On the 10th Day, They Flew...

August 18 - Geneva - to - Chicago

(Note: Pics here will be miscellaneous pictures from the stuff we uploaded - you haven't seen these yet!!)

Listening to the a.m. news. Who knew? Today is the New Year if you practice Zoroastrainism... The religion founded by the prophet Zorathustra. Apparently, you must be born into this religion, you can't convert. They had a nice piece on it on the BBC morning broadcast. Seems like a very peace-loving bunch. 

Trusty "Mildred" -- BMW Urban

Our last day here. There's a haze on the mountain. I'm on my second cup of tea in our room, looking out the window. It's the Holiday Inn Express in Geneva, spitting distance from the airport. Nothing fancy, but serviceable and it made an excellent "home base" for the past 4 days. 

Out our window, it's not terribly exciting close-up. There's a train track. Just on the other side of the track is a small grey brick house with one window we can see. That window is bordered by a barn-red set of shutters. and the house looks like it's got an old slate roof on top, in dark brown. It's surrounded by lots of big trees, but we can see a little stone outbuilding and there's a table in the back. It's got a red-checked tablecloth, just like you'd see in your typical bistro, and there are 6 chairs canted along the sides of the table to keep the cloth on - looks like they've used it frequently for suppers outside. Cozy, but a bit too close to the tracks for me!

The "infinity edge" pool at Eze - overlooks Med

Directly out the window, we can see a lot of high-rise buildings decorated with large blocks of color - one has a huge swath of yellow, one has brick red, etc. Kind of bringing a little pop to otherwise institutional-looking buildings; not keeping them just that stark concrete-grey. And it looks like we can see Mt. Blanc. It truly does dominate the area, even though we're pretty far from it - that's the only reason I believe it's Mt. Blanc - anything else would be too small. 

The sun is touching the mountain, and those mountains closer to us are still in the shade. Not a horrible view for an inexpensive hotel! We'll leave for the airport about 9 a.m. local time, clean out Mildred and say goodbye to her, and get our money exchanged back into US currency. We did use our credit card a lot more than we thought, but honestly didn't buy much. We have to visit customs, then a plane flight where we actually GAIN 7 hours. The wonders of the dateline, right?

Olives in Eze

Overall, it seems that the various cities we've seen are more aware of, and use "green" technology. Lots of solar panels not only on businesses, but on private homes. Recycle bins located prominently alongside streets. However, unpleasantly, there are also refuse bins located outside some restaurants...not what you want for a dining experience, in my opinion! The really available and reasonable local transportation system is good; even if you don't read the language, the maps are clear enough for the most part, and you can find your way. There are lots of bike lanes, rental bikes (where Ritchie D. got the idea for Chicago's "Divvy" program), and the cars are mostly smaller.

One feature of the cars, at least for Mildred: when you're at a stop sign, they "go to sleep." They go into an econo-mode and when you let off the brake, there's a little "jump" as the revs come back up. It's a little weird. 

Dismay at all the graffiti - not even the good Bancsy stuff you'd see in London, but just gang-ish slogans and that sort of stuff. Even in the rural areas. They really go pretty far out to deface a barn. 

People walk. A lot. More than we do, for sure. Yes, everything's more packed together, but even if you might think they'd hop a bus, I saw lots of folks on their way home from work, carrying a market bag and hustling down the street heading home. 

Yesterday, in Annecy, the "restaurant row" theme was plentiful in the old section. Actually cheek-to-jowl - you take 1 step from one table and you're likely to be in the next restaurant! Check out the link I posted for the live performance of the amazing street musician. 

In the canals in town: you could see the bottom!! You can't say that at home. You can

Silencing Victor Hugo in Lyon

probably walk on our canals with the amount of refuse and pollution! 

Impression of Geneva: At least the area we were in was busy and slightly grubby. Granted, we're at an airport hotel, and there's no un-congested way to get anywhere, but it's really, REALLY easy to screw up and not be pointed in the direction you wanted to go. Luckily, Mildred was extremely adaptable, and not once did she suggest that we "make a legal U-turn" in the middle of town! We've been through the downtown several times; not a tourist area but not anywhere appealing anyway. Definitely found the "working" section of town. Good for people-watching but the traffic was insane. 

Translating speeds from km/hr to mph is not my strong suit, but it seems as if we were moving FAST compared to what we do at home. On the "motorways" (as opposed to "highways") we were hitting the limit of 130 km/h (about 75-ish mph) and still have people fly by you as if you were standing still. Normally, it was 100-110 (about 60-ish?) and that held true in the tunnels, too. On the mountain roads, we usually were at 70-90 (about 55-ish) but Hubby said that a few of those turns were "posted speed limits WAY too fast" and he's used to driving in mountains! You can tell who is and who isn't, that's for sure. When they're zipping along and cutting lanes, they usually haven't a clue - or they have a death wish! The ones who know what they're doing slow down in spite of the posted signs, and they stay in their lanes!

The speed signs will say "130" but there's usually a graphic above them with a rain cloud and "110" - and they post signs telling you that you're on video. You don't see many cops - but we did see the speed changes on-the-fly as traffic situations changed. It's very interesting. On the off-ramps there are usually 3 speed changes in quick order, not like our "45 mph" sign. 

