HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU ARE AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD?DIZZY, BREEATHLESS, WEEK-KNEED, AND ELATED.

Today we went to the top of Europe. 11,333 ft. Whenyou are in Switzerland, you go to the Alps, right? We went to Jungfraujoch andon the way we went through the magnificent Bernese Oberland mountain worlds. Wehad a short time in Interlaken, and then drove to board a train to as nearheaven I am going to get before the real time. We began at the foot of Eiger,North Face and then up, up, up. I was overly anxious and worried about the tripfor Skip and for myself.

Switzerland is having an early winter and it wasraining and all of a sudden it was snowing. Flakes came down softly, thenswiftly, and soon everything was heavy with white. We continued up the mountaintaking pictures and loving the trip. Train stopped and we were taken out andput onto another train for the actual pull to the 11,333 ft. mark. Ears dobegin to stuff and breathing becomes shallow and difficult, plus there is alittle dizziness. Now I am really, really anxious. We arrive and are taken offthe train into the building. The wobble in my legs scared me, but the guidejust went on into an Ice Palace once we de-boarded the train. It was unusual. Itook a wide stance and walked like a chimp. I was no chump and did not want toslip on the ice and fall. I heard from a climbing guru that if you spread yourfeet out and create a wide base you would be safer.  Then we were takenoutside. Going outside is a big deal. The wind pelts the snow into your body.It is so bloody cold and the wind is gusting beyond anything I have everyexperienced and the snow is fiercely everywhere. So this is what freezingreally is.  Next time it is cold, and I say I am freezing, I will know Iam wrong. Everyone ran back inside immediately. Thinking them all chickens, Istayed thinking I would get a few photos. Suddenly, I realized I was alone outthere except for a little lone lady who was running back inside, No I said tomyself, you have to experience this snow storm. It was so cold that within afew seconds it pierced through my 5 layers of clothing and a jacket. It slappedat my face and gloveless hands. It hurt and was so awfully uncomfortable. Itwhipped me fast. I was inside whimpering. That kind of weather, stings, slaps,pierces and freezes you in a flash. They say freezing to death is easy and doesnot hurt. Like hell it doesn’t and it can’t be easy.  I feel fortunate tohave experienced this phenomenon of nature. It was such a storm that all youcould see out of the windows was white, white, white, and whiter stuff.

The Swiss sure can make chocolate. It rivals Belgium’s. The cheese in Switzerland is so delicious it is like eating dessert.It is sweet, nutty, deep tasting and full of flavorful eating. Let’s have anexotic cheese party. Oh it will be great. Skip and I will bring the wine andthe chocolate. Your entry fee will be your favorite exotic tasting cheese. Wewill enjoy the time.

Switzerland is beautiful in a way I have not seenbefore. It is incredibly green and mellow. Have you ever seen Alpine meadows?Have you ever seen splendid natural beauty wherever you look? The cities arestill quaint and quietly livable. There are little mountain houses perched onhillsides and snowcapped mountain peaks wherever you look. Of course, they havejust had two days of snow.  Picture the changing of the colors and snowbackdrop. I think that says it all.

We met a traveler from Dubai. She teaches EnglishLiterature at their international school. She says that they know their hold onoil will run out in 10 years so they have made their city a playground for theworld. They think they will capture the tourist industry and make up for lostoil revenue. The city just opened up a 7 star hotel among so, so many otherincredible malls, hotels, and living quarters. I can’t imagine what they willdo for you in a 7 star.  Feed you? Wipe your buttocks, shave you and cutyour hair, be at your beckon call? Make your bed, carry you from place toplace, shop for you, and deliver goods and services to your bedside. You don’teven have to leave the bed, etc. Well, in my opinion you can get the sameservices in a nursing home. Oh well, maybe not, but maybe yes. Anyone have anyideas on a 7 star hotel?

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YESTERDAY’S RAINBOW

Yesterday’s rainbow experience really set the stage for highlights in Switzerland, land of beauty extraordinaire. The organ. Oh my goodness, what an opportunity the organ concert was for us. I just can’t stop thinking how we were the only two privileged guests for this soulful performance. I will never forget that performance for the two of us. It was a gift from a higher place or more than likely it was his time for practice; who knows.

We had all Asian travelers on our bus today. They passed around a sign up and we read countries of origin. So, I could see the countries were Korea, China, Japan (they do think they can go to the head of the line, be late for the bus, and think nothing of it) India, Bhutan and Taiwan. Some of them brought sick coughing little kids. It was awfully annoying. I had to move my seat to the back of the bus because the kids kept kicking our seats and coughing. Our guide was especially well versed in languages and did the tour in 3 languages. Of course, you know who talked and disrupted our ability to hear the English part. ARHHHF.

It is autumn here in Switzerland and the changing of the leaves is in full swing. It is so beautiful and something so unexpected for us as visitors from a place where leaves do not change. The farms, valley areas, the mountains and the cities are all in full transformation of variegated colors. You feel this is a set design and you are a player on the stage. The reds are brilliant, the yellows are staunch, the oranges are hot, the hues blend as nature intended in this part of the world at this particular time of year.

I also roused myself out of bed to tell you this. I kicked myself around the corner many times before and during the first days of our trip thinking we should have done Switzerland at the beginning of the cruise. Now, I see that if we had chosen the earlier time, we would not have seen autumn colors and would not have been in two snowstorms. Being a west coast, Southern California kid, I didn’t see those little white softly falling flakes until I was fifty.

