Switzerland - another country

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Geo: 46.6856, 7.83051

Sorry there was not an entry for yesterday (Wednesday) - we lost our Internet connection.

Anyway, we spent some time across the border in France. I had read about a couple of worthwhile places to visit so we set off to explore and we were not disappointed.

First stop was Riquewihr - a medieval town with cobbled streets and brightly painted buildings. Despite being very much on the tourist trail we found it thoroughly charming. Very much our type of place.

We had lunch of quiche lorraine - obviously a local dish - washed down with the local white vino. The restaurant was quaint, with tables set outdoors in a cobbled courtyard.

We then drove the short distance to Ribeauville which was not quite so atmospheric, but we were taken with the storks nesting on the roof of one of the buildings. After buying some of the locally made macaroons (yet more food!) we shopped for provisions and headed back to camp.

I do not speak any German, but I had managed to decipher a poster on the camp notice board about a concert on site. At 7.30 we found ourselves sitting outside the club house listening to a local amateur brass band. The programme consisted of some traditional pieces, but also a number of popular tunes including a medley of Beatles favourites.

We left the site this morning at 10am bound for Switzerland and our next site at Interlaken. The journey went smoothly this time, with no hold ups or wrong turnings, stopping just outside Basel for the two vignettes (one each for car and caravan) to enable us to use the Swiss motorway network. As the site reception closed for lunch, we were unable to check in until 1.30 so pulled in for a picnic lunch with stunning views of the snow covered mountain peaks less than half an hour from our destination.

Campsite Lazy Rancho receives justifiable excellent reviews and If the thorough and genuine welcome at check-in is anything to go by, we shall have a fab week here with lots to see and do.

We pitched, put up the awning, did a load of laundry and have just dined on paella cooked on our newly acquired Cadac gas cooker - first time use - bought to help eke out the two gas cylinders we carry on board since we are unable to purchase refills outside of the UK. The Cadac is fuelled by Campingaz which we can readily find in Europe. The meal was helped down with a bottle of German Piesporter which we had picked up in the Penny supermarket in Rudesheim for the equivalent of £2.66! Can't be bad, eh?

Anyway, enough for now - almost time for bed - more next time.

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Photos

Typical dwelling
Brightly coloured with murals