Here, There, and Everywhere ...
Still in Lucerne .... and fighting a cold. But it is ok. I have Ricola and tea to the rescue.
Lots has happened, but lots has not. Wednesday, as predicted by the weather man, it rained and rained. I tried to phone some relatives, but no answer. Until I got to the relative who has better English than I have. Victor Blaser. His wife Bettina is a semi-distant relative, but who cares, we take anyone!!
I phone him Wednesday morning, and after he answers and hears this strange voice, he has one thought in his mind. Who is this person, and what is he trying to sell me? I hate these annoying people. Luckily, since there is no language barrier with Victor, I soon explain myself, tell him my aunt and uncle are Bette and Bill Cahill, all is forgiven. The only snag is, the last time I saw his family it was 1993, and he had no idea that I was coming to Switzerland. I tell him, me too!! I didn't know when I could be here either ..... He quickly puts my name and face together as we have a good chat. It is later I find our they get these annoying phone calls from Microsoft imposters or other scammers literally all the time. Yay for our modern society.
Victor used to work for a very, very high profile company selling heavy industrial machinery and cars around the world. They had very high profile clients. In fact, he had to deal with Walter Kissenger, Henry's brother back in the 1970's, when he was in his 20's. He told me some very interesting stories that I shall not repeat here. Anyway, he speaks many languages, and has seen the world many times over. I first meet his family in 1993 when they visited Vancouver, and I spent some time with them when I came over to Switzerland a few months later.
So, he tells me he has Russian language lessons from 11am to 1pm, but we can meet at 2pm. He picks me up at the Lucerne train station, and since it is pouring rain, we head to their family house in nearby Kriens.
We literally talk in the living room over tea for 2.5 hours, talking about the world, its places, and lots on international politics. It is the type of amazing conversation you do not get everyday, so I'm like a sponge. Hooray for massive amounts of normally useless information. We talk until his wife arrives back from her work. She is a nurse who works with many diabetics. She remembers me right away, luckily I sort of look the same from the good old days. After a lovely dinner, they drive me back to my cousins house overlooking the lake.
The next day arrives on Thursday .... and the amazing weather is back. My master plan to head for the Alps comes to fruition. I take train to Interlaken, then Grindelwald and a few other places in between. Wow ... that is all there is to say. 100% Wow ...
Not a cloud in the sky. The mountains are full of glaciers, and the mighty Jungfrau is sitting up there for all to see. From Interlaken, not many other mountain peaks can be clearly seen. From my memory, I thought you could see more, but the old memory fails me again. So, off to the next logical place. Up to Grindelwald, and you fell like you are on those TV shows again .... Great Swiss Train Journeys.
From Grindelwald, it's a different story. So many majestic peaks can be seen from their growing village. The town is almost unrecognizable since my Aunty Rosly took me here in 1993. There are construction cranes everywhere, building chalets is akin to printing tourist money, with tourist arriving year-round. Cha-ching cha-ching is right!! I look to see how much more it is to take the train to higher peaks. Only $200 more ... cha-ching cha-ching once more !! I laugh at that idea, and just fell content with a simple wander around and give the camera a bit of a workout.
After 8 hours on trains, and walking around, and the sun, my body slowly breaks down. My throat is killing me, my ears are all pluged up from going up and down in altitude all day long. My sinuses are congested . But I am stuck in paradise, so not all is lost and you put up with it. I was to go home on the 8 pm train back to Lucerne, but I leave any hour early, so I have time for the dinner of Champions ... Burger King in the train station. The walk back along the Lake Lucerne esplanade is one for the ages .... a perfect.
Today was more simple ... sleep, lunch at my mother's cousins house near Zurich (Maria and Hugo Jeker). It is so nice to see them again, but I will see them tomorrow again anyway. My cousin Melanie phones, as she can not make a short visit in person, so we have to be content to talk over the phone. She sounds the same, it is like all the years haven't passed at all. After the wine, the dessert, and of course the schnops, Vreni and Urs take me to a scenic drive through Canton Schwyz to visit the grave of my dear Aunt Rosly. She died last August and is buried beside her sister. It is so good to see, and such a lovely spot for a cemetery. Beautiful views of the moutains way out in the distance .... and the warm air from the south feels nice walking around. That is the famous föhn from Italy
We then visit the oldest standing house in the country that is something like 700 years old. It is closed by the time we arrive, which is just as well. I wouldn't have fit well inside. But the outer facade was still in perfect condition. .... not like in North America where if the house is 40 years old, they just rip it down and build a mega-house. But I digress ....
Tomorrow ... lunch in the mountians for Urs' birthday party. I hope the weather improves as we had thunderstorms briefly tonight. Keeping my fingers crossed .... as I type this line, another lightning flash went by.