Wondering how Hubby will adjust to the big green Ginger, the Ford Explorer after tiny little Mildred the BMW Urban! 

Some of the 700+ steps in Lyon

10:02 a.m. - Said goodbye to Mildred and navigated customs and security. Whew - the rental folks already had her damaged headlight on their records! In the airport, you don't have to remove your shoes. No full body scan, but I was pulled aside - my Medic Alert bracelet or the screw in my thumb must have set something off. I was actually frisked by a very nice female officer, showed her the scar and bracelet and she waved me through. We board about noon.

11:25 a.m. - on the lane. Exit row over the wings. More leg room than I have leg! I can't even prop my legs against the bulkhead because I'm too short. Still astounded at people trying to shove big bags into tiny overhead spaces. You really have to check the bags, people!!! 

2 p.m. Geneva time - about 7 a.m.(ish) Chicago time: What culinary genius decided that chicken and green beans as a main course needed a cold green bean salad??? Not a horrid meal; just an odd combo. We're trying SIL's "no jet lag" pills. We forgot about them coming over. I hope they work. 

3:10 p.m. - Nuts. My Kindle ran out of juice... Glad I have knitting. We're about half-way through this leg (we land in Montreal before we get to Chicago). The flight from Montreal to Chicago should be swift. 

Geneva to Montreal is about 3800 miles. Montreal to Chicago is about 800 miles. It's -72.4*outside, according to the display. Brrrrrr. 

There was a smaller jet that just whizzed past us off the left wing. Hubby took pics - it's really odd to see one that close. 

We landed (THUD) in Montreal, got off, walked half-way to Toronto, check passports and then we had to be interviewed by Customs. I bought some lavender in Provence and they "hit" my bag. Only trouble was: it wasn't my bag that got pulled up. It was Hubby's. I must have had an honest face -- the customs guy x-rayed Hubby's bag and just let us through. 

Eating "dinner" because my watch (which I didn't change from Geneva time) says it's 9 p.m.

Long haired cows in Reichenbach

even though in Chicago, it's only 2:15 p.m. We have a 2-hour layover here, then we board for Chicago. 

Lucky me: got wanded again by security. It seems to be my fate, I guess. In Montreal, they had Hubby remove my Medic-Alert. They then decided it was because I was holding my passport and the electronics in the passport were setting off the buzzer. They let me through anyway. I must have looked harmless...and jet-lagged!

5:15 p.m. Chicago time: on the puddle-jumper to O'Hare. It's starting to hit me that I have been awake a VERY long time; considering my body is still on Geneva time. We've got about an hour to go till we land. Had some tea; want to try to get my body clock regulated.

Funny airport story: we get off the plane from Geneva and this little old French lady gets off. We sit in customs. The little old French lady is there. We go through customs, get something to eat and go to the gate. Yep, Little Old French Lady. As Hubby goes to get a candy bar, she and I have an entire conversation about the flight from Geneva to Montreal, the customs situation, and how she's visiting her daughter down at U of I... and she's speaking French - I'm speaking English. Did you ever have one of those experiences?? Turns out she's on this same flight, obviously, and she was a few rows ahead of us. As we left, we hoped that enough Air Canada folks would be around to make sure she got to meet whoever she was meeting. 

I can't remember if I mentioned it, but what did surprise me was that we saw NO wildlife in the mountains. The one marmot that was visible, I couldn't see because I was in the middle of the gondola going up the mountain! Only saw the birds. Hubby says it's because of all the people. The wildlife came out early and left before the humans started to arrive.

7:30 p.m.:  HOME!!! Hubby survived driving Big Ginger the Explorer, we came in and were MOBBED by the dogs. 

Mail's stacked up; dogs excited; plants are dry. And I'm bushed. 

Dandelion on Le Brevent - Chamonix

POST-SCRIPT: MEDICATION STORY... So my sister did a phenomenal job saving my rear end when I miscounted my heart meds. She went to Fed Ex, got about half-a-ream of paperwork done, we coordinated where to send the package, and tried to get one of the cardiologists to write a justification of need in case the package got held up somewhere along the line... And she was telling her doc this saga.

The doc looks at her and says, "Why did you do that??" Sis says, 'Because that's the procedure and Doc X never called me back - the jerk.' 

Her doc says, "All your sister had to do was show up at a local hospital's ER with the prescription bottle. They know what the medication is. They'd have filled it for her at no charge."  

Sis says, "Where were YOU when I was trying to get all this done???" 

On a fun note, see the pics - they're kind of random, but I figured everyone would like to see Mildred after all I told you about her. The infinity pool was fantastic. Did you click on Victor Hugo to see his surprise? And look -- even on the top of a mountain, there's a dandelion! 

Looking at the journal now... I have about 1/2 the journal left. Guess we have to go on another trip so I can fill it up, right? 

Back to the Trip...

August 17, 2013 -- Annecy, France

Swans on the lake

So we're back to our regularly scheduled travel blog... Sorry for the detours, but sometimes they happen.

