what a wonderful week-end we had & how awesome it was having everyone with us. Such a long way for everyone to come. It meant so much to us having them all there!
Our journey home began with our flight on Tuesday back to Zurich where we had started 3 weeks ago. We took a train to the old city where Bob found a fondue restaurant he had eaten at 9 years ago. We had a wonderful fondue dinner, sitting outside. What a lovely way to end our trip.
Wednesday morning we headed to JFK…….during our 4 hours on the ground we saw that there was major rain at home. We learned later that 5 tornadoes had touched down in Dallas. Keller had received 7.5” of rain. Fortunately our flight was not even delayed & we were home on time. Brian & Jessie provided limo service & we were home about 20 hours after we started out!
As always, as I reflect back……it was a wonderful trip. SO special to have so many of our people with us. We had such a great time with them & the memories we made together will last a very long time.
On to the next adventure....
Sometimes even the best of plans do not work out. Sean's quick trip to Amsterdam was an ambitious schedule to begin with.....and it got even more ambitious with one less day available to him.
The plan was to fly to Chicago late Wednesdat afternoon so that he could go to school that morning. From there he would fly to London Heathrow, pick up a flight to Amsterdam & arrive Thursday afternoon. We went to bed Wednesday night so excited that he would be there the next day!
We woke up to an email on Thursday saying there had been a change. His flight cancelled and he would be staying in Chicago overnight. The new plan had him arriving Friday at 11:00 a.m. Stuff happens, just hated that it had happened when he was here for such a short time already.
Thursday morning, bright & early.......and I do mean EARLY, Frank, Jill & Whitney arrived. After coffee, we headed to Sara's for breakfast. The morning’s activities included a walk around the 'Dam Square, down Spui Straat & over to visit Rembrandt's house. Instead of a visit to the house, we found a street market calling to us. A few treasures later we continued on through the Red Light District, over to the Floating Flower Market & eventually back to the Jordaan & some down time.
Teena & Whitney adventurously climbed to the top of the Westerkerk in the afternoon.
We had dinner at home & I was ready for an early bedtime......while still keeping an eye on Sean's flight. I happily fell asleep knowing he was finally in transit.
A few years ago when Frank & Jill were here, a comedy of errors ensued when we tried to get to Aalsmeer & the flower auction. This time, we were determined to get there. It was the only item on Frank's 'to do' list.
Friday morning, Frank, Jill, Whitney & I headed out at 7:30 for Central Station. Bob & Teena stayed behind to go to the airport to get Sean.
The trip to Aalsmeer did go a lot better this time although the bus seemed to take forever. It was 9:30 by the time we arrived. Everything is finished for the day by noon so it is crucial to get there as early as possible. I love visiting Aalsmeer & I think it lived up to Frank, Jill & Whitney's expectations as well.
From Aalsmeer we took the bus over to Schipol, hoping to be part of the Sean Welcoming Committee. He had already arrived so we grabbed some coffee at Starbuck's, got on the train & headed for home. A stop at Stube's Herring for Frank & we walked back to the apartment to find Sean, Teena & Bob waiting for us. Yeah – we were all there……or so we thought! As ‘they’ say, ‘But wait….there’s more!’
Teena & Whitney decided the climb to the top of the Westerkerk was worth a second trip. This time with Sean along, they headed out. They stopped at the House Boat Museum for a quick look.
Dinner Friday night was at one of our favorite restaurants in the Jordaan - a Thai place down the street.
Our Saturday morning ritual in Amsterdam is to visit the local street market. It is a combination farmer's market & flea market and always fun. After the market we make brunch with whatever ingredients looked good.
Sean & Teena decided to forgo the market & head to Den Haag to visit Madurodam, the Palais de Justice & possibly the Escher museum. Madurodam is Holland in miniature & we took Sean & Brian there years ago.
Saturday morning Frank, Jill & Whitney came upstairs for coffee before we headed to the market. Jill said she had heard Sean & Teena leave earlier........and she had. But not for Den Haag.
A knock at the door revealed they had been on a mission to pick up BRIAN who had arrived for the week-end.
Bob 'had a feeling' he might show up. I had said all along I would love it but had no thoughts of him really coming. Too far, too much time off of work, etc. But there he was and we were thrilled to see him. And yes, I freely admit I looked over his shoulder to see if Jessie had joined us too. Sadly she could not take the time off from school.
Shopping bags in hand, the eight of us made our way down the street to the market. That morning is probably one of my favorite moments of the trip. Everyone found what looked good – cheeses, breads, meats & added them to the bags. A stop at the market for orange juice & beer (apparently you have to have choices) & home for brunch. The eight of us were joined by Allen. Teena & Whitney put everything together & on the table, arranged just beautifully.
It was a wonderful morning! I have an image in my mind from that morning that I will not soon forget. I remember just looking around at all these faces that I love so much, enjoying the city we love so much with us…..it was really something. Almost too difficult to put into words.
Den Haag was the destination for anyone under 30 on Saturday afternoon & they headed out.
Frank, Jill, Bob & I, remembering the fun we’d had at the Ice Bar in Stockholm decided to head to the Bols Museum. We did get some free drinks with our tour but it was not the Ice Bar. In fact it was kind of a waste of $40! But now we know!
We wandered back toward Spui Straat, stopping to make a dinner reservation at Caprese for Sunday evening. Brian, Jessie, Bob & I had been there last November. We remembered this Italian restaurant as being excellent, start to finish. We thought it was just the spot for an early birthday celebration for Sean.
Saturday evening for the ‘old folks’ was spent just sitting around. The ‘kids’ went out in the evening, convincing Brian to go along with them even though his initial thought was of sleep.
Sunday morning while Brian & Sean were asleep, Teena boldly headed out on her own. She has such a good sense of direction & after a day or two she knew how to get around.
Frank, Jill, Whitney, Bob & I headed back to Spui Straat to the Sunday art market. It isn’t very big but several tables are set up every Sunday. We bought a small painting last year. This year we listened to a harpist playing Celtic music & bought his CD. As of this writing, said CD remains missing. I know we brought it home, just have not found it yet.
