ITALY, San Gimignano and Tuscany

September 26-27, 2006

I caught the train from Riomaggiore to Siena and then caught a bus to San Gimignano for the 2 day walk through Tuscany. San Gimignanno has 14 medieval towers dating back to the 12th century. At one time there were 70 towers.No one seemed to know a walking route so the next morning I started walking along the highway on my way through the beautiful Tuscan landscape. Beautiful rolling hills, grape vines and olive trees decorate the countryside. I finished the 19 kilometer walk in one day rather than two.

SWITZERLAND, Skydiving from a Helicopter

Thursday October 26, 2007

I left at 9 am to go skydiving from a helicopter. The jumpmaster told us that there were only 3 places in the world you could jump from a helicopter, Australia, Hawaii and Interlaken, Switzerland. 2 days ago I went skydiving out of a plane but the opportunity to jump from a helicopter was too great to pass on. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from the jump but I did buy a video of my jump which is pretty wild. To jump from 12,000 feet right inside of the Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger mountains was quite an adrenaline jump. At one point we were only about 10 feet from a waterfall.

"decide....whether or not the goal is worth the risks involved. If it is, stop worrying....."

Amelia Earhart

SWITZERLAND, Matterhorn at Zermatt

Sunday October 22, 2006

I left Interlaken by train this morning to go see the Matterhorn in Zermatt. The train ride was 5 hrs. but the ride on the cog railway up the mountain across from the Mattterhorn was beautiful with the Matterhorn staring you in the face the entire time. I decided to walk the six hours down the mountain to enjoy the scenery. I took a trail that I later found out was not the tourist trail as you may notice. A picture of some mountain scooters for the true adventurer.

SWITZERLAND, Bern

Saturday morning October 21, 2006

I took the morning train from Interlaken to Bern. Only 1.5 hrs. I immediately walked to olde town to see the Glockenspiel clock with the bear chasing the rooster. I visited the bear den. Bern was named after the bear because it was the 1st animal killed on that site. I also took pictures of the various fountains including the ogre fountain which depicts him eating children. There also was a cheese and milk market which happens every Saturday morning.

SWITZERLAND, Lucerne

Saturday October 21, 2006

After lunch I took the train from Bern to Lucerne. It has a beautiful bridge, Kapellbrucke, whose murals lining the ceiling, are nearly identical to those painted in the 14th century. The covered bridge supposedly had over 120 painters at one time painting it in the 17th century. I also got to watch skull {rowing} races in the middle of the city with everyone lining the river and cheering. A Cheese Festival was also going on with a milking contest complete with a fake cow that gave milk. The building decorations were some of the most unusual that I have ever seen.

SWITZERLAND, Trummelbach Falls

October 20, 2006

After visiting Schilthorn, Murren and Gimmelwald, I finally found my way to the Falls. The Falls have 10 separate waterfalls within the mountain. My pictures are not very good but it may give some insight to the phenomena.

SWITZERLAND, Schilthorn

Friday October 20, 2006

Today I had planned to go to Trummelbach Falls, which has 10 waterfalls inside a mountain, but took the wrong bus and ended up at the lift to Schilthorn Mountain. Schilthorn is famous for having the longest ski run in the world and being the location for one of the older James Bond films. It was the best view so far including Jungfrau. At the top is a rotating restaurant which gives you a 360 degree view while eating lunch.

" All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware."

Martin Buber

SWITZERLAND, Murren

October 20, 2006

I got off the lift from Schilthorn to visit the village of Murren. It is a typical small Swiss village on the mountainside but a little commercialized but not too much. It has restaurants and hotels which makes it tourist friendly. A good place to stay in the Alps can be hard to find.

SWITZERLAND, Gimmelwald

Friday October 20, 2006

Later I went to Gimmelwald which is much smaller with only one bed and breakfast, no restaurants and the Mountain Hostel with has probably one of the best views in the Alps. Since Gimmelwald is not too far up the mountain from Murren, it is easy to get supplies and food in Murren when staying at the Mountain Hostel.