Many of the houses in the cities and valleys of the parts of Switzerland we saw have window boxes in full bloom. This is the time of year where the flowers have been growing all season and now they strain their last effort before they are taken over by death. Full bloom is a strain.  Some of the houses have 8 or more windows facing front and ALL of them have window boxes full of flowers in full straining bloom. I didn’t have my camera ready for most of them so I will have to impart a feeling about one of them in particular that sticks in my memory.  The house was brown and the shutters were red. There were 8 windows in all. Each had a window box the exact size of the window opening. Each box had red hanging flowers, all straining with full bloom, and all striving to be the best. It was a sight I want you to picture.  It made me groan with ecstasy. It was the house, the flowers and the countryside, the quaintness and the sheer beauty of the terrain that brought the groans. Do you think these Swiss ladies have secret, unuttered contests on window boxing?

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Rain, Rain, Go Away

The rain, rain go away and come again another day is exactly the forecast for our stay in Zurich. We have tours planned that will show us many spectacular sights; only they will be covered in shrouds, surrounded by pelting rain and gently falling snow.  Off we go…

It was raining on and off, mostly on all day. It produced the most stunning rainbow any of us had ever seen in our lives.

The colors were perfectly delineated and the arc went from end to end, exactly how you see them in paintings and in re-created art. It was the perfect rainbow, too perfect to be true, maybe the most perfect of all time. The pot of gold was at the end of it, but we were on the bus and no stopping until we came to Mt. Pilates, then Mt. Titlis,  Engelberg, (Angel Mountain) a beautiful mountain resort where Skip and I walked to the Benedictine monastery and had lunch in their Cheese factory.

The lunch on the monastery grounds was memorable. All home made cheeses, and homemade breads were served with salads, and while you ate your lunch, the cheese makers were making cheese behind the glass surrounding your eating area. Astounding. Skip found the piggy bank of all piggy banks today and he was so excited. Now we have to pack that great big box. Seriously, what was he thinking or was he thinking how very far we are from home and the 6 bags have already to lug around, but I am getting better and didn’t say one single word, still haven’t. Next time we travel, we will stick to the three pants, 4-5 tops and the necessary undergarments, plus drugs, just in case.

They did set us off at noon in Engelberg and everything closes there from 12:00-2:00. That is why we walked to the monastery. By the way, we stopped on our way in the church on the grounds and found it absolutely as beautiful as any we have seen. Maybe it was on a bit of a smaller scale, but beautiful. All churches to me are beautiful and have an atmosphere of quiet, tranquil holiness. I lit candles for all of you on my list and some who aren’t. The organist came in bowed before us and started to play. An organ concert for two was heaven sent.

We were the only two on the tour who did the monastery, cheese luncheon and it was a highlight for us. We made it back to our bus just in time. Oh wow, it really took some big time team effort to get back. We then drove to see Lake Lucerne and the city itself. After 11 hours we are so dead tired we ate pastries in the room and are going to bed early. We have something scary planned for tomorrow and can’t decide whether to cancel or not.

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IN GREECE ONLY THE MEN WORRY. REALLY?

Today I bought worry beads.  Now the man who helped us in an antique store said I should not get them that they were for men and the Greek women do not worry; it is the man who worries and frees the woman for other things.  I said,” Yes, but I worry all of the time and if I get these worry beads I may not worry. You see in my culture EVERYONE worries.”  He just shook his head and said ok.  I wanted to get the ivory ones at a bigger price, believe me.  But then, I thought that if I bought worry beads from a poor elephant that had to loose his life over the beads I would worry even more, so I settled on camel bone. Yeah, sure, there are no camels in Greece. They are probably cow or sheep bones, but to tourists if you say camel bones, well, now you’re talking exotic.

In Greece, 85% of the men have worry beads in their pockets and would not think of leaving home without them. Ever since I bought the worry beads, I saw drivers using their beads when riding in city busses (high seating).  I saw the men flipping them and moving them one by one in slow motion. Men flip their beads while sitting and talking with each other. I think it is an unconscious habit. It is interesting how one becomes more aware of some things in a culture when you learn about it.  In the buying process, I even stepped away from the store in thought and turned to go back in to get the beads. What an important decision.  Now the entrepreneur told me that it was for the man and I just shrugged and smiled and took my beads out into the world.  Within ten minutes I kid you not, Skip had them and was just like all the Greek guys. He has them in his pocket and flipping, and swinging them and really enjoying; I thought they were mine, but they are Skip’s. The man in the store imparted important Greek Culture to me and I wanted to give it to you. Remember fellows it does take practice to flip the beads certain ways to remove your anxiety and worries.

We spent the day roaming around the city of Athens. We had coffee; we shopped.  We had lunch; we shopped.  We spent some time in a lovely park; we shopped.  We had Ouzo; we shopped.  We had pastry; we shopped.  Pretty soon everything looked the same; still we shopped. We did not get a lot of things, just spiritual and old things, things that are light in weight and high in price. Oh, I shouldn’t reveal that because it is not all true. We did make sure to get all of you an evil eye. If we run out, we will have to come back to Turkey, Egypt or Greece. Maybe we can pick up some in downtown L.A. In any case, just put you hand up to bad Karma and it will not enter your space. There has been so much history to absorb and so little time. We have come to realize that if we spent the rest of our lives studying history, we would run out of time.  We are going to work on the here and now. We will look at what we have before us and we also have come to realize that the here and now is a lifetime of study and explorations.

Tonight chocolate bars and cookies from the countryside, FYI the cookies are melt in your mouth awesome. One was smothered in apricot jam and rolled in nuts. OMG!!

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