From the art market, Frank & Jill headed out to enjoy a day together. Their day included a trip to Zaanse Schans a neighborhood of historic windmills, houses & businesses. It’s a little touristy but a fun place to visit once. We were there with Sean on his last visit. That was plenty! They also did the canal boat ride. Another one of those things we have promised to never do again.
With an 8:00 pm dinner reservation there was plenty of time for everyone to do their own thing.
Back at the apartment, Whitney called Teena & made arrangements for all of us to meet up with her at the Dam Square. Bob & I left the 4 of them & went for one last long walk, knowing we would not have much time left before we headed home. It was a gorgeous day & there were boats on the canals. So many that there were traffic jams. We stood for a long time watching them.
We had high hopes for Caprese for dinner. We had a great time – we would have had a great time just staying in though. It was a fun week-end. It was a fun group! Dinner was OK but certainly did not live up to the memories we had of our previous visit. I’m sure the missing factor was Jessie! Walking back, Brian found a pub to stop into for a beer. Then another pub in our neighborhood. It was karaoke night at this pub. Once they realized we were all from America, 30 year old American music seemed to be the theme. Not a bad way to spend some time – everyone in there was a lot of fun.
The week-end went by so fast & back at the apartment it was time to say good-bye to Frank, Jill & Whitney. Their morning would begin early on Monday with a walk to Central Station. From there, the train to Schipol, plane to Minnesota & then what turned out to be 3 separate flights for the 3 of them to get back to Atlanta.
Upstairs the night was apparently young…..at close to 1:00 a.m., Bob, Sean & Brian broke out the cards & turned on the music. Teena & I went to bed. The night ended for the others about 4:00 a.m. From the crumbs, beer bottles & leftovers on the table when I got up, it looked like a great time was had by all! Sadly, that left very few hours for Sean to sleep before he & Teena had to start their long way back.
A quick breakfast at Sara’s & they too were on their way to Central Station, Schipol, London Heathrow, Chicago & finally Tulsa.
Brian, Bob & I spent our last day just hanging out. Brian was able to get a few gifts he wanted to take home before assuring us that there was nothing more he needed to do. We had dinner in the apartment, plenty of time to visit & thoroughly enjoy his company.
Tuesday morning at 6:00 a.m. we walked Brian through the dark streets, in the ever increasing rain to the Central Station. His long trip began with the 3-1/2 hour train ride to Frankfurt. From Frankfurt he flew to Chicago & then home to DFW.
Back in the apartment, we had just a few hours to finish packing, reflect on what a wonderful week-end we had & how awesome it was having everyone with us. Such a long way for everyone to come. It meant so much to us having them all there!
Our journey home began with our flight on Tuesday back to Zurich where we had started 3 weeks ago. We took a train to the old city where Bob found a fondue restaurant he had eaten at 9 years ago. We had a wonderful fondue dinner, sitting outside. What a lovely way to end our trip.
Wednesday morning we headed to JFK…….during our 4 hours on the ground we saw that there was major rain at home. We learned later that 5 tornadoes had touched down in Dallas. Keller had received 7.5” of rain. Fortunately our flight was not even delayed & we were home on time. Brian & Jessie provided limo service & we were home about 20 hours after we started out!
As always, as I reflect back……it was a wonderful trip. SO special to have so many of our people with us. We had such a great time with them & the memories we made together will last a very long time.
On to the next adventure....
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Teena Time=Fun Time! Teena esta aqui!
We have always had a vague idea of having 'whomever, whenever' join us when we travel. This trip, we will have lots of company.
Flying from Zurich to Amsterdam we talked about how great it was that this was finally taking shape....this open door, c'mon over invitation. Then we realized it has been happening for awhile.
On previous visits we have been lucky enough to have Sean, Ryan, Frank & Jill & Brian & Jessie visit us - so much fun.
Even our visit from Frank & Jill where anything that could go wrong, probably did was a fun trip. Lots of good memories. And they aren't afraid to come back!
Teena had been so busy finishing school & starting her career that she had not been able to visit. That all changed last Saturday with her arrival. Sean will join us tomorrow as will Frank, Jill & we hope Whitney.
For now, as I told Teena, she's the only child and it is all about her. She came prepared with her list, well rested from the flight & although she is fighting a cold, she is seeing the sites & having a little fun too!
From the airport, we took the train to Central Station. It was a beautiful evening with no rain for the walk to our apartment. We got to visit, have dinner & marvel at how wide awake she seemed after her 16 hour adventure.
Sunday we cooked breakfast & with umbrellas in hand we headed out.
By the time we got to our first stop, Magna Plaza the rain had started. We wandered inside for a few minutes to see the former post office, now shopping center. Not much shopping we were interested in, just wanted her to see architecture of the building.
Across the street to the Dam Sqaure where we spent some time at the Nieuwekerk. There are rennovations going on & we were able to wander around, climbing up onto the temporary raised deck to view everything from above. A quick stop in Bijenkorf, a local department store & listening to some street musicians concluded our visit to the Dam Square.
We wandered down busy Kalverstraat, over to the Beginhof & down Spui Straat. On Sunday there is an art market on Spui. Nothing caught our eyes so over to the Floating Flower Market & The Munt Tower. There were times we walked in rain, times we had to step under an awning but all in all we made good progress. Heading back, we stopped to have a snack at Sara's.
As we made our way to the market, the skies opened up. I guess we were fortunate it held off as long as it did.
Sunday night we had dinner with Allen from upstairs. He finally got to meet Teena after hearing so much about her.
Monday with the sun shining but rain threatening, we were off to wander through the textile market. It is held every Monday for about half a day, around the corner from us. There are fabrics of all kinds as well as anything else you could imagine. Cosmetics, purses, clothing, rugs, shoes.....anything you can imagine & more. A couple of loempia, a Christmas gift, a hat & some orange juice were our only purchases.
Next up, a little culture & a visit to the Van Gogh museum. Bob walked us in the direction of the Leidseplein. He headed back to the apartment to take care of bills & other paperwork.
We found the museumplein without too much difficulty with a stop for a snack of vlaamse frites on the way. I knew we could do it but having never ventured that direction on my own, I did carry written directions.