Here's the link, just in case you're all about spoilers, and you want to look at EVERYTHING. Be advised: it's a LOT. I mean ginormous, humongous, over-the-top, etc. So if you want MORE, MORE, MORE, that's where you'll find it.  http://sdrv.ms/1ajCti6



Today was a trip that was kind of extemporaneous. We knew we weren't going to make it to Eiger, given the dicey weather and all. So we looked to Rick Steves for inspiration. His suggestion was Annecy - pronounced, AHN-szee. We'd passed the off ramps for the town several times; one is for the tourist area and one's for the "downtown business" area. Rick Steves suggested the tourist exit and gave us a general idea of the town.

But it was not what I expected on several levels. We kind of guessed at where to park, got Mildred in a very tight spot, and then started walking. We followed the curve of Lake Annecy till we came to somewhere that looked appropriate.  Here's what the journal had to say:

View of downtown Annecy

10:15 a.m. - Waiting to depart on a 2-hour lake tour. Practically empty boat, which is fine with me! The park in Annecy is beautiful and we did a little side trip down through some streets. After our trip 'round the lake, we'll see what's next. 

As it's our last day (the 18th will be the Big Travel Day), we're trying not to "do" a lot. I could spend most of the day here (as I recall, I was perched on a park bench) and head back in the afternoon. We'll see what the weather holds, too. 

We're at a dock, and the tour boats leave regularly. The town is more than picturesque. The park is lovely and we got some lovely shots of the birds, etc. 

We're on the boat now, and traveling at about 13 knots. The water is so clear! More green than blue; the guide says it's a natural lake, formed from the last Ice Age. I'll be transcribing lots of factoids, so this will be a long-ish entry...but I hope it intrigues you. 

The lake is 27 sq. km. long, 3.5 km wide and 82 m deep. Water skiing is the thing, apparently. There's a slight haze by the hills across the lake; very smooth ride. On the eastern side of the lake is a mountain that's 1300 m up. It's a bird's eye view of the lake and Mt. Blanc, which is a pretty big deal. 

We briefly pull up at various stops; this tour boat is also rather like the city bus system. If nobody is at the stop waiting to get on, and nobody needs to get off, we just keep breezing by. 

Chateau

Being on the water is so peaceful. Gorgeous breeze keeps you cool & you don't feel the sun. When it's been about an hour, I'll duck into the shady area...You almost don't know which way to turn your head as the taped guided tour starts up.

Have to get a city map...

Coming toward Mt. St. Bernard. There are 3 peaks and a 12th century chateau in the foothills. Tons of paragliders! This chateau has been in the same family since the 12th century. We're infants... There are some beautiful gardens as we pull up to the pier. Tons of lavender and just BUCKETS of petunias in window boxes. 

In so many places, we see familiar flowers, but they're huge. The climate is perfect to truly grow dahlias to dinner-plate-size. I've seen them in catalogs, but now - there's a 9" dahlia sitting right in front of me! The lavender is easily 5 feet high. My lavender at home barely tops 1.5 feet and has sparse blossoms. This stuff is covered in the blossoms. As we're docked, you can look off the side of the boat and see the bottom of the lake. It's crystal clear. 

The Palace Hotel

As we round the lake, we see an old hotel, which our taped guide says is The Palace. It's right on the lake - no yard; you just have a small patio and then the water. It was very popular in the 1920s-30s and has been totally renovated. The guide says it's "exquisite" in terms of the quality of the hotel and restaurant. 

Roc du Chere

We're coming up on a building that looks like it grew up out of the lake - a nature area, if I'm making out the French right: Roc du Chere - a nature preserve since 1977. Over 560 species of flora and fauna live there because of the micro-climate of the island. Among the animals are black kites and peregrine falcons. There are 2 caves - one of which goes 30m into the rock. The rock goes into the lake and down about 48m. It's sheer rock walls from the side we're on. I'm not sure how exactly you GET on this island, but from what it sounds like, it's not for the casual tourist. It looks like one might have to be air-lifted in and out. The caves are interesting, and there are boats and jet ski folks around it. 

Our next view is of the Abbey of Talloires - from the 18th century. Apparently, the artist Cezane stayed here. Looking at the dock, many of the boats appear to be hand-crafted - they're small and beautiful. Hubby is taking video and pics - these pictures are all him for the lake tour. 

There's a nice beach here and several restaurants. The Royal Family (of England) has also visited here. As I write this, a tandem glider goes right over the boat and lands in a little park area. Not sure I'd be good with gliding over the water, even if it is clear and not too deep. It's that whole not-being-able-to-swim thing...

Church in the canal in downtown

We stopped at Angon and took on more passengers. Hint to self: if you don't know where you're at, you might want to look at the dock - the name of the stop is pretty clear!! I noticed a lot of people wearing Birkenstocks, and a wide variety of outfits on women of every generation. Yep, some "mutton dressed as lamb" but I'm assuming they've either got great self-confidence or a Magic Mirror stashed somewhere. People watching...

We now leave the Big Lake and go to the Small Lake. There's a gorgeous jump-off for gliders and you can see the entire lake from that vantage point. I moved in out of the sun for now; I was right - it was about an hour and I started to feel really warm. I must be nuts, because as I watch, I'm thinking, "Oh yeah - I'd parasail from here!!" Oy. 

People bring their bikes on the boat, as well as luggage, strollers, etc. Rick Steves says Annecy is a great place to bike, and I can see that. Biking around the lake would be cool. Annecy is located right next to Albertville, the site of the 1992 Winter Olympics. 

