In Graz we walk around the city the first day and go to an opera, Der Evangelimann, and a Cabaret Show in the evening. Both are very enjoyable. Saturday we cycle in the countryside west of Graz and go to see The Merry Widow at the Opera House in the evening. Have a good dinner at 'Im Fuenften', a stylish modern restaurant on top of a new shopping centre near the Opera - has a wonderful view of old Graz. Our first night at the opera while watching the crowd on the lawn outside from the upstairs balcony, we saw a very elegant woman in long evening dress walking her dog a minute before the beginning of the opera. We were impressed by her dedication to operaanimal care - however we learnt that the dog ... read more

When we arrive in Feldkirch Austria we get on the intercity train for Innsbruck. The train ride is very scenic as we go by the highest mountains of our trip. There is a group of 8 retired Germans from Baden Wuerttemburg in our car. As we approach Innsbruck, the leader of the group gets out his map and cell phone in order to locate/contact their hotel. He has no luck on either front. He has been generally quite officious throughout the trip. Two local Austrians on the train proceed to help him - one phoning a friend to ask him to search on the internet. The leader of the group is very frustrated and perhaps embarassed by all this attention. Ray offers to lend him a street map of Innsbruck which the two Austrians pore ... read more

Liechtenstein very confusing for cycling. We seem to be going in circles and spend a lot of the day in this very small country - the size of Surrey? And it´s generally a drizzly day from lunch onwards except for the time we are in the train from Feldkirch Austria to Innsbruck. We need to make this long trip by train to avoid the 1000 meter 32 swtichback climb we had planned to do to cross the Arlberg Pass and also to catch up to our schedule which is to put us into Vienna on the 23rd. About 3 p.m. one older man saves the day for us in Liechtenstein as he orders us to 'Halt' from his car as we proceed down a dead end road. He gruffly tells us to go up a ... read more

Take train out of Brunnen to Rothenthurm as it´s a steep uphill. Buy some Rothenthurmer Bieberfisch (sweet pastry in shape of fish) minutes before stores close at Noon on Saturday - most stay closed until Monday. Able to buy some food for dinner from a farm we pass by before arriving at campsite at Rapperswil. Have time to sightsee in Rapperswil - large choir singing in town square. Lovely campsite on lake with water just a tad warmer than the cool mountain fed Vierwaldstaettersee the previous day. ... read more

Sunny mid day 2 hour cruise with several stops along this large lake in central Switzerland. Quite warm. Camp in scenic location at end point of cruise near nun´s retirement home - so little cycling. Able to go swimming in lake at campsite. See next entry for photos of campsite... read more