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GRAND ALPINE JULY 06-19/08 Introduction and Day 1 & 2
 After many months of dreaming, I finally got to experience one of my dreams. The Grand Alpine tour was all I wanted and so much more. The whole Grand Alpine was a wonderfully easy and comfortable tour with very few strenuous physical demands and a steady but leisurely pace. The places we got to see and the things we were able to experience were just fantastic. The optional tours offered with this tour greatly enhanced it. Each one was a unique experience which could never be repeated. Thank you so much to our Tour Director, Uli Hagen who imparted his amazing knowledge, experience and love of the countries and its people to our tour group. Without him, I would not have been able to just sit back relax and enjoy this wonderful adventure. Thank you so much for the trip of a lifetime. Sightseeing Highlights Frankfurt: Orientation of this impressive city. Rhine Valley: Cruise past the Lorelei Rock (weather permitting). Heidelberg: View the Castle. Baden-Baden: Orientation of this spa resort. Titisee: Visit this resort. Schaffhausen: See the Rhine Falls. Lucerne: Orientation including the walled Old Town and the Lion Monument. Interlaken: Visit the lakeside resort. View the Jungfrau (weather permitting). Geneva: Orientation including the Jet d'Eau and United Nations' Building. Zermatt: Ascend by electric mini-bus and taxi to your Zermatt hotel. View the Matterhorn (weather permitting). Stresa: Visit this pretty resort. Innsbruck: Orientation including the Olympic ski jump, the Golden Roof and Wilten Basilica. Berchtesgaden: Visit the Bavarian Alpine resort. Vienna: Sightseeing includes St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Hofburg and Imperial Boulevards. Danube Valley: See the Monastery of Melk and Dürnstein Castle. Salzburg: Sightseeing including "The Sound of Music" locations, the Domplatz and Mozart's birthplace. Munich: Orientation seeing the Olympic Stadium, Marienplatz and Glockenspiel. Oberammergau: Orientation of the Passion Play village. Rothenburg: Orientation of this perfectly preserved medieval city. Scenic drives Rhine Valley, Black Forest, Brunig Pass, Rhone Valley, Simplon Pass, Italian Lakes, Engadine Valley, Salzkammergut, Danube Valley, Romantic Road. DAY 1 People were flying in or arriving today from all over the world . As I was already in Paris just completing my last day of Trafalgar’s Wonderful France tour, I didn’t have too far to go. After our farewell dinner, I said goodbye to all my tour mates and headed back to the hotel. I used up some more computer time, ironed some laundry, repacked and got ready for my next tour. I had an early night as I had to be up at 4 am to get my 5:30 taxi to the airport. I hated to say good bye to France- it is such a lovely place to visit and I love Paris. DAY 2 With excitement and nervous anticipation, I greeted the last day of one tour and the start of another. I was a bit nervous about getting to the Charles de Gaulle airport and making my way through it to the Air France counter and then on to my connecting flight to Frankfurt, Germany. I was up early and down to lobby to wait for my taxi to take me to the airport. I had asked for a boxed breakfast and that is what I got. A box with 4 yogurt, 3 different coloured apples, butter, jam and a drink. No spoon, napkin, bread, or croissant. LOL It was very funny.  My taxi came at 5:35 and 11 E was already on the meter. This is common when you call as you have to pay for their travel time to get to you. We were at the airport at 6 am and it cost me 61E. It was too early for a Trafalgar transfer. I found the airport a bit confusing but finally found Air France and quickly checked in. My big bag was 19.7 kg so just under the 20 kg weight limit. Security took forever to get through. At least my line did. I had to go down 3 flights of stairs to a bus that took us to the plane. We then climbed the stairs onto the plane and took off for Frankfurt. The plane was only 1/3 full but it was a quick short flight. In Frankfurt, my luggage was last to come off. I was getting worried that it had been misplaced.  I took it and headed out and lo and behold, there was Uli (my new TD) and 2 other Trafalgar reps there to meet me. I was so relieved and thankful. Now I am off on my next adventure in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.Soon Uli gathered me and some other passengers into our new (2 weeks old) Trafalgar coach and we were off to our Frankfurt hotel, the Sheraton Offenbach. After arriving at the hotel, I checked out my room, which was very nice with a wonderfully comfortable bed. I had paid single supplement on this tour – an extra $495. to have my own room. I was really glad I did as two other ladies went “Share” and it didn’t work out. It is so nice to have your own space and bathroom. I got settled in then went to get something to eat. (I had eaten an apple and ‘slurped’ a yogurt – no spoon- then ditched the rest of my boxed breakfast. I bought a boxed lunch -sandwich, juice & fruit -from the hotel restaurant, which wasn’t really open until noon but they were kind enough to get me something. We had to meet Uli, our TD at 3:45 p.m. for an orientation meeting. As I was very tired, I didn’t go exploring just went for a nice long snooze in that wonderful bed. I slept for 3 hours then joined the group at 3:45 in the lobby for a Welcome drink. Once again, only wine and beer were offered and as I can’t drink either, I had a coke. We were a very small group- only 22- there could be up to 49. Can you believe it? Everyone seemed very pleasant and friendly.There were 4 singles - 1 man and 3 women, and the rest were couples. The age range was 32 to about 70. The majority were 50+. There was 1 couple from the US. 3 of us from Canada and the rest were Australian, South African and New Zealanders. One single lady was from Malaysia. We could each have our own seat on the coach if we wanted it. I did, but others sat with their mates in the beginning then spread out as the tour progressed. Only about 15 of us had arrived in time for Uli’s meeting , so he quickly explained a few details to us and then set off with the group to explore Frankfurt. Most stores were closed as it was Sunday afternoon. The group who went said they enjoyed seeing the sights. I chose to have a “DOWN” day as I had just finished my exhausting French tour. I went back to my room and reorganized my luggage- listing all my souvenirs and then putting them into my Buxton carryon, which I could leave on the coach for the entire tour in a separate section. I wrote in my journal, wrote out some postcards, read a bit, listened to my IPOD and ate some supper. I had a cup of soup and ½ of my sandwich from lunch. I went for a brief stroll around the hotel and sat in the park next to the hotel for awhile. I went early to bed as I needed a good rest and wake up call was for 6 a.m. to get an early start for our Rhine Cruise. It was a long day, but a much needed day of rest. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08 Day 3