Our next stop is Bout du lac. Tons of people to get on here. We're back on the near side of the small lake and we have about 1 more hour to tour. The air smells of water and mountains. That sounds silly till you've inhaled here. Odd combo, but it's at the same time crisp and most, clean and spicy - all in one breath. Hubby's still out in the sun snapping away and using the GoPro. 

Looking back on the big lake

There's an ancient-looking cottage on the lake with a satellite dish sticking out the side - an anachronism, right? The houses here are a mix of "really old," along with "slightly old," and "built new to LOOK old." 

On the little lake, the water is more blue green. Some houses are so close, you wonder how much water they get if the lake gets really wild. Or doesn't it get wild? It's breezy on this side of the lake. The houses are either timber or in creamy shades of stucco - the shutters are pops of color, in primary shades. One white ultra-modern Mies-like box is right above a more traditional chalet! 

As a side note, my Lewis pen apparently did freeze on the mountain. It's working just fine now! I look up from my journal to see a church tucked up the hill behind houses. 

Coming up on Duingt (not sure of that spelling) - the place Rick Steves suggests that you rent a bike from and drive back to the main parking area. Heck, we're not sure we parked in the main parking area!

Parent and 3 little girls at the dock. All the little girls are remarkably uninhibited, considering they're just in bathing-suit bottoms. They're all quite tan, and I sense a little hesitation from the oldest girl, kind of like she knows that pretty soon, she'll be a "big girl" and lose some of that freedom. 

15th century castle

The water at this pier is absolutely crystal clear. No hint of color, and you can see the sandy bottom. People enjoying swimming and playing in the water. As we move on, I see an old castle and buildings - the camera is running but our taped guide is quiet. Hang on, she's started up again... We're going back on the big lake. The castle was actually the subject of a painting by Cezane. The castle is from the 18th century; the peninsula on which it sits is privately owned. The tower (and you can almost hear the taped guide sniff disdainfully) is only from the 19th century. 

The guide tells us that there's a pennant on the water marking the site of a small island, but I don't see it. 

I do, however, see ANOTHER castle. This one is from the 15th century; and this section of the lake is the most "ancient." It used to be a fishing village; a very small town, the smallest of the towns ringing the lake. 

Wowza... The boat lurched and the engine gunned. And now I see why. Some idiot in a speed boat cut our big tour boat off. This boat is 50' long... I'm not sure how you don't see that at nearly noon. The horn was blown, the captain was quick to swerve and the idiot speedboat driver survived. 

Along the western side of the lake you see acres of reed beds. They're ecologically important, not only for the lake itself, but also for the fish and fowl who lay their eggs and hide their young in those beds. 

They have paddle boats you can rent, and the boats have slides - of course, you'd want to slide into a hugely deep lake... It would probably make more sense if either of us could swim. 

Next stop is St. Jorioz (pronounced San JOR-EE-OH) - a beach area. It would've been nice to have brought our bathing suits, now that I think of it. But we had no idea, Rick Steves included, that we should have done that. Clouds are starting to build at the north end of the lake, but so far, they're merely "pretty" and not "threatening." 

We're coming toward the oldest beach, where the river joins the lake. The town is one that goes pretty far inland. I could totally come here for a week. The water changes color dramatically as we near the beach. Oh, our taped guide says the guy who invented bleach lived here. Also, she mentions that this is a big downhill and cross-country ski area. Olympians train here. 

We're coming into Sevrier (Sev-REE-Ay). Very green water. The color of peridot. The first mate, a small stocky woman, heaves the gangplank at every pier and shoves the ropes around as if they're no more than clothesline. 

Once again, Notre Dame is not just in Paris or Indiana. From Lyon to Annecy, there's a Notre Dame somewhere in town. 

Moving along at 13 knots, my hair is getting a "styling" and we can see the swans and ducks along the shore. We're in the Savoy area of France. They drink the lake water; and our taped guide says this is the cleanest lake in France, if not Europe. Given the clarity of the water, I'd have to agree. The drinking water is drawn from below the 27m depth. And they have an active fish-breeding program; the building is ugly, but the science is apparently good and doing good work in the area. 

As the tour ends, our guide points out the Cathedral of Visitation - the steeple, at 72m  - is the highest point in town. The contemplative order which founded this cathedral still exists and the area is not open to the public. But the presence of the cathedral gives you a sense of timelessness and security. To know the Good Sisters are praying must be comforting to the residents. 

We disembark and start walking. We decide to have lunch at La Bastille - truly a hole-in-the wall along a street where, if you're not careful, you'll be at one restaurant and your table-mate is at another - that's how close the businesses are! You're all crammed in together. This place has regional food and frantic waiters... who use their cell phones to take orders, since they apparently have a state-of-the-art point-of-sale software program! We're stuck at a table which is in the main traffic lane for the servers; we can see the dessert station, the gal whacking at loaves of bread; the outside; the counter where they place the orders...It's a beehive of coordinated chaos. There are SINFUL dessert plates, the inevitable peach iced tea, and local cheese plates. Hubby has the local perch and I have a Savoy dish that's basically potatoes au gratin with ham. The cheese they use is the local stuff. I did take a pic with his phone of the menu so I could recall what the dish was called, but I do remember laughing and saying, "You realize we're paying tourist prices for what is most likely a peasant dish they ate when there was nothing else!" It was delicious. 

