Gringa on the Go

An Impossible Summary

August 4

A stormy day in Rhode Island is a fitting day to finish the last blog for our European journey that began with stormy weather in Tarifa, Spain. We were fortunate to have almost 4 months of mostly sunny weather and rainy days are now a welcome (and hoped for) change.

Four months in Europe have rushed by as our Schengen Visa was set to expire on July 31. Through Spain, England, Italy, and Switzerland, we stayed in many beautiful places, visited incredible and interesting sites, digested innumerable delicious foods, and walked many miles. It is time to contemplate where we have been and appreciate the beauty in our lives.

Highlights include the Alcazar and Plaza de España in Seville.

Alcazar on the left; Plaza de España on the right

Our time in Seville coincided with the Feria, a celebration that dominated the city during April.

Gateway to the feria and parade of carriages in the bull ring

We moved on to Granada where we visited the Alhambra and enjoyed many walks through the surrounding countryside.

inside the Alhambra

countryside in southern Spain

excitement on a canyon walk

Dining on famous Spanish ham, coquina clams and baked cod was a pleasure that sustained more than our bodies.

clockwise from top left: famous ham, coquina clams, baked cod

We enjoyed Ice cream in nearly every country and we would be hard pressed to say which was the best. I guess we will have to try them all again.

Pomegranate ice cream

Moving on to England in May, our first breakfast was bangers and mash.

After a good meal, we visited one of our favorite museums, the Greenwich Observatory with its spectacular dolphin sundial, followed by a boat ride on the River Thames and a view of the Tower bridge.

Dolphin sun dial and Tower Bridge

In Bath, we found the longboats and canals enchanting. A row in a beautifully crafted wooden boat on the River Avon will not be forgotten.

From Bath, we traveled to the south coast, staying in Lyme Regis, home to the famous ammonite fossils, and then on to Falmouth. We enjoyed visiting a water-powered flour mill, learning about fossils and Mary Anning, and the Eden Project.

clockwise from upper left: ammonite pavement, beautiful bay channel, and the harbor at Falmouth

mill stones at a working flour mill and the Eden Project

We arrived in Florence, Italy, during the first week of June. The museums are spectacular and we especially enjoyed the Uffizi. In Italy, we were awed by history and architecture.

Our apartment living room (just kidding - sculpture and paintings in the Uffizi Museum)

Anita helps straighten the spectacular tower of Pisa; a beautiful small church on the river in Pisa

And of course, more food - Warren's birthday cake

A view of the river at sunset in Florence and the Tuscan coast east of Florence, Italy

Train has been our main mode of travel, beginning with Amtrak from Boston to Rhode Island, high speed trains between major cities in Spain, trains between cities and along the coast in England and Italy, and, finally, to the capital of trains - Switzerland.

Trams in England, the Bernina Express from Italy to Switzerland, and a cog train on Mount Pilatus near Lucern, Switzerland

We never tired of the beautiful views throughout Switzerland: lakes and rivers, snow-capped peaks, forested vistas, and mountain meadows.

memorial to the valiant Swiss that risked their lives to help Jews escape the Nazis during WWII and a beautiful valley in France

The beautiful River Rhone and the famous fountain in Geneva, Switzerland

We were fortunate to visit friends that Anita and I have known for many years, including joining Debby (who we are visiting in Rhode Island) for a day in Luzern, Roland and Bibian in Leysin, and Rose in Le Pont. Our experience in Switzerland would not have been the same without the time spent hiking and enjoying wonderful meals and conversation with friends.

From the right: Roland, Werner, Bibian, Anita, and Warren at a Chalet that the Gamper family helps maintain

Rose and Anita during one of the wonderful meals that Rose shared with us

A fitting end to our journey through Europe was a para-glider flight (celebrating our 14th anniversary and experiencing one more mode of transportation) and traditional swiss food at a traditional restaurant/chalet in the mountains near Le Pont.

