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.

More Tour de France

buying souvenirs, kids race, then it rained -but even the wet dog was patient!! Then the caravanne arrived.

Friday 17th July Colmar -The rain and le Tour !!

Weather forecast had predicted heavy rain and it was not wrong. H&L out early, after great French bread at breakfast, to inspect route and find best vantage point for arrival which was not scheduled until late afternoon. Walked the last 2 km of course to finish and it was fascinating to see all the preparations that have to go on –huge amount of work in erecting the barriers, sweeping the roads ( and scrubbing and cleaning road surface esp on sharp corners) and getting all the press boxes and presentation stands set up-all truck mounted. Of course huge merchandising array as well and we bought requisite caps, T shirts and model cyclists.
Spent some of afternoon out of rain in café at railway station and then at about 3 pm returned to our selected spot on a curve by a railway overbridge, just before the hairpin bend at the 1 km mark. 2 curves meant field would have to slow down a bit. Not too may people there ( but cheerful and helpful people telling us what was happening) so we were right in front at barrier on curve –bit scary at times as everything came straight towards us on wet road before turning. Continued to rain quite heavily at times and caravanne didn’t arrive until well after 4pm –Sammi sitting on Marco’s shoulders was magnet for the goodies. Then the excitement mounted and the police motorbikes with blue flashing lights appeared over hump of bridge with the single race leader ( Henrich Hauser ) and everyone cheered and waved flags etc –then a few minutes later another 2 riders, then minutes later the first peleton group –peleton was split in 3 today –and finally the “Lantern Rouge” the last man came in about an hour after the winner !! We tried to walk down to the finish line to see presentations but too many people there, however we could hear it all especially the presentation theme we have heard so often at home on TV. Magnifique !! Everything we could have asked for except of course the rain.

Thursday 16th July Zurich to Colmar ( France)-off to the Tour de France

Ruth and Sammi traveled by train to Basel and we drove and met them there at the “swimming pool” which turned out to be the Rhine River!! We all managed some sort of swim with Ruth and Helen doing the long swim –really just get in and float as current so strong. River was quite muddy and cold after recent rains but very invigorating. On to Colmar in Alsace in France and found our B&B Chez Leslie with no problems and a great welcome from Zahrah –beautiful old house and we had adjoining rooms each with small ensuite. Strolled down Ave de la Republique and Champ de Mars inspecting set up for Le Tour arrival, on way to dinner at Winstub Le Cyne-great food in garden setting followed by stroll around old town and seeing the arrival of lots of the supporting trucks

Wednesday 15th July Zurich

H&L let loose on public transport alone to get to Museum of Civil Defense of City of Zurcih before our free transport and museum entry ran out at 12.18 pm –found it in suburb but because our German not good hadn’t realized only open 1st Sat of Month! Walked back via another very avant garde gallery with very weird sculptures and found K5, the haircut place recommended where H had cut by young German woman who commutes 60 min in train twice each day as she cant get work in her part of Germany. On way home had a great browse in the Caritas shops near appt to fulfill our needs for bit of second hand shopping (Lyndsay =2 scarves) and managed to shop at Migros supermarket so Lynds could cook red cabbage and chorizo for dinner.

Monday and Tuesday 13th and 14th July Pontresina and Zurich

Another fine concert in the forest on Monday before we returned to Zurich. Helen drove and there was a minor detour to a golf course on the outskirts of the city before “Mme TomTom” delivered us to the door step at 15 Freya Strasse.
Tuesday dawned fine again and we headed off into town on a day's tourist pass for all transport and museum/art gallery entrance. Up to university with Ruth and great cheap luch at the cafeteria at Mensa Polyterrasse before heading off on foot to the Zurich Kunsthaus ( Art Gallery) where we spent the rest of the afternoon –most amazing collection on display, from Old Masters to very modern –something for everyone –more Chagall’s for Lyndsay!!
Then continued on to meet R&M&S at Marcos newspaper office in an interesting old building down by the lake and then to have picnic by the lake –but another of the surprises, as we headed onto a ferry for 1 ½ hr cruise down the lake with our picnic-all covered by our days public transport ticket. Switzerland is even more of a public transport delight than Hong Kong or Japan. Got off the ferry on homeward side of lake where lots of people in a park and R & H had a swim about 9.30 pm. Home on train and quick dash to appt to bring washing in from verandah before spectacular thunder and lightening and downpour.