As we walked around the town, we saw an ice cream shop called Glaces Perriere and a sign on the street called  Pont de Perriere - I mentioned that it might be a regional difference in spelling of our last name. On this bridge, we not only saw shining-clean canals, but we also saw an awesome street musician. Looked like he needed a bath, but everyone actually stopped and listened as he pulled out his guitar and played the most amazing classical guitar music. Too late, I noted that he had CDs for sale for 10 euro... Like an idiot - I should have gone back to get a couple. 

Street musician

3:05 p.m. - we started back. We were warm and ready to just head back to chill out a bit. Only 2 wrong turns and 1 u-turn - we took a quieter drive back to the hotel. Hubby took Mildred to get gassed up prior to turning her back in. We were alarmed to note in the parking lot that she acquired a ding in her headlight on the passenger side and a small scrape! Yikes! WE didn't hit anyone, but they're crammed so closely in these parking spots, it wouldn't surprise us if she got clipped. People don't seem to have the possessiveness of their cars that Americans do. A car is just a way to get somewhere. 

We get to the BBC channel in the hotel and watch the mess in Egypt. Hopefully, we'll let them sort out their own mess. We're not the world's conscience (given our own situation), nor the police. 

I'm in the Bar Express of the Holiday Inn Geneva, because the room isn't ready yet (we're on the 5th floor, and they hadn't gotten there yet). We have to print our boarding passes for tomorrow. 

On consideration, I could split a vacation between both Annecy and Chamonix. Oh, and (a) we should have worn shorts!; (b) it hasn't rained, though the clouds are building; and (c) I think I have a little windburn from the boat. Hubby's face is a bit more red, too. 

View of a row of restaurants

On the way back to Mildred, I stopped and put my hand into Lake Annecy, and it was lovely! It would have been great for a short dip. Also, during our walk through town, a very rare occurrence happened.  A bully-breed dog took on an Akita. They were both walking down the street, on leashes, coming toward each other, and the bully tore into the Akita. Who didn't back down. It was swift; the Akita retaliated, and no blood was drawn. The bully's owner didn't have good control of his dog. The Akita owner did. Both dogs were separated, and several of us went to the Akita to ask if he was hurt. Give credit where it was due: the bully's owner was VERY upset and asked if he needed to give the Akita his information so that he could pay for vet bills if necessary. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, and the bully got a mouthful of fur... That is the only altercation we ever witnessed between dogs in the entire trip. In Annecy, there are more northern breeds; obviously the weather is more conducive, because the other dogs we saw were "pocket" dogs... Oh, and there was a gorgeous Irish Wolfhound strolling along one of the bridges in Annecy. Lovely gent. I suppose that since they actually get winter here, the northern breeds make sense. I just wonder, in these tight quarters, where one would be stashing either an Irish Wolfhound or a 120-lb red and white Akita!

4:50 p.m.: Packing up. Hubby's working on how to pack some of the art work we have that we'll be bringing home. Several lovely prints from Provence and Mt. Blanc, and we don't want them smooshed. I've got just about everything packed, and my clothing for the morning laid out. Now, just chilling and watching TV. 

(You should go on the link for the pics of the cathedral and even more of our trip...)

On to Lake Lugano - with more Pics!

August 13, 2013 - Destination Lake Lugano

Up at 6:45 a.m. -- wayyyyyyyyy early, considering we stayed up till nearly midnight. The saga of the "night sky pictures" was made a little more complex by the fact that Hubby wasn't familiar with my camera. But he did get it to do timed exposures. 

Lake Lugano

Trouble was, the tripod we brought along was wobbly. Nothing really turned out, and we didn't have a trip switch (I have no idea of its real name, but it's the thingy you attach to the camera and press so that you don't jostle the camera itself). 

Hubby said that if he had known how spectacular the scenery was, he'd have brought along the medium-format camera (which is HUGE and weighs a TON) and paid the extra for having to pretty much buy it its own seat on the plane. 

Again, shocked at how late the kids stayed up - but again, it's August. Nobody's in school yet. My "provincial" side is showing!

To leave the hotel, we go UP the tight spiral which we navigated DOWN. Our trip to Lake Lugano will take us via a little piece of Italy. That ought to be interesting. 

Hubby decided Italian drivers have the same death wish as motorcyclists... They're nuts right outside Milan. Mildred did her best work again and got us where we needed to go. I do have a picture of her. Hubby took the photo from her backside, and I told him NO woman likes a picture of her rump!


12:40 p.m. - arrived at Lake Lugano, driving straight through, which was a little over 4 hours. Seemed to be about 100 tunnels! I did take some pics of the tight turns we had to navigate to get back on the motorway. 

Imagine the wedding shots here...

The lake is gorgeous. Another Novotel - the Novotel Paradiso, but this one is newer. Great view of the town from the window; we didn't get a lake view. But we're seriously 2 blocks from the lakefront, so it's not a big deal. 

The room is gorgeous, and there's an interesting feature: you can see through the window wall in the shower to the commode!! Seriously. Don't quite know why they bother with a bathroom DOOR when you have a relatively unrestricted view of the potty through a window, but what do I know about architecture?

This area will be nicer to walk in than we had in Provence. It's all concentrated in a central place. Hubby took some laundry down. As soon as he gets his internet connection running, we'll go for a walk and have lunch.

