May 11 -12 Colmar, France (WOW!) & Freiburg, Germany (but Rick gets sick!)

This morning we took the train from Strasbourg to Colmar, France - less than 30 minutes. We didn't think anything could be more charming than Strasbourg, but Colmar is super charming! It is a smaller town, so it's easy to explore with just one day. 

While strolling this town, I wondered how anyone during WWII could even THINK of bombing a place so beautiful - then we learned that they actually did spare these beautiful areas of Colmar! Yeah!

 Many of these buildings are from 1300's to 1600's. This one, the Pfister House, was built in 1537 and has been painstakingly restored a number of times throughout the years. 

 Another view of the Pfister House from 1537.

 Rick shoppping in Colmar

 There are also canals in Colmar, thus is has an area called Petite Venise - Little Venice. 

 This set of homes was WAY too cute! You'll see several of these pictures - I couldn't help taking more pictures with the change of light, and also because this white truck was parked there most of the day - ruining a perfect picture! 

 Petite Venise area of Colmar. 

 Houses along one of the canals

 A bit down this canal we began a 30 minute boat tour. We were in a low, open boat, because we really had to bend down low to get under some bridges! It was a great little tour and really worth it! 

 On the boat, we quickly reach an area which is in the center of Colmar, yet quiet, green, and lush! What a surprise! 

 The route of our boat tour.

 Finally! A picture of Rick and I. The reason? I'm taking pictures with my iPhone, and I hate the idea of handing my phone to a stranger to take a picture! 

 A little later in the afternoon - the darn truck is still there. 

 We loved this blue house! Actually, we learned that houses were painted blue if the owner was Catholic, and red if they were protestant. Interesting!

 This house with the beautiful roses has 1589 etched in the stone above the door. 

 Evening light - and the truck is finally gone! 

 Evening light in Petite Venise, Colmar

 A completely new charm at dusk!

 Look closely how the house and windows are crooked. Extra framing had to be put in to square it for the modern windows!

 Evening lights on!

 Amazing that these house are still standing - and people (and cats!) living in them!

After spending one night in Colmar, we continued on May 12 straight east to Freiburg, Germany. 

That morning Rick was not feeling well, and had flu symptoms. Oh no! We had to take a bus from Colmar to the border, and poor Rick, with all the roundabouts and bumpy streets! At the border we took a train into Freiburg. Phew! no vomiting! The trip from Colmar to Freiburg took about 1 1/2 hours (because of all the stops the bus had to make!) 

So our day in Freiburg turned into MY day to shop! Rick stayed at the hotel and slept, but fortunately felt slightly better in the evening to take a little walk with me so I could get something to eat. 

 My pictures of Freiburg are few - I actually just took them to show Rick, not knowing if he'd get to see anything. Freiburg was a nice town with many young people as there is a university here. Although this square by the cathedral was quiet, the rest of the city center (which is mostly pedestrian streets) was bustling with shoppers!

Even though Freiburg was very nice, after Strasbourg and Colmar, the oozing charm didn't compare - but I sure loved shopping at my own leisure!

May 9-10 Trip to Strasbourg, France

After a couple weeks of mostly rain, sunshine was in the forecast! Rick and I racked our brains on where to go for a little trip. The original plans were to meet our friends who live near Zurich and go to their mountain house in Adelboden, but rain was predicted for that area. 

At the last minute our decision was made to take the train north to Strasbourg, France. We had never been there before, and we could do it with one change of trains in Basel and total travel time of 5 1/2 hours - not bad! The chance of rain that was predicted to Strasbourg turned into sunshine and perfect weather! It ended up not being bad weather in northern Switzerland, but hotels were already booked and train tickets purchased. 

 Well, I had heard that the region of Alsace was beautiful, but what a surprise! Strasbourg has a huge old center - so carefully restored after WWII, and every street seemed to make our jaws drop with awe from the cuteness! 

Here is the HUGE cathedral of Notre Dame de Strasbourg. 

 Inside the cathedral

 An atomic clock inside the cathedral

 The old center of Strasbourg is surrounded by the river/canals. 

 This area is extra special and is called Petite France. 

The building in the center is one of the most famous, the House of Tanners, who had upper levels open to hang and dry leather. 

 Closer view of the House of Tanners

 Great open air cafes in the area! 

 One of many colorful, cute buildings

A quiet square in Strasbourg

 Rick enjoying lunch!

 This cool building along the river is actually the international high school! Wouldn't that be a fun school to attend!

 While relaxing with a drink later in the day, we watch one of the many tour boats come by. We took this same tour earlier in the afternoon. It's a low boat to get under the bridges. 

 A great evening in Strasbourg.

 These buildings are so decorative. We had to check out the items in this tourist shop just to admire the old interior! 

