This is going to be a quick post, since it really is just about the mountain.
Zermatt, for those who don’t know, is a mountain town at the base of the famous Matterhorn (not just a ride at Disney). I loved finally seeing the Matterhorn, but didn’t care much for Zermatt. The town is REALLY f*cking expensive and I found it to lack a soul. Or, the quote Herb Caen when he wrote about a certain CA city, there’s no there there.
The mountains are stunning and you can take a couple of expensive gondola trips to the top. One of these is worth doing. Don’t do both. If I had to pick one, it would be the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. The views of the mountain are incredible and you get to go inside a glacier, an opportunity that probably won’t be available for much longer. The endless string of camera wielding tourists going through the glacier probably aren’t helping things.
I am going to leave you with a nice slide show of the scenery. Penguin really enjoyed being in the cold again.
Matterhorn view from town
Happy traveler
More mountain
I love the clouds
They move in and out all day
Color is nice too
I am probably too old to try this, but it looks like a blast
The Bernina Express train near Alp Grum in the Swiss Alps
I‘m on the top of the wor-ld, lookin’ down on creation…..That song went through my head a lot while I was in Switzerland.
After our time in Alsace (FR), we headed for Switzerland. Fresh air, Mountain views…Ahhh. We took the Bernina Expess and the Glacier Express. These two train rides are considered among the most scenic in the world and are part of a network of scenic trains. On my next visit, which will be during winter months, I can connect all the scenic trains and see all the mountains. Can’t wait!
The Bernina Express connects the towns of CHUR and TIRANO (in Italy). I got off the train in Poschiavo, still in Switzerland.
Chur itself doesn’t have much that is terribly interesting, but it is a big enough town that you can get in and out on regular trains to see the surrounding areas. One of things that is close by and fabulous is the Rhine Gorge. It is called the “Grand Canyon of Switzerland” which I think is a bit inaccurate. This gorge IS amazing, but it is alpine and the Grand Canyon is desert. Anyway, It still loved it and loved the hike around it.
Slideshow
After Chur I took the train to Poschiavo. This is a great little town. It’s in Switzerland, but the language and culture are all Italian. It is situated on a beautiful lake which made for nice walks. I loved everything about this little town and hope to visit again some day (again, when there is snow). From Poschiavo you can go back up in to the mountains to see the view you rode past on the way down. If you ever take the Bernina express, make mental notes of the towns that looked nice then go back on the local train.
Slideshow
Close to Poschiavo is the wonderful Glacier Garden at Cavaglia. The local canton (Swiss for county) have spent a fortune making this place accessible and easy to visit. It’s only open in the summer months and as you walk around you understand why. It would be TREACHEROUS in ice.
Slideshow
The mountains of Switzerland are truly amazing. I would have loved to have been there a month earlier for more snow views. I hope to return to see the areas in all their winter glory some day soon.
TRIP TIPS
Switzerland is VERY expensive. Your best option in this stunning country is self catering lodging; AirBnB or Aparthotels. Save money by cooking in your hotel. Even the simplest of lunches will run you $35/person. COOP is the local chain and I found most of them to be quite good.
Switzerland does not use the Euro. If you have a Euro debit/credit card, check foreign transaction fees before using.
The scenic trains like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express are lovely and have big, panoramic windows. However, they do not open. Taking a local train won’t have the same amenities, but you can open the windows to get better pictures. I think the best way to do this, if you have time, is to take the panoramic train and make notes then take a local train, getting on an off in the places that looked the nicest.
At the beginning of January, a friend posted one of those silly little quiz or question things on Facebook. It said something like, “whatever was the number one song the week of your 21st birthday will be your motto for the year. Mine was, believe it or not, Walk Like an Egyptian. I arrived in Egypt a few days after that FB post for two weeks of nonstop travel with the Smithsonian. Never has a stupid internet post been so appropriate; well, at least not for me.
Cairo defines sensory overload. It is all at once noisy, spiritual, dirty, and beautiful. The never ending din of sirens, car horns and construction equipment create a kind of white noise that is somehow soothing. Over this cacophony, five times a day, the chant of call to prayer reminds you of the mysticism of this magical place. I can’t say I loved Cairo, but it did feel oddly familiar.
Old CairoMosque of Muhammad Ali
Islam is the primary faith of Egypt, but there are a number of Christians (Coptic) as well. Old Cairo shows its Coptic history with pride. There is even a significant Jewish population, but the old synagogue is currently closed for restoration.
