Andrew and Elizabeth Caldwell's
Travel Page
Act II – Scene III - Florence to London.
Tuesday 1 May (day 11) Firenze (Florence) (fine) to Lucerne, Switzerland (cloudy 20°C) Up @ 6:15, on the bus @7:30am. Left Signa and drove north through Tuscany then onto the Po Plains. Stopped near Palmera for morning tea then onwards north past Milan then into the foothills of the Alps. Drove past Como then across the Swiss border (after a brief stop). Drove past lakes to Lugano for our lunch stop @ 12:00. Walked along the very pretty lakefront, to the replica of San Carlos church, which is built using 2 inch thick slabs of timber, each cut differently, and stacked on top of each other to form a 3 dimensional shape. Liz bought a Swiss army knife (36 SwF / NZ$45 / £14) and found later that it was not the one she wanted. Grabbed some lunch on the way back to the bus and back on the road @ 1:00pm. Photo: "San Carlos church replica" Photo: "San Carlos church detail" Drove north through the mountains and valleys to the St Gotthard Tunnel (17kms long) which took us from the Italian speaking cantons of Switzerland to the German speaking cantons. Drove down the sides of a valley which lead to Fluelen where we stopped at our hotel @ 4:15 (Hirschen). Fluelen is a little village at one end of Lake Lucerne with a view of the mountains on the other side. Unloaded our bags into our hotel room (with a lake view) and walked up the hill to Hart Jesus Kirche (church) which had a view of the lake, and with grounds and a cemetery that were immaculately kept. Walked back down to the hotel to tea (such as it was) @ 6:15. Back to our room to rest. Wednesday 2 May (day 12) Lucerne (cloudy 18°C) Up @ 6:15, on the bus @ 7:30. Drove around the side of Lake Lucerne, through a 9 km tunnel, to Lucerne. Went to the Lion Monument to the Swiss soldiers (very peaceful) then the obligatory souvenir shops. Liz bought another Swiss Army Knife (32 SF / NZ$43 / £13), this time with a corkscrew. Walked down to the Reuss River and across the Cappellbrucke (Chapel Bridge). Liz bought a Oakley backpack at the markets by the river (29 SF / NZ$40 / £12). We then walked past the railways station, with part of the old station standing out front, to the wharf for our optional boat trip @ 10:30. Cruised out on the lake until 11:30 then back into town. Back on the bus for the optional trip to Engelberg and up Mt Titlis (or as called by our tour guide “Titlis mountain”). Drove up a rural Swiss valley, dotted with little villages and cows with bells, to the town of Engelberg. Started our journey up the mountain in a 4 person gondola, which took us up to the learners slopes of the skifield, then into an 80 person gondola, then finally into the rotating 20 person gondola for the last part of the journey. Photo: "Engelberg from Mt Titlis gondola" Photo: "Mt Titlis rotating gondola" A bit windy on the summit and –1 degree. Amazing view over Engelberg and surrounding mountains in one direction but cloudy and murky in the other. Had lunch in the café then back down the mountain @ 2:15pm (45 minute trip eachway), back onto the bus then back to Lucerne. Had free time to walk around town shops and old part of town. Photo: "View from Mt Titlis looking south" Andrew bought some new shoes (Puma 129SF / NZ$150 / £50) and Liz bought a T-shirt then back to the bus @ 5:30pm. Drove back to hotel for rest, dinner @ 7:15 then bed after a busy but good day, in an amazing natural setting. Thursday 3 May (day 13) Lucerne (cloudy) to Paris, France (cloudy 16°C) Up @ 6:15, on the bus at 7:45 (this was supposed to be on the bus @ 7:30 but there was only one porter at the hotel, and 4 of our tour groups bags were loaded onto another Cosmos bus which had already left!). Drove back to Lucerne then northwest to Basel to cross the border into France. We then headed towards Paris, with two stops on the motorway for morning tea (and to get 4 bags back!) and lunch. Drove through rolling fields, some covered with yellow canola flowers. Arrived in Paris @ 6:00pm, after battling the traffic on the Peripherique (ring road). Photo: "Canola fields from bus"