The museum was not too crowded. We were able to find & admire Van Gogh's Sunflowers but sadly Cafe at Night & Starry Night did not seem to be in their collection. After a stop at the cafe for coffee, a visit to the museum gift shop & some obligatory purchases, we were off again.
Teena declared herself 'museumed out' for the time being so we passed up a visit to the Rikjsmuseum. Stops at the large museum gift store, H & M, the Delft store, a few 'junkaterias' and we were back in our neighborhood picking up ingredients for dinner. The only rain for the day was while we were in the museum....Teena is obviously a little bit of sunshine!
Tuesday morning we headed to Edam, a charming town about a 20 minute bus ride from the Central Station. It's hard to believe this quiet village is so close to the hustle & bustle that is Amsterdam. We walked through the town & admired the canals & beautiful gardens before heading to La Fortuna for lunch. Luck was with us & the rain stayed away, sprinkling just a bit while we ate.
We got back to the Central Station around 5:30 - a good time we have found to avoid the lines & walk right in to the Anne Frank house. With directions in hand, Teena headed off to visit the house. Bob & I stopped at the market for bread, cheese & wine.
Bruce and later Allen came by to visit & catch up. Teena joined us, after visiting Anne Frank House & the Westerkerk.
This morning the checklist included the canal boat ride. Having done it many times before, Bob & I have vowed to never return to it. We gladly walked her to the boat, took her picture & met her upon her return. We took a walk through Vondelpark while Teena floated. A stop for lunch & Teena & I headed to the Rijksmuseum. Currently under rennovation, The Night Watch is on display, as well as other famous Dutch works of art. We spent a few hours wandering through the rooms. A walk through Vondelpark, a stop at the market & we are in for the night. Teena's time as an 'only child' is quickly coming to an end. Frank, Jill & Whitney arrive early tomorrow morning. Sean will be here tomorrow afternoon.
Flying from Zurich to Amsterdam we talked about how great it was that this was finally taking shape....this open door, c'mon over invitation. Then we realized it has been happening for awhile.
On previous visits we have been lucky enough to have Sean, Ryan, Frank & Jill & Brian & Jessie visit us - so much fun.
Even our visit from Frank & Jill where anything that could go wrong, probably did was a fun trip. Lots of good memories. And they aren't afraid to come back!
Teena had been so busy finishing school & starting her career that she had not been able to visit. That all changed last Saturday with her arrival. Sean will join us tomorrow as will Frank, Jill & we hope Whitney.
For now, as I told Teena, she's the only child and it is all about her. She came prepared with her list, well rested from the flight & although she is fighting a cold, she is seeing the sites & having a little fun too!
From the airport, we took the train to Central Station. It was a beautiful evening with no rain for the walk to our apartment. We got to visit, have dinner & marvel at how wide awake she seemed after her 16 hour adventure.
Sunday we cooked breakfast & with umbrellas in hand we headed out.
By the time we got to our first stop, Magna Plaza the rain had started. We wandered inside for a few minutes to see the former post office, now shopping center. Not much shopping we were interested in, just wanted her to see architecture of the building.
Across the street to the Dam Sqaure where we spent some time at the Nieuwekerk. There are rennovations going on & we were able to wander around, climbing up onto the temporary raised deck to view everything from above. A quick stop in Bijenkorf, a local department store & listening to some street musicians concluded our visit to the Dam Square.
We wandered down busy Kalverstraat, over to the Beginhof & down Spui Straat. On Sunday there is an art market on Spui. Nothing caught our eyes so over to the Floating Flower Market & The Munt Tower. There were times we walked in rain, times we had to step under an awning but all in all we made good progress. Heading back, we stopped to have a snack at Sara's.
As we made our way to the market, the skies opened up. I guess we were fortunate it held off as long as it did.
Sunday night we had dinner with Allen from upstairs. He finally got to meet Teena after hearing so much about her.
Monday with the sun shining but rain threatening, we were off to wander through the textile market. It is held every Monday for about half a day, around the corner from us. There are fabrics of all kinds as well as anything else you could imagine. Cosmetics, purses, clothing, rugs, shoes.....anything you can imagine & more. A couple of loempia, a Christmas gift, a hat & some orange juice were our only purchases.
Next up, a little culture & a visit to the Van Gogh museum. Bob walked us in the direction of the Leidseplein. He headed back to the apartment to take care of bills & other paperwork.
We found the museumplein without too much difficulty with a stop for a snack of vlaamse frites on the way. I knew we could do it but having never ventured that direction on my own, I did carry written directions.
The museum was not too crowded. We were able to find & admire Van Gogh's Sunflowers but sadly Cafe at Night & Starry Night did not seem to be in their collection. After a stop at the cafe for coffee, a visit to the museum gift shop & some obligatory purchases, we were off again.
Teena declared herself 'museumed out' for the time being so we passed up a visit to the Rikjsmuseum. Stops at the large museum gift store, H & M, the Delft store, a few 'junkaterias' and we were back in our neighborhood picking up ingredients for dinner. The only rain for the day was while we were in the museum....Teena is obviously a little bit of sunshine!
Tuesday morning we headed to Edam, a charming town about a 20 minute bus ride from the Central Station. It's hard to believe this quiet village is so close to the hustle & bustle that is Amsterdam. We walked through the town & admired the canals & beautiful gardens before heading to La Fortuna for lunch. Luck was with us & the rain stayed away, sprinkling just a bit while we ate.
We got back to the Central Station around 5:30 - a good time we have found to avoid the lines & walk right in to the Anne Frank house. With directions in hand, Teena headed off to visit the house. Bob & I stopped at the market for bread, cheese & wine.
Bruce and later Allen came by to visit & catch up. Teena joined us, after visiting Anne Frank House & the Westerkerk.
This morning the checklist included the canal boat ride. Having done it many times before, Bob & I have vowed to never return to it. We gladly walked her to the boat, took her picture & met her upon her return. We took a walk through Vondelpark while Teena floated. A stop for lunch & Teena & I headed to the Rijksmuseum. Currently under rennovation, The Night Watch is on display, as well as other famous Dutch works of art. We spent a few hours wandering through the rooms. A walk through Vondelpark, a stop at the market & we are in for the night. Teena's time as an 'only child' is quickly coming to an end. Frank, Jill & Whitney arrive early tomorrow morning. Sean will be here tomorrow afternoon.