St George’s Church in Old Cairo
But, let’s face it. We don’t visit Cairo for the beautiful mosques and churches. We come for the Pyramids. They do not disappoint. These structures, the only remaining wonders of the ancient world, were built over 4,500 years ago!!! Standing in front of them and walking around them simply takes your breath away.
Click on the arrows for the slide show.
One benefit of travel during a pandemic is we had them ALMOST to ourselves. And before you get snarky, no I did not photoshop out the other tourists. I will also say that our amazing guide knew how to get us around to avoid crowds.
After a couple of days in Cairo, we boarded a pre-dawn flight (the first of several) to Aswan. Although we were now south of Cairo, we were in UPPER Egypt. It’s seemingly backwards because the Nile flows north.
The Nile created Egypt. The fertile land around its banks and established by the annual floods allowed an Empire to flourish for nearly three thousand years. Today, it’s waters are used both for sustenance and power but also for transport and recreation.
I loved the colorful boats that ferry people back and forth.
The feluccas, still an important mode of transport, are beautiful to see and fun to sail on.
This young boy followed us on a few trips.
The birds that also call the river their home made me happy each time I saw them.
I went out one day on our Nile cruise early in the morning to capture birds and was treated to baloons.
IfI ever get back to Egypt, I’m gonna take one of those balloon rides.
Along the Nile are the temples and we visited a-LOT of them. Philea, Kom Ombo, Karnak, Abu Simbel, Luxor, the list goes on. We also went to Valley of the Kings and visited some more pyramids. I will save all that for the next post since I have to get myself organized to move in to my new apartment on Tuesday. It’s all very exciting!!!
Has it really been almost two years since my last post, right before the world came to a grinding halt? There were a couple of times over the past 20 months that I thought about posting something, but then just couldn’t muster the interest. I think a lot of us have felt a lack of interest in things during these times.
For me, I have been lucky. I have stayed healthy and been able to see parts of Ireland. I bought a car (now sold) and drove (a manual) on the other side of some very narrow roads. Roads that make Ashbury Terrace look like the 405! It was fun, scary at times, but always an adventure. Penguin went on most of those jaunts, but sadly, Joe has been at home. Travel anywhere during Covid is not recommended when you are a 2,000 year old saint.
Alas, islands can feel very confining, even ones as beautiful as Ireland. So, I have made some changes so as to take better advantage of the freedom (for now) that comes with being fully vaccinated (and boosted)! I have relocated to the Continent and will update you all on that in the weeks to come. Needless to say, it’s another adventure.
For the past 20 months I have been trying to get to Venice. Either Italy was in crisis mode, or Ireland was in crisis mode, borders were closed, it was too hot….something always kept me from getting there. I rescheduled the trip three times and finally, on the fourth attempt, I made it. Penguin in tow. I am glad I did.
Venice was everything I imagined it would be, and more. Pictures simply cannot convey the grandeur or beauty of the city. I will attempt to do so, of course, but you will just have to imagine what it is like to be there in the middle of it all.
The iconic image that everyone takes of Venice.
When you arrive in Venice you are awestruck. Everywhere you look is either stunningly beautiful or at least super interesting. A few hours after you arrive and have walked around a bit, it hits you – there are no cars in Venice. It’s not that there just aren’t many, or that only official vehicles can drive around, there are NO CARS. I did not see a single one in FIVE days. There also are no bicycles, vespas or those annoying scooters you see littering every other city on the globe (US and Europe, anyway). This is what sets Venice apart from all the other “Venice’s of the [insert geotag here]”. Amsterdam, Bruges, St Petersburg, all beautiful cities and all with canals, but they all have cars.
There are only two modes of transport. Boat and Foot. Even the city busses and ambulances are boats!
Here, an ambulance races down the Grand Canal, siren blaring. The siren, by the way, is the same as the 4-wheeled ambulances in other European cities.
Since you must either walk or take a bus-boat (boat-bus?) to get to where you want to go, you spend a lot of time exploring. I walked up and down more narrow lanes and crossed more bridges than I could count. My smartwatch told me I walked between 8 and 12 miles each day I was there. May not seem like a lot, but remember, it’s also all cobblestone.
One of the greatest things about walking in an new city is you get to see how it lives and breathes. Venice may look to us like some It’s a Small World theme park ride, but it is a real city with commercial interests and people going about their days. They just do it in gondolas and other small boats.
And while I love seeing the day-to-day of any new place, Venice is still Venice and we go for the beauty and to be wowed..