DAY 3 We were up at 6 a.m. -that’s right- 6a.m.- and on the bus for 7:15. Our breakfast at the Sheraton Offenbach was absolutely fantastic. So much choice! It was one of the best on the whole trip. We had such an early start as we were booked on the Rhine Cruise and had to be there early to get good seats. Our TD, Uli, has been doing this tour, as well as others, for 26 years and he considers it to be the best. In fact, it used to be called the Best of Europe until others complained and it was renamed- Grand Alpine. Well, Uli knows lots of people so he gets lots of preferential treatment because he is so charismatic. He had arranged for the cruise boat captain to pick us up 1st at the landing, then we crossed the river and picked up a pile of people. We got the best seats on the boat. As we were driving along the scenic Rhine Valley road from Frankfurt to St. Goar, we saw many castles. One after the other!! Uli told us the history of the area and a lot of facts about the castles, the land, the war, Lorelei Rock etc. He is a virtual font of knowledge and it is all in his head. He never once referred to notes. Just amazing! We quickly boarded the boat and took off. We stopped several times to pick up passengers at various spots along the way. It was a very pleasant cruise with spectacular scenery. We saw some castles, but we had seen more on the drive than on the cruise. The terraced vineyards along the way were quite beautiful. Everything was so lush and green. River traffic was quite prolific with boats and barges moving up and downstream at a steady pace. On board, there are washrooms, a snack bar, a gift shop and waiters who will serve you at your table. One can order pastries, coffee/tea or wine/beer as well. It was a very pleasant, relaxing beginning to a long day. Some of the tour passengers had not been at the meeting the day before, so many of us spent time getting to know each other and watching the wonderful scenery go by. Billy, our driver, was excellent. He maneuvered the bus into many tight places and through some hair-raising white-knuckle mountain roads. He was a bit laid back. He would say hello if spoken to, otherwise he didn’t say much. He never helped anyone off the coach either. The bottom step is quite long especially carrying baggage. Billy seemed to know Uli quite well and they often chattered away in German to each other. Anyway, Billy met us at Boppard with the coach and we headed for Heidelberg, which is Uli’s hometown. As we were such a small group, we had time to stop and explore the town square. Heidelberg is a university town and the sessions were just closing down. There were many young people still in town. Heidelberg is relatively small, with a large pedestrian only zone. Visitors generally spend most of their time in the old town. Some of us set off to grab some lunch and look around. We went into the Hard Rock Café and I had an Elvis Presley burger, which was very tasty. American music was playing and this was something I noticed throughout Europe. Very strange to hear all my favourite music, in English, on the radio in a foreign country. We went off exploring the shops after lunch. There were many different kinds of café’s selling wonderful pastries and ice cream treats. The weather was sunny one minute and rainy the next. It was in the low 20*c so quite comfortable for sightseeing. One gust of wind came up and blew over a postcard carousel with 100’s of cards flying everywhere. I felt sorry for the owner but he had lots of help from tourists to pick them up. We met back at the bus and headed up to Heidelberg Castle. This beautiful old castle dominates the Heidelberg skyline, looming over the old town. Anyone who visits the town must pay the castle a visit! There are lots of different things to see and lots of history to soak in up at the castle. Once inside the Castle courtyard, Uli explained that parts of the castle were built at different times in different styles. Some ramparts of the castle had been destroyed in the war while others were undergoing renovation. It really was quite impressive. In the cellar is where the Grosses Fass (Big Barrel) is found. The big barrel is in fact the biggest wooden barrel ever to have been filled with wine. It was constructed in 1751 and can hold over 221,000 litres of wine! This barrel was well photographed by all. Uli took us out onto the Belvedere terrace and explained more history and told us some funny anecdotes. We were rewarded with great views of the old town below and many of us took advantage of this amazing picture opportunity. Unfortunately, we only had 25 minutes to explore- not nearly enough time- as we had to get on the road and head for the Spa & Casino town of Baden Baden (bathing, bathing) in the Black Forest. We were off at 3 p.m. and I fell asleep for a short snooze on the coach. When we arrived at Baden Baden, I was so disoriented that I didn’t even feel like getting off. Anyway, I did and wandered around the lovely park area for awhile. Then I went over to Spa. It is built on thermal springs at the edge of the Black Forest in southwest Germany. Some, from our group, tried the water and thought it tasted like baking soda. Baden Baden has a reputation as a hang-out for the rich. There is a Casino there as well. This is a very picturesque little town with lovely gardens and very expensive stores. The park area has many flags from around the world, including Canada’s. I bought an ice cream and ran into many from our group, who were also enjoying a cone. Well, we drove on through the Black Forest and the scenery was magnificent. The Black Forest region is essentially known for three distinctive features: its highlands, scenery and woods; its Black Forest cake and its cuckoo-clocks. The Black Forest region has a particularly rich mythological landscape. It is said to be haunted by werewolves, sorcerers, witches and the devil in differing guises. Helpful dwarves try to balance the scales. It is the setting of many favourite fairy tales, as well. Watch making, skiing and tourism also flourish there. We arrived at our Black Forest hotel at 7 p.m. It was the Best Western Hofgut Sternen. There were two buildings and the main one was full so many of us were housed in the Annex building and got a free drink with dinner for our inconvenience. My