Friday, August 27, 2010
This week
His perspective
Tuesday’s drive back to Zurich was uneventful. Some photo stops on the way and we reached our hotel by mid-afternoon. I spent the month of November 2001 in Zurich when EDS was formulating a bid to buy the recently collapsed Swissair’s IT arm. During that time I worked with Andy and Beat and we have kept in touch since. Tuesday night we got together for an excellent cheese fondue dinner. It was great to see them. Thanks for a very nice evening, Andy, Beat, Theo and Anita!
Wednesday morning we flew back to Amsterdam, our recent “home away from home”. Bruce met us at the door of the apartment when we arrived and served us a cappuccino. It was a beautiful sunny day and we went for a walk to an outside restaurant on the Prinsengracht and then stopped at the market. We visited with Allen for a bit and settled in.
Thursday…it rained all day. A cold, hard rain.
Friday morning opened the same way. But it was time to get out, so we headed out down the Prinsengracht and Spui Straat...graffiti headquarters. On the way we stopped at Sara’s Pancakes and visited with Sara for a minute. We went past lots of familiar places, including the restaurant where we had an excellent dinner with Brian and Jessie and the bar we visited with them before dinner (no Brian, the Grolsch bar still does not serve Amstel)
We stopped for lunch and then made a slow return to the apartment. Tomorrow morning is the local street market where we traditionally get fixin’s for brunch. Then it’s off the airport to pick up our first guest.
 |
| Wilson joined us for fondue |
Wednesday morning we flew back to Amsterdam, our recent “home away from home”. Bruce met us at the door of the apartment when we arrived and served us a cappuccino. It was a beautiful sunny day and we went for a walk to an outside restaurant on the Prinsengracht and then stopped at the market. We visited with Allen for a bit and settled in.
Thursday…it rained all day. A cold, hard rain.
Friday morning opened the same way. But it was time to get out, so we headed out down the Prinsengracht and Spui Straat...graffiti headquarters. On the way we stopped at Sara’s Pancakes and visited with Sara for a minute. We went past lots of familiar places, including the restaurant where we had an excellent dinner with Brian and Jessie and the bar we visited with them before dinner (no Brian, the Grolsch bar still does not serve Amstel)
We stopped for lunch and then made a slow return to the apartment. Tomorrow morning is the local street market where we traditionally get fixin’s for brunch. Then it’s off the airport to pick up our first guest.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Switzerland.....I loved it all!
I have not sat down to write about our day to day adventures as I normally would. I will try to recap my experiences in this post.
In New Zealand we were charmed by the phrase, 'done & dusted'. Meaning something was complete.
We finally made it to Switzweland, close to 30 years after crossing the border to check the price of a hotel in Schaffhausen & returning to Germany when it was too expensive.
Done but not dusted. A partial check on the bucket list. A place to return to sooner than later we hope.
This was a great start & I loved it all.
The Swiss greeting of 'gruetzi' wherever we went became a phrase we easily returned.
The Swiss appear to be the 'walking-ist, hiking-ist, biking-ist' people we have ever encountered. The villages all seem to have steep hills and the appropropriate footwear is needed for even a short walk. Toddlers wear hiking boots. A lot of people carry walking sticks.
We watched the gorgeous alps each day as they changed with the sunlight or clouds passing over them. They followed us, majestic in their size, an ever present backdrop to the activities of the day. Up and down the winding switch back curves of Maloja Pass the alps, the forrest, the water always present. Standing in Silvaplana at the edge of the water watching the Moth boats hovering above the water, alps in the background - the beauty of it all is almost overwhelming.
I loved the cable cars that took us up to the top of the world to look down on the blue lakes in the valleys, the cows grazing on the mountain sides with their big bells ringing as they wandered. We watched the water falls flowing from high up in the alps ending at the bottom in crystal clear blue water.
How could I not love the experience of riding the 100 year old Bernina Express with its panoramic windows & unique views. A slow tour of the alps as it took us to Tirano, Italy for lunch on a Sunday afternoon.
I loved the beautiful walled villages that we drove through slowly along the very narrow roads in case another car was coming from the opposite direction, admiring the views at each curve.
The tunnels - some short, some miles long, some that signify the start of another country. Tunnels were with us throughout our drive.
I loved the flower boxes on all of the windows. From the smallest apartment to the largest hotel to the sidewalk cafes & the sidewalks themselves, all filled with bright blooming colors.
I loved hearing the sound of the Church bells signaling the start of Mass or possibly an event on one of the mountains. The hotelier considered it an annoyance....to us, as short timers in the village, we loved listening to their seemingly endless chimes.
At check in, the hotelier greeted us with 'welcome home'. He repeated that each evening when we returned. How could you not love that?
All good things must end I suppose. How could you not move on to the next big adventure? We planned this mid summer escape last winter. It turned out to be great timing considering the heat wave Texas has endured this summer. As always, when it is time to go home, I will be more than ready. But that is still a few weeks away.
Next up, one night in Zurich. Dinner with former co-workers from the month Bob spent here 8 years ago. I do not remember much about that month except it was a long time to be gone from home. He was gone for Thanksgiving that year, not fun for any of us. I am glad when we leave Zurich tomorrow he will go with me!
And now the next big adventure - two weeks in the city we love so much, Amsterdam. Two weeks at the apartment we consider a second home.
The traditional end of summer week-end, Labor Day will be filled with family. I cannot think of anything better than being with people you love, in a city you love.
'Proscht' to a wonderful adventure in Switzerland - more soon from Amsterdam!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Swiss pix
Swiss pix, except todays' can be found @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14356799@N06/sets/72157624797248390/show/
There are a lot more. But they pretty much fall into the same categories of alps, alps with clouds, villages, window boxes with flowers and of course, everybody's favorite....Wilson. I dropped a lot of the alps and alps with clouds. I think all of Wilson's pix are on ther Flickr link.
