Sunday July 11th – What the heck is in Portugal anyways?

The train arrives at 7:45am to Lisbon (Lisboa). I’ve had a night of numerous sleeping positions and crazy dreams.  The directions to the hostel are horrible, but I find it eventually and sleep ’til 3pm.  Pedro the manager is awesome.  We talk shop and I learn the Hawaiian ukulele is from originally Portugal.   I plan the next 3 weeks of my trip and all the guests watch the World Cup final in the lounge (Go Orange!).

Monday July 12th – The Castle

Near the hostel, I sit on a bench at a small park on top of a hill overlooking the city. There’s a large white church behind me with bells ringing. The weather is perfect today.  Music gently plays as people quietly sit at an outdoor cafe. It`s a rough life.On my left is another hill with flags waving on top of a castle, named Castelo de Sao Jorge, the highest point in the city.  I decide to go for a walk towards the castle, only first discovering an open square with a view of the river and city, and a model shoot going on.
Up at the castle, the admissions guy gives me the 1/2 price student rate (awesome). Built in the 1000s by the Muslims, the castle overlooks the entire city. In the distance across the river is a towering statue of Jesus with his arms spread out, similar to Brazil’s. The castle was renovated in 1930 and could be an ideal movie set.   It’s nice and breezy as the flags wave above me.  On my way out, I spot a couple of peacocks. Really?  Back at the hostel for dinner and relaxing.

Tuesday July 13th – The cable cars are like a carnival ride

I walk downhill through the maze of streets to the riverside and take the metro to Sao Sebastian.   I take a look inside an El Corte Ingles, a department store like Macy’s.  It’s overcast today and pleasant. I’m feeling better.  Nearby is a pond followed by a large long grassy tree-lined promenade with manicured hedges called Parque Eduardo VII. There’s a giant Portuguese flag and a fountain with two stone towers. The view leads all the way back down to the river.  I begin walking downhill to a roundabout with a tall monument called Marques De Pombal, then through some side streets past a park to another lookout point of the city.   While walking, I discover the Parliament building.  There are two guards in nice uniforms marching back and forth with perfect cadence. There’s a van full of police.
Onward to the Basilica da Estrela and across the street to Jardim da Estrela (garden), this is a lovely park, really quite nice.    I hop on the #28 cable car across town, which is fun like a carnival ride. We come upon a traffic jam and have to sit in the car for 1/2 hour.  At the hostel, I sleep for 2hrs and get ready for my flight to Geneva.

Wednesday July 14th – Did that guy just steal her scooter?

I check out at 5am. As I walk downhill to the train station, it’s still dark out and the streets are empty and quiet.
I arrive just as it starts sprinkling. Need sleep.  At the airport, a guy approaches me and asks in broken English if I’m a rawfoodist. I guess we can just tell by looking at each other.  There’s barely anyone on the plane and I know why.  Don’t fly TAP Portugal Airlines.
As we land in Geneva, you can see many small farms and mansions with manicured estates like in the movies.  Mount Blanc is in the distance.  So far I like the country.   Currently, the exchange rate is 1CHR (Swiss Franc) = $1USD. Yikes it’s expensive, but the money looks cool.  The bus for one hour is about $4.  There’s construction in town for new light-rail tracks.  Geneva has evidence of humans going back 12,000 years and it became a banking center in the 1700s. Considered the city of peace, Geneva is the birthplace of the Red Cross and is known for its chocolate.  Geneva is next to Lake Geneva (largest in Europe) which has an extremely high fountain shooting water into the air.
I get off at a random bus stop and I am rewarded with a long park called the Bastions filled with Swiss students playing badminton, large-piece chess, and sitting in the grass.  In the park, there’s a long wall monument with 4 main statues of priests.  I purchase a small piece of chocolate at a shop and continue past a brass band and a farmers market.   As I cross the river, I can see the Jet d’eau (water jet), a Ferris wheel, and a swan. I find another chocolatier and taste 3 kinds: dark, Cognac, and hazelnut. (Jim Carry from Liar Liar: “I’ve had better”)  After I explore the tourism office, I discover a natural foods health store. Lunch is $19.
Nearby is a small park on the lake with fountains, griffins, and a Cinderella-like castle called Monument Brunswick.  Marble sculptors are underrated.  I think I just saw someone on a scooter rob a tourist. In the distance, I can see her yelling and people nearby are gathering to help.  I don’t see why Geneva has to be so expensive. What’s the reason? Venice I can understand.
Oh wait, awesome! There’s a dock that leads out onto the lake with a high diving platform. I am so excited, I’m practically running. Hundreds of people are here playing in the lake, sun tanning (some topless) and relaxing.  Only 2 CHR. I change and immediately climb to the highest platform, which is way higher than it looks! I learn it’s only 10m (33ft) but it feels like 40ft and you smack the water hard. The view of the lake and city from the top is excellent.  It’s a great 360 view.

