Saturday, September 25, 2004
update from Zurich
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 04:26:11 -0700 (PDT)
We are in Zurich now. HAvent been able to get a
computer in a while. While in Ruette Austria, we biked
from Austria to Germany over the Alps to see the
Neuschwanstien castle the one that inspired walt
disney. ok well I walked uphill mostly. but my rear is
still hurting from that seat. but boy was it amazing!!
The trees, moutains, a huge turquoise lake, and the
castles!! We hiked up this huge steep hill to see the
castle from above, it was amazing but seth thought the
bridge wasnt too great.
Then we moved on to Salzburg. The first day there we
walked around the old town and saw all the sights, the
cathedral, the cemetary that was the inspiration for
the one in the sound of music. Mozarts house etc etc.
The B&B that we stayed in was run by the nicest old
lady. It could have been a little cleaner for my
tastes but it was cheap and she did our laundry!! That
first night we went to a restaurant and had Salzburger
Nockerl - this sweet souflee on top of berries. It was
amazing.
The next day we toured the fortree on the hill. (we
rode the funicular up) It was pretty cool. It was
never successfully assaulted. Then we had lunch at the
street fair and headed out on the train to Hallein to
tour a salt mine. By then it was pouring rain so we
thought an underground tour would be good. We donned
these white miners` costumes and boarded this little
train - it looked like the ones kids ride at the fair.
It took us into the mine. then we walked a little and
learned the historz of salt mining. Then came the fun
part! we slid down these wooden banisters on our
butts!! It was so fun! then we rode in a boat across
an underground lake and slid down more banisters.
Then for dinner we went to the augustiner brewery. it
is run by monks and really interesting. when you
walked in there were statues of saints oro something.
then zou went downstairs to the 1000 seat brew hall.
You got your food from different booths in the hall
way and your beer from someone else and found a seat.
we met another nice person, this guy we were sitting
with. he was a local, had his own mug with his name on
it.
Then we left for Zurich. The train ride was 6 hours!
but we are listening to a book on tape - the Da Vinci
Code, it is riveting I can`t wait for the next train
to finish it - and we were in the panorama car, so we
watched the swiss alps roll by. It was nice.
In Zurich we didnt have a place to stay so we asked at
the tourist office (Since I have managed to lose two
things so far - the hostel book with reviews of
hostels, and the cheap hotel/hostel guide that I had
put together from the interenet) they found us a
place. It isnt the greatest, but it is cheap and
clean. I think tommorrow we are moving on to Lucerne,
then Gimmelwald high in the swiss alps so we may not
have computer access for a while. Dont expect to hear
from me until next weekend.
Today we got a Zurich city card so we can ride teh
buses and trams unlimited. it also includes entrance
to some museums. The public transportation is great
becuase it is STILL raining!!
So far today we saw the art museum with paintings by
chagall, picasso, van gogh, monet, etc. It was
interesting, and more fun than most because we were
there when it opened so we got it to ourselves and
talked about each painting without glares from other
people and guards.
I think we are going to the swiss cultural museum
next!
Megan
We are in Zurich now. HAvent been able to get a
computer in a while. While in Ruette Austria, we biked
from Austria to Germany over the Alps to see the
Neuschwanstien castle the one that inspired walt
disney. ok well I walked uphill mostly. but my rear is
still hurting from that seat. but boy was it amazing!!
The trees, moutains, a huge turquoise lake, and the
castles!! We hiked up this huge steep hill to see the
castle from above, it was amazing but seth thought the
bridge wasnt too great.
Then we moved on to Salzburg. The first day there we
walked around the old town and saw all the sights, the
cathedral, the cemetary that was the inspiration for
the one in the sound of music. Mozarts house etc etc.
The B&B that we stayed in was run by the nicest old
lady. It could have been a little cleaner for my
tastes but it was cheap and she did our laundry!! That
first night we went to a restaurant and had Salzburger
Nockerl - this sweet souflee on top of berries. It was
amazing.
The next day we toured the fortree on the hill. (we
rode the funicular up) It was pretty cool. It was
never successfully assaulted. Then we had lunch at the
street fair and headed out on the train to Hallein to
tour a salt mine. By then it was pouring rain so we
thought an underground tour would be good. We donned
these white miners` costumes and boarded this little
train - it looked like the ones kids ride at the fair.
It took us into the mine. then we walked a little and
learned the historz of salt mining. Then came the fun
part! we slid down these wooden banisters on our
butts!! It was so fun! then we rode in a boat across
an underground lake and slid down more banisters.
Then for dinner we went to the augustiner brewery. it
is run by monks and really interesting. when you
walked in there were statues of saints oro something.
then zou went downstairs to the 1000 seat brew hall.
You got your food from different booths in the hall
way and your beer from someone else and found a seat.
we met another nice person, this guy we were sitting
with. he was a local, had his own mug with his name on
it.
Then we left for Zurich. The train ride was 6 hours!
but we are listening to a book on tape - the Da Vinci
Code, it is riveting I can`t wait for the next train
to finish it - and we were in the panorama car, so we
watched the swiss alps roll by. It was nice.
In Zurich we didnt have a place to stay so we asked at
the tourist office (Since I have managed to lose two
things so far - the hostel book with reviews of
hostels, and the cheap hotel/hostel guide that I had
put together from the interenet) they found us a
place. It isnt the greatest, but it is cheap and
clean. I think tommorrow we are moving on to Lucerne,
then Gimmelwald high in the swiss alps so we may not
have computer access for a while. Dont expect to hear
from me until next weekend.
Today we got a Zurich city card so we can ride teh
buses and trams unlimited. it also includes entrance
to some museums. The public transportation is great
becuase it is STILL raining!!
So far today we saw the art museum with paintings by
chagall, picasso, van gogh, monet, etc. It was
interesting, and more fun than most because we were
there when it opened so we got it to ourselves and
talked about each painting without glares from other
people and guards.
I think we are going to the swiss cultural museum
next!
Megan
