Olympian feats...then Back to Reality
Hello again
Where was I? Ah yes in Lucerne (Luzern) Switzerland.
Many places have a funicular or cable car to take you up to the top of a mountain, where you get a nice view. Lucerne has several mountains you can visit, and more than one way to get up too! I chose Mount Pilatus, as you can go up and down by two methods.
To go up, a short trolleybus ride took me to the cablecar station, where I got on my 'gondola'. I don't have a great head for heights, but was fine. As long as we stayed moving, that is. When the system stops, the gondolas do sway about in a slightly alarming manner! You do get a grand view of the countryside, and can hear the jangle of the cowbells (yes, their cows do genuinely wear them).
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=5fadre2.jpg&.src=ph
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=fbe9re2.jpg&.src=ph
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=23cfre2.jpg&.src=ph
Two thirds of the way up, you change onto a conventional cable car for the journey to the summit. Which we couldn't see, as it was covered in thick cloud, which at least solved any vertigo issues!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=ab8fre2.jpg&.src=ph
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=9ec7re2.jpg&.src=ph
On reaching the summit, it was covered in thick cloud, thunder was rumbling all around us, steady rain was falling and a biting gale was blowing around.
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=c904re2.jpg&.src=ph
Then suddenly the cloud cover lifted. It was still freezing and wet, but at least we could enjoy the view.
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=59d6re2.jpg&.src=ph
The journey down was by the world's steepest funicular (up to 48 degrees) quite an engineering marvel in it's time. On reaching the bottom, we transferred to a boat, for a relaxing journey back across the lake to Lucerne. A very pleasant journey, basking in the sun (!) and earwigging a strange conversation between some local teenage school children and some American students. The boat had a slightly pointless first class section upstairs unless you like solitude! Mount Pilatus was naturally bathed in sunshine by this point, you can just about see the cablecar on the right hand side of this picture, and note the complete absence of clouds!!!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=470bre2.jpg&.src=ph
Moving on the next day, my next destination was Bern, capital of Switzerland. It was made capital, as a compromise candidate (Zurich was too German, Geneva too French), but is an attractive, if provincial medievel city in it's own right. It's name has bear origins, hence the bear pits around the city....not to everyone's taste perhaps...
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=37a7re2&.dnm=2978re2.jpg&.src=ph
Bern has one of those typically swiss historical clocks, with twirling figures on the hour. It was pretty dull actually, not a patch on the one in Leicester Square! Of more interest was Einstein's former home, and an interesting statue depicting a giant feasting on children! If I ever get caught tucking into pan fried loin of child (with a nice Bearnaise sauce perhaps), I'm blaming the statue for leading me astray!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=37a7re2&.dnm=8258re2.jpg&.src=ph
Bern is surprisingly lively at night, though as both Germany and Italy had won quarter finals that day, there were plenty of people up for a celebration!
The next day, I headed for Lausanne, in the French sector of Switzerland, and close to Lake Geneva. Another attractive city centre, though disappointingly the Tour de l'Ale contained no beer!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=fcc4re2&.dnm=f760re2.jpg&.src=ph
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=fcc4re2&.dnm=8669re2.jpg&.src=ph
Lausanne is the headquarters for the Olympic movement, and the Olympic museum is a highlight. Sometimes I think that athletics undersells itself. For example, the photo below isn't me practising for a penalty shootout, but rather the height of the high jump world record! Staggering, as without going on tiptoes, I can't even touch the bar!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=fcc4re2&.dnm=3c45re2.jpg&.src=ph
Inspired by the Olympian feats described in the museum, I walked back to my hotel (beers in hand) to watch the England Portugal game. I had a wide choice of channels to watch the game on; apart from French and German TV, Swiss TV has channels in all their three main languages! Not that I exactly needed commentary to describe the penalty shootout...after the game, the streets outside were FULL of Portuguese, which didn't exactly cheer me up!
The next day I took the short journey to Geneva, the final destination on my long journey. Lots more celebrating Portuguese here too, and indeed, compared with the rest of Switzerland, lots more ethnic minorities, which is fitting seeing that Geneva has the European headquarters of the UN, and headquarters of the Red Cross. It has an attractive lakeside location, though the swarms of midges over the lake are a bit offputting!
Geneva has the world's tallest fountain, which to my surprise dated back to the 19th C - I had presumed it was a recent construction by the Ministry for Tourism! It also has the world's longest bench, which is as dull as it sounds...(though perfect for Chelsea to keep their reserves on I guess)
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=3801re2&.dnm=1f49re2.jpg&.src=ph
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=3801re2&.dnm=c95bre2.jpg&.src=ph
Of more interest was a visit to the UN. Security was understandably tight, but once inside, the guided tour was very interesting. The building has an interesting history, as previously the ill fated League of Nations was based here. One can argue about how much the UN has achieved over the years, but it wasn't for lack of trying.