room was small and very old. Everything creaked very loudly in the hotel. We had a quite nice dinner and of course, there was the Black Forest cake to top it off. Hofgut Sternen is a comfortable hotel in typical Black Forest style, situated in a quiet park-like area. There was a group of students there from the New York area playing soccer in the front yard. I chatted with their teachers for an hour after dinner. The hotel has a large comfortable balcony across the front. There are nice walking tours in the area and it has a Black Forest cuckoo clock and glassblower's demonstration. The gift shop is amazing. It was closed at night but in the morning we were able to see the many unique items. I bought several souvenirs here. After a while, I returned to my room and got my stuff ready for the next day. We have a later start tomorrow at 9:45 a.m. I filled out my form for the optional that I wanted to experience and headed off to bed. We need our passports tomorrow as we cross the border into Switzerland. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08
DAY 4 Well, today is Tuesday July 8th and we are off to Switzerland today. Last night’s hotel was quite quaint. My room was very basic but clean. Some on the tour were upset with their rooms. They didn’t feel they were clean and had spent a restless night. Our breakfast was very good. It was great to sleep in a bit. In the morning, the weather was cool and cloudy but warmed up and became sunny as the day progressed. There was a cuckoo clock demonstration and many of us took the opportunity to shop for some unique souvenirs. One couple bought a large cuckoo clock and had it shipped home. They had wanted one for some time and hadn’t picked it up on their last Europe trip. They were very excited. We continued our drive through the Black Forest and saw Lake Titisee. I expected some raunchy comments as other tour tales had mentioned, but no one said anything about the lake’s name. We continued on and stopped to view the “mighty” Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen. It was very nice to see and people were awed by its splendour. They are 150 m (450 ft) wide and 23 m (75 ft) high. The Rheinfall is the largest waterfall in Europe in terms of volume of water passed. At only 23 meters, it was not all that tall, but with the full weight of the Rhine running over it, it looked amazing. Of course, coming from Canada and having viewed Niagara Falls, (3 x taller) many times, I was not as impressed as the other tourists. Just like at Niagara, many tourists took a boat ride out to get a closer view of the falls. We had a nice lunch at a restaurant overlooking the Falls. I just had soup as I was still full from breakfast. I spent lunch with a nice couple from New York state. There was a souvenir shop there as well. Out near the Falls was a close up viewing station. Many agile folks trekked out for a better view. Soon we were on our way again. We stopped at the Swiss border and had to show our passports to the guards, who came on the coach. That was the only time on the tour that we had any inspection of passports going from one country to another. We headed for Lucerne and stopped to see the Lion Monument. What a beautiful and poignant memorial! Mark Twain called the Lion Monument “the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world”. The memorial is of a giant, dying lion carved out of a wall of sandstone rock above a pond at the east end of Lucerne. It was designed to commemorate the 700 Swiss Guard, soldiers from Switzerland, who lost their lives defending the French king Louis XVI during the French Revolution. We had some time to explore in Lucerne and Uli told us of a place where we could switch over our Euros into Swiss Francs at no cost. He also told us that the Lake Lucerne Cruise, which was an optional at 37 SF, was canceled tomorrow as not enough people had signed up for it. Lake Lucerne is considered to be absolutely beautiful and I was looking forward to the cruise and seeing the town from the water. Driving through town, I noted how lovely it was. We would be having an orientation tour tomorrow. We left Lucerne and drove up the mountain passing many “Heidi” type homes perched on the hillside. The scenery was spectacular. We arrived in Engelberg, which is at a 1000 metre elevation. Engel means Angel. It is a quaint village and ski resort. The many unique shops, café’s, bakeries and ski stores making exploring fun. This, along with the village’s huge Benedictine Kloster (monastery) and lovely little church make Engelberg a pleasure to visit. Our hotel was the Schweitzerhof, which was located right in the centre of town. It even had a laundry and several of us took advantage of it as we were there for two days. What an incredible view from the window off my room. Many of the double rooms had lovely balconies. I went out exploring, bought some postcards and stamps. I found an Internet café and sent off a few e-mail. It was a relaxing day of sightseeing. After a nice dinner and my stroll around town, I settled in for an early night. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08
DAY 5 My alarm clock went off at 3 a.m. so I reset it and went back to sleep. I had a good sleep and at 7 went down for a nice breakfast. The bacon and eggs were great- done just the way I like them. I decided not to go on the Lucerne tour as there would be no cruise today. I did not relish spending 6 hours in town wandering around when I wanted more time to explore this lovely village. I prefer towns and villages to cities. I guess that’s because I have never lived in a city. I could have come back on the train at any time through the day as some others from the group did. Those who went on the Lucerne orientation enjoyed it but said they didn’t see much more of Lucerne and the lake than they had yesterday. Many said they felt it was too long a time to be there and were sorry they missed out on the time in Engelberg. A few went on a Lake Lucerne cruise on their own. They said they enjoyed the scenic cruise and it was much cheaper than the optional would have been. (Lake Cruise 37 SF or Lake Cruise & Mountain Excursion 106 SF) I had a lovely relaxing day. I wrote in my journal while I did my laundry. (Not too exciting, eh?) After that, I visited the Church and Benedictine Monastery up at the end of the village. I went with another couple from South Africa. They had explored it yesterday but wanted to see the church again. The church was small but very beautiful inside. After that they wanted to go on a hike through some mountain trails and I hadn’t seen the abbey so we parted ways. They later told me they had a lovely walk and viewed some breathtaking scenery. I