Interlaken, Lucerne and Zurich

Well, I'm back at it. Decided that I'd better finish this one off, because I'm soon to be on the go again, and I wouldn't want to start a new one without finishing the old one, would I??? The following are from Zurich, Lucerne and Interlaken, in some semblance of order.

And I'll just keep you guessing on what the next trip will be. Unless you remember from the Christmas letter.

NO!! You can't have my Zurich pigeon. Don't ask!!

Nice skyline in Zurich, I think

Zurich's Grossmunster church, if memory serves

View from the tower of St Peterskirche in Zurich

And another from St Peterskirche

Christmas tree in the Zurich RR station. The photo doesn't do it justice

Lucerne's Town wall

Lucerne at nite

My hotel in Lucerne, right center of photo

Zurich at nitefall

Zurich from the University area

Very old Bridge and tower in Lucerne

One of many ornate buildings in Lucerne

And another

Lucerne, with Birds

Lucerne, No Birds

Town Square of Interlaken

One view of Switzerland from Jungfraujoch

And Another.
Jungfraujoch is "The top of Europe"
although I'm sure there are others higher.

And me, at "The top of Europe"

So wouldn't you try skiing if you were here?

The town of Wengen, near Interlaken.
Obviously a skiing base.

And that's it for this blog. Hope you enjoyed reading about my trip just a fraction as much as I did taking it. Only took me a year and two months after the trip was over to finish the blog. Can procrastination be my middle name?

At last!! Finally made it to Switzerland.

Yes, I finally made it to Switzerland on my photo updates to the BLOG. Here are some of the shots from Bern, the first stop.

Yes, they really liked me in Bern, even named a store for me. Sure!

And here is further proof. Of course, they do lack a little in spelling Irish names, it seems.

Guess I'll have to go back and give a bit of instruction.

This is as close as I'll ever get to fame for my mental capacities.

I'm sitting at Einstein's desk.

A view of Bern from a hill near the botanical garden.
Yes, that's snow on the rooftops. After all, it was December.

There are a number of fountains in the streets in the town center.
This is the most far out of all. An ogre eating children.
The balance of them are much tamer.

Bern's botanical garden had only hothouse exibits while I was there.
Here are some cacti native to the US southwest.
Perhaps some of you know them personally. Ouch

Actually, this is the train I took from Venezia to Milano, first leg of the trip to Bern.

There I go again, playing the role of travel snob.

View of Bern from a bridge over the Aare river.

The Bern Bear pits.

Those poor guys really look lonely and somewhat pathetic.
All they can do is wander in circles and beg for food.

Close-up of the Zytglogge, the town clock.

Quite elaborate

Looking up Kramgasse, the main street, toward the Zytglogge.

One of the fountains in the foreground.

Where to for the next trip? Several places come to mind, but I'd rather surprise you. And I've been known to change my mind, also. But before then, Interlaken (yeahhhh!), Lucerne and Zurich still remain un-photo'd on the BLOG, so first things first.

Ahh!!! Venezia

Here are the Venezia (Venice, am I becoming a travel snob?) photos. You probably thought I'd given up, didn't you. No, just lazy, and busy with other things. Now that I'm in Mexico for a while, maybe I'll find time to get more updates done. The lazy, relaxed life style is really nice.

The Lido beach, looking at one of the huge hotels (closed when I was there).
This section of beach was almost completely covered with shells.
Notice all the cabanas between the hotel and beach. Imagine it during summer!

Secondary, or maybe tertiary street in Venice.
Probably what we'd think of as an alley.

Piazza San Marco
More pigeons than tourists, and there are a lot of tourists!

No, not a gondola.
I don't know what this is, but it really moves out!

Now these are gondolas.
My one (of many) regrets is that I didn't take a ride in one.

View of the Grand Canal at nite.
Taken from the Rialto Bridge.

Same view from the Rialto Bridge,
Obviously during the day.

Another view from the Rialto.
But from the other side of the bridge.

Homes and businesses along the Grand Canal.

From a vaporetto (water taxi), under the Accademia Bridge.
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute

Basilica San Marco

Basilica San Marco

Harbor and Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute.
From the Bell Tower in the Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco.
From a balcony on the Basilica San Marco.
The long table-like items are temporary walkways used for foot traffic during extremely high tides. They are stored along all the major thoroughfares near the Grand Canal.

Close up of Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute.
From the Bell Tower.

Domes of Basilica San Marco.
From the Bell Tower.

Florence and Pisa

I bet you thought I'd given up, didn't you? No, but I haven't been too active on updating the blog, I have to admit. Now that I'm in Mexico, and can find a little time (between XX, Sol and Pacifica) maybe I'll do a bit better. We'll see.

Here are some from Florence and Pisa, as the title suggests.

Replica of the statue of David.
The real thing is much more impresive.

Wish I had my guide book with me. If I did, I'd tell you the name of the Cathedral in Florence.

All I can say is that it's beautiful, built with green and pink marble.

I just can't resist photos of reflections.
This is in a park in Florence.

View from a Tuscany Vineyard

Relaxing dinner after a really tough day of wine tasting.

Your's truely overlooking Florence.

View of Florence from the hill above the city.
Replica statue of Davis is located here.

Now this is really aged chianti!

Another view from the hill.

Tower of Pisa. I thought this was a neat view.

Pisa-ka-boo

View of the Pisa cathedral from the tower.

Caribineri (sp?) or Polizia (sp?) in Florence.
Patti, here's a job if you get tired of LAPD

The Cathedral in central Florence.

Downtown shopping district, early evening, as the lights are coming on.

Yes, the leaning tower of Pisa really does lean.

View from my hotel room in Florence.

Thanks to the couple from New Mexico in Athens for recommending it.

The Arno river in Florence.