We drove straight through Italy on the outskirts of Milan. Traffic flowed so smoothly (for the most part) and Mildred has such great gas mileage that we didn't even need to stop for gas. We'll have to fill up tomorrow, though. Also, on arrival in Geneva, the Heart Medicine Incident should be solved. Must also strategically re-pack everything, too. It got a little disorganized in the travel.

Going up the tram

5:30 p.m. - Hubby is trying to kill me. Seriously. The lovely young woman at the reception desk gave us another local map and said, "You should see Mt. Bre." So we got to the correct spot to catch the tram; it's a closed train that goes straight up the mountain. But once you're up there, it's another 15-minute walk down - yes, DOWN - to the better view. Of course, "down" isn't the specific issue. It's the coming "UP" to get to the tram that takes you back DOWN to street-level that's the problem. I thought the Swiss were logical... 

It was a total of 760 steps. I'm beat. And today I went without sunscreen but I did have my floppy hat. Shower. Then dinner.

OK, the Swiss believe in wash cloths, thank goodness. And they're really clever!! Walked into the relatively large bathroom and noticed a button. Well, being human, I pushed it.

Well -- whaddaya know??? It "clouds" the picture window on the side of the shower so that you CAN'T see into the toilet area. Cool. You can see OUT when you're in there, but the person in the room can't see IN. Whew!

Dinner at the hotel and then walk to the lake and perhaps coffee/tea at one of the little cafes. 

Chiesa di Loreto

On our walk today, we found Chiesa di Loreto, a lovely old church. Took pics, lit 2 candles, so between the Cathedral in Lyon and the church here, the entire family should be covered! We could have spent 2 days here easily. Still would have loved to have seen Mt. San Salvatore and the very old village of Gandria.

Gandria is only available by walking or by a boat across the lake. 

The Park

As it is, though, I ran out of steam and we ran out of time to get to both places. Must say, Hubby is, as usual "mission driven" on these trips. He has places he wants to see, whereas sometimes I just want to "be" and relax and take it easier. But that's ok. What usually happens is that we find gems that aren't mentioned on maps, so it all works out. We are, however, having trouble staying hydrated, even though we're carrying (and drinking) water. 

"Lunch" turned out to be ice cream on our way through a lovely park and to the tram up the mountain. I had a pistachio cone and Hubby had a little cup of chocolate -- so chocolate that it looked like black coffee. He gave me a taste, and it was just a total "chocolate experience." 

Washington memorial in Lugano

As we walked toward the park, we saw a memorial. I thought, "Gosh that bust looks familiar." And it was. It was George Washington. A memorial to George Washington in Lake Lugano. I couldn't make this up! So of course we took a picture of it. 

There appears to be a lot of building going on, which should be a good sign. There were people all over, lots of bikers and lots of people using scooters - the ones you use your one leg to run, not the motorized ones. And the dogs. Of course. 

I think if we had timed it differently, we would have taken the boat trip, but we just missed it, so we chose the walk. Got some postcards and a keychain. 

The park was lovely, too, as you can tell from just the few pictures. There was art all along the lakefront, and there were paddle-boats you could rent, but we weren't comfortable with that idea. There were several pavilions and plenty of places to sit. Lots of people out for a Tuesday! The picture of the gate? Can you just imagine the brides and grooms in front of that? I can. 

There were swans in the water and they came boldly up toward the people because they knew someone would feed them! Saw a "Fresh Orange Juice" vending machine - you can put your Euros in there and watch it squeeze fresh oranges for a cup of juice. That was just sitting there along the waterfront. There were a few public water fountains that you could drink from, and lots of cafes to stop at if you wanted to do so. 

Turns out we didn't go to the hotel for dinner. We had a half-hour and scoped out some places on the main drag. We realized quickly that even though we're on the Swiss side of Lake Lugano, most of what's close is Italian. Ate at La Terrazza delle Stelle - down the main street and attached to the Hotel Victoria. It was buzzing, and like I told Hubby - if there are people there, it must be ok! He had a Neapolitan pizza - 4-cheese, and I think it's the only time I've seen him actually eat gorgonzola... and I had spaghetti with clams. In the Med, you eat the seafood! Unfortunately, on the first go-round, there was a short black hair in my pasta. Not mine. Got a re-do (what is it with me and food this trip??) and ate it all. I've never had it prepared with red chilies before. A little spicy, but the clams were lovely. For dessert, Hubby had a 3-scoop ice cream of 2 choc + 1 rasp sorbet. I had a creme caramel, kind of toning down the fire of the red chilies. 

View from Mt. Bre

Lake Lugano is basically 2 lakes connected. Mt. Bre is on the north lake. We're on the main lake. Hubby said "I could live here." Astounding... it's Mediterranean. Hot. Humid. Yes, mountains, but I was shocked. I don't think I could live here, but I could come back. 

Hubby was trying to improve my photo-taking skills; he had me using manual focus and re-learning how to take "a proper head shot." The pics here are a combo of mine and his; I really can't remember, except the night shot is his. 

The sunset happened quickly, while we were at dinner. Does that in the mountains. The clouds were glorious in the rose, red, orange and yellow of the setting sun. We lingered over dinner with no feeling that, despite people coming in, we were being "rushed out." I really do like that, because in the US, it's like they're shoving the check at you while you're still chewing... 