went over to the monastery and explored it. In an attached store, I saw 4 kinds of cheese being made in big huge vats. One of the monks was stirring them. It was quite interesting to watch. The store sold the cheese as well as lots of other delicacies for lunch. I tried several samples of various cheeses and they were excellent. I then continued to explore the village. There are angels (town symbol) all over the village. They are all made from the same mold and decorated by different artists. They are quite unique and I took pictures of several. Many of the stores were closed between 12 and 2. I visited the Co-op and picked up some treats, bought lunch – a tuna salad open faced sandwich and an almond pastry. Both were excellent Throughout the day, I walked 3.5 km just enjoying the town, the shops and the scenery. I finished writing my postcards and mailed them. (1.40 for each stamp) I went to the Internet café again and checked my e-mail. Then I went back to my room for a nap – the mountain air makes me very sleepy. At dinner, everyone was excited to share how they had spent their free day. Some had come back early and gone up the mountain in a gondola. Others reported that the train ride back was awesome. We had a nice dinner and then went for another short stroll around town. What a wonderful, relaxing day! I love Engelberg. Tomorrow we are off to Geneva. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08 DAY 6
It was a sunny day and the temperature went up to 32*C throughout the day. Wake up call was at 6am and we had to be on the coach for 7:45 am. We had a lovely breakfast again and then set off. Everyone was sad to leave Engelberg but anxious to see the next wonderful sights. I have the front seat today so I am in for a treat. The scenery is incredible as we drive down the windy, mountain roads. We are heading for Interlaken as we drive over the Brunig pass. Interlaken is a small city in central Switzerland located between two Alpine Lakes, It is a superb holiday destination with its mountain peaks and beautiful lakes. It is widely visited for sports, travel and shopping. Interlaken has the highest concentration of souvenir shops in Switzerland and boy, did we make good use of them. I bought 2 necklaces and a Swiss Army knife while there. Unfortunately, we only had 45 minutes there to explore, after Uli gave his history and geography explanations. An amazing thing happened just as we were getting off the coach. Five hang gliders landed right in front of us in the park. We all had our cameras ready and got some great pictures. In the background is the mighty Jungfrau. As we were leaving town, we also saw the famous 150-year old Victoria Grand Hotel. We drove on through Berne toward Geneva. We had a quick lunch stop at an Autogrill and then headed on to Geneva, which is close to the French border. We went on a orientation tour of Geneva and Uli pointed out many of the important buildings there and told us a bit about the city and its high cost of living. Geneva plays host to some 200 international organizations - the UN European headquarters, the UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). We saw the United Nations, UNESCO, UNICEF and many other buildings of famous organizations. We took a quick walking tour down to old town to see the Reformation Monument. It commemorates Geneva's significant role in the Reformation. The Reformation Wall, which was constructed from 1909 to 1917, is said to be the most impressive general monument to the Reformation there is. This giant wall (325 feet long, 30 feet high) features 15-foot-tall statues of Guillaume Farel, John Calvin, Theodore Beza and John Knox . This was not very interesting for me but may have been for some. Next, we drove down to the waterfront where we had some time to view the harbour and explore for a couple of hours. In 1891, Geneva decided to install in the harbour, the Jet d’eau (Water Fountain), which shoots water 140 meters high into the air. Along the walkway, a man had a baby carriage with a baby pig in it. It was his way of earning money as he charged to get pictures taken with the pig. The gardens around the waterfront were lovely. There were a lot of tourists visiting the area. It was extremely hot so many of us found some shade and relaxed until we were picked up. I bought a wonderful 3-flavoured slushy drink to help cool off. Most of us felt that we would have preferred to have more time in Interlaken and less at the Geneva waterfront. We arrived at our hotel, the Best Western Chavannes-de- Bogis. My room was pretty basic, a bit dated, however, it had a big desk. We had an hour to relax and then we were off on our optional dinner and tour: Nyon and Begnins 64E First we drove along the lake to the small village of Nyon which has an attractive little port. It was a major town during the Roman times and there are still traces of Roman ruins such as a wall, columns and baths. The gardens were exceptionally beautiful and well manicured. We were treated to an amazing view of Mount Blanc. Uli and Willy were quite excited to see it without clouds. Uli said it had been two years since he had seen it so clearly. We headed off to a small village at the foot of the Jura Mountains called Begnins. Our dinner this evening was in a 300 year-old wine cellar of an ancient inn, which was very exciting. The wine flowed freely as did the food. We had a super fondue-bourguigonne dinner with a lovely salad, bread and French fries. We all enjoyed cooking our beef and trying the various dipping sauces. An ice cream dessert completed the meal. The owners were extremely pleasant and entertaining. A good time was had by all. When we left the Inn, we walked over to our parking area. From there, we had the most amazing view of Mount Blanc. It was even more visible in the evening and had some colourful tints glinting off it. Uli and Willy said they had never in 26 years seen such a sight. Everyone took lots of pictures. A group of 4 teenagers were playing basketball. They were oblivious to the mountain and probably thought we were all a bit mad being so excited over this spectacular sight. It was a very nice day. Although it was hot, we saw some amazing scenery and experienced some wonderful Swiss hospitality. Everyone is excited about our next leg of the trip: Zermatt and the Matterhorn. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08 Da
