Blogs from Switzerland, Europe - page 7

After our arrival in Base Camp Wil we slowed down quite a bit. We wanted to spend time with Nenad's parents, who at the age of 92 and 87 still live by themselves in a lovely house on a hill. So assisting them with their limited mobility by driving them and with works in and around the house (wherever they would let us), was the plan. And just spending time with them, taking them out to lunches, having coffees and enjoy the Dalmatian wines we brought. Nui discovered a Thai ingredients shop in Wil and started cooking for all the Benko's. She also signed up with the Goethe Institute for an on line German language course, which she tackled with an enormous energy and diligence, locking herself up in the study for hours on end. Nenad ... read more

Bonjour à tous, Hier au soir j'ai encore souper à l'italienne. Gnocchi, viande, dessert, il ne va pas falloir que je traine trop dans le coin si non je vais vite reprendre les kilos. Le resto de l'hôtel, ils ont du faire peut être mille couverts, un terrasse d'environ 200 places, sous une belle tonnelle. J'ai eu la chance d'être servi, par une fille, en plus petite, bien que je ne connaisse pas l'originale, Monica Bellucci. J'ai tenter je ne sais combien de fois de faire une photo, impossible tellement elle ne tenait pas en place. Avec le manque de lumière les photos était floues à chaque fois. Lorsque j'ai fermé les volets vers 23h la ville grouillait de monde. Pour aujourd'hui la visite des chantiers Riva, ça n'a pas marché. La patronne a téléphoné hier ... read more

The absolute highlight of our "Tour the Swiss Mountains" was the visit of the internationally renowned, much famous village of Zermatt. It lies on the Southern side of the Rhone valley in the canton of Wallis. This Swiss canton (State) is home to two of the four national languages of Switzerland, German and French. Zermatt is situated in the German part, although in the village you can normally hear languages from visiting tourists from all over the world. Normally..... This Covid year however everything is different. No overseas tourists to be found, and few visitors from European countries from the Shengen zone. Nevertheless the town was fully booked, with mostly guests from Switzerland itself. Everyone from the locals wanted to profit from the fact that being in Zermatt and its mountains this year you do not ... read more

The next step in the Switzerland discovery for Nui and the rediscovery for Nenad was a stay in the hamlet of Arvenbuehl located about 10 min drive up the mountain from Amden, which itself is positioned high up overlooking the Walensee. In Arvenbuehl we stayed in a chalet with innovative architectural features, very unusual for this region. No wonder it was build and is owned by a retired teacher from Seattle, USA, who runs it as a B&B. Its called 'Mountain Chalet' and has the most amazing mountain views from your bed. A cool way to wake up in the morning. Nearby is the Hotel Restaurant Arvenbuehl, who has an amazing cuisine, especially a Roeschti (a local potato dish), which will make you jodle :-) Arvenbuehl sits at the end of the mountain range called Churfuersten, ... read more

Bonjour à tous, C'est gagné. Je n'était pas, contrairement à d'autres années dans l'euphorie du départ. Inconsciemment ce confinement a dû nous retirer un peu d'énergie, et nous mettre en léthargie mentale, je ne suis pas le seul a ressentir cet effet. J'ai puiser le complément de motivation qui me manquait, par le fait de '' foutre le camp" de cette France qui me semble t'il, part à volo, de toutes ces manifestations, informations permanentes qui sapent le moral de tous les bons français. Après seulement une journée dans les Alpes Suisse, j'ai le sentiment ce soir de revivre. Voilà pourquoi je dis c'est gagné. J'ai quitté Lyon ce matin, traversé le Bugey, sous une bonne pluie, j'espère que ce ne sera de mauvaise augure pour la suite du voyage comme en 2014, 72 jours de ... read more