Friday, March 27, 2009
The Swiss Alps
Janelle, Paul and I got into Zurich about 4:30, and took a train to Lucerne from the airport. We took the bus from the main train station through the beautiful city of Lucerne to our hotel, the Bellevue. Our rooms had balconies and the view of the lake and the mountains beyond was amazing. We crossed the street for some photos of the sun setting on the lake. We took the bus back into town for some dinner and a quick walk around the Old Town, then back to the hotel and to bed.
The next morning, Sunday, we ate our free breakfast and headed into town again. We stopped for sandwiches to pack for our journey up Mount Pilatus. Our Swiss Pass gave us a pretty good discount on admission. It was so gorgeous up there – exactly what you’d expect from a view of the Swiss Alps. The sun was bright and the clouds were few, making an outstanding experience up there. I even braved the additional steps to the very top with Janelle and Paul, who convinced me it was worth the view. Most of the time we spent up there was filled with the sounds of alpenhorns, which made the experience all the better.
We ate our sandwiches on the way back down the mountain and took the bus back to town, rushing to make the 4:15 boat that would take us to another village on Lake Lucerne. We had coffee and tea on the cruise and were able to close out our cruise as the sun was dropping behind the mountains that surrounded us. We were glad to have had a good weather day to enjoy the excellent views from Pilatus and on the cruise.
We took the train back to Lucerne and ended our day at a restaurant in the train station, where I had the trademark dish of Lucerne, the Luzerner Kugelipastete, a puff-pastry shell filled with a rich concoction of diced veal and mushrooms in a cream sauce with fries on the side. It was so good that I ate until I was literally in pain. Scrumptious!!
On Monday morning I woke up and started playing with my camera, noticing that some photos seemed to be missing. I kept trying to get the camera to show me all of the previous day’s photos, but ended up accidentally deleting them all! Devastated, I jumped in the shower to avoid screaming. Later on, Paul and Janelle made me feel a little better, as they had taken almost all of the same photos and videos that I had on Sunday. It was still a big loss to me, because you know the photos are my favorite souvenirs from all of my travels.
We planned to spend the day in town, wandering around and seeing the Lion Monument, which commemorates the Swiss Guards who died while defending Marie Antoinette in the French Revolution. We saw the lion, Janelle bought herself a Swiss Army knife nearby, we had lunch in a cute little café and then bought Swatches. What else would be a better souvenir from Switzerland? We then got back on the bus to the Transport Museum, where they had trains, planes, boats, automobiles and space travel artifacts. After looking around the museum, we saw an Imax movie about a guy who climbed Mount Eiger, 30 years after his father died doing the same. After that, we went back to the hotel to chill out for a while before dinner.
That night, since the guide book had led us to our delicious dinners the previous night, we let it guide us to another fantastic spot on Monday night. This time, we ate at a little place on the lake near the Kapellbruecke. We were seated in a cozy little room and I had meatballs with stinky (and delicious) cheese melted over them and macaroni and cheese with onions on the side. Another excellent selection. Afterward, full and exhausted, we headed back to our hotel.
The next morning we were to leave super early for Interlaken on the 6:55 train. We had been warned of bad weather, and that it wouldn’t be a good idea to go up Jungfrau if that was the case. Jungfrau is very expensive – well over a hundred euro – and we heard that it’s just not worth it if the weather is bad, because you can’t see anything up there anyway. So when I woke up and heard the snow/sleet falling on my balcony, I knew it was not to be. The train ride proved even further that Jungfrau would be a waste of time and money, since we could barely see past ten feet out the window on our panoramic train ride.
Disappointed, we headed to our hotel and were able to check in at 9 AM, then we made our way back to the train station to go to Lauterbrunnen Valley, touted as the most beautiful valley in Europe. To us, it became the WHITEST valley in Europe. It snowed almost the whole time we were walking for two hours to get to the cable car up to the little villages above. It was beautiful, but by the time we reached the cable car station we were drenched and freezing cold, and my knee was hurting after walking all that way. We took the cable car up to Shilthorn Peak, amidst the skiers and snowboarders, who had to be thrilled at the powdery, fluffy snow everywhere. We ate lunch in a small café and walked through the snow-covered village of Murren to the train, then rode another cable car back down the mountain.