DAY 7 A wake up call at 6:45 am and after a basic breakfast we were on the bus at 8;45 headed for the Geneva’s harbour to get our optional cruise to Yvoire. 34E While we were waiting to get on the boat, I noticed this dark skinned man with dreadlocks hanging around. He looked very dirty and unkempt. He kept staring at me from different areas of the landing. Soon another fellow joined him and they began to whisper. I felt they were up to no good. I went over and sat on the bench next to Rita, a fellow teacher and single traveler from Malaysia. She had a pamphlet telling details of the cruise so I wanted to get one. I left my carry-on bag with her (my money and cards were on me) and went to the wicket to get a pamphlet. The guy with dreadlocks moved over closer to Rita, who was holding my bag and her own on her left arm. Errol, a guy from our tour had been watching these 2 fellows casing the landing from a spot above. He whistled and caught the attention of the man sitting next to Rita, who told her to move the bags to her right side. The dreadlocked guy saw this and came up to Rita, just as I sat down and started screaming in her face in French. He then switched to English. “Did I touch your bag. I look at the water. Did I touch you? What you think-this is Bangladesh?” Our TD and some other guys from our tour came over and told him to get lost. Figuring his time was up, he and his friend ran over to a man, who was looking at the water with his son, and grabbed his shoulder bag and ran off. They took out the money and threw back his wallet and the bag then they were gone. It all happened so fast and was kind of scary but a bit thrilling too. I had had the feeling right from the start that the guy was after my bag. It gave us a lot to talk about on the cruise as everyone wanted to know all the details. Anyway, soon after we boarded the boat and began our trip around the Geneva harbour and down the lake past beautiful little villages along the way. Occasionally, we would stop to pick up other passengers. One stop was at Nyon, where we had explored the night before, and it was interesting to see it from the water. Soon we crossed the lake over to the French side and docked at Yvoire. It was a lovely warm day and cruising on the lake was very pleasant. Uli pointed out different spots along the way such as the Chinese consulate and the homes of some famous sport and music personalities. After landing, we began a climb up to the upper street area where the tourist office is located. Much of this medieval village is built on a hill with very narrow cobblestoned streets. With its 700 year-old castle, ramparts and tower gates, (and a few Roman ruins) Yvoire is an interesting place to explore. It has a long military history behind it as well as being a fishing village. It has won many awards: the coveted Grand Prix of national and international garden competitions: the best kept village and the International Trophy for Landscape and Horticulture. These awards are much deserved. The village is very beautiful and the flowers are breathtaking. Uli, our TD, loves to visit Yvoire for the many neat cafes. His favourite is one that serves crepes and special apple cider, so he was away quickly after our orientation for his lunch. Have I mentioned Uli loves to eat? LOL I joined him for lunch and tried one of the crepes and the cider. The crepe was great but the cider tasted too much like beer for my taste. We all had lunch in Yvoire, explored the many unique shops and historical sites, and admired the lovely floral displays. It is a beautiful village and a don’t miss optional, if you are taking this tour. We met Billy at 1:30 and headed off on the coach for Zermatt. The drive there was very spectacular. Along the way we stopped at an autogrill for a pitstop then on up the mountain to Zermatt. The road was very windy with beautiful scenery everywhere. At times, it looked like we were going to go off the edge of the road, we were so close. There were a lot of tunnels too. Some were very long. Soon we reached Tasch, where we had to leave the coach and board some taxi vans. The coach could go no further. We travelled more amazing windy, hairpin turn roads until we came to another drop off spot. From here we hopped in an "electric taxi" which is like a small enclosed golf cart type vehicle. This is all they have in Zermatt. Boy, do these carts ever zip around. The electric taxi (named Grampi) took us all the way to our hotel, the Albana Real. Everyone was quite excited about this trip up the mountain to about 6000 feet. I was very pleased with my room. It has lots of thick wood trim around the ceiling and above my bed was a wooden panel with calla lilies carved on it. I had a small balcony, which was great for looking out over the mountain scenery and the town. Dinner at the hotel was very good. We had roast pork, scalloped potatoes and vegetables. I don’t remember the dessert. We posed for a group photo with a St. Bernard dog. Some people went off exploring and others, myself included set off for an after dinner stroll. Very shortly it started to really rain, so I decided not to continue. Because of the clouds we didn’t get to see the Matterhorn. I had an early night enjoying my beautiful room. Tomorrow we go up by gondolas to Klein Matterhorn for our optional. 69E This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08
DAY 8 We were up early today anticipating our optional up to the Klein Matterhorn. After a satisfactory breakfast, we gathered outside to decide if the optional was a “GO”. You see it was raining a bit then clearing up. The temp was 20*C in the morning and went up to 25* C as the day progressed. It was sunny at times too. Well, we decided to go and what an adventure we had! Several of us were a bit nervous about the cable cars and gondolas. Me included. At 9, we headed off by electric taxis to the lift station. The first level was a small cable car that held about 8 of us and it took us up about 2000 feet to the 8,000 ft mark called Furi. It was quite close to the ground and enclosed so it was no problem. Some young people were ascending with snow boards. What a thrill that must be for them! When we were all at the Furi level, we got into much larger gondola type cable cars holding many people with a man operating it. He took us to the 10,000 ft level – Trockener Steg, where there was a restaurant. We had to wait there for about an hour hoping things would clear. The scenery was spectacular. It was breathtaking seeing all the mountains, their crevasses and the glaciers below you. It was quite windy and the temperature had dropped. I thought I would be quite nervous but found the whole experience quite exhilarating. Some of the nervous people opted to stay at the restaurant while the rest of us went up to over 12000 feet to the Matterhorn Viewing station. This is the highest cableway in Europe and transports visitors up to the Matterhorn glacier paradise in about 40 minutes. How they ever built this cable system and the viewing