Afterward, I casually walk back to the train station and catch the 7:10pm to Bern.  The Swiss countryside is amazing of course: Chalets, mansions, snowcapped mountains, lakes, farms with cows, and green forests.  I transfer trains at Bern for the town of Interlaken and arrive at about 10pm. It apparently just stopped raining (yeah!).  I walk a short distance to the Heidi Hostel and arrive just as the front desk lady is leaving.  The place is like a giant old Swiss house. There are USA license plates on the wall and lots of Swiss decorations. I have the 7 bed dorm to myself tonight.  Good….sleep.  No Wi-Fi? What?
I tried and tried to call my sister Holli. Happy Birthday!  Thunder rumbles in the distance.

Thursday July 15th – You’re Going to Bern

As I check in, I tell the elderly Herbert and Heidi that I used to be a hostel manager and it turns into an hour conversation. They really need some advice. We agree to talk tonight.  Outside, one of the guests backed into a parked car, while the owners were watching.  I hop on the 11:06am train to Bern and as the ticket lady comes by I realize the hostel still has my passport.  Bern is a wonderful city. It’s the capital of Switzerland and very green with nice parks and locals playing chess. There’s a turquoise river flowing below and a great view. As I walk around downtown on the stone streets, I notice bronze and gold sculptures of red monkeys, jesters, lions and griffins coming out the sides of the buildings.
On the other side of a bridge is a brown bear enclosure called Baren Park Bern along the river and its feeding time. A worker is scattering vegetables and the bears and cubs are running around. Everyone’s watching.  I walk down to the water and dip my feet in. Lots of people are sitting along the edge with their feet in the water. It’s not as cold as I thought. The river is moving fast.  I walk along the riverside trail enjoying nature. There are a lot of trees here as I walk up a path and across the bridge.  I go into a grocery store but can’t find any chocolate(?). As I check out, the lady says “upstairs”.

There’s an entire area just for chocolate!  I buy a variety and a couple are good. They had Jack Daniels chocolate. One brand I tried had mold on it and I returned it. So far, Belgium chocolate is consistently the best I’ve ever tasted.  But Switzerland does have Swatch, Patek Philip, Swiss Army knives, Einstein, bears, Swiss cheese, Swiss Bank accounts, and skiing. I hop on the bus to site-see ($3.80 for one hour). After going around the city, I get off at the Einstein museum.

I walk across the bridge into town to the train station past jugglers, violinists, and xylophone players to catch the 6:04pm to Interlaken WEST.  Back at the hostel for dinner and some Swiss TV, I notice the Swiss really love Einstein.  Heidi is too busy tonight to talk about business and would like to talk tomorrow.

Friday July 16th – The Swiss Alps

I walk through Interlaken, past a Chocolate shop, activities desk (Skydiving costs too much), a sex shop (last one before Jungfraujoch!), a casino, and a Japanese garden. After walking along the picturesque river, I arrive at the second train station, Interlaken Ost (East), and book the 12:05 train to Grindelwald, high in the Swiss Alps.  High cliffs, waterfalls, green fields, a grey river, and cottages – so much fun!
I get off the train and go for a walk through Grindelwald, down to a nature path along the river. The water is crystal clear and freezing. After a few moments of having my feet in the water, the ice cold water painfully stings my feet. I relax and enjoy the scenery.  Later I walk to the Mannlichnbahm, a long chair lift ride.  Grindelwald is like a painting: Idyllic mountains and valleys with quaint homes. I cannot recommend the Swiss Alps in summer enough – a must see.   Its warm today and I walk back uphill for some watermelon and catch the next train back to Interlaken.  After visiting 2 chocolate shops, I head back to the hostel, just in time to miss the heavy rain.  While watching more Swiss TV showing track and field, there’s lightning and thunder in the background outside.

Saturday July 17th – High School Reunion

After checking out, I catch the 11:06am train to Zurich.  In Zurich, I meet up with an old friend from high school named Ben and we go for a walk and catch up on old times over a drink at a cafe.  He works for the UN and we talk about Europe and traveling. Good times.  Later I walk around the nice city of Zurich and see the sites, such as the swans, the parks, the river, and the lake. There’s a light rain today.  On the 4:40pm train for Feldkirch, Austria at 155km/hr, I say goodbye to wonderful Switzerland.
Arriving around 6:30pm, I decide to walk the short distance instead of taking the bus.  It starts pouring rain and I’m soaked.  Feldkirch is a small medieval town on the Austrian/Liechtenstein border. The hostel is in a building 1000 years old, yet everything is very nice and modern inside (elevator, etc.). The building used to be a mental institution and a place for suffers of the plague and leprosy (if you have all three you get a discount).   Tomorrow I visit the tiny country of Liechtenstein. (hint: it`s probably tomorrow’s Jeopardy question).    Coming up next is beautiful Austria and Liechtenstein!