Well, it's finally here, the end of my trip. Haven't updated the blog as much as I'd hope, but I still managed to use it :)
The last set of pictures have been upload to http://picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht
and I'm uploading the last of the movies to www.youtube.com/derekhecht
I'm especially proud of the last photo in the 'Bookends' album. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to find the opportunity to take such a picture :)
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
New photos!!!
Just finished uploading new photo albums.. Close to the end of the trip and I've been busy.
http://picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht
Ascano, Switzerland
Milan, Italy
Gruyere, Swizterland
Frog Museum in Estavayer-Le-Lac, Switzerland
My friend Cindy came to visit for a week (she's flying back today) and we went to Milan over the weekend. Unfortunately, it was in the mid-90's and very humid so it wasn't the most comfortable weather to walk around in, but it was Milan. Got to see the Duomo, and went to one of the castles in the area. Also got to see a bunch of Ferrari's that were there for a convention at the hotel we were staying at. On the way back stopped off in Ascano (switzerland) which is in the italian speaking area. You would swear that you were on the Mediterranean. Beautiful little city with classic italian design and color. They even had a Jazz festival when we stopped by. Monday it was the Frog Museum in Estavayer and yesterday it was off to Gruyere (where they make the cheese).
Cindy is flying back today, so I'm back to being by myself for the next 5 days and then I'm home!!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht
Ascano, Switzerland
Milan, Italy
Gruyere, Swizterland
Frog Museum in Estavayer-Le-Lac, Switzerland
My friend Cindy came to visit for a week (she's flying back today) and we went to Milan over the weekend. Unfortunately, it was in the mid-90's and very humid so it wasn't the most comfortable weather to walk around in, but it was Milan. Got to see the Duomo, and went to one of the castles in the area. Also got to see a bunch of Ferrari's that were there for a convention at the hotel we were staying at. On the way back stopped off in Ascano (switzerland) which is in the italian speaking area. You would swear that you were on the Mediterranean. Beautiful little city with classic italian design and color. They even had a Jazz festival when we stopped by. Monday it was the Frog Museum in Estavayer and yesterday it was off to Gruyere (where they make the cheese).
Cindy is flying back today, so I'm back to being by myself for the next 5 days and then I'm home!!!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Lucerne and Meiringen
Running out of weekends! This weekend will be Lucerne on saturday and Meiringen on sunday. Lucerne is a city that people say you have to go to. Classic picturesque, on the lake surrounded by mountains. I'll be spending the day there and then in the evening visiting one of the pilots Ian (call-sign Nacho) and his wife Gwen. Swiss BBQ followed by watching the USA in the world cup. Will be spending the evening there and on sunday will be heading to Meiringen to go to the Sherlock Holmes Museum (a second one) and Ballengberg. Ballenberg is a swiss outdoor museum similar to colonial Williamsburg - http://ballenberg.ch/en/Welcome
Should be a good weekend with hopefully easy walking. This time there shouldn't be 900+ stairs to attack :)
Should be a good weekend with hopefully easy walking. This time there shouldn't be 900+ stairs to attack :)
Monday, June 14, 2010
Interlaken
This past weekend went up to Interlaken, and I had company. Ellen [Funderburg] stopped by Switzerland on her way to eastern Europe. Have to admit it was nice having company where I could make comments and references and they understood them :)
Went up to the Interlaken area where some of the tallest mountains in Switzerland, Europe, and the world are. Was hoping to get to the top of the Schilthorn but unfortunately the weather was drizzly and it was so misty you couldn't even see in front of your face.
We did, however, do a lot of walking in the Interlaken area. Stayed at a hotel in the little town of Brienzersee on the north edge of Lake Brienze. First stop was the town of Giessbach where we saw the Giessbach Falls. Saturday morning started early and drove to Lauterbrunnen where you start walking the 'Valley of 72 Waterfalls'.. However, I don't think there were really 72, or at least not that we could see. It was about a four hour walk through the misty valley with a stop off at Trummelbach Falls. They are actually inside of a mountain so it was a pretty cool thing to see. After that we continued to the little, and I mean LITTLE, town of Stechelberg. Pretty much a food stand, bus stop, restaurant/hotel and a cable car to the top of the mountain. Not by any means a booming metropolis.
