10 November - What really matters

We have been to Rome and escaped back to France, for a last taste before heading home later this week.

We did lots of Rome tourist things and will probably do a few Nice tourist things between now and Friday.

Forget old fountains or spanish steps the highlight of Monday was definitely the ice cream.

I think Penny got to eat most of it in the end.

6 November - Lauterbrunnen

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Our outing for the day was to one of the mountains - Schilthorn which has an altitude of 2971m. We walked from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg where we needed to catch the cable car to Murren. This walk usually takes 1 1/2 hours, but with kids about 2hrs. On the way we walked past the camping area of Lauterbrunnen and thought of Penn's Granddad who camped in Lauterbrunnen in the late 70's. We wondered if it had changed much.


From Stechelberg we caught a cable car to Murren, Grimmelwald, then to Birg, then to Schilthorn.


As we went up, Trina pointed out some footprints in the snow below. Sam said "Trina, you don't want to follow those footprints. I think they belong to a fierce wolf. A wolf with shoes on." This was, of course, stated at the top of his voice.

At the top of Schilthorn is Piz Gloria, the location of some of the scenes from the Bond movie with George Lazenby "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". We thought of Pop and Pa who we know like James Bond movies. We had lunch in the revolving restaurant, which was lots of fun and fascinated Catriona and Sam.


As promised, we did find some snow for the kids. On the terrace at the top of Schilthorn it was snowing, and there was snow for the kids to play in. It was very very cold and once their hands got cold, they didn't want to play in it any more!!


The views were magnificent, and we had been blessed with very good weather and visibility. We made out way back down the mountain and home to our chalet in Lauterbrunnen feeling tired but happy.

Monday 3rd November - Lauterbrunnen

We arrived in beautiful Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland last night just as it was getting dark. We could see snow on the ground and on the roofs of the houses, and we could see lights on the hillside. Our flat in Chalet Horner is warm and welcoming. There are many 70's decor features which I really like - perhaps they remind me of my childhood.

We have a little kitchen/living area, separate rooms for us and the kids, and a balcony with views to die for. When we woke this morning we could see the Staubbach falls (Europe's highest free flowing waterfall) and the snow covered mountains including Breithom (3782m) from our balcony.
I've had a headache all day, so have kept movement to a minimum, but Todd decided to explore and see how our type of clothes and shoes would hold up to a walk. Todd went for a what he thought would be a gentle 45 minute walk up the hill to the west of Lauterbrunnen. It turned into a difficult 3 hour walk, the descent was very slippery and Todd's footwear was far from suitable. Despite the difficulties, he took some truly spectacuar photos from this area above Lauterbrunnen.

Looking at the map Todd realised that he had almost reached Grutschalp (1486m). Lauterbrunnen is at 796m, so Todd walked about 700m up. He says it felt like 7000km as the path zig-zagged upward!

The kids have been pretty good. They were very excited as we came toward the mountains via Bern, Thun, Spiez and Interlaken. They loved seeing the snow lying on the ground and on the chalet roofs as we arrived in Lauterbrunnen. We couldn't keep Sam out of the snow. He insisted on jumping in every pile he saw. We hope to find some nice clean snow in the next couple of days so we can throw snowballs, make snowmen etc. Watch this space!
Penny xoxo

Besancon - Two Gentlemen

Well Penn is up and I have to run but I talked about Victor Hugo and Vauban and well I'm sure you desperately need to see their bronze likenesses -

Hugo from outside the City of Besancon's Administration block, Vauban's from within the Citadel.

Drizzly Friday - 31 October

Friday was drizzly all day long and the kids played for most of the day in the hotel rooms. We have two rooms with a little hallway between that can be locked, so the two doors can be opened up.

(At the time of writing we are about to have breakfast check-out of the hotel and do a 5 train shuffle from Besancon to the next place and the kids are watching Dora the Explorer in French in the other room).

Wet cold and drizzly doesn't make for fantastic photo's but I (Todd) was determined to get something out of the drizzly day - other than annoyed with Trina and Sam.

The climb to the Citadel, which was to come on Saturday, is a very short walk from the Hotel Granvelle, less than 100 metres to the left.

In the rain I walked around the river Doubs to the right, but again very close to the hotel. In fact in the picture with river and town in it, I climbed the first part of the climb to the citadel, before I came down and walked along the bank of the river.

Saturday - 1 November - Citadel

The citadel, along with Fort de Joux, were one of the highlights last time.

After a Friday that was all drizzly all day long, we tried one walk together, Penny had one trip into the town, and Todd took a walk - all in the rain - we were going to the citadel on Saturday despite predictions of another day just like the one before.

The walk up the hill seemed much shorter this time. Even Sam managed with fewer cuddles than expected.

Inside it was good to show the kids and there was a surprise or two. But firstly it wasn't surprising at all that the Kangaroos were cuddling up in their enclosure and hiding from the French. Too cold. We did see a wallaby though and also a straw necked Ibis.

The kids liked the Fort aspects of the Citadel and pose in a picture with mock cannons.

One of the photos is looking up at the Citadel from fairly early in the climb, at this point we weren't sure how long it was going to be fine for.

Could post 1000 pictures of the views from the Citadel and within the Citadel but will finish with one of a tiger. The zoo was all a bit boring last time, but along with the Kangaroos they have added some Asian Lions and Siberian Tigers. The monkeys seemed more interesting than last time too.

Wednesday 29 - October - A long walk in Paris

Just a couple of pictures from our walk through Paris on Wednesday.

Really enjoyed it.

The kids are in the picture of the pond near the pretty old building (well old by Ellenbrook standards anyway).