My final museum was the Red Cross Museum, a very moving and informative museum showing the origin of the Red Cross, its aim and achivements. A highlight here is the Wall of Time, which shows for every year of the Red Cross's existence (up to almost the present) the wars and natural disasters that happened during that year, simultaneously depressing and educational.
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=3801re2&.dnm=2fc6re2.jpg&.src=ph
In summary, I had a great time in Switzerland, the cities are attractive and clean (though with more graffiti than I had expected), the scenery is stunning (mountains and lakes), the trains as punctual and efficient as you'd expect, everyone speaks English and the food and drink is decent too (reflecting the different ethnic groups). And not too expensive too...well compared with London anyway!
So, it was with a heavy heart that I made my way to the airport the next morning, I had booked an early flight to get me home to my empty flat in good time. At the airport station, I saw a sign for a interesting sounding motor musuem, and regretted that I wouldn't have time to see it on this visit, which was probably tempting fate, as on checking in I found that due to a problem with the plane, the flight would be 4 hours late! The really annoying thing subsequently, was that the stupid musuem was actually shut for refurbishment!!!
After hanging around in town for a couple of hours, and doing my good deed for the day by carrying an old lady's bags to the airport, I finally boarded the Easyjet flight home (they had difficulties getting my halo though the door). The final irritation was that the plane disappeared into cloud somewhere over France, so I never got to see the coastline of England below me welcoming me home...the England football team were there to greet me though, it turns out they deliberately missed all those penalties so that they could meet me at the airport - can you think of a better explanation!
Luton Airport. A chavtastic way to come back to earth with a bump, and just as I got on the Thameslink (or whatever they're called this week) train, the heavens opened, with a massive thunderstorm (which apparently flooded and closed the airport soon after!). Still, it was dry by the time I got back to Golders Green, and I was soon back home in my flat, my RTW trip sadly at an end...
I will try and summarise the last six months. It's not easy though!
Mike
P.S. The biggest shock I've had so far on my return, is that during my absence the Golders Green McDonalds shut down! I'm fairly sure the two aren't linked in case you're wondering!
Where was I? Ah yes in Lucerne (Luzern) Switzerland.
Many places have a funicular or cable car to take you up to the top of a mountain, where you get a nice view. Lucerne has several mountains you can visit, and more than one way to get up too! I chose Mount Pilatus, as you can go up and down by two methods.
To go up, a short trolleybus ride took me to the cablecar station, where I got on my 'gondola'. I don't have a great head for heights, but was fine. As long as we stayed moving, that is. When the system stops, the gondolas do sway about in a slightly alarming manner! You do get a grand view of the countryside, and can hear the jangle of the cowbells (yes, their cows do genuinely wear them).
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=5fadre2.jpg&.src=ph
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=fbe9re2.jpg&.src=ph
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=23cfre2.jpg&.src=ph
Two thirds of the way up, you change onto a conventional cable car for the journey to the summit. Which we couldn't see, as it was covered in thick cloud, which at least solved any vertigo issues!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=ab8fre2.jpg&.src=ph
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=9ec7re2.jpg&.src=ph
On reaching the summit, it was covered in thick cloud, thunder was rumbling all around us, steady rain was falling and a biting gale was blowing around.
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=c904re2.jpg&.src=ph
Then suddenly the cloud cover lifted. It was still freezing and wet, but at least we could enjoy the view.
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=59d6re2.jpg&.src=ph
The journey down was by the world's steepest funicular (up to 48 degrees) quite an engineering marvel in it's time. On reaching the bottom, we transferred to a boat, for a relaxing journey back across the lake to Lucerne. A very pleasant journey, basking in the sun (!) and earwigging a strange conversation between some local teenage school children and some American students. The boat had a slightly pointless first class section upstairs unless you like solitude! Mount Pilatus was naturally bathed in sunshine by this point, you can just about see the cablecar on the right hand side of this picture, and note the complete absence of clouds!!!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=db7ere2&.dnm=470bre2.jpg&.src=ph
Moving on the next day, my next destination was Bern, capital of Switzerland. It was made capital, as a compromise candidate (Zurich was too German, Geneva too French), but is an attractive, if provincial medievel city in it's own right. It's name has bear origins, hence the bear pits around the city....not to everyone's taste perhaps...
