Cinque Terre (and Genova, I suppose) 17.5-21.5.2013

You will just have to indulge me.  I like the pictures I took.  Could not resist showing off.  So this is Cinque Terre. Regardless of what any tour guide says or anyone you know, do yourself a favor if you ever go here and go hiking.  But make sure you bring some real hiking shoes.  I know from personal experience that sandals just will not cut it.  My feet were black and blue, covered in scratches (as were my legs) and mud.  Not pretty.  But it was so worth it.  Best hike was from Riomaggiore (the southernmost village) to Portovenere (which is way cooler than any of those five cities). 

 Riomaggiore, where I stayed.  Don't stay here.  Absolutely nothing to do. 

 Manarola.

 On the panoramic trail between Manarola and Corniglia.

 I love how the Italians have better marked trails than Austria or Switzerland.

 Seaside trail between Monterosso and Vernazza.  Not an easy trail, but was supposedly one of the easiest. 

 Vernazza.

Trail to Portovenere.  Not so great weather.

 But it changed quite beautifully.

 Portovenere. 

 

 Back in Riomaggiore.

 I ate some fried versions of him.  Absolutely excellent.

 Genova.  It was Monday.  Everything was closed.  Oops.

Switzerland: Interlaken 4.5-5.5

I decided to go to the area around Interlaken, at the suggestion of both my father and a friend.  Zürich was okay, but Interlaken was--wow.  The first day, I went to Lauterbrunnen, which is famous for its waterfalls.  Weather was terrible.  The trail that I wanted to hike was closed.  I got soaked.  Altogether, not so great, although back at the hostel in Interlaken, it was the opposite.  The next day I went to Grindelwald, and well, you can read what I have to say about it below. 

 Lauterbrunnen.  I only took pictures when it was not pouring, or I found an eave, under which I could snap a shot.  So this is one of the few times it was not pouring while I was there. 

 Interlaken.

 Of course it was nice here, when just twenty minutes up the valley, it was so not. 

 Grindelwald.  Up the other valley.  Started out not so nice. . .

 . . . got better. . .

. . . and clearer. . .

. . . and ended up awesome.  The Eiger.

 I am definitely going back. 

If you have not seen it, you should see North Face.  It is about the 1936 attempt to scale the last unconquered face in the Alps.  It is an typical Austrian film, and thus is quite tragic and depressin, but good nonetheless.  Plus, some gorgeous scenery, and if you are anything like my grandmother, that is all that matters.  

I could not resist taking some last minute shots as I left the place.  By the way,  Grindelwald is way cooler than Lauterbrunnen, if you ever go. 

Switzerland: Zürich 1.5-3.5

I am too lazy to go through a week's worth of photos, that I have for Ireland, so here is Switzerland instead.  

One of the towers of Grossmünster.

Grossmünster Portal.

Lovely construction in front of the opera house.  I was going to go, but they were only performing Falstaff while I was there.  No thank you!

Courtyard of Fraumünster.  Which is lined with frescoes.  I was very surprised to see all of the modern art.  Almost all of the churches had post-1930 stained glass.  These frescoes are clearly 20th century as well (see below). 

This is how I spent my first evening.  Listening to a rehearsal in St. Peter's.  Much better than the opera.  Plus it was free.

The next day in Enge, a district of Zürich. 

Here was the exception to what I said above.  My kind of church. 

Museum Rietberg in Enge.  Full of exotic (non-Western) art.  These were Chinese, I believe.  Asian, definitely.

 African masks.  I forget from where. 

Slit drum from Papua New Guinea. 

Mexican snake.

Tlingit.  Their collection was appalling.

Landesmuseum (civic museum). 

This certainly made me laugh.  "Die Herren von amerikanischen Steueramt" or "The men from the American tax office." 

"What! We are not on the list of 'Very Important Losers'!"

 This one is terrible.  "Finally they integrate themselves better, the Muslims."  Apparently I did not take a picture of my favorite.  Schade.

 Out a window, that I am pretty sure I was not supposed to open. 

 I honestly cannot say where this one was.  In Zürich. 

Fraumünster.  Off to the left, between the two buildings, is that courtyard.