There are a lot more. But they pretty much fall into the same categories of alps, alps with clouds, villages, window boxes with flowers and of course, everybody's favorite....Wilson. I dropped a lot of the alps and alps with clouds. I think all of Wilson's pix are on ther Flickr link.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, Monday
His perspective
Sunday, we took the Bernina Express train to Tirano, Italy. The train is celebrating it’s 100th year and winds its way through the Bernina pass, alongside lakes, over stone viaducts and through several small towns and villages. In some towns the train runs down the middle of the street on its way to the station. Not many pix as the train has fixed windows and the glare caused problems. We had two hours in Tirano, a small town in far northern Italy. We stopped for lunch, Wilson had some lunch and wine, and we stopped for some ice cream on the way back to the station. The trip back was on the same route and single track.
We took a walk through Pontresina, up the hill to Kirche Santa Maria, which had a cornerstone from 1703. We took a stroll through the church cemetery (doesn’t everybody?) and then walked through the higher parts of the town. Some buildings dated to the 17th century and had their restoration dates marked on them. Traditional Swiss window boxes were everywhere. Then back to the hotel for the necessities of life, i.e. charging the cell phone, charging the camera battery, charging the photo storage device, editing pics (on which I am now 2 days behind).
Next stop was the Corvatsch cable car, the highest in the area at 3300 meters. Corvatsch overlooks Silvaplana, where we were day before yesterday watching the Moth boats. Looking down on Silvaplana, I understand the origins of its name, as it looks like a forested plain jutting out into the lake. Like, Diavolezza, skies were cloudy, except in some instances we were above the clouds. The wind was gone and the scenery was of course spectacular. We had a bowl of soup, more pics of course and then headed back down to Surlej, the town at the base of the cable car. We stopped at a bakery in the village of Celerina and picked up some fresh bread, salami, cheese and desert for this evening’s dinner.
Tomorrow, we drive back to Zurich. At this time through the foo-foo towns of Klosters and Davos.
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| Wilson does the Alps |
Monday is our last day in the Engadine Valley. Tomorrow we head back to Zurich. Today would be another top of the world day. We started off on the Diavolezza cable car which took us up 2900 meters, just short of 10,000ft. There were clouds today and the mountain top was quite windy and had a little bit of snow on the ground. I actually put on a jacket….in August, a wonderful thing to have to do. Took lots of pix, Wilson posed for a few. The scenery changed constantly as the sun peeked out and the clouds obscured some mountain peaks,
Next stop was the Corvatsch cable car, the highest in the area at 3300 meters. Corvatsch overlooks Silvaplana, where we were day before yesterday watching the Moth boats. Looking down on Silvaplana, I understand the origins of its name, as it looks like a forested plain jutting out into the lake. Like, Diavolezza, skies were cloudy, except in some instances we were above the clouds. The wind was gone and the scenery was of course spectacular. We had a bowl of soup, more pics of course and then headed back down to Surlej, the town at the base of the cable car. We stopped at a bakery in the village of Celerina and picked up some fresh bread, salami, cheese and desert for this evening’s dinner. Tomorrow, we drive back to Zurich. At this time through the foo-foo towns of Klosters and Davos.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Saturday, 21 August
His perspective
Quite a full day after a slow start. After breakfast we headed for St. Moritz to find the cable car to Piz Nair, a 3057M/10,030ft peak overlooking St. Moritz. I found a 30 minute parking place, which by sheer luck happened to be near the tramway. We went to the ticket office to ask where we could find a parking place. He pointed out that a garage was directly next to where I had parked. Another stroke count for the Griswold’s.
The trip to the top of the mountain consists of 2 funiculars and 1 cable car, for two way points between the station in St.Moritz Dorf and the top of Piz Nair. We briefly stopped at the 1st way point, Chantarella and took some pics (which I’ll post later). From there we took the funicular to the 2nd way point, Corviglia, where we immediately got on the cable car to the top. And I mean top. Welcome to the top of the world, on a clear sunny day, with a nice cool temp of 51F. The haze that seemed to obscure the mountains a bit at lower elevations was gone. We had a panoramic view of the Alps, almost all the way to the Matterhorn. St. Moritz and the Engadine Valley towns spread out below us. Spectacular, is not giving it credit. We sat outside at the mountain top restaurant and had a bowl of tomato basil soup and a drink. The sun was warm, and the clouds cast different shadows on the mountains constantly. For some reason, I decided to look at some of the pics I had taken. They were all terribly over exposed. I put the camera on the correct setting and started over. But the top of the world isn’t a bad place to have to do that. On the way down the mountain we stopped at the 2nd way point, Corviglia. Corviglia is still above the tree line, but has a lot of grazing cows. Almost all wore traditional Swiss bells….a cacophony of bells and moos.
We took a brief stroll through St. Moritz Dorf, listened to some street music and saw displays of classic race cars (a 1951 Alfa for one) and an exhibit of very large sculptures entitled Angels and Demons.
From St. Moritz we headed toward the Maloja Pass. I had no idea what the Maloja Pass was, but had read somewhere that it was worth seeing. I assumed it was a pass over a mountain range with great views.
Along the way we stopped at a town called Silvaplana. We had passed through Silvaplana on way from Luzern and had seen lots of para-sailors. Seems that the Moth International Championships were held on Lake Silvaplana, ending today. A moth is a fast dingy, sailing hydrofoil.
From Silvaplana we headed for the Maloja Pass. We never came a point at the top of a mountain pass as I had expected. But we did start going downhill and were very shortly in the midst of Lombard St. in San Fransisco on steroids. Switchback after switchback, getting passed by motorcyclists, traffic coming to a halt when a bus when through a switchback, as there was not enough room for him and anything else. Incredible. We traveled about 4 miles in distance and 1600 feet in altitude.
Back to the hotel and a good dinner up the street.
Tomorrow, the Bernina Express train to Tirano, Italy.
