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. 

Springtime in Graz

 Out hiking.

 Wine Tasting in Southern Styria.

 Not quite Tuscany, but not half bad.

 Out hiking again with friends to Ruine Gösting.  I got to go inside this time. 

Schöckl.

GIMP sucks.  Well, maybe not, but I am so used to Photoshop, I can barely use it.  Plus the picture was terrible in the first place.  That is what we get for asking someone else to take the picture.  He did not even know to look through the eye hole.  Anyway, left to right: Steph, my roommate; me; Liz; and Whitney.  All Australiens except for me. 

 Schlossberg.

 Can you tell I like wisteria yet?  Sadly, I missed the time in Italy. 

 One of the few times the clouds were gorgeous. 

 My favorite spot to sit as well. 

I have never heard of white wisteria, but they sure smelled like it.