Afterwards we drove to Grindelwald where we went to the Grindelwald Gorge that is created from glacier runoff. Definately a cool place to see where there are actually bungee jumps into the gorge. Crazy, that's all I have to say. Then it was off to the Upper Grindelwald Glacier. 890+ fun filled steps up to the glacier on top. All I have to say is OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW, but I made it, and so did sock monkey.
Unfortunately, what they don't tell you is that there is no frickin glacier on top. Oh, there's a glacier allright, but it is way way way way up where you can't go. It was a climb to a rock!! But it was a rock with an amazing view :) Then you could actually continue over a suspension bridge a little further up. Anybody with a fear of heights need not apply. Nice deep drop to a glacier run-off river. After all that it was eat, lay down and rest the feed and legs.
And then the next day... Montreux and Lasaunne. I had been to Lausanne before but not Montreux. Montreux is a beautiful city right on the short of Lake Geneva. Definitely understand why they call it the Swiss Riviera. After several hours of walking, we left Lausanne and headed back to Estavayer for an end to the weekend.
Ellen left this morning at 6:15 to catch a train to eastern europe where she'll be karate chopping her way through lots of old cities and scenic views (she has a travel blog).
As always, new pics on http://picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht . There's a Lasaunne 2, Montreux, and Interlaken album. Also some updates (I think to Cows and Animals).
I'll also be posting some movies tomorrow to my you-tube account http://www.youtube.com/derekhecht . Movies of the indoor falls and the suspension bridge.
Until later.
Went up to the Interlaken area where some of the tallest mountains in Switzerland, Europe, and the world are. Was hoping to get to the top of the Schilthorn but unfortunately the weather was drizzly and it was so misty you couldn't even see in front of your face.
We did, however, do a lot of walking in the Interlaken area. Stayed at a hotel in the little town of Brienzersee on the north edge of Lake Brienze. First stop was the town of Giessbach where we saw the Giessbach Falls. Saturday morning started early and drove to Lauterbrunnen where you start walking the 'Valley of 72 Waterfalls'.. However, I don't think there were really 72, or at least not that we could see. It was about a four hour walk through the misty valley with a stop off at Trummelbach Falls. They are actually inside of a mountain so it was a pretty cool thing to see. After that we continued to the little, and I mean LITTLE, town of Stechelberg. Pretty much a food stand, bus stop, restaurant/hotel and a cable car to the top of the mountain. Not by any means a booming metropolis.
Afterwards we drove to Grindelwald where we went to the Grindelwald Gorge that is created from glacier runoff. Definately a cool place to see where there are actually bungee jumps into the gorge. Crazy, that's all I have to say. Then it was off to the Upper Grindelwald Glacier. 890+ fun filled steps up to the glacier on top. All I have to say is OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW, but I made it, and so did sock monkey.
Unfortunately, what they don't tell you is that there is no frickin glacier on top. Oh, there's a glacier allright, but it is way way way way up where you can't go. It was a climb to a rock!! But it was a rock with an amazing view :) Then you could actually continue over a suspension bridge a little further up. Anybody with a fear of heights need not apply. Nice deep drop to a glacier run-off river. After all that it was eat, lay down and rest the feed and legs.
And then the next day... Montreux and Lasaunne. I had been to Lausanne before but not Montreux. Montreux is a beautiful city right on the short of Lake Geneva. Definitely understand why they call it the Swiss Riviera. After several hours of walking, we left Lausanne and headed back to Estavayer for an end to the weekend.
Ellen left this morning at 6:15 to catch a train to eastern europe where she'll be karate chopping her way through lots of old cities and scenic views (she has a travel blog).
As always, new pics on http://picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht . There's a Lasaunne 2, Montreux, and Interlaken album. Also some updates (I think to Cows and Animals).