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=37a7re2&.dnm=2978re2.jpg&.src=ph
Bern has one of those typically swiss historical clocks, with twirling figures on the hour. It was pretty dull actually, not a patch on the one in Leicester Square! Of more interest was Einstein's former home, and an interesting statue depicting a giant feasting on children! If I ever get caught tucking into pan fried loin of child (with a nice Bearnaise sauce perhaps), I'm blaming the statue for leading me astray!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=37a7re2&.dnm=8258re2.jpg&.src=ph
Bern is surprisingly lively at night, though as both Germany and Italy had won quarter finals that day, there were plenty of people up for a celebration!
The next day, I headed for Lausanne, in the French sector of Switzerland, and close to Lake Geneva. Another attractive city centre, though disappointingly the Tour de l'Ale contained no beer!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=fcc4re2&.dnm=f760re2.jpg&.src=ph
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=fcc4re2&.dnm=8669re2.jpg&.src=ph
Lausanne is the headquarters for the Olympic movement, and the Olympic museum is a highlight. Sometimes I think that athletics undersells itself. For example, the photo below isn't me practising for a penalty shootout, but rather the height of the high jump world record! Staggering, as without going on tiptoes, I can't even touch the bar!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=fcc4re2&.dnm=3c45re2.jpg&.src=ph
Inspired by the Olympian feats described in the museum, I walked back to my hotel (beers in hand) to watch the England Portugal game. I had a wide choice of channels to watch the game on; apart from French and German TV, Swiss TV has channels in all their three main languages! Not that I exactly needed commentary to describe the penalty shootout...after the game, the streets outside were FULL of Portuguese, which didn't exactly cheer me up!
The next day I took the short journey to Geneva, the final destination on my long journey. Lots more celebrating Portuguese here too, and indeed, compared with the rest of Switzerland, lots more ethnic minorities, which is fitting seeing that Geneva has the European headquarters of the UN, and headquarters of the Red Cross. It has an attractive lakeside location, though the swarms of midges over the lake are a bit offputting!
Geneva has the world's tallest fountain, which to my surprise dated back to the 19th C - I had presumed it was a recent construction by the Ministry for Tourism! It also has the world's longest bench, which is as dull as it sounds...(though perfect for Chelsea to keep their reserves on I guess)
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=3801re2&.dnm=1f49re2.jpg&.src=ph
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=3801re2&.dnm=c95bre2.jpg&.src=ph
Of more interest was a visit to the UN. Security was understandably tight, but once inside, the guided tour was very interesting. The building has an interesting history, as previously the ill fated League of Nations was based here. One can argue about how much the UN has achieved over the years, but it wasn't for lack of trying.
My final museum was the Red Cross Museum, a very moving and informative museum showing the origin of the Red Cross, its aim and achivements. A highlight here is the Wall of Time, which shows for every year of the Red Cross's existence (up to almost the present) the wars and natural disasters that happened during that year, simultaneously depressing and educational.
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mfconway@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=3801re2&.dnm=2fc6re2.jpg&.src=ph
In summary, I had a great time in Switzerland, the cities are attractive and clean (though with more graffiti than I had expected), the scenery is stunning (mountains and lakes), the trains as punctual and efficient as you'd expect, everyone speaks English and the food and drink is decent too (reflecting the different ethnic groups). And not too expensive too...well compared with London anyway!
So, it was with a heavy heart that I made my way to the airport the next morning, I had booked an early flight to get me home to my empty flat in good time. At the airport station, I saw a sign for a interesting sounding motor musuem, and regretted that I wouldn't have time to see it on this visit, which was probably tempting fate, as on checking in I found that due to a problem with the plane, the flight would be 4 hours late! The really annoying thing subsequently, was that the stupid musuem was actually shut for refurbishment!!!
After hanging around in town for a couple of hours, and doing my good deed for the day by carrying an old lady's bags to the airport, I finally boarded the Easyjet flight home (they had difficulties getting my halo though the door). The final irritation was that the plane disappeared into cloud somewhere over France, so I never got to see the coastline of England below me welcoming me home...the England football team were there to greet me though, it turns out they deliberately missed all those penalties so that they could meet me at the airport - can you think of a better explanation!
Luton Airport. A chavtastic way to come back to earth with a bump, and just as I got on the Thameslink (or whatever they're called this week) train, the heavens opened, with a massive thunderstorm (which apparently flooded and closed the airport soon after!). Still, it was dry by the time I got back to Golders Green, and I was soon back home in my flat, my RTW trip sadly at an end...
I will try and summarise the last six months. It's not easy though!
Mike
P.S. The biggest shock I've had so far on my return, is that during my absence the Golders Green McDonalds shut down! I'm fairly sure the two aren't linked in case you're wondering!
posted by Michael Conway at
8:03 pm
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