After 13 months in Switzerland, my parents have been able to come visit. When they arrived (very jetlagged) we had fun unpacking...it was like Christmas for me! They were able to meet Barbara and Norbert and the girls and have 2 fabulous dinners with the family. I toured them around Basel and they also got to see the VanGogh exhibit at the Basel art museum. After a couple days in Basel we rented a car and were off to France.
We stayed in Beaune, the heart of Burgandy and GREAT wine! Beaune was very nice...Frenchy! We explored the small town, toured the Hotel-Dieu, rode bikes, and drank wine! Beaune still has portions of the old wall around the city that you can walk around and see; we enjoyed this walk, but we LOVED the bike ride we did! We rented bikes for an afternoon and thought that we would ride to some vineyards and taste wine...we didn't realize we would ride through NOTHING BUT vineyards and have lots of wine drinking oppurtunities. We would ride through vineyard countryside and at each town, in many garages, were people making wine!
We did a nice self guided walk through the Hotel Dieu. It was built in the 1200s after the plague as a hostpice for the poor but was sure nice! The buildings were asbsolutely beautiful, especially the ornate roof tops. The building also has the most weather vains than any other building in France! It was interesting to walk through the hospital wards, chapel and the pharmacy. It is also home to some beautiful tapestries and paintings.
Beaune is the larger town in the area so we spent a day cruising the Burgundy countryside driving...destination Chateau Alil. We took little back roads and drove through some of the cutest little towns I have ever seen. My parents couldn't believe how you have this idea, postcard beauty, of what it will look like, and in this area, IT DOES! The chateau was really pretty and had great views of the valley. We continued on to Pully-Montrachet and tased lots of great wine.
Beaune is also where we ate Burgundy food...and was it amazing! Escargo, chevre salads, everything cooked in wine, a separate cheese course...we managed to do pretty well! Next stop...Chamonix!
Monday, October 5, 2009
September: Fall is in the air!
WOW! Where did the time go? September sure flw by! I was able to enjoy the last few days of Switzerland summer and catch up with friends. I had an amazing weekend with my friend Renee again. This time we adventured around Switzerland on the trains hiking and seeing some amazing glaciers. We spent a day in Saas Fee. It is a super cute, alpen town...planter boxes, mountains, shutters...just like the post cards! We took a gondola up the moutain and did a great hike along the bottom of the glacier. It was a beautiful fall day, sunny, and the glacier and glacier river were spectacular. We explored the town a little bit, before leaving on the bus, when I discovered that Saas Fee is one of Steamboat's sister cities! Who would have known!
We took an incredible bus to and from Saas Fee (from the neares train station). The bus was on a super narrow road with a few hundred meters of drop on one side. There was a white line and a guard rail (about a foot high) along the side and we went up up up into the valley! A bit scary but great views!
We also hiked up to the Trift Glacier with a bunch of other couch surfers. Renee and I camped in a near by town and met up with a bunch of Swiss people and we took off on a bus to the hike. Unfortunately we arrived and there was a 2 hour line to take the cable car up...so we did the hike! It was non-stop UP for 2 and a half hours, just to the top of the cable car, then another hour 15 to the glacier. Although it was grueling, it was SO worth it! Not only is the Trift glacier and the Trift valley beautiful, there is a new suspension bridge connecting the two sides of the valley. It is the longest suspension bridge in Switzerland and has GREAT views! Renee and I has lots of fun on the bridge taking photos adn anjoying the scenery! We hiked down to the top of the cable car with the couch surfing group but Renee and I didn't like the idea of the long, steep downhill, so we took tickets for the gongola and while we waited we treated ourselves to hot cider, soup and raclette! Good rewared for such a grunt of a hike!
With the Bleichs I also celebrated Oma's (the girls' grandmother) 75th birthday with a very nice party and lunch in Freiburg. Clara and Alma dressed up in their German dresses and were SO cute. Clara played her violin for Oma and then played in the market for change (she actually made quite a bit of money too)! It was very cute...and she is pretty good, especially for an 8 year old!
But, the best part of September was picking up my parents at the train station! I will have 2 weeks to travel with them! We have adventures planned for France, Switzerland and Germany while they are here! So now I'm off to drink wine, hike mountains and eat great French and Swiss food with my parents (who I haven's seen for over a year)! YeeHaw!
We took an incredible bus to and from Saas Fee (from the neares train station). The bus was on a super narrow road with a few hundred meters of drop on one side. There was a white line and a guard rail (about a foot high) along the side and we went up up up into the valley! A bit scary but great views!