We had dinner at Au Pont Saint Martin - building furthest on left. We were actually sitting just above the water on the little platform in the middle - the restaurant connected into the green and orange buildings. The river was extra high because of all the rain in Europe in the previous two weeks. 

The view from our table! Fun and romantic!

 Restaurant Au Pont St. Martin from the other side. If it looks like some buildings are leaning, well, yes they are! 

Evening light on the cathedral

Now this is ice cream artwork! 

 The cathedral at night.

May 4, Rainy days, LOST WALLET!, football & other stories

Since our last great hike, our month of sunshine has ended and we are in our second week of foggy skies and rain on and off. No exciting photos but a few stories to tell. 

Starting with today, Rick and I took the bus down to the Migros grocery store. Rick paid while I packed the groceries. Outside, we waited for the bus to come. When we arrived home, I always look back on the bus to make sure we didn't leave anything, and I said "just making sure you have your wallet". Rick checks his back pocket, NO WALLET! Yikes!

We hop back on the bus for the 4 minute ride back to the store. No wallet at the store, none where we were sitting waiting for the bus. We went in a few shops in the area in case anyone turned it in. No luck. We went back into the store, because a few minutes earlier the cashier we had was on break and we wanted to talk to her. She hadn't seen it, and the store manager was so nice and called the security to look back at the security video. While he was doing that, my phone rings. It's a woman who said she found the wallet!!!! Oh how lucky we are that an honest Swiss found Rick's wallet! And it just happened to be that only the week before, Rick had decided to slip a piece of paper into his wallet with our address and phone numbers. Phew! The woman said she would send her son down to the Migros to give it back to us.

So all is well that ends well! We got the wallet back and gave the boy a reward for him and his mother. She had found it on the street right at the bus stop by the grocery store. We think it slipped part way out of Rick's pants and when he stepped up into the bus, it fell. It really was a scare, because how would he get a new driver's license while here? In addition to the hassles of getting new credit cards, etc. So glad it all ended well. :-)

 Here is just one example of what happens when streets are steep and narrow. The man in the wheel chair couldn't get down the street because a truck was in the way. The truck couldn't move because of another truck in front of him - they were nose to nose! The white truck had to move backwards up the street so the yellow postal truck could move. Some good samaritans helped the man in the wheelchair go onto the steps while the trucks passed. 

Parco del Tassino

 On May 2, it wasn't raining, only cloudy. We wanted to go to visit another town, but a rare occurrence happened. We took the train, about a 12 minute ride south along the lake, to Capolago-Riva San Vitale. We got off the train to get the bus, a 4 minute connection, but the train must have been just a few minutes LATE (unheard of!) and the bus was gone. Next bus was in 2 hours. Forget that town. We got on the train back to Lugano and explored this Parco del Tassino which is really just a few steps south of the train station, but so well hidden that Rick and I never knew of this park over the last 10 years! There is only foot access and no where to park a car, so it's a quiet park with great views, although we heard from a local that it is also where the druggies go. Oh oh! It was still very nice on a Saturday afternoon! 

 View of Monte Boglia from Parco del Tassino

 In Parco del Tassino

 Parco del Tassino

The property once belonged to a wealthy family who had a hunting lodge. This tower was on the property, from 1855. There are also many varieties of roses. 

 On the north side of the park and above the train station, there is a big hotel called the Continental Park Hotel. There is a large, park like area next to the hotel, where there are natural grottos. These are found in many places around Ticino. 

 Another grotto

 On Saturday evening, we went with our friend Berny to the town of Lavena, Italy. It is just along Lake Lugano, after the border by Ponte Tresa. Because of the weird shape of the lake, the mountain and houses you see across the "straight of Lavena"  is Switzerland. We are standing in Italy. 

Here is another view. On the right is the town of Lavena, Italy, and on the left is Caslano, Switzerland. 

Football!
Oh yes, I haven't talked about football! Well, here is the story. Just as we were arriving in Switzerland, the Lugano Lakers were finding that they were losing players. As the regular players were getting older, a number of them had to do their 1 year of mandatory military duty, others were now going to college, and a few others were injured. The Lakers found that they just didn't have enough players for either the senior or junior team.
If they tried to play the season but found themselves canceling games because of too few players, the team would have been fined for each game forfeited. The committee in charge of the team decided that it was less costly to the team to cancel the entire season. But some Laker football is still happening! There is also a team of under age 16 players. Their season is in the fall, but practice was started this spring, 3 evening a week, with groups from Lugano and Bellinzona areas. So Rick does have football practice with the younger kids and although there are no games scheduled, they do play flag football and have fun!
Other Laker projects are to visit schools in the area and begin new promotions for the team to recruit additional players. We will see if we can grow the team in the next few years!