St Marks Cathedral
St Marks Square
Rialto Bridge
Moving statue of Fortune. Moves because fortune is ever changing.
Canal
Canal
On the day that I went to visit St Marks Cathedral and the Doges Palace, I only had my phone. Online information said no large bags or purses were allowed, so I left the big camera in the hotel. Stupid me for believing online information. Everybody had large camera bags but me. Oh well. The phone takes pretty decent pictures and what are pictures but snapshots of our memories.
St Mark’s Basillica – Inside
St Mark’s Ceiling
St Mark’s Inside
Domes of St Mark’s from Doge’s Palace
Grand Stairwell in Doge’s Palace
View of Doges Palace from the Terrace of St Mark’s
Doge’s Palace
St Mark’s Horses – Originals
Terrace of St Mark’s with the Horse Replicas
Bridge of Sighs at twilight
I feel so fortunate to have been able to make this trip to Venice. The reason for the lack of tourists is not what anyone wants, especially as we enter year three of this.
I will keep you updated on my coming adventures. As I write this, I think they will be closer to home than I had hoped. But, now that I am on the Continent of Europe, I can get around a bit easier. I will leave you, for now, with images of Venice at Sunset. Ciao!
Okay, so I know it’s been a while since I last checked in. A long while.
In case you are unaware, there is a clinical condition called Photo Phatigue. (Lisa M., back me up on this) It commonly presents after one spends far too much time going through pictures of animals. So, while I still have pictures of Uganda and Kenya to go through, I needed a break.
After a very busy holiday season, I came to Rome in what I thought would be a slow(er) season. WRONG! Turns out the first week of January is almost as busy as summer. It was an Epiphany (pun intended). Lucky for me, I don’t mind getting up before sunrise to get somewhere before the hoardes of other tourists. Well, I don’t mind too much.
The first morning I walked at dawn to St Peters. The views in the city were well worth the early hour and chilly air.
Castelo St Angelo Dome of St Peter’s
Even The Penguin and St Joseph were in awe of the sights.
Once we all arrived at St Peter’s, we were in awe. Now, we’ve all seen a number of cathedrals and churches all over the world, but this one pretty much outshines almost all the others.
Inside St Peter’sThe Papal Altar. Only the Pope can officiate from here.
Inside the walls of the world’s smallest country, there are also the Vatican Museums and The Sistine Chapel. Here is where the crowds really appeared. Walking throught the halls of the museum was like leaving a Who concert in the 80’s. We weren’t able to go into the Rafael Hall so there is now a reason to return to Rome some time in the future (and in Februrary). The main halls were still stunning.
And, one of the halls had my favorite Roman god.
Bacchus, God of Wine
The Sistine Chapel is at the end of the museum halls. Pictures are not allowed, but I managed to sneak one with my phone as we were leaving. It’s amazing to think that Michelangelo completed this in only 4 years!
After a couple of days of religious viewings, it was time for some Italian culture. What better way to accomplish this than with a walking food tour. We started with sausages and hams, tried pizza (gluten free for me) and some tasty thistles.
I took it easy the next day but in the evening I did a night tour of Rome, on Segway! Segways and cobblestones are not the best combination and I have the bruises to prove this. Despite the crash, it was fun.
The crowds of Rome around the Epiphany made some of the sights in the center too crowded to maneuver on a Segway. But, we still got to see some great things. The Forum at night is pretty special.
Penguin had a good time, too.
The Colloseum and the Forum are more impressive in the daylight.
Colosseum exteriorInterior
Our archeologist guide gave us some insight into what went on here. Gladiator games were common events as were public executions where criminals and traitors were fed to wild animals. I don’t think ancient Rome was a very nice place to live.
We climbed to the top level on some pretty scary steep steps. I was very glad they had upgraded the ancient architecture with handrails. The views fromt the top where great.
Penguin tries to make friends with the locals
As my visit to the Eternal City was coming to an end, I did something you can pretty much only do here. I went to the Papal Audience. Since we were now past the Epiphany, and it was pretty cold, the crowds were remarkably small. We got pretty good seats.
The bottom picture is at the end of the audience when they brought a live circus on stage for everyone’s entertainment. Not kidding.
Since His Holiness blessed everyone and any religious items we had brought, Joe was positively euphoric. I know you can’t tell from his expression, but he was simply beaming.
We are all glad to be home now. The Penguin, Joe and I wish everyone a very happy new year. There are some fun trips planned for 2020, so stay tuned.
