Summer '09

SO, after i was kicked out of Switzerland for not earning enough money, I joined my dad and Tim on a mini tour of Europe. We started in London, and then headed east to Paderborn, Germany and finished off with a few days in Venice and Pollenza, Italy.

Here are some photos !!



Flying a little too close? This is somewhere over Ireland... I think they beat us to London....

Underground

Big Ben
Souvenirs in a window in Windsor
Tim and the Beefeater at Windsor Castle


GREBENSTEIN, Germany

Macerata, Italy
Geneva, Switzerland with the jet d'eau in the background

New Camera!

So, since my computer crashed last fall and I lost all the pictures I had, I decided that I should take extra awesome pics this time I go to London. This necessitates a new camera. Yesterday I welcomed a lovely little Canon into my home. It's been raining all week, so I ventured out to take it for a lil spin this afternoon...

Geneva v. Zurich

Jet d'eau, Geysers

Geneva's jet d'eau

Zurich's jet d'eau

Point: Geneva

Geneva 1, Zurich 0

Flower Clocks
Zurich's Flower Clock

Geneva's Flower Clock

And Geneva's Clock in Purple

Point: Geneva

Geneva 2, Zurich 0

I'm on a BOAT

Geneva Water Taxi
Zurich lake cruise

Point: Zurich

Geneva 2, Zurich 1

Mountains
Geneva's lake
Zurich's Lake

I dont know which one I prefer....


Where would you rather live?

Zurich

Zurich, May 15- 17 2009

Forecast as of Tuesday May 12 2009: Rainy and cold. 60-70% chance of rain.

Actual weather: sunny and 80

Result: overheating and sunburn

We spent all day Saturday wandering around Zurich, which is situated in northern Switzerland, pretty close to Germany.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zurich

They speak a funny language there, Suisse-allemand or Schweiz, which is an interesting sounding mix of German and Italian.

Zurich is larger than Geneva, but like Geneva, there isn’t really much to do or see. It’s a very pretty city on the lake with a river, so the scenery is gorgeous, but there really aren’t any ‘must see’ attractions. We mostly looked at churches and buildings and wandered around till our feet hurt.

Sunday we left the hotel and dropped our bags off in a locker in the train station. We decided to take a boat trip around the lake. For a mere 8 francs we spent 90 minutes aboard a boat in the sunshine. Well worth it. And the views were stunning. The lake is more developed than the lake of Geneva, the parks go up to the water and you can easily go swimming… in Geneva the lakeshore is big rocks and not really conducive to sunbathing or swimming.

we also decided that Zurich knocked off some of Geneva's attractions. There is a flower clock and a jet d'eau, though neither are as impressive as the Geneva Version!

Annecy

Last Saturday Lisa and I went to Annecy to enjoy the picturesque little french town. We were accompanied by Canadian friend and photographer [you'll see what I mean later] Jesse. The day started off rough because the tram we were supposed to take was early, and we missed it. Our train to Annecy was due to leave at 8:02. Current time, 7:17. We decided to walk to the main train station... then a bit further, decided on a bus that came at 740, got to the stop at 750, didnt really know where the station was, so we kinda walked a bit, turned out we had to walk back and go the other way... so we ended up breaking into a jog and hurrying because at this point its like 755... we run up the street, round the corner and see the station. get to the station, walk through and get to the platform. THE platform, there's one... and the train wasnt there, sooo it was anticlimactic. we ran for nothing! but we made it!




It was a pretty ride, we changed trains... but not when we were supposed to, they changed it up on us. We ended up getting to Annecy 30 minutes early! It was a bit chilly, we walked around tryin to stay warm. We took a few jumping shots, because, well, thats what we do. And it helps you stay warm; the jumping, the laughing, the public humiliation. You know, the norm.







Saturday must have been flea market/antiques day because the sidewalks were clogged with ppl putting their wares on display. we saw everything from china to books, from stuffed animals to antique guns, furniture to hats. I was tempted to try and haggle for something i didnt need. my argument being "It's used, isn't it? I'm not paying full price. There's a newer model anyways." i didnt know if that would make them laugh or hate me. They are French you know... that's one heck of a grudge.







walked around the city, saw the castle on the hill. then decided we needed lunch. decided to get steak frites... oh man, what a lunch. first, they got our drinks wrong. we wanted demi-peche, which is beer w peach, and we just got peach water. lame. then our steaks came out and they were not at all cooked in the middle. like they had thrown them on a hot fire and cooked only the outside. the middle was rare and cold. so we sent them back. when they came out, one side was cooked, an done side was cold. it was so stupid. but the fries were really good!

Flower Clock, now Purple

Free Papers?

So, only in Switzerland can you find newspaper stands that aren't locked...

There is a small slot on the side where you leave your money, and in return you lift the plastic covering and take your paper. It's an honor system... and it seems to work. There are always papers left by the end of the day, and everyone pays!

The Swiss also don't litter or stare at eachother on the bus...

Big and Tasty?

"Take a big bite into 100% beef, with streaky bacon, melted cheese slices made from delicious Emmental, slices of tomato, crispy lettuce, onion and Big Tasty sauce...need we say more?"

Streaky bacon? SOLD!

Lisa's back... and you know what that means

Together again. After 10 long days of separation. I think you all know what that means... There's gonna be a little more of this...


Some more of this....




And DEFINITELY more of THIS!



hopefully we can find a photographer and I can keep my eyes open!

Lisa's Back

Lisa's back so i'm not so so alone! We wandered around today hoping to score some sunshine... but every time we sat down the sun ducked behind some clouds and didn't come out until we got up to leave!



arc en ciel!



flower clock



our sleeping arrangement. ha.

hippo guarding his side of the bed!!