Ciao for now.
Still in Lucerne .... and fighting a cold. But it is ok. I have Ricola and tea to the rescue.
Lots has happened, but lots has not. Wednesday, as predicted by the weather man, it rained and rained. I tried to phone some relatives, but no answer. Until I got to the relative who has better English than I have. Victor Blaser. His wife Bettina is a semi-distant relative, but who cares, we take anyone!!
I phone him Wednesday morning, and after he answers and hears this strange voice, he has one thought in his mind. Who is this person, and what is he trying to sell me? I hate these annoying people. Luckily, since there is no language barrier with Victor, I soon explain myself, tell him my aunt and uncle are Bette and Bill Cahill, all is forgiven. The only snag is, the last time I saw his family it was 1993, and he had no idea that I was coming to Switzerland. I tell him, me too!! I didn't know when I could be here either ..... He quickly puts my name and face together as we have a good chat. It is later I find our they get these annoying phone calls from Microsoft imposters or other scammers literally all the time. Yay for our modern society.
Victor used to work for a very, very high profile company selling heavy industrial machinery and cars around the world. They had very high profile clients. In fact, he had to deal with Walter Kissenger, Henry's brother back in the 1970's, when he was in his 20's. He told me some very interesting stories that I shall not repeat here. Anyway, he speaks many languages, and has seen the world many times over. I first meet his family in 1993 when they visited Vancouver, and I spent some time with them when I came over to Switzerland a few months later.
So, he tells me he has Russian language lessons from 11am to 1pm, but we can meet at 2pm. He picks me up at the Lucerne train station, and since it is pouring rain, we head to their family house in nearby Kriens.
We literally talk in the living room over tea for 2.5 hours, talking about the world, its places, and lots on international politics. It is the type of amazing conversation you do not get everyday, so I'm like a sponge. Hooray for massive amounts of normally useless information. We talk until his wife arrives back from her work. She is a nurse who works with many diabetics. She remembers me right away, luckily I sort of look the same from the good old days. After a lovely dinner, they drive me back to my cousins house overlooking the lake.
The next day arrives on Thursday .... and the amazing weather is back. My master plan to head for the Alps comes to fruition. I take train to Interlaken, then Grindelwald and a few other places in between. Wow ... that is all there is to say. 100% Wow ...
Not a cloud in the sky. The mountains are full of glaciers, and the mighty Jungfrau is sitting up there for all to see. From Interlaken, not many other mountain peaks can be clearly seen. From my memory, I thought you could see more, but the old memory fails me again. So, off to the next logical place. Up to Grindelwald, and you fell like you are on those TV shows again .... Great Swiss Train Journeys.
From Grindelwald, it's a different story. So many majestic peaks can be seen from their growing village. The town is almost unrecognizable since my Aunty Rosly took me here in 1993. There are construction cranes everywhere, building chalets is akin to printing tourist money, with tourist arriving year-round. Cha-ching cha-ching is right!! I look to see how much more it is to take the train to higher peaks. Only $200 more ... cha-ching cha-ching once more !! I laugh at that idea, and just fell content with a simple wander around and give the camera a bit of a workout.
After 8 hours on trains, and walking around, and the sun, my body slowly breaks down. My throat is killing me, my ears are all pluged up from going up and down in altitude all day long. My sinuses are congested . But I am stuck in paradise, so not all is lost and you put up with it. I was to go home on the 8 pm train back to Lucerne, but I leave any hour early, so I have time for the dinner of Champions ... Burger King in the train station. The walk back along the Lake Lucerne esplanade is one for the ages .... a perfect.
Today was more simple ... sleep, lunch at my mother's cousins house near Zurich (Maria and Hugo Jeker). It is so nice to see them again, but I will see them tomorrow again anyway. My cousin Melanie phones, as she can not make a short visit in person, so we have to be content to talk over the phone. She sounds the same, it is like all the years haven't passed at all. After the wine, the dessert, and of course the schnops, Vreni and Urs take me to a scenic drive through Canton Schwyz to visit the grave of my dear Aunt Rosly. She died last August and is buried beside her sister. It is so good to see, and such a lovely spot for a cemetery. Beautiful views of the moutains way out in the distance .... and the warm air from the south feels nice walking around. That is the famous föhn from Italy
We then visit the oldest standing house in the country that is something like 700 years old. It is closed by the time we arrive, which is just as well. I wouldn't have fit well inside. But the outer facade was still in perfect condition. .... not like in North America where if the house is 40 years old, they just rip it down and build a mega-house. But I digress ....
Tomorrow ... lunch in the mountians for Urs' birthday party. I hope the weather improves as we had thunderstorms briefly tonight. Keeping my fingers crossed .... as I type this line, another lightning flash went by.
Ciao for now.
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