Sunday 19th July Another Marco Magical Mystery Tour !

Picnic tea in Leichestein!!
We had had instructions to be home from the old town by 4.30 pm at latest –arrived to find R&S already gone on train to an unknown destination. We set of in car with Marco, who was still being mysterious about destination and a picnic bag and headed north, where it soon became clear what our destination would be. Liechenstein is a tiny principality between Switzerland and Austria, whose prime industry is to be a tax haven for the 80,000 companies registered there, which we had intended to visit on return from Pontresina, but ran out of time. Arrived there in an hour just before R&S arrived on a bus that they had taken from town where train arrived at. Had stroll around the single main street and Marco organized to get a set of their stamps for us though the Post office was closed. Then up to a lookout above the Prince’s castle for a most delightful picnic tea.

Sunday 19th July Zurich Old Town

Slow morning –Financial Times weekend edition is fascinating paper and takes ages to read over breakfast. As in Tokyo one of the joys of staying with R&M is daily delivery of English editions of FT and Wall St Journal! Our holiday has included much reading of the “quality” English, American and European press, with the luxury of reading complete articles and then follow up comment and letters. Only in Helsinki and Croatia did we watch any TV, mostly sport.
Then H&L off on foot to explore Zurich old town

Saturday 18th July Notre Dame du Haut Roncamp

Saturday 18th July Notre Dame du Haut von Ronchamp
All in car together for the drive to Ronchamp to visit the church on the hilltop designed by Le Courbousier and built on the site of previous churches dating back to about 11 century -most recent previous church had been shelled in WW11. This huge white concrete church was breathtaking in its modern1950’simplicity and was entirely controversial because the good burghers of Ronchamp could not believe an agnostic could build a Maire church..but build he did and it is now in every Swiss child’s school book and is hailed the world over. Lyndsay was really moved by the serenity of the building and said God was really there!! Helen had a less emotional response but impressed never the less.
Then dropped R&S at Basel Banhof and did shopping there for dinner before heading back to Zurich –all arrived back in Frey Strasse at same time.

Sat 18th Le Tour depart video

Seemed pointless to try to do still photos so just let the video on my still camera roll!! So close i cold have touched them !!

Sat 18th July Le Tour Depart

Another delicious breakfast at Chez Leslie, with fresh bread from boulangerie on the corner. Then left R&M&S to go swimming and H&L set off to see what was going on in the town, weather still a bit overcast but no rain. Lots of trucks had already gone but there was a whole enclosure, where hundreds of invited guests were having breakfast with team and media people and former stars were signing autographs etc. Found a spot on road to watch the caravanne depart at 10 30 am and then off to explore a part of the old town called Petite Venise as it is set along canals – very old houses all painted bright but subtle colours –pink, yellow, blue and green. Back to a front row spot on narrow cobbled street at 12 noon to see actual start of the day’s stage of the tour. Initially all the official and media cars and motorbikes, then just as exciting as the previous day the police motorcycles came around the corner with flashing blue lights and the whole field behind them about 3 abreast, which was all the road width allowed and everyone cheered and waved flags again. We could have reached out and touched them!! Didn’t take photos but just let the small video on camera run. After the riders came the team support cars with the mechanics and all the spare wheels on the roof racks. Then wandered back thru the town watching all the dismantling and cleaning up that was going on and met up with the others at the Gare.

Friday 17th July. Tonight Marco said "lets go to Kayserberg for dinner!!"

So we went to Kayserberg, a small village about 30 min drive from Colmar on the Alsace Wine trail. First thing we saw after parking the car on the outskirts of the village was a stork nest high on the top of a spire with an adult plus 3 babies being fed –these birds used to be nearly extinct in 1980’s but there are now hundreds of breeding pairs after some active intervention. Then on way to restaurant we passed Albert Schwieter’s birthplace and then happened upon a village accordion orchestra and dancers all in traditional dress of the region –the dancing was on the cobblestones which are difficult to even walk over. Sammi was entranced by both the music and the dancing ( later back in Zurich after 1 min video clip was put on computer he replayed it over and over for about ½ hr –with headphones on !!) Then we had typical Alsace fare for dinner, sauerkraut with duck for H, pork for Ruth and fish for L&M. Delicious and very cheerful hosts. Some TdeF press people arriving in village later as we left.

More Le Tour arrive

More caravanne, police motorbikes come, leader arrives then the peleton.