HOME!!!! So happy!! It's been an amazing adventure and I've missed my family and best friends ever! Certainly makes the heart fonder and appreciate your blessings in life.

June 22 at 1:52pm ·

Driven a total of almost 2,900 KM (1,800 miles) and proud to display 2 parking tickets and one STUPID speeding ticket (on the Autoban, no less!) SHOCKER, hahahaha!!!! Paid $35 Euro on the spot to the nice police man, and....I successfully dodged the $120 ticket for not having a STUPID $8 Austria windshield sticker, seriously. Having a wonderful time in Europe, the popo are very nice here, hahahaha

June 21 at 1:28pm · Iseltwald, Switzerland ·

In March, I had the good fortune to meet a girl at my hostel in Sydney, Australia, Barbara Steffen. As most of you all know, our dear friend, Art Steffen was the catalyst for my journey to travel the world. I was taken back by her name as Steffen is an unusual name. She and I became good friends during our time in Sydney. Well, today we met up again, this time in her hometown of Gunten, Switzerland. We had a wonderful day together, starting with a delicious breakfast she prepared of traditional Swiss dishes in her gorgeous home and then exploring the caves near her home. So awesome to see Barbara again and with a little luck, I'll be hosting her soon in my home in Virginia!!

 Entrance into the caves

 Inside the caves

 Waterfalls inside cave

 Barbara on her fabulous patio over looking Lake Thuren

The view from Barbara's patio across the lake

June 21 at 1:06pm

Beautiful scenery around Iseltwald and Gunten enjoying this area around Lake Brienzer and Lake Thuner; enjoyed a traditional lunch of Swiss fondue. Falling in love with Switzerland and her spectacular scenery!

 It was a fondu of melted cheeses and spices, delicious. We're told it is a mainstay of the Swiss, very traditional dish here.

 The colors of the lake water are beautiful. We're told they are from the glacier waters.

 Roads are carved into these mountains, beautiful driving!

June 19 at 4:16pm ·

And this picture I had to post all by itself. This is one of the highest peaks in the Alps, visible from Interlaken. It is the JungFrau and even though the mountain fog and clouds are thick, you can still see the massive top of the peak. It's breath taking!

June 19 at 4:10pm
The Gods smiled down on us today; weather forecast was for rain and we ended up having a beautiful, sunny day to sight-see! Interlaken, Switzerland is beautiful, so happy my travels brought me here!!

June 19 at 8:37am ·

Beautiful day walking Interlaken and yes, we caved.

June 19 at 4:18am · Iseltwald, Switzerland ·

Woke up to this view this morning. Crossing my fingers, maybe, just maybe, it will be an outdoor kinda day!!!

 The building lite up across the lake is a mental hospital where the Swiss say they try to rehabilitate the mentally disturbed people. Interesting stuff I learn when we talk with the locals.

Our lakefront hostel in Iselwald, Switzerland. The rain, fog and mist is obscuring what has to be a breath taking view of the Swiss Alps, I can't wait for this weather to move out so I can enjoy this part of the world!!!

Iseltwald, Switzerland ·

Spent the day driving through the alps in rainy weather from Austria to Switzerland. Although the fog and rain obscured otherwise fantastic views of the alps, we got glimpses every now and then of some spectacular scenery.

June 17

Sitting at an outside cafe in the Swiss Alps, sipping a glass of wine 😊, view is gorgeous!
— with Kathy Tudor Wilkes at Restaurant Meilerhof.

 

 

During my travels through Europe, I have discovered that Europeans put their public bathrooms either upstairs or downstairs at the end of some wicked spiral staircases. This becomes an issue for some in the bars! Holy cow, I've stood at the top of several of these staircases thinking, "How in the hell do you NOT go ass end over head going to the bathroom half trashed? Or sober for that matter!!!"