Entrance to the restaurant/chalet with traditional cow bells, Rösti topped with a tasty and creamy cheese round, and, Anita's favorite - Raclette topped with an egg

flying with the birds!

With our arrival in Rhode Island, our travels in Europe have come to an end and, although new adventures await us, it is difficult to imagine experiences that will match the beauty of the last 4 months.

Switzerland

July 9 through July 21

I have not posted our time in Italy, but as it heated up in Florence, we looked forward to our time in Switzerland and cool mountain weather. Anita is happy to be in the land of raclette (melted crispy cheese).

Anita with Swiss flag and, on the right, enjoying raclette.

We left Tirano, Italy, on the Bernina Express and traveled up the Alps. Although the mountains were steep, vineyards clung to hillsides and small settlements dotted the valleys.

Up and up we went and entered Switzerland, making our way to the pass

Our train wound from one side of the canyon to the other, crossing bridges and meandering through tunnels, at times we were chasing our tail in tortured circles and figure eights.

Clockwise from upper left: Our real-time travel on Anita's cell phone, the engine of our train in front of us on the bridges

Sometimes there were two tracks and downhill trains raced by. Other times, one train waited at a siding for the other to pass.

Train racing by on the left and train on a siding on the right

Finally we arrived at the pass, with spectacular views of glaciers, mountains, and waterfalls.

After two days of train travel through spectacular scenery on the Bernina and Glacier express, we arrived in Luzern, a beautiful city on Lake Luzern and the River Reuss.

River Reuss

Clockwise from upper left: painted building, chocolate shop (of course), and an old covered bridge

Bazar and interesting artwork above the beams of the covered bridge

Sculptures in one of the parks in Luzern

The Natural History museum was one of the gems we discovered by accident: very cool cockroach security guard, ants on the outside of the building, and one of the beautiful insect displays

Our travels in Switzerland have been mostly by train, but we also enjoyed a ferry trip on Lake Lucern. As the route becomes steeper, regular trains are replaced cog trains. Gondolas took us up to or near the peaks, then we walked, and finally returned to the valleys by para glider (just kidding, we haven’t tried it yet, but it looks like a beautiful way to get off the mountains).

One of the ferries on Lake Luzern

The cog-train to Pilatus and a photo of the cogs

The gondola down from Stilthorn

Anita on one of our hikes

A para glider near Pilatus

We were told to enjoy the food in Italy because the food in Switzerland would be boring by comparison, but we have enjoyed Swiss food as much as anywhere.

Clockwise from top left: macaroni and cheese with apple sauce and barley soup, pork chop, rösti with cheese and eggs, and last but not least, raclette

In addition to good food, we enjoyed the Alp horn and the “cow bell” band. The ringing of cow bells accompanies every walk throughout the Alps. (Sheep and goats are also belled.)

The alp horn and local bell ringers

A friendly cow and a decorative cow bell hung in a Swiss-neat wood pile

Swiss cows, ibex, chamois, and alpine choughs have joined us high up in the mountains, although the ibex and chamois were too far away for good photos.

Clockwise from top: alpine though, ibex (stuffed), and a chamois (not my photo)

One of our most exciting finds: an alpine newt larvae!

As well as wearing your legs off on steep mountain trails, the altitude makes you a little crazy.

You might not recognize us when we return; one of the alpine trails we walked

The prostate benefits of a Mediterranean diet; bathing in beauty (as opposed to bathing beauty)

Some people just won't follow the signs!

Hanging out in Switzerland

While in Wengen, we took the cog train up to Jungfrau, an incredible trip through over a mile of tunnel. The tunnel was completed in 1912 and is a fitting tribute to the engineering skill and tenacity of the Swiss. The transportation system in Switzerland is truly amazing, allowing you to travel anywhere by train, bus, cog train, boat, gondola, and more. We have not needed to use a taxi for any of our travels and never had to walk more than a few hundred yards to arrive at our lodging.