More Pictures – Bernina Express

Tid Bits and Second Thoughts

The charm of Switzerland is often held together by churches and public buildings with their spiralled tall clock towers. They are what you have grown to expect as you travel from little town to little town.

While in Switzerland we would sometimes go to sleep at night with the sound of cow bells in the distance. I am now searching for a cow bell. Honest.

In Switzerland, I think there are more cows, sheep, and goats than people.

In Stresa we are staying at a pretty nice hotel on the lake overlooking the mountains. This morning after breakfast I went to the front desk to request a box of tissues and by the time we got to our room (less than a minute) the box was there.

Stresa Italy and Visits to two historic Islands on Lake Maggiore.

W

e woke to blue skies and a bright sun and Stresa took on the beautiful appearance we knew was there. There are a few islands off shore that hold treasurers continues after pics.

too incredible to try and explain so I will not. I will let the pictures in the next post impress you. Isola Madre and Isola Bella, properties once owned by the same family dating back five hundred years, are properties that dwarf Newport’s Breakers and have gardens that rival anything in the world. Enjoy Stresa, a highlight of our trip.

Our hotel and view from our room overlooking Lake Maggiore

Pictures from Bernina Express

Bernina Express into Italy

It was a tiring day but as of last evening we have moved into Italy and our last leg of our journey. The Bernina Express was a filled with wonderful sights despite the gray and rainy weather.Pictures will follow but are limited because of the inclement weather. We crossed some incredible viaducts at dizzying heights and got up close to a massive glacier.

This scenic train trip was not only for sight seeing but was also our mode of transportation to Italy. When we arrived in Tirano, Italy we had only eight minutes to make our connection and being unfamiliar with the station we missed it. It was the first glitch of the trip but resolved it by taking the next train an hour later. We almost missed that one too as they changed the platform without broadcasting it loud enough.

Our trip to our next connection at Milano Centrale was long and tiring but some of the ride passed through Lake Como, a wonderful stay during a previous trip. It is a wonderful place in Italy and so thinks Georg Clooney who lives there. Though we have been to this train station a number of times, one can never get used to it. It is massive, crowded, and stressful. And to think we will pass this way twice more on this trip. You just need to have a combative mood.

We finally boarded our one hour trip to Stresa which runs parallel to Lake Como. We arrived to a wonderful setting. Mountains touching the lake in all directions, a wonderful lakeside promenade, narrow alleys with dozens of Italian restaurants, pedestrian squares with the same, ferry boats dotting the lake going to the nearby islands, our beautiful lakeside historic Grand hotel with Lakeview balcony, we were far from most civilizations and the Milan station. The next three nights will teach us that it is not stressful in Stresa. Pictures to follow !

One Long Rail Trip

I am willing to bet that in the last ten days Carol and I have traveled through, around, and over more mountains than 99.9% of all people on Earth. This trip today on the Glacier Express produced peak after peak in this eight hour journey. It has been that way for each of our areas that we have visited here. Frankly I am not sure what is more impressive the natural beauty of the land or the engineering and manual labor that has been done to allow us to see it all. The Swiss people know how to design and construct all this amazing stuff.

The panoramic trip leaves a lasting impression. The trip from Zermatt to St Moritz takes you over 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels. It winds its ways through remote valleys, past sheer Rock cliffs through the deep Rhine Gorge the Grand Canyon of Switzerland. The train climbs to over eight thousand feet. Many of the sites are UNESCO recognized.

Tomorrow we take our last scenic trade ride on the Bernina Express into Italy for three days of less activity. We have not been dealing with the best weather and hope that changes soon.

Laussane to Zermatt

The ride to Laussane (not to be confused with Luzerne) was really enjoyable initially through mountain ranges and steep slope side animal grazing, then along Lake Geneva it too surrounded by mountains. This small city of about 70 thousand is the home of the International Olympic Committee and is distinctly different than any city I have been to. It is built on layers rising from the lake and though we spent only one rainy afternoon and evening there, It appeared to be a fun place to live. Like many of our trips we often find an unknown and unexpected place that we wish had more time to spend there.

The rain forced us indoors to a charming pub for dinner and then back to our room. This area was built with a strong French influence in speech, construction and every other way. The charm was definitely everywhere and many young people filled the streets. It would be a great city to live near to.

This stop was a needed one which gave us the time to get to Zermatt and see the Matterhorn. The trip started today with being on the wrong train but going in the right direction. We realized the error and got on the right train. It did not impact our connections or time of arrival. Upon arrival we got a partial view of the mountain and could see it from our room. We later made a pretty intense trip aboard a cog railway up a nearby mountain some ten thousand feet up but the fog and clouds surrounded the famous peak. We traveled many hours on many trains and spent a few dollars to see the mountain.

We have one more chance early tomorrow morning before we head off on our six hour trek through the Alps aboard the Glacier Express. Maybe this will be like the Polar Express where we dress in our pajamas and drink hot chocolate!

I must add that the temp at the summit of the Cog Rail run was minus two degrees Celsius. It was cold but did not seem that cold. Will try to report tomorrow after our trip to St Moritz. We reach Italy in two days and must consider Switzerland a huge success.

Breaking News …. Special Report …. From Lauterbruneñ, Switzerland

Leaving our hotel at eight thirty this morning, about a half hour earlier than planned, we decided to take an earlier trail and dismiss our rail plans for this major travel day. We are getting more brazen I guess.

We boarded the train and while waiting to leave what to our eyes did magically appear (no not eight tiny reindeer) but our travel hero, that jolly Rick fellow. We were sitting near the door with Carol able to see all who entered, and yes, yes it was he. Carol interrupted him, politely of course by simply saying “Rick” would you mind taking a picture?

I chimed in naturally saying that it was he that influenced our travel desires. Politely he took Carol’s phone and click, three smiling faces in one picture, proof that we indeed had met the big guy ..,. Rick Steves. Travel will never be the same. We have met our Rock Star.

Tid bits

Scenic trains are indeed scenic. They are quiet too.

Trains in Switzerland are always on time. Down to the second.

I have mentioned a number of times that we rode cog rail trains. For those not aware of them they are trains that run on three tracks with the middle one having like a gear and thus provide stability and control.

I will try to post more pictures.

If you refer to my original email before the blog started you will find a number of links to YouTube sites that reference places we are visiting.

Ambulance service is essentially done by helicopter as most areas in mountainous regions would take too long to get to using conventional methods.

Ski slopes here are so steep I would not walk on them.

Switzerland is expensive for everything.

Tomorrow, May 26 is essentially a travel day that sets up our next stop, the Matterhorn. That will be followed by a six hour train ride through Switzerland known as the Glacier Express. In three days we will be in Italy.

Feel free to offer the blog to friends and relatives.

At six this evening it started to rain. We got to do all the e-ticket attractions in great weather. For those of you who need a definition, ask a Disney fan.

Good Night