Day 58

Day 58 Jungfraujoch
Wednesday 25th August

Don't be deceived by this photo. Here we are at the Top of Europe (Jungfraujoch) looking calm and composed at over 3.5 thousand metres above sea level. In reality I was dizzy and light headed due to the altitude and couldn't see a thing through my tinting glasses that had gone totally black in the bright snow. This explained my stumbling into children and little old ladies and asking a large black rock where the chair lift was. Debbie, on the other hand, ran out of oxygen half way up the mountain and witnessing a grown woman with her eyes rolling around independently in their sockets was disturbing to say the least!

There was to be no repeat of the Arctic Circle calamity this time! No sir, this time I rugged up with long pants, a jumper, a jacket and the hotel's double doona!


Below: trains take you to the foot of the alps.

Right: by positioning the sled cunningly behind Debbie and giving her a gentle nudge, she fell on and screamed down the slopes.

Left:

What a photo opportunity!! Notice the 23 km glacier in the background.

Above:
The Ice Palace - a series of underground frozen rooms with ice sculptures.
Can't see a bloody thing!! A blonde Ozzie Osborne?

You can't lay a cable car track up the sides of the mountain peaks, so you just tunnel right through the middle of them!!

Movie: Debbie showing off her snow walking skills.
Message for Red and Tink: with a few easy skiing lessons you could be as good as Uncle Tony!
The Great Race!! Remember that Debbie got a huge advantage at the start! She must have added in my "Whooas" and "Look outs!" as I was, in fact, totally composed throughout.
Yippee! I even went down the death-defying flying fox. Look - no hands! All went smothly, except for the landing. "Phthat was phthabulous!" I said spraying out a mouthful of ice and shovelling snow out of my jocks and back pockets.

Day 57

Day 57 Interlarken
- Tuesday 24th August


I really needed my fingers stuck in my ears today -might use this technique more often on this trip.
The thudding roar of the Trummelback falls was deafening! These falls are actually deep inside the mountain. You can access the falls through a series of tunnels. The flow is the result of melting glaciers above and the high pressure blast of water thrashes through the small falls and corkscrew passages.
It's advisable to wear a water proof jacket as the violence of the water causes a great deal of spray and mist.

The Trummelback Falls are just outside the beautiful town of Lauterbrunnen - a 20min train ride to the foothills of the alps. To be continued......

Day 56

Day 56 Interlarken (Switzerland)
- Monday 23rd August

I go to great lengths to give Debbie the complete travel experience. Not many tourists get to stay in such a romantic and rustic setting!!!!


Got off to a shaky start at Interlaken when we missed the West Station stop and had to get off at Interlaken Ost (East). This only added a kilometre or so to our walk to the hotel. We didn't need a taxi!
We happily dragged our bags through the town - even had some window shopping on the way.

We eventually left the town behind but I assured Debbie the hotel wasn't far away!!
I didn't say anything, but I was reminded of the road to Mount Buffalo! "It's just around the next hair-pin bend, I'm sure!"

After recovering from what I called the 'rutic ambience' of the room, Debbie stepped out onto the balcony and saw this!!

All was forgiven...again!

Day 55

Day 55 Paris
- Sunday 22nd August

Well, it was nearly all over today! We got off the bus at the Arc de Triomphe and thought, "How did all those people get over the the Arc de Triomphe?" (see third picture below)
Cars were screaming around the huge round- about. So off we went - Debbie was beside herself!! Cars bipping, swerving. We made it across and wondered why no-one else seemed to be taking the same risks. Then discovered the underground connecting tunnel!
(above) Here we are all smiles at the Eiffel Tower.



Dining on the Champs Elysees. Debbie did escape into a perfume shop for a moment - some moderate collateral credit card damage!

(above) How did they get over there?

Eiffel Tower at night. It's a long way down!

Decided to walk down the lower section.(above)

(left) The Thinker - from behind!!
The lesser known thinker (above)

Eiffel Tower. Reminds me of some of my Meccano Set models when I was a kid. Except the tower has a few more nuts and bolts! As we approached the top in the lift, the structure (all of a sudden) felt a bit flimsy for some reason! What if it bent? Does it wobble? I didn't tell Debbie it was made in the late 1800s.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Does this scene look familiar? Focus in on the awnings. Let me know if you know why it's recently famous.
Hint: it's a restaurant.

The Opera house.







Some gothic organ in Notre dame...

Wobbly Amsterdam -just found these photos....

Special Feature... forgot to add these photos in the Amsterdam pages.

WOBBLY AMSTERDAM

Thought I'd had too much cherry liqueur on my pancake when we stepped outside a restaurant and Debbie said, "Look. That building is crooked!"

I felt a bit whoozy when all the buldings seemed to lean forwards or side ways.

Would you stay at the above hotel?

Robbie.... I hope the Saints aren't as wobbly as these houses at the moment!!

(above) Look at the join between the buildings.