After resting at the hotel, we decided to pop around the corner (thank God, because my knee was not feeling up to another two-hour walk around town) to a little pub for dinner and drinks. They had a special three-course menu – soup, steak and veggies with fries and sorbet for dessert. All three of us ordered the special and again, it was a great find from the guide book. We sat around drinking beers for a while and then went back to the hotel for our last night in Switzerland.
The trip was great, and Janelle and Paul were great company. We laughed a lot, and saw many breathtaking sights and ate many delicious meals. Basically, everything it takes to make great travels.
The next morning, Sunday, we ate our free breakfast and headed into town again. We stopped for sandwiches to pack for our journey up Mount Pilatus. Our Swiss Pass gave us a pretty good discount on admission. It was so gorgeous up there – exactly what you’d expect from a view of the Swiss Alps. The sun was bright and the clouds were few, making an outstanding experience up there. I even braved the additional steps to the very top with Janelle and Paul, who convinced me it was worth the view. Most of the time we spent up there was filled with the sounds of alpenhorns, which made the experience all the better.
We ate our sandwiches on the way back down the mountain and took the bus back to town, rushing to make the 4:15 boat that would take us to another village on Lake Lucerne. We had coffee and tea on the cruise and were able to close out our cruise as the sun was dropping behind the mountains that surrounded us. We were glad to have had a good weather day to enjoy the excellent views from Pilatus and on the cruise.
We took the train back to Lucerne and ended our day at a restaurant in the train station, where I had the trademark dish of Lucerne, the Luzerner Kugelipastete, a puff-pastry shell filled with a rich concoction of diced veal and mushrooms in a cream sauce with fries on the side. It was so good that I ate until I was literally in pain. Scrumptious!!
On Monday morning I woke up and started playing with my camera, noticing that some photos seemed to be missing. I kept trying to get the camera to show me all of the previous day’s photos, but ended up accidentally deleting them all! Devastated, I jumped in the shower to avoid screaming. Later on, Paul and Janelle made me feel a little better, as they had taken almost all of the same photos and videos that I had on Sunday. It was still a big loss to me, because you know the photos are my favorite souvenirs from all of my travels.
We planned to spend the day in town, wandering around and seeing the Lion Monument, which commemorates the Swiss Guards who died while defending Marie Antoinette in the French Revolution. We saw the lion, Janelle bought herself a Swiss Army knife nearby, we had lunch in a cute little café and then bought Swatches. What else would be a better souvenir from Switzerland? We then got back on the bus to the Transport Museum, where they had trains, planes, boats, automobiles and space travel artifacts. After looking around the museum, we saw an Imax movie about a guy who climbed Mount Eiger, 30 years after his father died doing the same. After that, we went back to the hotel to chill out for a while before dinner.
That night, since the guide book had led us to our delicious dinners the previous night, we let it guide us to another fantastic spot on Monday night. This time, we ate at a little place on the lake near the Kapellbruecke. We were seated in a cozy little room and I had meatballs with stinky (and delicious) cheese melted over them and macaroni and cheese with onions on the side. Another excellent selection. Afterward, full and exhausted, we headed back to our hotel.
The next morning we were to leave super early for Interlaken on the 6:55 train. We had been warned of bad weather, and that it wouldn’t be a good idea to go up Jungfrau if that was the case. Jungfrau is very expensive – well over a hundred euro – and we heard that it’s just not worth it if the weather is bad, because you can’t see anything up there anyway. So when I woke up and heard the snow/sleet falling on my balcony, I knew it was not to be. The train ride proved even further that Jungfrau would be a waste of time and money, since we could barely see past ten feet out the window on our panoramic train ride.
Disappointed, we headed to our hotel and were able to check in at 9 AM, then we made our way back to the train station to go to Lauterbrunnen Valley, touted as the most beautiful valley in Europe. To us, it became the WHITEST valley in Europe. It snowed almost the whole time we were walking for two hours to get to the cable car up to the little villages above. It was beautiful, but by the time we reached the cable car station we were drenched and freezing cold, and my knee was hurting after walking all that way. We took the cable car up to Shilthorn Peak, amidst the skiers and snowboarders, who had to be thrilled at the powdery, fluffy snow everywhere. We ate lunch in a small café and walked through the snow-covered village of Murren to the train, then rode another cable car back down the mountain.