stations/restaurants etc. in such high mountains is amazing. The weather was not great and some of the trekking groups that were out with guides exploring the glaciers were heading back to shelter. Anyway, on our 3rd loop of the ascent we heard these loud crashing sounds on the roof of the gondola. It really scared us at first until we realized that it was hail/ gobs of freezing rain/snow. Those that hit the glass windows on the roof of the gondola were about 6” around. The gondola operator told us it had started to snow up above. When we reached the top, it was about -7*C and was snowing like crazy. They got about 6 inches in no time. We walked through to the viewing area, which was under construction and met some of our group, who had gone up earlier and not waited in the restaurant. They had been able to go down the slope and go inside the glacier palace as it hadn’t snowed there yet. They said it was amazing being inside the glacier. It was too dangerous when we got there and most of us were only in shoes and light jackets anyway. With the snow and wind it was COLD! Of course, we couldn’t see the Matterhorn. We heard later that someone had died that day climbing it. We returned to the restaurant level and picked up the other “chickens” and headed back to Zermatt. We walked around the village and saw some of the sights. We grabbed some lunch (quiche) from a bakery. It was still raining off and on and everyone wanted to do/see different things. I went exploring on my own. I wanted to see the graveyard, which Uli had told us about. It is a tribute to all those who have died on the Matterhorn. There was a whole wall of flowers dedicated to 5 young Austrian men, who had taken the wrong path (with no guide) and died the week before. So sad. Many of the tombstones have pictures of the deceased. I was surprised to see so many gravestones for women. There is also a whole section with just white crosses and no names. These are unknown climbers whose bodies have been discovered over the years. I can’t understand what draws so many to climb such a dangerous mountain. The challenge, I guess. My back was aching from the cold and dampness so I went back to the hotel. I had a swim and waited for my massage time. Lara did an excelent massage. She said my feet and legs were all puffy and higher altitudes I need to drink more water. After that, I had a snooze, read my book and then went down for dinner about 7:00 p.m. Susan & Michael (from New York area) were just heading out so I went with them to a restaurant just down the street. I wasn’t that hungry so I just had goulash soup, which was excellent. When we were leaving, Michael’s favourite jacket was missing. We returned to the hotel in the rain and I went on the Internet, which was free, for awhile. During the night someone had returned the jacket to the restaurant and the owner brought it back to the hotel. Michael was quite happy in the morning when he found it. Zermatt is an incredible ski resort and vacation village. The scenery is spectacular. The village is quite unique having only electric cars. The stores, houses and hotels are attractive with lots of flowers and decorations. According to Uli – the TD- everything is owned by 5 families, who settled in the area 200 years ago. They were poor farmers and are now very rich. One of the families owns 80 hotels in Zermatt. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08
Grand Alpine Part 2 Days 9-16 Day 9 July 13/08 We were up at 6 and on the way down from Zermatt at 7:20. Breakfast was okay. Just the same as yesterday. We left in electric taxis and were transferred to large vans then down to the bus at Tasch. It is a lengthy process getting everyone and their luggage down the mountain and onto the coach. I hated to leave Zermatt-it was my favourite place so far. We headed off through the mountains. Today is mainly a day of driving. We are crossing by way of the Simplon Pass into Italy to visit Stresa. The weather is cool and rainy. The mountains of Italy are beautiful but they didn’t seem as spectacular as those of Switzerland. They have more tree cover on them. They reminded me a lot of the Prince Rupert area in British Columbia Canada, where my daughter used to live. We are getting lots of rain and Uli keeps commenting on it. He is afraid of flooding. The rivers are raging and very swollen. There are many new mountain waterfalls along the way. Uli reported the next day that the Simplon Pass, which we had just crossed, got 30 cm of snow that night and was closed. We crossed the border into Italy with no problem and then drove on to Stresa, a beautiful, little town on Lake Maggiore. Stresa is an ideal place for the tourist. It has beautiful gardens and parks, a mild climate and a promenade, sprinkled with grand hotels, villas, parks and gardens all facing the lake. . There is a magnificent view across the water of the three islands, and of the Alps far away. We all followed Uli to a wonderful restaurant. He knows all the best spots to eat. I had cannelloni and it was good. I then went to explore the shops and bought a few souvenirs. It started to rain again. Back onto the coach and we are off on a drive along Lake Como as we head back to Switzerland. The drive up the mountains was quite stupendous and the scariest of them all. The road was very windy and narrow at times with many hairpin turns. The rain didn’t help either. Willy did a great job maneuvering the bus around hairpin turns and switch backs. Cars had to back up at times to let the bus get around the corners. We drove through the Engadine Valley on our way to St. Moritz. The Engadine is a long alpine valley located in Switzerland. It is protected by high mountains on all sides and is famous for its sunny climate, beautiful landscapes and outdoor activities. St. Moritz is an exclusive, very expensive resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is considered the oldest and one of the most famous winter resorts in the world. It was the Host City for the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics. There are numerous ski resorts in the area. Uli said that many countries around the world send their athletes to St. Moritz to train in the high altitudes, which help accustom them to lower oxygen levels. Due to its favourable location, residents enjoy over 300 days of sunshine a year. Unfortunately, it poured the day we arrived and many of our group didn’t bother to venture out exploring. Our hotel, the Soldana, was older but quite unique. It had double doors on each room. The outer one was all decorated with vines and flowers. There was a small lift, which took forever to arrive. In the lobby was a 7-foot stuffed polar bear. I think everyone had his or her picture taken with it. At 7pm, we had a nice dinner of chicken, green beans, potatoes and ice cream. The group of people on this tour is very nice and friendly but mainly couples. They often pair off with each other. At times, I feel a bit lonely. They are not as inclusive as other groups. Could be because we are a small group of 22. If I ask to join them at meal times, the response is “of course, sit down- you’re most welcome”. But they don’t think to invite you first. It was still cool and rainy after dinner so I didn’t go exploring. Just headed up to my room to finish my book and get an early night in bed. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08