I'll also be posting some movies tomorrow to my you-tube account http://www.youtube.com/derekhecht . Movies of the indoor falls and the suspension bridge.
Until later.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Rheinfalls!
This past saturday I hopped in my car and made the drive up to the Rheinfall in northeast Switzerland. As the name implies, it's where the Rhine river turns into a waterfall :) As far as the spelling, I've learned that things around here have several variants of names (german, english, french, swiss, etc..), so you can almost pick a spelling and it works!
Spent the day there taking the boat rides that will bring you to the various parts of the falls. Have to say, it's not the biggest of falls, but it is definately a pretty one.
movies on youtube! www.youtube.com/derekhecht
pics picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht
There are also updates to the 'Cows and Others' and Estavayer-le-lac-2 albums.
This coming weekend, Interlaken. With the Funderburgler!
Spent the day there taking the boat rides that will bring you to the various parts of the falls. Have to say, it's not the biggest of falls, but it is definately a pretty one.
movies on youtube! www.youtube.com/derekhecht
pics picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht
There are also updates to the 'Cows and Others' and Estavayer-le-lac-2 albums.
This coming weekend, Interlaken. With the Funderburgler!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Roma!
I think I'm almost recovered from my Rome trip. My feet aren't going to forgive me though. 2 weekends in a row of 10hr days walking. My dogs are killing me!!!!
First, there were a lot of pictures from Rome (600+), so instead of a single Rome, Italy album, there are about 11. There is still a Rome Italy album with some miscellaneous pictures, but I ended up putting each big 'thing' in its own album. As usual, a lot of snarky comments from yours truly.
http://picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht
Also, I'm starting to upload my movies to my youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/derekhecht
They will slowly trickle up over the next day or two. There are 12+ and they take time to upload.
All I can say is wow! Unfortunately I didn't get to see the Sistene Chapel or Pompei, but they can always be for future trips :)
First, there were a lot of pictures from Rome (600+), so instead of a single Rome, Italy album, there are about 11. There is still a Rome Italy album with some miscellaneous pictures, but I ended up putting each big 'thing' in its own album. As usual, a lot of snarky comments from yours truly.
http://picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht
Also, I'm starting to upload my movies to my youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/derekhecht
They will slowly trickle up over the next day or two. There are 12+ and they take time to upload.
All I can say is wow! Unfortunately I didn't get to see the Sistene Chapel or Pompei, but they can always be for future trips :)
Monday, May 17, 2010
My feet are killing me!!!!
Okay everybody, I just had an absolutely tiring/incredible weekend. This was my long weekend, and I managed to see Nice, Marseilles, and Avignon France. Started off with a nice 7 hour drive through the Swiss Alps (there is a photo album just for that) getting to Nice France. Made a quick trip to Cannes for a little bit. Unfortunately, I couldn't go to Île Sainte-Marguerite. as the last boat left about 2 hours before I got there. I was really hoping to go, as this is where the man in the iron mask was held. In 20/20 this would have been the only thing worth seeing in Cannes. With Cannes done, I returned to Nice to spend Thursday night and Friday in Nice. Friday I met up with a friend Pam who I had met at another friends wedding (Rich). We spent the day in Nice, and then drove over to Marseilles for dinner Friday night. She returned to Aix-en-Provence Friday night, but I stayed in Marseilles all Saturday walking like a lunatic wearing my feet down to nubs (Did I say ow!). After a busy busy day in Marseilles, I promptly passed out and left for Switzerland Sunday morning. With some prodding, I ended up stopping off in Avignon on the way back. It was sunday so not much was open, but I did walk about a bit. Got back on the road for the remainder of my 11 1/2 hr drive back. Combination of heavy traffic and the slight delay.
All in all, an amazing weekend. Pictures have been placed on my picasa web site picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht . New albums, Swiss Alps, Nice, Marseilles, Avignon.
Next weekend, Rome!
All in all, an amazing weekend. Pictures have been placed on my picasa web site picasaweb.google.com/derek.hecht . New albums, Swiss Alps, Nice, Marseilles, Avignon.
Next weekend, Rome!
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