After resting at the hotel, we decided to pop around the corner (thank God, because my knee was not feeling up to another two-hour walk around town) to a little pub for dinner and drinks. They had a special three-course menu – soup, steak and veggies with fries and sorbet for dessert. All three of us ordered the special and again, it was a great find from the guide book. We sat around drinking beers for a while and then went back to the hotel for our last night in Switzerland.
The trip was great, and Janelle and Paul were great company. We laughed a lot, and saw many breathtaking sights and ate many delicious meals. Basically, everything it takes to make great travels.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Mr. Happy
Well, I finally asked the jolly bus driver what happened to Mr. Happy. He retired! I feel better now because 1) I know he's okay and 2) I won't have to see him again. It's good news for everyone. He's happy he doesn't have to drive the bus every day and I'm happy about that too.
Also, the jolly bus driver is now my friend. I'm not sure if that's good news or bad...
Also, the jolly bus driver is now my friend. I'm not sure if that's good news or bad...
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Merrion Square for St. Patrick's Day
Got out a bit today for the Paddy's Day stuff. It was challenging - probably more walking than I've done in a while, but it was fun to see some of the festivities.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Anniversary
One year ago today I arrived in Dublin for my new job. A year later, looking back, I am amazed by all I've seen and done. Over the past couple of weeks I've been so caught up in my knee troubles that I've kind of forgotten how fortunate I've been for the past year. I have been on such great trips full of stories and moments I will always remember. Every once in a while, I still have to pinch myself to know it's real. The wonder of it all does not escape me. It is still an exciting adventure every time I go to the airport. I am still wowed upon arrival in a new city, looking at buildings or bridges or castles or cathedrals that have stood for hundreds of years.
And let's not forget my adoptive "hometown" of Dublin. This place is great. Nearly every time I leave my apartment I see something I've never seen before. I am starting to panic about not seeing the whole town before I move back to the US! The experience of living in an urban environment, where women wear their suits and tights with running shoes to walk to the office, has been so inspiring. Before I moved here, I had no idea how to survive without a car. Somehow, during my year here, I have grown to LOVE not having a car.
The trips around Ireland itself cannot be glossed over by any means. There is something powerful and majestic around the coast of this island. It is positively gorgeous. Some weekends it is hard to stay here in the city when the sea and cliffs are just a bit of a drive away.
So, reflecting on the past 12 months of my time here in Ireland, I smile at the memories and hope that the rest of my time here is as good as the first year.
And let's not forget my adoptive "hometown" of Dublin. This place is great. Nearly every time I leave my apartment I see something I've never seen before. I am starting to panic about not seeing the whole town before I move back to the US! The experience of living in an urban environment, where women wear their suits and tights with running shoes to walk to the office, has been so inspiring. Before I moved here, I had no idea how to survive without a car. Somehow, during my year here, I have grown to LOVE not having a car.
The trips around Ireland itself cannot be glossed over by any means. There is something powerful and majestic around the coast of this island. It is positively gorgeous. Some weekends it is hard to stay here in the city when the sea and cliffs are just a bit of a drive away.
So, reflecting on the past 12 months of my time here in Ireland, I smile at the memories and hope that the rest of my time here is as good as the first year.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Weekend Update
The good news is that my knee is feeling MUCH better. The bad news is that I am quite bored, having spent the majority of the day on the sofa. Although it seems to be helping to not walk so much, I may have to get out tomorrow a bit.
I tried online grocery shopping for delivery tomorrow afternoon. I haven't done it before, but I tried to work out how much walking I'd have to do and it was too much, especially with carrying the extra weight of the purchases I'd have made. Despite being told to rest the knee, I'll be embarrassed when the delivery arrives tomorrow.