Rested in our room for a bit then Andrew went to lobby to see if they had an iron for use got stuck in the lift with 9 other tour members (the lift was rated to carry 4 persons!). Lift stopped ½ flolor below ground so had to climb up a ladder to get out. And they didn’t have an iron! Photo: "View from hotel room of Seine" Ordered delivered pizza for tea (120 F / NZ$40 (!) / £12) then out at 8:45pm. Drove along the Seine and saw the Eiffel Tower and saw it’s lights ‘sparkle’ as it does every hour. Drove into the Latin Quarter to the Paradis Latin for our optional Cabaret show. Very professional show with comedy and trapeze acts as well as the dancing. Some routines were performed topless, which I always feel adds to the professionalism of any show!. Back to the hotel at 12:00. Friday 4 May (day 14) Paris, France (cloudy, drizzly, cold 12°C) Up @ 7:30am and on the bus @ 8:45. Drove along the Seine with local guide Michele, past various palaces etc to Notre Dame Cathedral. Went inside for a walk around, which was quite dark and gloomy, then back outside to walk around in the rain to the back (east) of the Cathedral, through the gardens to reboard the bus. Drove through the Latin Quarter, past Hotel de Invalides (Disabled Soldiers Home) to the Eiffel Tower for a photo stop, including one of the tour group (most of us). Back on the bus and drove round Arc de Triumph then down the Champs Elysees. Stopped beside Jardin de Tuleries and ended the tour. Some of the group were heading to Versailles but we decided to use the afternoon to look around Paris. Walked through the Jardin de Tuleries to Place de la Concord. Too cold to walk around so caught the Metro up the Champs Elysees to Arc de Triumph. Had a picnic lunch (stolen from the hotel breakfast buffet) sitting on the base of the Arc de Triumph (and froze). Walked back down Champs Elysees looking at shops and people. Stopped for coffee about half way down then carried on back to Rue de Rivoli. The streets of Paris were cleaner than we had expected and things seemed well organised. Photo: "Giant Wheel, Place de la Concord" Photo: "Giant Wheel and Obelisk, Place de la Concord" Photo: "Looking down the Champs Elysee" Caught Metro (line 7) back to D’Ivry (nearest stop to our hotel) then (after normal disorientation caused by emerging from a subway into unfamiliar streets) walked to a shopping mall next to our hotel for a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. Strange to see dogs allowed in shopping malls, we must be in France! Back to hotel for a rest. Out to the mall again to get a phone card to use the hotels’ internet (50F/£5/$15 for 50mins access). Rested again until 6:15 when we went out for final (optional) dinner with the tour group. Drove to Mont Matre then up cable car/funicular to the top of the Mont. Walked around the streets and main square of Mont Matre, looking the resident artists. Liz bought 4 reproduction pencil sketches. Walked to Sacre Cour church and went inside (as much to get warm as to have a look). Quite a nice light airy church. Photo: "Sacre Cour, Mont Matre" Photo: "Funicular railway, Mont Matre" Photo: "View of Eiffel Tower from Mont Matre" Back down from Mont Matre @ 8:00pm. Back on the bus and drove to the restaurant in a building that used to house (Napoleon’s) Josephine’s horses. Very enjoyable evening with more wine and some brave souls having the snails. Back on the bus and back to the hotel @ 11:00pm Saturday 5 May (day 15) Paris, France (cloudy) to London, England (fine 14°C) Up @ 6:15am, on the bus @ 7:30am. Drove out of Paris on the Peripherique then headed north on the A1, past Charles de Gaulle airport. Arrived in Calais @ 11:15am, off the bus for the last time, and onto the 12:15pm sailing. Bumpy crossing, arriving in Dover @ 2pm (UK time). Through immigration and customs then onto bus headed for London on the M2. Arrived at Thistle Euston hotel @ 4:30pm. Out for a curry with some of the tour group (£12 for the two of us). Back to the hotel for a rest after two long weeks and many miles. Next installment: London and around |