Quite a full day after a slow start. After breakfast we headed for St. Moritz to find the cable car to Piz Nair, a 3057M/10,030ft peak overlooking St. Moritz. I found a 30 minute parking place, which by sheer luck happened to be near the tramway. We went to the ticket office to ask where we could find a parking place. He pointed out that a garage was directly next to where I had parked. Another stroke count for the Griswold’s.
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| Panorama shot from Piz Nair |
We took a brief stroll through St. Moritz Dorf, listened to some street music and saw displays of classic race cars (a 1951 Alfa for one) and an exhibit of very large sculptures entitled Angels and Demons.
From St. Moritz we headed toward the Maloja Pass. I had no idea what the Maloja Pass was, but had read somewhere that it was worth seeing. I assumed it was a pass over a mountain range with great views.
 |
| Moth |
From Silvaplana we headed for the Maloja Pass. We never came a point at the top of a mountain pass as I had expected. But we did start going downhill and were very shortly in the midst of Lombard St. in San Fransisco on steroids. Switchback after switchback, getting passed by motorcyclists, traffic coming to a halt when a bus when through a switchback, as there was not enough room for him and anything else. Incredible. We traveled about 4 miles in distance and 1600 feet in altitude.Back to the hotel and a good dinner up the street.
Tomorrow, the Bernina Express train to Tirano, Italy.
Friday, August 20, 2010
His Thursday & Friday
His perspective
Tis late, Thursday
Found the car OK and headed from Luzern to Pontresina, in SE Switzerland. We took a detour via Liechtenstein and a town in Austria, which duplicated something I did in 1964. We then drove over the Julier Pass to Silvaplana, St. Moritz and Pontresina. My memories of Switzerland were not flawed or overblown after all. The memory came true just before going over the Julier Pass. Tall mountains, some with snow, villages perched on mountain sides and deep green valleys. And yes, Marv and Edith there are tunnels. Lotsa very long tunnels.
We got to Pontresina around 5, checked into our hotel and found that Thursday was the Last Market day of the season. Seems the market happens on 2 Thursdays per month, from June to August. The main street is closed off and street vendors set up shop selling food, toys and stuff. There were also a couple of guys from Bavaria who made some pretty good mostly nostalgic music. Some Elton John, Beatles, Stones, “Hotel California”, and the topper for us “Brown Eyed Girl” which we have now heard in both Bavarian and Fijian accents. A couple of bottles of wine, some bratwurst and a baked potato got us through the outdoor “concert”. A nice evening.
Friday? Have no idea what we are going to do yet.
Friday, August 20
After breakfast we headed to the train station to buy tickets for the Bernina Express, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Sunday, the “panorama” train will take us over the Bernina pass to Tirano, Italy.
From the bahnhof we headed north to the Swiss National Park. We passed through several small towns, stopping at a bakery in Zernez for some fresh bread, and the adjacent store for some cheese and water. The National Park itself seemed to be the same as that which we had just driven through. Which is a not a derogatory comment. The countryside is rather spectacular. I’m just used to driving into a place like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon and seeing wonders that are unique to that park. At the far end of the park, we drove through a very long one lane tunnel which dropped us at a dam, and the border of Italy. We paid out toll (I assume for the tunnel), pulled over along Lago di Livigno, a lake I assume created by the dam, and had some lunch. After lunch we proceeded into the town of Livigno, but just for a short while. As we had found when driving into Austria, we had few if any Euros. Back through the one lane tunnel (I can’t find the name of it) and we returned to Pontresina. There were lots of sail planes riding the thermals off the mountains behind us. I hope some of the pictures came out We took a short trip on the chair lift behind the hotel to the top of the mountain and this evening up the street for a so so dinner.
Tis late, Thursday
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| Vaduz castle, Liechtenstein |
We got to Pontresina around 5, checked into our hotel and found that Thursday was the Last Market day of the season. Seems the market happens on 2 Thursdays per month, from June to August. The main street is closed off and street vendors set up shop selling food, toys and stuff. There were also a couple of guys from Bavaria who made some pretty good mostly nostalgic music. Some Elton John, Beatles, Stones, “Hotel California”, and the topper for us “Brown Eyed Girl” which we have now heard in both Bavarian and Fijian accents. A couple of bottles of wine, some bratwurst and a baked potato got us through the outdoor “concert”. A nice evening.
Friday? Have no idea what we are going to do yet.
Friday, August 20
After breakfast we headed to the train station to buy tickets for the Bernina Express, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Sunday, the “panorama” train will take us over the Bernina pass to Tirano, Italy.
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| One lane tunnel to Livigno, Italy |
Catch up Time!
Her perspective….
DW-JFK – 1st class – nice flight, chatted with flight attendant about Ipads, and our favorite apps. Told me about Boggle for Ipad. Duly noted & purchased.
Visited with our friend Ralph at JFK…..so great to see him, catch up….note to self, we are all getting old! Additional note to self……oh well!
Flight from JFK to ZRH – what can I say? I’m spoiled. I enjoy my first class seat to Europe. Have not flown coach to Europe (especially when it was intentional as this trip) since 1993. That was a Kilian family adventure that we all remember well, I’m sure! So, it was totally adequate, nice crew, read books, listened to music, slept a bit. And then the best part, it was over!
Bahnhof Zurich – Starbuck’s. Ahhh, coffee….that definitely helped! Added bonus, Zurich Starbuck’s mug to add to my collection.
On to the train headed to Lucerne. Hotel was not ready, wandered around the city for a bit. Beautiful city, cloudy day but a nice walk.
Back at the hotel, slept soundly for a few hours & then went out for dinner.
Cheese fondue…..how stereotypical! No matter, VERY good! Sat outside in the square which reminded me of Sweden last summer. Very nice evening made nicer by the spontaneous songs being sung every so often a few tables over.
Back to the hotel, stayed up fairly late but eventually got a good night’s sleep. Nice breakfast at the hotel & a visit with a young couple from Connecticut who are nearly at the end of their visit. Quick taxi drive to the next village to pick up our car & we were off for Pontresina. We had a brief stop in Austria on the way where we got some snacks at the local Sparr, wandered a bit & continued on. We also drove into Liechtenstein where we took a walk around a castle apparently still in use.
