3: Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland, France


Bid and German friends at “Tour de Hamburg”

After a 21-hour “Super Ferry” ride from Hanko, Finland to Rostock, Germany, we arrived safe and sound. We were lucky enough to win at BINGO and in the casino, so we probably should have stayed aboard even longer but 21 hours was enough of cheesy lounge acts and naked people acting crazy in the saunas.

We jumped off the ferry (not literally) and took the first train to Lubeck, Germany. Lubeck is a charming medieval city with five great churches whose seven towers give the city a remarkable silhouette. There was a beer fest going on in the main market, and who are we to turn down some good German beer and sausages? When in Lubeck, don’t miss the Marionette Museum on Petersgrube, owned by one of the leading world collectors with 20,000 in his private collection. It shows how puppets have been used all over the world for storytelling and entertainment.

From Lubeck we headed south to Hamburg where we stayed with some friends. They showed us a good time and took us to the Hamburg “beach” which looks out onto the container loading yard. It’s great fun and everyone makes BBQ and drinks beer.

We also went on the “Fleet-Fahrten,” a cruise along the inner Alster through the Rathaus and Schaartor Locks into the Elbe River. We were there during the “Tour de Hamburg” cycling race so there were lots of festivities going on. We took a train from Hamburg to Uelzen’s train station. A very “Gaudi-esque” station and is a cool stop along the tracks. From there we arrived in Schnega and were picked up by friends to stay in the circular village of Waddeweitz for a couple of days of rest and relaxation.


Bid next to narrowest house in Germany (Quedlinburg, Germany)

Storks have nests in the center of the circular villages there, and the birds had just had their babies. It was so enjoyable watching them learn to fly. This was the first time we had ever seen storks (except for pickle advertisements in the States). We rode bikes and horses through the countryside, ate some great food, and just hung out. We said goodbye and headed further south to Quedlinburg, a true gem of Germany.

Our first stop in a new town is straight to the tourist information which gives great maps and usually self guided walking tours. This city has the narrowest (all of 6 feet) and the oldest timberhouses in Germany. The city only covers a total of a third of a square mile and dates back to 1200.

We visited Naumberg next with its Dom St. Peter and Paul. And then went to Eisenach, birthplace of Bach, and home to Wartburg Castle. Wartburg Castle, where Martin Luther translated the New Testament, sits majestically high atop a hill. It is incredible inside and out!

From Eisenach we left for Bamberg, the showpiece of Germany, where time stands still. It is such a colourful, beautiful city. One must make a stop at the Schlenkerla Brewery for an original smokebeer. It is a taste that is hard to put into words… you know when you are sitting at a campfire and your clothes begin to smell like the smoke? And you can even taste the smoke in your mouth? It is really a different taste but quite good too. The atmosphere of the brewery is also awesome. The second beer tastes better than the first but we can’t tell you more… you will have to visit yourself!

We took the train to Dresden for a night before heading to Prague. We arrived in Prague on August 11. The reason we mention the date is because the rain had just begun. We were really looking forward to our visit to the Czech Republic and had planned on spending a while here. On August 14, after three continuous days of thunderstorms, we evacuated the city along with 50,000-plus others.

We stared in disbelief and shock as doorways were being sandbagged, streets shut off, businesses shut down, and people trying to salvage their belongings. Volunteers were working hard to get all of the important buildings boarded up before more damage was done. The devastation caused by the Vlatma river was frightening. The only way we could get out was to go back through Dresden, Germany. The rain would not let up. The Elbe River with its destructive power seemed like an impassable, relentless barrage that would not stop.


Grindelwald, Switzerland

When we arrived in Dresden, the main train station looked like some post-war scene. The pavement in the front of the station had cracked from all of the water, the tracks and some trains were completely underwater, and trees that had been uprooted outside were now inside the station. Fortunately there are two stations and we were rerouted to the other one. It took 11 hours (normally a four-hour ride) by train and bus to get to Leipzig from Prague.

We got on a night train to Zurich, Switzerland (the closest place that seemed not to have rain) where we arrived in the much welcome and warm sunshine. A few more hours of travel brought us to Grindelwald. Ahhh… the Swiss Alps, what a fantastic sight! Fresh air, cool streams, and lots of hiking. We hiked for days to absorb this wonderful sunshine. We hiked up Waldspitz (1919m), First (2168m), and Grosse Scheidegg (2061m). We saw adorable little marmots, gorgeous wildflowers and sat by refreshing mountain waterfalls.

From there we took a train to Zermatt with its electric taxis and horse-drawn carriages. The campsite here leaves a lot to be desired, but the view of the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa make up for everything. Some people go to Zermatt and never see the Matterhorn because of clouds – we had a crystal-clear view and loved every minute of it, from sunrise to sunset.

While here we also hiked Furi (1886m) and Schwarsee (2582m). We took the funicular up to Sunnegga. We were off to Montreux next, which is known as the “Swiss Riviera”, right on Lake Geneva. Chateau de Chillon is a must see!


“Jet d’Eau” (Geneva, Switzerland)

Our Eurail passes allowed us to take a boat from Montreux to Lausanne which was amazing: wine vineyards on terraced land, sailboats, beaches, tiny villages sprinkled along the hills – all while floating lazily down the lake. We took a train from Lausanne to Geneva, one of our favorite cities by far. The famous “Jet d’Eau” dances high into the air, the floral clock (which has kept accurate time since 1955), LaGrange Park with its thousands of roses, Cathedral St. Pierre (157 steps to a magnificent view of the city) which holds a bell of 6 tons in its bell tower that was carried up in 1407. (Can someone please email us and tell us how they got that bell up there?)

From Geneva we headed to Chamonix, France. The mountains were calling our names. We hiked the Plan de L’Auguille (2308m), across the Grand Balcon Nord, le Montenvers (1913m), and around the mystical Mer de Glace (sea of ice). Stop at Saint Hubert for the best croissants in town and at La Cabol�e Restaurant up the hill next to the Ski Station Refuge for a warm wonderful dinner. We ended the month of August in Annecy with the cleanest lake in France. Finn Kelly’s has a 2-for-1 Happy Hour. We hope to see you there!

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