DAY 10 July 14/08 I didn’t have a good night- very restless. The pillows were so soft that they gave no support for my neck. The weather was still bad- cool and rainy. We were up at 7 am and on the coach for 9:30. The breakfast was quite good. We headed off for Innsbruck. We stopped for lunch at an autogrill and I bought some cute Austrian elves for my grandchildren. We arrived early in Innsbruck. Uli spoke of the Crazy Canucks as we passed the ski jump area. He mentioned one in particular, Steve Podborski, and how he remembered his world championship ski run. These 4 guys made history on the world's ski slopes in the late 1970s and early '80s. Altogether Podborski won eight World Cup races in the downhill event. This was of great interest to me as I had watched the “Crazy Canucks” movie about winning the World Cup, 2 years ago and I know his parents. I play bridge here in town with them. It is nice that someone from Germany remembers a sports event 25 years later. His mom was quite pleased about it when I mentioned it to her. Our hotel, the Grauer Baer (gray bear) was in the centre of town. Uli took us on a walking orientation of the city. We saw the Golden Roof and the many beautiful buildings of the city. The Golden Roof is a landmark in Innsbruck, Austria built in 1500. It was decorated with 2657 fire-gilded copper tiles for Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor. The emperor and others used the balcony to watch events in the square below. In the square is the Swarovski crystal showroom. This store absolutely glitters. We had a group tour around the store and each received a free gift- a pin- for purchasing anything. I love this jewelry and bought a couple of pieces for myself and one for my granddaughter, who will be 16 next year. There are many other shops, restaurants, etc. in the square. I did a bit of looking but had already bought most of my souvenirs. Back at the hotel, I had a lay down then set off at 6:20 for The Lion’s Pub for an excellent dinner ending with apple strudel. We were then off to an optional Tyrolean evening – 34E. We had front row seats thanks to Uli’s connections. There was dancing, singing, yodeling etc. Some of the performance was good and other parts boring. The males in the ensemble don’t appear very enthused about performing. At the end, they saluted each country by waving its flag and singing a national song. It was a pleasant evening. We went back to the hotel in taxis as Willy had taken the ones not attending the optional back to the hotel right after dinner. I really like Innsbruck and would like to see more of it. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08
DAY 11 July 15/08 This morning we had a very early wake-up call at 6:00 am. After a nice breakfast, which included boiled eggs and fresh fruit, we boarded the bus at 7:30 for a long driving day. We were heading for Vienna and the normal road was closed because of a washout. We had to go by way of Salzburg. As we passed through, the Eagle’s Nest was pointed out. This was one of my most anticipated optionals of the trip. We stopped in Berchtesgaden for lunch and had 1 hour to tour this Aipine resort town. Uli headed for a special place he knew that had excellent meatloaf sandwiches. I just got a salad. I went into a toy store and saw this excellent book on the Eagle’s Nest so I bought it to read before I actually toured the building. Everyone spent a bit of time in an interesting graveyard nearby. Back on the bus, I showed the others on the tour my book. They all wished they had a copy. In Fact, I can’t seem to get it back from my son now that I am home. He’s had it a month. LOL. It was a long tedious drive to Vienna. Uli, very tactfully, handled the story of Hitler, the war, the atrocities, the Berchtesgaden area and the building of the mountain road and the Eagle’s Nest. I was wondering how a German would present this horrific era of history and he did a great job. Along the highway toward Vienna, they have constructed these high walls as sound barriers. It really makes the trip boring, as there is nothing to look at. Uli says that the locals don’t like them either. Great time for a nap. We got to the Lovely Hilton Danube hotel in Vienna about 4 p.m. I had a large double-bedded room with a massive big rosewood desk. My room overlooked the Danube river so this was a bonus. At 5:30, we met and went on our optional Vienna Woods tour and Heurigin Dinner 56E. at a local inn. The view from the top lookout over the “powerful” Vienna was wonderful. But the meal was incredible. So much excellent food!! We had platter after platter of food. It started with cheeses, cold meats, pickles and onions. Then came pork, sausage, chicken, schnitzel, sauerkraut and potatoes. Then a platter of lots of vegetables and lastly apple strudel and this special ice cream ball with apricot preserve inside. All this included drinks as well. A real bargain and not to be missed. We were all so full it was shameful. While we were eating, an accordion player serenaded us. He played lots of local music, then some well-known sing-along songs, and some slow and fast music to waltz or polka to. Many got up to dance. It was a very pleasant evening. We even sang on the coach going back to the hotel. I washed out my clothes and hung them to dry. I had written down that the Internet said it had laundry facilities but when I inquired this was an iron. Off to bed as we explore Vienna tomorrow. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08