Roads remind me a little or Ireland – they are VERY narrow. There seems to be a lot of traffic including some hikers & a lot of bicycles. The scenery driving up here was gorgeous – crystal clear water that followed us for miles, it turned green or blue depending on the light. Some snow on the Alps, lots of bridges, roads that leave little room for error but give you a chance to look over the side & admire the view down below. Pontresina reminds me of a medina in Morocco (does everything on this trip remind me of someplace else?) – kind of a walled area where we are staying.
On the advice of the hotel proprietor, we headed down the street last night to the last street fair of the season. It was a lot of fun. This trip seems to be punctuated with music and last night did not disappoint. The German band playing outside for most of the evening was wonderful - everything from 50’s to bubble gum to classic rock – Dire Straits, Beatles, Stones, Van Morrison, Billy Joel. They played on and off for about 5 hours. We sat front row, outside, eating dinner, drinking wine & enjoying. Fun night!
After purchasing tickets for the Bernina Express for Sunday morning, we headed off this morning for the National Park. We crossed the border into Italy, enjoying our picnic lunch alongside Lago di Livigno. There are waterfalls coming from the Alps high above, snowfall melting – very beautiful. The Alps look almost unreal, as if they are carved very precisely against the backdrop of an ever changing sky – gray, clouds, sun, they look amazing no matter where they pose!
Back in Pontresina this afternoon we took our first ski lift ride to the top of Alp Languard. At 2330 meters it is a midrange height compared to some we’d like to get to the top of in the next few days.
Switzerland so far – absolutely picture perfect. Everything I imagined & NOT 105 degrees. What more could you ask for?
DW-JFK – 1st class – nice flight, chatted with flight attendant about Ipads, and our favorite apps. Told me about Boggle for Ipad. Duly noted & purchased.
Visited with our friend Ralph at JFK…..so great to see him, catch up….note to self, we are all getting old! Additional note to self……oh well!
Flight from JFK to ZRH – what can I say? I’m spoiled. I enjoy my first class seat to Europe. Have not flown coach to Europe (especially when it was intentional as this trip) since 1993. That was a Kilian family adventure that we all remember well, I’m sure! So, it was totally adequate, nice crew, read books, listened to music, slept a bit. And then the best part, it was over!
Bahnhof Zurich – Starbuck’s. Ahhh, coffee….that definitely helped! Added bonus, Zurich Starbuck’s mug to add to my collection.
On to the train headed to Lucerne. Hotel was not ready, wandered around the city for a bit. Beautiful city, cloudy day but a nice walk.
Back at the hotel, slept soundly for a few hours & then went out for dinner.
Cheese fondue…..how stereotypical! No matter, VERY good! Sat outside in the square which reminded me of Sweden last summer. Very nice evening made nicer by the spontaneous songs being sung every so often a few tables over.
Back to the hotel, stayed up fairly late but eventually got a good night’s sleep. Nice breakfast at the hotel & a visit with a young couple from Connecticut who are nearly at the end of their visit. Quick taxi drive to the next village to pick up our car & we were off for Pontresina. We had a brief stop in Austria on the way where we got some snacks at the local Sparr, wandered a bit & continued on. We also drove into Liechtenstein where we took a walk around a castle apparently still in use.
Roads remind me a little or Ireland – they are VERY narrow. There seems to be a lot of traffic including some hikers & a lot of bicycles. The scenery driving up here was gorgeous – crystal clear water that followed us for miles, it turned green or blue depending on the light. Some snow on the Alps, lots of bridges, roads that leave little room for error but give you a chance to look over the side & admire the view down below. Pontresina reminds me of a medina in Morocco (does everything on this trip remind me of someplace else?) – kind of a walled area where we are staying.
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| Lago di Livigno |
Back in Pontresina this afternoon we took our first ski lift ride to the top of Alp Languard. At 2330 meters it is a midrange height compared to some we’d like to get to the top of in the next few days.
Switzerland so far – absolutely picture perfect. Everything I imagined & NOT 105 degrees. What more could you ask for?
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Jet lag day
This is for Wednesday the 18th.
His perspective
I have been fortunate to have airline employee flight benefits my entire life. We have been able to standby for first and business class on many occasions and have become accustomed to being in the “pointy part” of the airplane.
Our last international flight in the back of the bus was late in 1993. In those days, employee’s kids that were not allowed in the pointy part of the airplane if they were under 12. Ours were 10 and 11 at the time. The trip was so memorable that Brian made a drawing of an AA airplane with a tag line stating that Dad had survived a 10 hour flight in coach. It was refrigerator art for many years.
Flights to Europe in peak season are heavily booked. We therefore bought tickets for this trip. In the back of the bus. We were lucky enough to be upgraded from DFW to JFK, but no such luck from JFK to Zurich last night.
Some thoughts on our flight:
- We have a better idea of what goes on back there where “those” people sit
- I asked if there was a delete key to get us out of “that” cabin. Alas, there was none
- Airlines assign a letter to each cabin of an aircraft, F for first class, C or J for business and Y for coach/economy. Y seems appropriate, except that I would make it Y?
- A special thanks goes to Apple, Jim & Van Morrison, Robert Plante, Aretha Franklin, Mark Knopfler, etal. The IPOD is a wonderful tool to drown out screaming kids who are trapped in an aluminum tube
- Brian, will you make a new drawing/certificate for me?
Yep, I, make that we, are definitely non-repentant snobs, elitists or whatever you want to call us. But fellow nonrevs will most likely agree that we belong up front. :-)
They would.
His perspective
I have been fortunate to have airline employee flight benefits my entire life. We have been able to standby for first and business class on many occasions and have become accustomed to being in the “pointy part” of the airplane.
Our last international flight in the back of the bus was late in 1993. In those days, employee’s kids that were not allowed in the pointy part of the airplane if they were under 12. Ours were 10 and 11 at the time. The trip was so memorable that Brian made a drawing of an AA airplane with a tag line stating that Dad had survived a 10 hour flight in coach. It was refrigerator art for many years.
Flights to Europe in peak season are heavily booked. We therefore bought tickets for this trip. In the back of the bus. We were lucky enough to be upgraded from DFW to JFK, but no such luck from JFK to Zurich last night.
