Day 6

Chateau de Gruyeres!!

A magical journey up the pass and down the rivervalleys, picnicking in a meadow view a view to the teeth of Mordor

The Giger museum has grown and sprouted a cafe in typical alien style, he is a master of organic mechanical art, and very inspiring and strong to see his huge wallsize works and sculptures (not for kids...:)

The castle has been an art exhibition and workplace for more than 150 years, and was great to revisit and get the story behind, i love this old village on the mountain overlooking the plains, so romantic and true fantasy (except for a gazillion tourists;)

On the way back was invited for a very good cup of cappuccino and nut cake at the famous Die Alte Post in the rivervalley, and having grilled vegetables at the lake in the good hostel, that place is so sad to leave!

Day 5

The sleeping boatman ensured we could go Beatus early instead of jumping around the lake and was so lucky as entering the caves along with only a german family, the silence of the grottos and spectacular depths much stronger and deeper

Found a chance to play my indian flute in the chambers, resonating sounds off the distant walls and lakes, feeling the silence even stronger, reminiscing the saint living here in all simplicity 1400years ago
Afterwards the contrast with the tourist street and the shopping mall overflowing with foods and goods, indians, chinese, japanese, germans and americans

Evening walk in search of the local waterfall gave a magical night view of the lake castle and serenity of the pilgrim walk through the forest - halfway asleep in the living room reminded of the asberger consequences while massaging back, suddenly aware of the multiple implications of social language and response, so utterly complicated - still far from being able to relax into life i am grateful for all the learning experiences given

Day 4

The sky is the limit,
taking the slowly crawling cog train steeply up to the alp-botanic garden at Schyniger platte
Photographing the japanese tourists; feels a bit like the "shoot back" campaign against surveillance cameras:)

Getting a great spinach pizza in the local shop and being way too nerdy in the evening cabling all over the hostel living room to be able to watch Mythbusters making cars explode:)

 

 

 

Day 2

Early out passing Kessel and a little later hearing the radio warnings about traffic jams on the highway there, while appropriately hearing part two of hhgttg

Just after seeing the sign for the parking lot in Frankfurt, across the road a sign for an asian sushi bar, lunch was absolutely fantastic, and then 2 hours in the natural museum allowed seeing everything without getting bored

Fresh strawberries at the parking lot for the road and arriving at the famous castle youth hostel breiberg half past five, being welcomed without payment getting the same number as the last hostel, a luxurious modern room inside the huge castle walls

Going for a forestwalk on the warm green mountaintop, eating and climbing the castle tower just before the heavy rains start, the wrought iron door closes at ten yet still possible to access with the system key, making the place feel both open and safe

Internet in the hallway limited to two hours makes it effective and clear, just enough time to search and book the hostel in switzerland, again semi-randomly based on the picture and a few reviews, the distance 5 hours driving

Day 1

Day 1

Early morning just time for feeding chicken and preparing the house

Received a confirmation email for the youth hostel burg breiberg and
met Inchka on the way to the bus, she helped carry my food bag

Lucky to get a bit of internet via someones open phonenetwork inside the train, felt pretty strange using the free train net that way

When the train paused in Odense a traveller asked me whether i intended to travel on, since my wagon had actually ended; jumping up and running out i was just in time to reach the correct train before it left!

Searching a vanished random mexican grill on the way caused a retry for a greek bistro which had transformed itself into a luxurious indian restaurant, complete with a full page of vegetarian dishes, yah!

The delay around hamburg was caught up by travelling comfortably fast and looking at the queues heading the other way, while listening to hhgttg

Reached hildesheim youth hostel just before six, and had free space despite there being held a big birthday party, we shared with a nice bicyklist

Went to the first swimming hall on the gps, an absolutely astounding water paradise, with tropical air, heated outdoor pool, massaging spa, circling rivers and big timed waterglide with stroboscopic lights, the inside moneyless cafe allowing for sipping drinks in the palmroom relaxing to the setting sun while watching the curious bypassers on the street outside pondering on the loudspeakers that could serve as a magical swimming disco

A short tour of the town allowed us to witness a live trans performance at the incredibly beautiful central old town, carved house fronts and huge church plus the famous topheavy treestory shop

Arrived back to the hostel just before 10 and was luckily forced to go to sleep as the bicyclist was opting for an early morning, so then were we:)