Late dinners are an adjustment, but the portion size and restful attitude of the servers makes it easier. 

View of the town at night

All the fountains lit up. There are several, and one big jet on the lake. We waited about 1/2 hour or so (YIKES - up and OUT of our hotel room at 9:30 P.M.??? Who are we???) and wanted to see if Mt. Bre lit up what with the houses up the side of the mountain. 

Hubby was able to get his long exposures here, because he could put the camera on the seawall or on a bench. 

Tomorrow's destination is Geneva with two side trips: Reichenbach Falls and Mt. Eiger. It's hard to believe we're on the downside of our trip; the last 4 days will be in Geneva.

The Great Prescription Dilemma -- OK, so remember that I screwed up my heart Rx and didn't discover it till somewhere near Greenland?? Well, my sister managed to get the correct Rx FedEx'd to me in Geneva. And I have an after-story to tell about that one...

On The Road Again... Eze

August 12, 2013 - Eze

(note: all pics are at the hotel)

OK, so last night, the twin beds were actually twin slabs of limestone covered with sheets... Urgh! And the pillows were two small cotton balls... 

Travel today: beautiful blue sky with towering poplar trees along the route. The room had somewhat cooled off overnight and we were able to appreciate the area a bit more. 

View from the 2-lane highway

Breakfast buffet again. Poor Hubby wasn't able to get "American" coffee so he drank espresso. Not exactly the caffeine jolt he wanted, but it was what it was. I had some lovely loose English Breakfast tea. Croissants were lovely; the marmalade was tart. I watched as folks went back and forth with their plates. The bread! I mean, seriously: a 6" chunk of baguette, 2 croissants and a sweet roll. That was someone's breakfast. I can't imagine that much bread for one meal, though it is delicious! The fruit is also gorgeous when you can get it fresh in the hotels. Of course, lots of it fresh in the market stalls, but staying in the hotel means a "mini-bar" and the thing is keyed to the front desk: every time you open it, they figure you've eaten something. Which we didn't. We did, however, put our "nature bread" in there last night so that we could either eat it for lunch or have an on-the-road snack.

What we've been doing is eating breakfast, having a snack late-afternoon and then attempting the "more civilized" dinner around 7 - 7:30 p.m. The ice cream has been sinful. And delicious. I may actually LOSE weight on this trip because we're also walking a lot more than I'm used to. 

I'm using my sunscreen and my floppy hat regularly! Still amazed at the sun-bakers of all ages. I am a tad bit "less pale" but not tan. And I'm fine with that. 

11:40 a.m. - Gas stop on the way to Nice. Motorcycle drivers either have a vision of immortality or a death wish. They zip in and out of traffic, making their own lanes, using the shoulders. I don't care that the greater majority DO wear helmets. A helmet won't help you if you whack into a great big truck! 

We couldn't get gas at the first stop; we actually had trouble getting to the pumps! The lanes were confusing and we ended up zipping IN and then zipping OUT with nary a pump in sight that we could actually get close to. 

At the second stop, we made it to the pumps. But the choices were confusing, and we weren't sure what Mildred took, though we knew she wasn't a diesel. We did figure it out and got her all topped off. 

We passed through loads of vineyards and the buildings were lovely. Peach or tan stucco, or even the bare, aged brick. Almost always tile roofs in various patinas - rust, terracotta, lichen green and pale tan. I wish I could paint! I ate it up with my eyes, and will have to rely on memory.

We are still trying to figure out how to get Mildred to speak up! 

We didn't see olive groves in Provence, but the sunflowers and grapes made up for that. I think it was just the area in which we were traveling. 

Missed a photo-op of the Mediterranean as we passed through Grasse, Cote d'Azure, Antibes - very "To Catch a Thief" in the whole vibe. I recognized a lot of the scenery from the movies. 

View from the parking deck

1:20 p.m. - arrived at Hotel Les Terrasses d'Eze. And it's completely built into the mountain. I mean, our room, #414, is actually on the -4 level. BELOW ground. However, it does have a terrace, and we're sitting here with a view of the Med out the window. It's just as blue as I remember it. The cicadas are really loud! They're loving the heat. The room contains a double bed, a sofa bed, a desk and TV. There's a separate shower/sink and a room for the commode with a bidet! There's a trail from the terraces down somewhere. The breeze is wonderful; a different quality of sunshine. Clean and crisp while maintaining that "Mediterranean" almost tropical feel. "Tropical" isn't quite the word I'm looking for, but what I mean is a sense that you are in a climate that's totally different from what you may be used to in the States, even if you do travel to our south. 

Here's how you get in. You pull off on a small lane. I mean a TINY lane. You wait till the light turns green, and then you go in a very tight spiral, down, down, down, till you reach the parking lots. The deck is built into a structure that looks like a lighthouse, and it's just about that tight! Mildred was a tight squeeze; I can't imagine even my mom's Honda making that without a scratch. 

The hotel is a set of terraced suites in the mountain. If all we do is explore the immediate area, I'm happy. The pool is on -1 level and has an "infinity edge" that overlooks the Mediterranean. I never really thought I'd be on the Riviera. 