We also hiked up to the Trift Glacier with a bunch of other couch surfers. Renee and I camped in a near by town and met up with a bunch of Swiss people and we took off on a bus to the hike. Unfortunately we arrived and there was a 2 hour line to take the cable car up...so we did the hike! It was non-stop UP for 2 and a half hours, just to the top of the cable car, then another hour 15 to the glacier. Although it was grueling, it was SO worth it! Not only is the Trift glacier and the Trift valley beautiful, there is a new suspension bridge connecting the two sides of the valley. It is the longest suspension bridge in Switzerland and has GREAT views! Renee and I has lots of fun on the bridge taking photos adn anjoying the scenery! We hiked down to the top of the cable car with the couch surfing group but Renee and I didn't like the idea of the long, steep downhill, so we took tickets for the gongola and while we waited we treated ourselves to hot cider, soup and raclette! Good rewared for such a grunt of a hike!
With the Bleichs I also celebrated Oma's (the girls' grandmother) 75th birthday with a very nice party and lunch in Freiburg. Clara and Alma dressed up in their German dresses and were SO cute. Clara played her violin for Oma and then played in the market for change (she actually made quite a bit of money too)! It was very cute...and she is pretty good, especially for an 8 year old!
But, the best part of September was picking up my parents at the train station! I will have 2 weeks to travel with them! We have adventures planned for France, Switzerland and Germany while they are here! So now I'm off to drink wine, hike mountains and eat great French and Swiss food with my parents (who I haven's seen for over a year)! YeeHaw!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
August: The One Year Mark
In a year gone by I have done so much and also feel like I just arrived! Visiting 12 countries, hiking, skiing, snowboarding and camping the Alps, exploring castles and savoring cuisine has made for an amazing year! With all I have done, I suppose it is only normal to get a bit exhausted and August was a month of relaxing, recovering and realizing how much fun Basel really can be. In the 4 weekends that were in August, 3 of them were spent in Basel sitting by the Rhine and swimming in it!
The Rhine in the summer is the place to be for everyone. The Rhine (swim-able through the heart of the city) is the hang out, bar-b-que, sun tanning, swimming spot for all people. Different sections of the river are often taken over by different groups (hippies, nudists, families...) and they all have their own atmosphere, bar, restaurants and fun. My friends and I love it! There are always people jamming out with guitars, ukuleles, drums and other fun instruments. The buvette (seasonal/portable bar) where we hang out has cheap ice cream and cold cidre (cider beer). We spend evenings at our favorite bar...an area that used to be a train yard; now it is a huge field, unused railroad tracks, and dilapidated buildings that they serve drinks out of. There are always multiple genres of music being played depending on what part of the area you are hanging out so it is always a fun social evening!
Weekends have become meeting my super cool friends (who I met through Couch Surfing) on Friday nights, going to the old train yard bar and staying out late enjoying the music and people watching. Saturdays I get up noon-ish, migrate to the river where we enjoy swimming, floating, napping in the sun, reading and relaxing. Grab a quick bite to eat at the cheap Indian places in the neighborhood, eat by the river, and then make our way back to the train yards for another night of fun.
I have discovered a very fun side to Basel that I didn't know existed. Most of my friends I have met through Couch Surfing. My good friend Renee, from French Canada, lives about 45 minutes from me and we have spent a few very fun weekends together! From camping, Jazz fest and now a weekend of Hip-Hop and swimming, we have really hit it off! I visited her in Biel/Bienne and we enjoyed a weekend of hip-hop shows and spent the days by the lake swimming, reading and napping!
I can't believe that it is already September. I have another adventure with Renee planned and get to see my parents! Yay!
Photos on the way!
The Rhine in the summer is the place to be for everyone. The Rhine (swim-able through the heart of the city) is the hang out, bar-b-que, sun tanning, swimming spot for all people. Different sections of the river are often taken over by different groups (hippies, nudists, families...) and they all have their own atmosphere, bar, restaurants and fun. My friends and I love it! There are always people jamming out with guitars, ukuleles, drums and other fun instruments. The buvette (seasonal/portable bar) where we hang out has cheap ice cream and cold cidre (cider beer). We spend evenings at our favorite bar...an area that used to be a train yard; now it is a huge field, unused railroad tracks, and dilapidated buildings that they serve drinks out of. There are always multiple genres of music being played depending on what part of the area you are hanging out so it is always a fun social evening!
Weekends have become meeting my super cool friends (who I met through Couch Surfing) on Friday nights, going to the old train yard bar and staying out late enjoying the music and people watching. Saturdays I get up noon-ish, migrate to the river where we enjoy swimming, floating, napping in the sun, reading and relaxing. Grab a quick bite to eat at the cheap Indian places in the neighborhood, eat by the river, and then make our way back to the train yards for another night of fun.
I have discovered a very fun side to Basel that I didn't know existed. Most of my friends I have met through Couch Surfing. My good friend Renee, from French Canada, lives about 45 minutes from me and we have spent a few very fun weekends together! From camping, Jazz fest and now a weekend of Hip-Hop and swimming, we have really hit it off! I visited her in Biel/Bienne and we enjoyed a weekend of hip-hop shows and spent the days by the lake swimming, reading and napping!
I can't believe that it is already September. I have another adventure with Renee planned and get to see my parents! Yay!
Photos on the way!
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