I tried online grocery shopping for delivery tomorrow afternoon. I haven't done it before, but I tried to work out how much walking I'd have to do and it was too much, especially with carrying the extra weight of the purchases I'd have made. Despite being told to rest the knee, I'll be embarrassed when the delivery arrives tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
A diagnosis... finally
After many years of mysterious knee pain, I have been diagnosed with patellofemoral syndrome (PFS). This was the cause of my accident in Paris, which could be 'damage to MCL (medial collateral ligament) and meniscus.' I have been asked by my physiotherapist to have the knee scanned to provide them with more information/confirmation on the extent of the injury. I am also wearing a 'tubigrip' cuff over my knee to try and reduce the inflammation and some tape for further support. She recommended some exercises to strengthen the muscles around my knee, which is supposed to help relieve pressure within the knee. I am also supposed to avoid lots of walking for a little while until this thing starts to heal.
Not great news. Since walking is my main mode of transportation, it's a bit discouraging. Plus, I worry this could impact my travel plans. The physio said not to write off my trip to Switzerland later this month just yet, but we'll have to see how it goes. I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow, but right now I feel low. Boooooooo.
Not great news. Since walking is my main mode of transportation, it's a bit discouraging. Plus, I worry this could impact my travel plans. The physio said not to write off my trip to Switzerland later this month just yet, but we'll have to see how it goes. I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow, but right now I feel low. Boooooooo.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Various Updates
This is a hodge podge of various things I have forgotten to mention and other current news:
- Mr. Happy the grumpy bus driver is missing. I haven't seen him since just after Christmas. I am concerned and too afraid to ask the other bus drivers.
- I forgot to buy a bus ticket on the 46A the other day. I still feel badly about it.
- When I checked into the B&B in Bruges, the owner told me the code for the front door, and that I needed to enter the number and then press the "bear." I was thinking, "Bear? What?!" Then she took me outside and showed me. My Japanese hostess was telling me to enter the number then press the BELL.
- If you want to see Bruges on video, check out the movie 'In Bruges' with Colin Farell. There are MANY dirty bad words during the film, but excellent footage of the town and even some bonus features solely focused on Bruges itself.
- Similarly, great Grafton Street (yes! in Dublin!) footage in the film 'Once.' And it's a great movie. Quite inspirational and not so many bad words.
- I saw a doctor today about my knee and she told me to see a physiotherapist first and see how it goes for the next few weeks rather than taking the next steps right away. More meds, but no codeine this time.
- I've had to take official steps to get my deposit back on my previous apartment. The horrible wretch hasn't paid me yet! Since it's been well over two months and getting closer to three, I have filed a case with the local tenancy board. Wish me luck. Nothing else has worked so far - he won't return my calls!!
That's all I can think of right now. I had a nice weekend. I saw Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which was very good and plenty of Barcelona scenes to help me reminisce about my trip in January. Cool! On Sunday I watched the football (soccer) game between Man United and Tottenham. It was pretty fun to watch, but Manchester won. The jerks.
- Mr. Happy the grumpy bus driver is missing. I haven't seen him since just after Christmas. I am concerned and too afraid to ask the other bus drivers.
- I forgot to buy a bus ticket on the 46A the other day. I still feel badly about it.
- When I checked into the B&B in Bruges, the owner told me the code for the front door, and that I needed to enter the number and then press the "bear." I was thinking, "Bear? What?!" Then she took me outside and showed me. My Japanese hostess was telling me to enter the number then press the BELL.
- If you want to see Bruges on video, check out the movie 'In Bruges' with Colin Farell. There are MANY dirty bad words during the film, but excellent footage of the town and even some bonus features solely focused on Bruges itself.
- Similarly, great Grafton Street (yes! in Dublin!) footage in the film 'Once.' And it's a great movie. Quite inspirational and not so many bad words.
- I saw a doctor today about my knee and she told me to see a physiotherapist first and see how it goes for the next few weeks rather than taking the next steps right away. More meds, but no codeine this time.
- I've had to take official steps to get my deposit back on my previous apartment. The horrible wretch hasn't paid me yet! Since it's been well over two months and getting closer to three, I have filed a case with the local tenancy board. Wish me luck. Nothing else has worked so far - he won't return my calls!!
That's all I can think of right now. I had a nice weekend. I saw Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which was very good and plenty of Barcelona scenes to help me reminisce about my trip in January. Cool! On Sunday I watched the football (soccer) game between Man United and Tottenham. It was pretty fun to watch, but Manchester won. The jerks.
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