DAY 12 July 16/08 After an excellent breakfast, more than you could possibly try, we boarded the bus at 7:45 for an early start on our optional Vienna Imperial Highlights 40E. Uli wanted to beat the crowds at Schonbrunn Palace, which was the summer home of the Habsburgs, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which failed to survive losing World War I. Uli explained the long history behind the Palace, the family and our guide did an excellent job explaining the various rooms as he showed us through the palace and gardens. Schonbrunn is an absolutely beautiful palace with lavish gardens surrounding it. Empress Maria Teresa had several additions built over the years as her extensive family increased. There are over 1300 rooms. The palace contains many pieces of the original furnishings. It is very gilt oriented with amazing parquet floors and painted ceilings. The gardens of Schonbrunn are breathtaking. In 1996, Schonbrunn Palace, its parkland, fountains and statues as well as its zoo where placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. We met up with the rest of our group about 10:00. Some had chosen not to visit the Palace. We then did a coach tour of the city and a walking tour of the area around the winter palace in Vienna. The city is magnificent with many beautiful ornate buildings, statues and fountains. After that, we visited the crypts and vaults of the Habsburgs. This is quite a unique experience. There are many coffins in the crypts and the are very ornate. They are made of bronze/ iron and are often designed by the future occupant. Some of these took 30 years to design and complete. There are still three sons alive who were the children of the last Emperor of Austria, who had to abdicate at the end of WW1 in 1918. These men are very old, in their 90’s, and a spot has been reserved for them in the crypt. Peter, our guide, said that they sometimes buy a ticket and visit Schonbrunn and the Crypts when they come to visit Vienna from America. How sad that must be for these princes touring their childhood home and remembering life in the Palace. We had a couple hours of free time for lunch and wandering around the centre of Vienna. The day was very hot and the city very busy so we were relieved to be picked up and taken back to our hotel after a day of sightseeing. Many of us had done some souvenir shopping. I laid down and had a rest then about 6:30, I headed out for a walk along the Danube. I met up with some of our group. We had a impromptu picnic by the pool next to the river. It seems that various groups had decided to buy some cheese, pate, crackers, snacks, fruit, wine, beer etc. We all shared the food. At first there were only a few but many others joined. About 17 of us were there and what fun we had. We sat and talked and laughed about last night’s dancing. Sometimes, a totally unplanned event can turn out to be the most fun. I came in an attended to my laundry, charged my batteries, repacked and got ready to move on the next morning. Vienna is a beautiful city. Unfortunately, we only had a short time to explore it. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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GRAND ALPINE JULY6-19/08
DAY 13 July 17/08 An early wake up call at 6 am and on the bus for 7:30 heading for Salzburg. We had another exceptional breakfast before we boarded the coach. It was sunny in the morning but as we drove it turned cloudy and started to rain. Many of us were dressed in sandals and capris so our feet got wet. A lot had to buy umbrellas. This morning, we drove through the lovely countryside of Austria through the Danube Valley. Uli pointed out the Monastery at Melk and Richard the Lionheart’s castle at Durnstein. We arrived in pouring rain in Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and the scene of “The Sound of Music”. Veronika, our guide for the walking tour of Salzburg, took us through the streets of Salzburg and into a beautiful Domplatz cathedral. We were glad to be out of the rain for awhile so we could admire the interior. We then passed the Horse Fountain and arrived at the Mozartplatz Square in the heart of the old town of Salzburg just next to the New Residenz. The central piece on interest is the Mozart memorial, which dominates the square. Our guide pointed out many spots that had to do with the shooting of the Sound of Music. We had 2 hours to have lunch and explore. I had a lovely goulash soup and wandered the shops. The rain had almost stopped so it was more pleasant for being outside. Next came my most anticipated optional – The Eagle’s Nest 56E. Veronika was our guide for this while Uli went to our hotel with the 5 who didn’t take this optional. Unfortunately, the cloudy skies did not give us a good view from the mountaintop but the excursion is phenomenal for several reasons: the history, the technology and the view. I will explain in a fair amount of detail below. The Kehlsteinhaus is a chalet-style building built by the Nazis in the German Alps near Berchtesgaden. It was an official 50th birthday present for Adolf Hitler. Nicknamed Eagle's Nest by a French diplomat, it was meant to be a retreat for Hitler and a place for him to entertain visiting dignitaries. We headed up the mountain road around hairpin turns. The Eagle’s Nest was completed in 13 months and officially presented to Hitler in 1939. The technology that went into building this piece of history was phenomenal. The road, the tunnels, the elevator shaft and the house were all completed by 3000 workmen, mainly Italian, in just 13 months. Kehlsteinhaus is reached by a spectacular 6.5-km (3.9-mile) road that would cost about 150 million Euros in 2007 prices. There is a 124-metre long granite tunnel that ends at an elevator. The last 124 metres up to the Kehlsteinhaus are reached by an elevator, which rises through a shaft bored straight down through the mountain. The inside of the large elevator car is surfaced with polished brass, Venetian mirrors and green leather. The main reception room is dominated by a fireplace of red Italian marble, presented by Mussolini. Hitler rarely visited the property. There were no bedrooms there only entertainment rooms. It has been suggested he only visited the Kehlsteinhaus around 10 times, and most times for no more than 30 minutes. Eva Braun often entertained there. It is said that Hitler did not like heights. Today the building is owned by a charitable trust, and serves as a restaurant. It is a popular tourist attraction for its historical impact and the view. After the return of the Kehlsteinhaus to German hands, an information center was built on the foot of the hill to remind the public of Hitler and his regime. The Kehlsteinhaus itself does not mention much about its past. What a wonderful experience! The book that I had bought a few days before certainly made my visit all the more interesting. Back at our hotel by 6:15 p.m. and dinner was schedule for 7pm. It was chicken and vegetables. Our hotel was the Europa and it was very basic but clean and the bed was very comfortable. An early night for me reading my Eagle’s Nest book. This message has been edited. Last edited by: sandry, |
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