July 22 & 23 : summer trip begins

We had decided to travel to Italy by rail this summer. Apart from being a bit cheaper than the plane, we wanted to see the scenery, particularly on the leg from Switzerland to Rome. So, off to Liskeard Station we went. We parked the car near the tennis court to avoid nearly $40 in parking fees. If someone wrecked it we figured we would do well out of the insurance for the ghastly Rover and good riddance...

It was a good day. It was our first summer train trip, and leaves on the trees certainly added to the green and pleasant land. We saw deer, the white chalk horse, and house boats on tidy little canals.

London was hot. We got there in the early afternoon, so decided to go and see the Natural History Museum. It is a beautiful building, lovely carvings of animals everywhere (irrespective of exhibits!) It was rather hot and stuffy... we found relief in the mineral exhibits. I didn't know that diamonds came in different colours...

The Tube was hellish - crowded and hot. The pub near our (cheap and basic) hotel was doubly welcome. They did a lovely home-cooked chicken and mushroom pie, too. The hotel was just too hot, so we were glad to leave it early for the Eurostar terminal the next morning, where we had a relaxing wait for the train. The trip to Paris was uneventful. We walked over to the Gare du l'est, which was very attractive. It actually had a large oil painting suspended over some arches... very clean windows, too. (Here we are, with picture). A baguette, then the Zurich train.

Large fields of yellow wheat finally gave way to mountains and valleys as we came to Switzerland. There were rampant, lush weeds of the sort that need to go like the clappers before the next snow...

So, briefly, Zurich. A pleasant, though very hilly, walk from the station to the hotel. Not hot here! We ate at the "Crazy Cow" restaurant beneath our rooms. It was very quirky. Wayne and I had sausages propped on sticks and clothes pegs. Eleanor's chicken wings were actually served in a miniature shopping trolley, with a little side dish of chips.

This was a classier hotel than our London digs. A painting of goats trotted over our heads... very 'Heidi'. Wayne turned on the telly, and heard of a rail accident on the Swiss Italian border! Not very encouraging for the next day!

(Here are Jack and Annie on the Swiss hotel balcony.)