Some thoughts on our flight:
- We have a better idea of what goes on back there where “those” people sit
- I asked if there was a delete key to get us out of “that” cabin. Alas, there was none
- Airlines assign a letter to each cabin of an aircraft, F for first class, C or J for business and Y for coach/economy. Y seems appropriate, except that I would make it Y?
- A special thanks goes to Apple, Jim & Van Morrison, Robert Plante, Aretha Franklin, Mark Knopfler, etal. The IPOD is a wonderful tool to drown out screaming kids who are trapped in an aluminum tube
- Brian, will you make a new drawing/certificate for me?
Yep, I, make that we, are definitely non-repentant snobs, elitists or whatever you want to call us. But fellow nonrevs will most likely agree that we belong up front. :-)
 |
| Wilson enjoys Switzerland |
The train from the airport to Luzern (Lucerne) took about an hour. We walked a bit around the Old City (Alte Stadt) and then crashed for a few hours.
A return to the Old City for a nice dinner on a square called Hirschenplatz. Nancy commented that Brian, Jessie, Sean and Teena would enjoy this.
A return to the Old City for a nice dinner on a square called Hirschenplatz. Nancy commented that Brian, Jessie, Sean and Teena would enjoy this.
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| Luzern |
But duh! Who the hell wouldn’t? An outside dinner of cheese fondue and veal sausage in a square that is at least several hundred years old, and a group of guys a few tables down break out into a spontaneous chorus of "Stand By Me". While we finished our meal with Fondue Schokolade, they proceeded inside to serenade the proprietor with a Swiss accented version of "Pretty Woman". Not too shabby.
Tomorrow is find the rental car and head southeast to Graubunden.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
And so it Begins.....
Her perspective......
There are so many things that come to mind when I think of Switzerland - Heidi, a beloved book from my childhood,the little Swiss Miss doll my grandparents brought back from their trip to Switzerland,fondue,alps,beautiful scenery, cooler temps, maybe Bob in lederhosen! Getting away from this awful heat wave is an added bonus......any way I look at it, I am excited for the next adventure!
Switzerland has always been on my 'to do' list. Somehow it kept getting pushed aside as a 'someday'. OK, I think the foray across the border many years ago does count officially as having set foot in Switzerland. But we hightailed it back to Germany when we heard the cost of staying there.
A week in Switzerland, followed by 2 weeks in one of our favorite cities in the world, Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, we will be take over the apartment building during part of our stay as Teena, then Sean, Frank & Jill join us at various times. Hoping Ryan and Whitney will decide to head over as well. What FUN! Brian & Jessie.....we will miss you guys. We have so many good memories of your visit to Amsterdam last year!
Next post from Switzerland!
There are so many things that come to mind when I think of Switzerland - Heidi, a beloved book from my childhood,the little Swiss Miss doll my grandparents brought back from their trip to Switzerland,fondue,alps,beautiful scenery, cooler temps, maybe Bob in lederhosen! Getting away from this awful heat wave is an added bonus......any way I look at it, I am excited for the next adventure!
Switzerland has always been on my 'to do' list. Somehow it kept getting pushed aside as a 'someday'. OK, I think the foray across the border many years ago does count officially as having set foot in Switzerland. But we hightailed it back to Germany when we heard the cost of staying there.
A week in Switzerland, followed by 2 weeks in one of our favorite cities in the world, Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, we will be take over the apartment building during part of our stay as Teena, then Sean, Frank & Jill join us at various times. Hoping Ryan and Whitney will decide to head over as well. What FUN! Brian & Jessie.....we will miss you guys. We have so many good memories of your visit to Amsterdam last year!
Next post from Switzerland!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Heading out
His perspective
My first trip to Switzerland was many years ago, with my Dad, Mom and brother, Ken. My parents took us on 3 trips to Europe in 1964. Dad was in the process of being automated and knew he would lose his job as a navigator for TWA later that year. Some airline pass benefits would go away with the job, so 1964 was the last opportunity to show the kids a new piece of the world. Thanks for doing a helluva job!
We left LA on the 4th of July and flew to London for a few days, then to Frankfurt and next to Zurich for a “cross country” drive all the way to Geneva. We went back to Switzerland in December of that year, for the last family trip to Europe.
Nancy and I were there very, very briefly almost 25 years ago. We drove across the border while in southern Germany. We checked the price of a hotel in Schaffhausen and very rapidly made a u-turn back to Germany and more reasonable accommodations.
I spent a month working in Zurich in late 2001. It was just above freezing and seemed like it rained every day. But I met some good people whom we will see on this trip.
But, it’s that 1st trip that I keep going back to when I tell her of Switzerland. Mental pictures of towering Alps, hillside villages and deep green valleys. Are these real memories, or too many scenes from the Sound of Music, or too much romanticizing of a long ago trip? Nostalgia seems to become more prominent the older I get.
Time to find out.
My first trip to Switzerland was many years ago, with my Dad, Mom and brother, Ken. My parents took us on 3 trips to Europe in 1964. Dad was in the process of being automated and knew he would lose his job as a navigator for TWA later that year. Some airline pass benefits would go away with the job, so 1964 was the last opportunity to show the kids a new piece of the world. Thanks for doing a helluva job!
We left LA on the 4th of July and flew to London for a few days, then to Frankfurt and next to Zurich for a “cross country” drive all the way to Geneva. We went back to Switzerland in December of that year, for the last family trip to Europe.
Nancy and I were there very, very briefly almost 25 years ago. We drove across the border while in southern Germany. We checked the price of a hotel in Schaffhausen and very rapidly made a u-turn back to Germany and more reasonable accommodations.
I spent a month working in Zurich in late 2001. It was just above freezing and seemed like it rained every day. But I met some good people whom we will see on this trip.
But, it’s that 1st trip that I keep going back to when I tell her of Switzerland. Mental pictures of towering Alps, hillside villages and deep green valleys. Are these real memories, or too many scenes from the Sound of Music, or too much romanticizing of a long ago trip? Nostalgia seems to become more prominent the older I get.
Time to find out.
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