After completing a tree week journey in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, I am at a loss of where to start.
We departed Ushuaia, Argentina and sailed for two days to get to the Falklands/Malvinas (note, I am not claiming political sides here), where we spent two days.
Our first day was at an island with a four, count’em FOUR different kinds of Penguins, and a colony of Albatross. An amazing introduction to bird live in the Southern Ocean.
First we saw Gentoos and Kings. Kings are like smaller versions of the Emperor. Gentoos are sneaky little trouble makers who like collecting and stealing rocks for their mate. They also pretty much look and act like all the cartoon penguins you have seen over the year. Yes, it was love at first site.
Kings always lootk so elegant – regal even. Probably how they got their name.King Chicks are really fuzzy. Early explorers thought they were a different type of penguin and named them Wooly Penguins.
Where the King is distinguished, the Gentoo is just a goof. He always makes you smile.
The Gentoo always looks so happy and proud when it finds a rock.And the babies are pretty cute too.
Magellenic Penguins can be seen all over South America, but in the Falklands they are everywhere.
And, Gentoos will hang out with them and lead them along…
Rockhoppers are fun and much different looking. And, they really do hop along the rocks.
They have cute babies too
In addition to penguins, the Falklands/Malvinas are home to many (thousands???) Albatross. I loved how majestic these birds look and how wise they seem.
In flight they are truly impressive.They also like RockhoppersAnd, they have cute, fluffy chicks.
The Falklands/Malvinas also have a nice little town, Stanley, which is not a bad place to enjoy a cup of coffee and a walk around in something other than muck boots.
Penguin enjoyed his time here and managed to make a few friends. Joe even got in on some of the action, when he wasn’t complaining about the cold.
After a couple of days in the Falklands/Malvinas we set off to South Georgia. It was a couple of days sailing and we were so fortunate to have such wonderful weather.
I am making my way through the literally thousands of photos I took and will post more soon. In the meantime, thing of Penguin and his complete bliss being close to his homeland.
Jeruselem is a feast of senses and emotions. All the things you learned about in school (and any religious study) now stand in front of you. This city of faith and geopolitics is alive, beautiful, and if I may add, a bit filthy.
I spent the first day walking around before my tour started. I didn’t have much time as I promised the hotel I would be back by 2pm to change rooms (complicated story here). I found myself at the Jaffa Gate and then at the Tower of David (aka The Citadel). What an amazing introduction to Jeruselem.
The view from the top of the tower was even more stunning.
The Dome of the Rock built upon the Temple Mount. One of the most photographed, and beautiful buildings in the world.
Day two the tour began. It all seems like somewhat of a blur now…all the things you see, hear and feel. Three major faiths consider this city holy and you see them all living and praying here. Walking through the old city is a bit overwhelming…a mix of shopkeepers, religious pilgrims and secular tourists like us.
Church of the Holy SeplecurInside the Church of the Holy SeplecurPath of Sorros – the path that Chirst took on his way to the crucifixion. Pilgrims walk this street while chanting and singing.Dome of the RockTemple Mount and Dome of the RockTemple MountWestern Wall or Wailing Wall. Such an incredible expression of faith.
Entering the Holy Seplecur Church is an excercise in patience. So many people queuing up to touch things they believe Christ touched. Since the church was so croweded, one of the guys on my tour, Vladimir, and I got up at 3 am the next day to see the church at dawn. We left the hotel at 3:30 am and armed with nothing but Google Maps, we somehow found the chukrch. Actually, if it weren’t for two muslim ladies who pointed us in the right direction, we might still be wandering. It was worth it.
Streets of Old Jeruselem before dawn.Entrance to the Holy Seplecur Church at about 4:05amEarly morning devout
Sitting on the steps in the Church of the Holy Seplecur
Christ’s Tomb
After spending an hour or so in the Church, Vlad and I got a taxi up to the Mount of Olives to view Jeruselem illuminated at night before the sun rose. Again, totally worth it.
After a couple of days in the Holy City, we had our introduction in to the politics. That’s another post. I will let you enjoy these photos first.
Before I sign off, I would like to tell you that WordPress changed the software for blogs. The new one is terrible, AND, they have removed the spell check. UGH!
I have seen in the international news that the typhoon did cause some damage. In Kyoto all was fine this morning. I am am safe at the Nagoya airport waiting for my flight to Beijing.
Pretty cool that I can use my phone to post. Now if I could just figure out how to add a picture…