When you walk out onto your terrace the entire row of terraces on your level is open to view. Thus, the info sheet says: "To ensure your terrace privacy, we would like to recommend you to use the corridors inside the hotel when you leaving your room instead of using the terraces. Be sure to close the windows of your room when you leave to avoid any risk of intrusion. Thank you to take knowledge of the emergency exits plan behind the door..." (exact wording). 

Carmie was right: no washcloths! Glad we brought our own. Did a little "sink laundry" and will flip the shirts over the chairs on the terrace if it's not drying well on the rack in the bathroom. There was no patio umbrella, and after asking for one, I realized there WERE no patio umbrellas - someone just put one there. However, the staff was nice enough to just retrieve one from the pool area for us. 

2:30 p.m. - Hubby convinced me to take a walk up a 2-lane highway on the mountain. Of course, to get UP to the street level, he got me in an elevator even SMALLER than the Dead Nun Elevator. I was seriously claustrophobic, and the elevator was very warm. Good thing I trust him!! But still, I was scared. Following the dictum of "do one thing a day that scares you" -- well, I'm good there! Drivers probably thought we were crazy tourists. Well, yeah, we were. But Hubby was amazed at the colors and the "quality of the air" - that lightness that pervades the area and gives it its own glow and sparkle. He's been uploading pics to Facebook every day and while part of me doesn't like that, the other part is happy that he's enjoying the trip!

Will get to the pool then a late dinner. He wants to get some video, too. This IS the French Riviera - and most likely our only chance to visit this locale. 

Can't get Grace Kelly and Cary Grant off my mind! The one perfect touch would have been if there were fireworks over the Med!! 

Panorama (click to enlarge for best view)

Sometimes, you have a Bucket List. You've planned it and you know what you want to do. And sometimes, if you're very lucky and open to things, the Bucket List consists of things that are presented to you. Let's call it "the Bucket List you didn't know you wanted." You wouldn't have planned for this list in a million years, or even in your wildest dreams, but here it is. This trip is definitely the "Alt Bucket List" if you will. I never thought I'd take a dip in an infinity pool on the French Riviera, then sit on a terrace surrounded by a mild breeze, rhododendrons, 3 good-sized poplars, and an olive tree. Background noise includes traffic, a police siren far below, boat and jet-ski noise, the ever-present cicadas and a howling Doberman we met down the path, who is objecting to the police siren. 

The wild rosemary is amazing. The scent is so different, and I didn't know it flowered with tiny lilac-colored buds. Ours barely winters over, much less flowers. This also has smaller leaves, more dusty colored, and the scent is milder - not so much "pine resin" as "rosemary" - what you would think it would smell like. Both pungent and soft at the same time. I wish I could stick a stalk in my journal, but somehow, the customs folks wouldn't like that. I did do a lot of "feeling" and I was pretty well scented by the time we had made our way down the hotel trail and then back up. 

Unfortunately, it looks as if a large part of the original development just wasn't kept up. There were 2 tennis courts, which were pretty shabby, and it looks like the original concept was to have had 2 pools. But there was only the one, which was just fine with me. You can get an idea of it in the panoramic pic above. 

After we got back to our room, I grabbed my knitting and dragged Hubby away from the computer to do what they do best here: sit and be still. We just sat on the terrace, chatted and enjoyed being there. Sometimes, you don't have to be "doing." You just have to "be." 

7:10 p.m. - probably THE BEST dinner we've had so far at a hotel restaurant - Restaurant Les Princes. Our table was at the edge of the terrace, so we fought off our share of bees. And we had a stunning view of the harbor. My dinner was prawns with tagliatelle. Hubby had steak with garlic parsley butter. He also had a half-bottle of wine - note higher alcohol content. He did say it was "quite the buzz." For dessert, we both had Warm Chocolate Cake. 

Prawns: Nice portion of tagliatelle with a creamy tomato sauce and chunks of prawn. The centerpiece was a huge prawn which I had to dismantle to eat. 

Steak: Flank steak with fries and roasted veggie combo. 

Warm Chocolate Cake: Fresh-made cupcake-sized cake with a scoop of caramel ice cream, raspberry sauce and 3 large fresh berries. You cut into the cake to reveal a molten chocolate center, which oozes over the caramel ice cream and meshes with the berry sauce. Yep. Food porn. Yum. Yum. YUM.  Only thing was, one of my berries had a touch of mold on it, which yes, I pointed out to the waiter. 

We watched a quick sunset, Hubby had coffee. Nobody rushed us. Nobody cared if we sat there till 10 p.m. (which we didn't, but just noticing). Very enjoyable meal.

The light on our terrace was out - we tried all the switches and determined it was probably a blown bulb. It's a pity there's no screen on the terrace door, because we'd open it for the night (there's a "burglar stop" on the door, which only allows it to be open 6" or so). So far, the most pleasant, temperate weather we have had. 

We did lose our internet connection, which frustrated Hubby. Instead, he concentrated on how to make my camera take timed shots, we went back to the bar area and tried to get some night-views of the Med. We thought we could perhaps see the Milky Way but it was slightly overcast. Didn't get back to our room till nearly 11 p.m. and was again surprised at the number of families with kids who were still hanging out in the lounge and on the terrace. 

I noticed baby olives on the tree outside our terrace. (sigh) Baby olives.